It's the Mess That Feels So Right...

“So are we going to do this?”

“I would rather be thrown into a crowd of obsessed fans naked than do this. You do it!”

“Na-ah! You!

“No, you!” Two familiar voices argued from outside my door. Groaning, I rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I was going to kill whoever was out there. Stumbling out of bed in my pajamas that consisted of a pair of boxers and an old ‘The Academy Is…’ top that I had stolen off Gabe, I tried to smooth down my bed hair before pulling open the door and glaring down at two boys bickering.

“I should have known…” I muttered, as Gabe and Caleb stood up and brushed themselves off, trying to look innocent.

“Happy birthday!” They both cheered in unison, and I tried not to smile.

“How are you feeling this morning, Bee?” Gabe asked, pushing past Caleb to give me a hug.

“Like two morons woke me up on my birthday… Oh wait!” I put on a fake surprised face, “Two morons did wake me up on my birthday, would you look at that!”

They both pointed at each other accusingly as I shook my head and walked out to the kitchen. Ryland and Nate were occupying the two seats at the dining table in an epic arm wrestle that Nate was winning, while Vicky-T was yelling at Suarez for dipping his fingers into the waffle batter constantly. Despite the slightly dysfunctional scene, it set a warm, homey feeling through me, and made me smile.

“More morons…” I muttered with a laugh, as Ryland and Nate looked up at me.

“Hey Nate, did you read the weather forecast today?” Ryland said, picking up the newspaper and pretending to read it over. Nate got the hint straight away.

“No, I did not, please be as kind as to tell me what the weather shall be like today?” Nate answered formally, trying not to laugh.

“Well it seems that in capital of Bee, there is going to be a heavy downpour of sarcasm, followed by a slight haze of sass and in the evening, there is going to be showering of a party!” Ryland yelled, hi fiving Nate with a grin.

“There is going to be a national disaster in the capital of Bee if the weatherman doesn’t shut up!” I mumbled with a smirk.

“You guys are so retarded!” Vicky-T exclaimed, before she came over and gave me a hug.

“Happy Birthday Bee!” Suarez said happily, dipping his finger back into the batter when he thought Victoria had looked away.

“Alex! Come on!” Victoria sighed loudly then turned back to me. “I was trying to make you a birthday breakfast, but someone has the mind of a five year old.” She rolled her eyes in the direction of Alex while he tried to look hurt.

“Thanks Vicky-T, at least you had the decency to not wake me up so early,” I muttered, looking over at Gabe and Caleb who were wrestling over the remote. Seriously, it’s like they were three year olds, not eighteen and twenty-five.

“I did try to warn them!” Ryland chimed in, folding up the newspaper and throwing it at the back of Gabe’s head. Gabe stood up and waved his arms around like he was about to start a fight with Ryland.

“Anyway!” Victoria yelled over the sudden conversations that started. “Bee is finally eighteen! Well, not until one-oh-five, but I’m down with that…” Vicky continued before producing a small, neatly wrapped package.

“I thought I told you not to get me anything…” I groaned and Victoria shrugged it off.

“I know, but I just couldn’t resist! If it makes you feel any better, no one else is giving you presents till tonight, but-”

“Did nobody get the memo about not getting me presents?” I asked drastically and they all smiled and shook their heads.

“Figures…” I growled before turning back to Vicky-T. With a large smile, she pushed the package into my hands and watched as I unwrapped it. Inside was a little material bag, which held in it a silver charm bracelet. I gaped at how beautiful it was.

“Oh my, this is amazing. You really shouldn’t have…” I muttered, looking it at all angles and at all the different charms.

“Nonsense. I got it in silver because I know you like silver better than gold,” She explained as I nodded. “But each charm has significance and the bracelet itself has a meaning to it, but it’s kind of sappy.” I looked up from it briefly and smiled, urging her to continue.

“Well, we,” She pointed at everyone in the room before speaking again, “are a family. No matter what, we are here for you and love you unconditionally. The idea of the charm bracelet was to represent this, and on seven of the metal links are a few charms representing each person, including you, to show how we are all banded together. Cheesy yes, but oh so very true.” Victoria finished with a smile, noticing the small tears that had gathered in the corners of my eyes. I reached out and hugged her as my thanks, followed by Gabe, Caleb, Ryland, Nate and lastly Suarez.

I looked a little closer to the charms, trying to figure out who was who. The first link had a small drum accompanied with a tiny headband that had to be Nate. The next had a little keyboard, they must not have had a key tar, I thought with a smile, and a little dog that had to be Gizmo, which signified Vicky-T. One had a little guitar and a drama mask that had to be Ryland. Another had a bass guitar and a little nerdy pair of glasses, definitely Suarez. The one next to that had a pair of handcuffs and shopping bag. I looked up at Caleb.

“I did not choose them,” He grumbled which made me smile. The next one had a little microphone and a jacket that had one purple diamante, which had to be Gabe. There was one left that had to be me. It held a little red heart, and next to it was a pair of Chucks, and the last one was a little rectangle of silver that read mi querida. I looked up, confused.

“Well, I always call you mi querida that means my dear,” Gabe explained with a small smile. I handed the bracelet to Gabe happily and he attached it to my wrist were it shimmered.

“I love it so much, thanks, all of you,” I said with a wobbly grin, trying to blink back the salty moisture forming in my eyes, but not as much as Gabe. Everyone looked at him as he tried to sniff back the tears inconspicuously.

“What? Stop staring at me. Don’t we have a party to get ready for?” He said, turning away. We all grinned, knowing how Gabe hated us using his emotional side against him. Slightly, just slightly, I was a little more excited for tonight.