Smiles Echo In My Memory

Frank’s Point of View

After about 15 minutes at the beach, it got really dark and windy, and it looked like it was about to rain. We got back to the Laines, walking back towards the car. I’d given Sazzy my blazer because it was fucking freezing and she only had on that dress, and rested my arm around her waist under it. I quickly sent a blank text to Charley, making sure that Sazzy didn’t notice. We’d got to the car, and I helped her in, before walking over to the other side, getting in. Sazzy turned towards me, grasping my hand in hers.
“Frankie, thank you,” she whispered, smiling. I smiled back, squeezing her hand.
“For what?”
“Everything… This. It’s been the best day of my life,” I grinned at her, stroking her hand. “I’m glad. Happy Birthday, baby.”

20 minutes later, we’d arrived at mine, and I told Sazzy to go upstairs and get changed into her purple skinnies and Green Day tee, and she nodded, running up like every other day. Mom sent me a text during lunch saying that she wasn’t gonna come, because she didn’t want to ruin anything. I poked my head around the living room door, seeing a room packed of people, Charley waiting by the door for me. I told everyone to hide quickly, and got into the room myself, standing by the door frame, near the light switch.
“Frank?” I heard her call from outside of the door, and she pushed it open casually. She flicked on the light switch, and everyone jumped up, pulling party poppers and throwing confetti.

“SURPRISE!”

She jumped about a foot in the air, and held her hand to her heart, grinning.
“You guys!”
Everyone started laughing, before the stereo was flipped on, pumping out some Misfits’ song. I grabbed Sazzy by the waist, pulling her into me and crashing my lips against hers.
“Happy Birthday, sugar,” I whispered into her ear, making her shiver. She smiled, kissing me again, pushing her fingers through her hair, making me moan. She knows I love that. She grinned, and pecked me on the lips. I pulled her towards the coffee table, handing her a vodka shot. She took it gratefully, downing one together with me. I passed her a bottle of beer, and took one for myself, before we went into the middle of the room, where people were grinding and dancing.

About an hour and a half later, everyone was at least a little tipsy. Charley drunkenly gathered everyone in a huge circle with Sazzy sitting in my lap comfortably, grinning like an idiot. I was a little drunk, as was she.
“A-alright, fags, its p-present t-time!” Charley slurred, throwing the presents from a corner of the room towards Sazzy. She giggled, hiccupping, and pulling them all towards us, piling them up.
“Frankie! Pick one I should open first!” she cried, tapping me on the knee. I leaned over, pulling out a yellow box, and handing it to her. She giggled, taking it from me and ripping it open.
“From Katie!” she yelled, and pulled out a silver necklace, with Sazzy’s name engraved into it.
“Oh my god, KATIE I LOVE YOU!” Katie grinned, taking a swig of Bacardi Breezer. She didn’t want to get too hammered, because she’s a little bit of a lightweight, so she’d stuck to that after a couple of vodka shots. She was still tipsy, though. Everyone was.
After Sazzy had opened about a million presents, she’d got about 1,000 pounds all together, a lot of jewelry, band tops and hoodies, CD’s and DVD’s, and she just received two Misfits’ tickets from Charley.
“Misfits’ tickets? Charley, why’d ya get me these? They’re not c-coming to England! These a-ares for Jersheey,” she muttered, waving them about in the air. Charley shrugged, blowing out cigarette smoke and smiling. Sazzy put them in the big bag that she’d shoved everything in after she’d opened them, and looked around.
“That’s it!” she said, smiling happily, ready to get up.
“Nahh, I haven’t given you m-my present,” I stuttered, pulling out a lilac envelope from my back pocket.
“Frankie! You gave me d-dinner and beach!” she yelled, giggling again. I grinned, pushing the envelope in her hands.
“Open it!”
She ripped open the envelope obediently, and pulled out the familiar yellow tickets. She looked down on them, and squinting her big brown eyes.
“W-what…?”
"What it is?!” some guy at the back yelled, obviously too drunk/high to get his words right.
“A… Ticket to Jerrsheyy,” Sazzy mumbled, squinting harder at it.
“You are fucking, -you fucking serious?”
“Yeah, fuck yeah. You- coming to Jersey with me, Sazzy!” she burst out laughing, at what I said, holding onto her side.
“I’M GOING TO JERSHEEY WITH FRANKIEE!”

Later on, the party was still going strong. My cousins where there, as well, who’d flown from America for my birthday – they’d just arrived now, and it was a pretty bad time, obviously, but they didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they got straight into it. Kelsey and Johnny were twins, but not that similar. Johnny was pretty open and funny, where as Kelsey was, but just not as much. Kelsey was about two minutes older, and always used that fact to ‘prove’ she was more mature. They came alone together, because their Mom, Auntie Louise, had to sort out something with the house or whatever, and she said she’d prefer it if ‘the kids are out of my hair’.

This was going to be some fucking hangover in the morning.