You're Pretty From Afar

“HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYYYYY!”

I rubbed my eyes sleepily to see everyone in the lounge of the bus standing up and grinning at me.

I couldn’t help but smile, “Awh you guys!”

“Come sit, we have presents and cake and champagne and balloons!” Max jumped around excitedly tugging on my arm. “Okay, first up is mine, Matt and Chris’ present,” Max grinned wildly.

I opened the present slowly but I could tell the guys wanted me to tear it open quicker, “Oh my God, I love it! You didn’t have to guys, I love it though it’s brilliant!” I smiled as I held up the huge framed collage. It was full of pictures of Mia and I and all of us together, I loved it. I scanned my eyes over it and there was a picture of all of us pulling stupid faces, Josh and I were stood together laughing at something and it made me feel really nostalgic I could feel tears prick my eyes.

“Wait, why are you crying?” Matt asked.

“I’m not, they’re happy tears,” I said, and they were, it’s just I missed the times when things were so much easier and less complicated. I got up and hugged the three boys, kissing them on the cheek in turn, “Thankyou guys, it’s great!”

“Okay, next up is mine and Josh’s!” Dan said excitedly. I probably looked a little surprised at ‘and Josh’s’ but I looked up at them both a smiled.

I looked at the box that Dan had handed me, it was small so I was guessing it was some sort of jewellery. This time I tore the wrapping open but slowly lifted the lid off the box. I carefully pulled out a bracelet, and held it against the palm of my hand. It was beautiful, it was a small chained silver bracelet with a flat heart link on it.

“It’s beautiful,” I gasped, “I love it! Thankyou so much,” I smiled. I again got up to hug Dan and then Josh. It wasn’t awkward at all, I didn’t even realise I did it until I pulled away and looked at how shocked Josh looked but I simply smiled weakly in return.

“Thankyou everyone seriously, this is going to be the best birthday ever!” I beamed. It was also mine and Mia’s last night so we were all ready to get hammered and have a blast!

“Hey, you haven’t had mine yet!” Mia piped up. “You’re getting it later anyway when we go shopping so I guess we can just drink champagne until then!”

After we had all drunk a hell of a lot of champagne Mia took me out for lunch and bought me a new dress for tonight. Despite everything that had happened, I was sad that it was our last night here with the guys. I really had had fun and wanted to stay, things weren’t that bad at the moment, I just loved being around the boys even though they were really smelly and boy-like but I loved them really. I was going to miss them. They only had a week left but when you’re around someone so much it just feels wrong when you’re without them; that’s what it felt like when I didn’t see the guys for a long time, they were like brothers to me and I felt kind of lonely when they weren’t around.

“You’re going to look stunning in that dress you know, no one will be able to keep their hands off you!” she smiled.

I rolled my eyes playfully, “Well they’re going to have to because I’m not a slut,” I giggled, still giddy from the champagne.

“Oh come one, it’s your birthday it won’t count. You can have the pick of any guy if you want, except mine of course,” she grinned.

“Ew, that’s so gross! Max is like my brother, but I suppose someone else wouldn’t hurt,” I teased, “someone with a gorgeous body wouldn’t do any harm though, it’s our last night and my birthday, I should be able to enjoy it, right?”

“There’s the spirit,” she laughed, “it’s going to be a hell of a night!”