Hey everybody! I have written many stories, and this is just the first one I uploaded. I feel like it is just something short and sweet for a first upload, and I'm a bit nervous, but glad I finally did it. Mostly everything I write is in first person,, so sorry if this is written a little awkwardly. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it just the same! Also, I think I'm supposed to say that I do not own Big Time Rush or the Golden Gopher Hockey Team, or anything else you might recognize. I apologize for errors. Without further ado, here we go!
Carlos woke up early. The August sunlight streamed through his window, illuminating his face. Today was the day he'd been waiting for! Anticipation and excitement coursed through him. It was his first birthday in L.A., and he couldn't be more thrilled.
Carlos stood up, striding over to his dresser. He picked out a blue shirt with a sporty number print on the sleeves, along with some jeans, and of course, his helmet.
Before leaving, he looked back. Logan was still curled under his covers, eyes lightly shut. Carlos couldn't help but wonder why his smart friend hadn't yet awoken; after all, he was usually up before first.
Carlos shrugged, and the idea was out of his mind as quickly as it had come. Logan was probably just extra tired preparing for his birthday!
Carlos happily strutted to the swirly slide and dove down it. He braced himself upon entering the kitchen, ready to see his family of friends tell him happy birthday, showering him with presents and all of his favorite tasty foods.
But when he entered, he couldn't help but make a small pouting face. Nobody was in the room. Was everyone still asleep?
Carlos went over to the counter and got himself a normal bowl of cereal, not even bothering to put it in his helmet. He ate quietly by himself when somebody entered the room.
"Morning Carlos. Are the guys still asleep?" Katie Knight asked, grabbing a bowl of cereal for herself.
She's asking about the guys? She could at least tell me happy birthday… Carlos thought grumpily. "I guess so. Logan was still asleep when I came down here."
"Weird. Oh well. Today's just a boring ol' Saturday." She commented before going to the living room. Carlos gasped at her, pointing accusingly.
"RUDE!" he yelled, dashing back upstairs, leaving a confused Katie by herself.
"So, I was thinking for Carlos's birthday, we could invite some people over for afternoon cake, maybe some dancing, maybe some hockey..." Kendall reeled off suggestions, sitting cross-legged on his bed.
"Sounds like fun. Are you sure we shouldn't just ask him and let him choose? Just in case?" James asked, brushing some hair from his eyes.
"But then it won't be a surprise!" Kendall pointed out.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Hey," James's eyes lit up in excitement. "You know a cool gift we could get for him?"
"In a day's time?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! We can get him that maroon hockey stick he was looking at downtown! The one with the gold tip."
Kendall thought about this. "That sounds like an awesome idea! Let's go!" he said, standing and walking across the room to get his shoes.
"Kendall, how about we change out of our pajama pants first?" James suggested, laughing at Kendall's determined look.
"Nah, no time for that! Let's go!" he said, grabbing his friend by the arm and dragging him to the door.
A buzzing noise next to Logan's head roused him from his sleep. His bleary eyes rested on his alarm clock, informing him it was ten-fifteen. He never slept in this late!
Logan groaned and snatched his cell phone from his pillow, the source of the vibration. He flipped it open and read a text from Kelly. It asked him to get the guys down to Rouque Records as soon as they could.
Logan sat up, rubbing his sore neck. He had stayed up far too late last night online, ordering Carlos's present. That's when he felt like somebody was watching him.
Logan jumped as he realized Carlos was sitting across the room on his bed, watching him closely.
"Ahhh! Gosh Carlos, what the heck?" he asked, the other boy's watchful look never wavering.
"Just seeing what you're doing." He said,
Carlos was seriously starting to freak him out, so he got up and went to change out of his sweatpants and t-shirt. Just as he pulled off his shirt and was buttoning a dark blue one up, he felt Carlos still watching him.
"Dude! What are you doing?" he asked, slightly creeped out at Carlos's intensely accusing glare.
"Don't you have something to tell me?" he finally asked.
Logan was slightly alarmed. Had he done something to be ashamed about, something that he was trying to hide from Carlos? He racked his brain, but couldn't think of anything.
"Oh, um, Kelly wants us down in the studio, so as soon as you get ready, we can go." Logan said, sounding questioning.
"Oh, puh-her-fect! I cannot wait to go to the studio, today of all days!" Carlos yelled sarcastically, leaving the room.
Logan looked around, puzzled, before pulling his shoes on. Somebody was acting weird today. He shook it from his mind, glad he had restrained from telling his friend the word 'perfect' only had two syllables.
Carlos sat with his arms crossed on the couch, watching cartoons. Mrs. Knight walked into the kitchen, yawning with tiredness.
"Morning Carlos! Do you want some eggs?" she asked, turning the dial on the stove.
"Actually, I already ate." He snapped back, watching the T.V.
"Okay then. If you change your mind, the offer's still there."
"How come James and Kendall aren't getting ready? Why are me and Logan the only ones that have to wake up at the crack of dawn?" Carlos asked Mrs. Knight.
"James and Kendall? Katie told me they left half an hour ago to pick something up at the store." She answered.
"Left? James and Kendall left?" he asked in disbelief.
"According to Katie. Why, did you want to go too? I can drop you off later after work if you want to go so badly." She offered.
"No! I don't want to go down to the store with stupid James and Kendall!" Carlos yelled, leaving the apartment to head to the lobby.
Mrs. Knight stood there, watching after the slammed door. What had her son and James done to upset Carlos now?
"Hey Mrs. Knight, have you seen my shoes?" Logan asked, coming down the steps. Finally, a sane kid who wasn't leaving in pajamas or on the verge of an emotional rage.
"They're by the door Logan." Mrs. Knight answered, pointing with her spatula. "By the way, are Kendall, James, and Carlos fighting?" she asked, certain Logan would tell her what was up.
"Not that I know of. But now that you mention it, he seemed a little bothered this morning." Logan said thoughtfully, lacing up his shoes.
"Bothered? He called me rude for asking him if you were still asleep!" Katie said, reentering the kitchen from her room.
"Man, that's really not like him. He's usually the happy one!" Logan checked his watch. "Well, I better get going if I'm going to catch the car to Rouque Records. Are Kendall and James already down there?" he asked with his fingers wrapped around the doorknob.
"They're downtown shopping. You'd better call them so they can make it on time. They should be able to walk from where they are."
"Can do, Mrs. Knight." Logan said, leaving the apartment.
"What? You want us to walk to Rouque Records in our pajamas, and in downtown L.A.?" James yelled into his phone, making everybody in line give him looks suggesting he was either losing it or was being far too loud for the public place.
"Sorry James, I didn't realize you and Kendall hadn't dressed before you left the apartment, like, I don't know, a normal person, but Gustavo wants us stat!"
"It was early! Nobody cares when it's early!" James retorted as the line inched forward. "We didn't expect to be caught in a flash mob, or we'd have been home sooner."
"Hey, I'm just the messenger! So get down here as soon as possible!" Logan retorted. There was a pause before his voice asked, "Was the flash mob cool?"
James hung up. Logan took that as a 'no'.
"Finally!" Kendall said, as they finally made it to the cash register. They bought the new hockey stick and helmet polish before heading outside, both wearing plaid pajama pants. James shivered in his tank top as the sky became cloudy and gray.
"Oh, it better not rain." He muttered.
Carlos looked up from his spot in the sound booth to see two of his friends enter, drenched. James shook water from his longer hair, trying to wipe the wetness from his eyes.
"What was oh-so important that Kendall and I couldn't go home instead of jogging to our job, while it's raining, in PAJAMAS?" James yelled at Gustavo.
"Quiet dog! And I wanted you all here so I could talk to you!"
Carlos leaned forward excitedly. Kelly and Gustavo hadn't forgotten his special day! The guys were going to feel so bad when they realized they forgot!
"I just wanted to say…" Carlos grinned. "That next week you will all be training twice as hard, because you're going on a California city tour!"
The boys jumped up happily, slapping each others' hands. Carlos just stood glumly.
"I wanted to tell you in person to see the looks on your faces…" Gustavo admitted.
"Now how about you boys go back home? It's Saturday, and you'll catch your death walking around in wet clothes." Kelly told them.
Kendall ran a hand through his wet blonde hair. "Thanks Gustavo! Thanks Kelly! See you Monday!"
They walked down the steps of Rouque Records.
"Dude, what's up? Aren't you excited for tour?" James asked Carlos, concern in his hazel eyes.
"Sure." He muttered. Logan turned around, overhearing the conversation.
"What's up? You've been down all morning, and Katie and Mama Knight said you were acting weird." Logan said.
"I wasn't acting weird! You're acting weird!" Carlos cried out, pointing into Logan's face.
"Dude, is there something you want to talk about?" Kendall asked, stopping to face his friend.
"I guess not! I have an idea Kendall, how about we play the Quiet Game?" Carlos yelled, starting to walk again.
"But-" James started.
Carlos whipped a finger into his younger friend's face, making his eyes get wide in fright. "YOU LOSE!" he cried, running like a maniac through the rain to the car.
James and Logan exchanged a deeply concerned and shocked look with Kendall before heading to the car themselves. What was up with Carlos?
"We're back!" Kendall called through the apartment, laying his room key on the counter. James wrung his wet brown hair out as Logan wiped rain from his eyes. Carlos sat fuming on the couch.
The three boys watched him cautiously, and then made their way over to sit down in the living area as well. In their eyes, he seemed to be a ticking time bomb. This of course, wasn't far from the truth.
"Can you just tell us what's up?" Logan asked.
"Well, I was expecting something! A high-five, maybe even a smile!" he yelled, glaring at the three of them.
"What?" James asked.
"What?" Carlos mocked. "Have ya' seen the calendar lately? Or were you just busy looking in the mirror?"
"Mirror? Have you seen me today?" James snapped back, but Kendall placed a hand on his chest to stop him from standing in anger.
"Calendar?" Kendall asked.
"Sheesh Kendall, do I have to spell it out for you?" Carlos asked in annoyance.
"I guess so! Just tell us what this is all about!"
"You three were too worried about shopping and rain and being on time that you forgot my birthday! Just a happy comment would've made my day, but no, that's too much to ask for!"
"Dude," James said. "Your birthday is tomorrow."
"Oh, and now you're telling me to stop overreacting, because I'm sure- Wait, what?" Carlos asked.
"Today isn't your birthday bud." Kendall said.
"Wait, it isn't?" Carlos asked in confusion.
"August fifteenth, last time I checked, is tomorrow." Logan handed his cell phone to Carlos. And sure enough, right on the screen, it read Saturday, August 14th. The three boys started to smile; they had found the source of Carlos's bad day.
Carlos's face broke into a grin. "So nobody forgot my birthday after all!"
It was the best seventeenth birthday party anybody could ask for. He sat at the kitchen table, tearing off the paper from a present Kendall had gotten for him.
"Helmet polish? YES!" he yelled out, tackling Kendall in a hug.
"Haha, me and James got our presents yesterday. That's why we weren't here." Kendall told him. Carlos turned to the long, thin box James offered him.
It was unwrapped in seconds, and a look of disbelief and awe filled his face.
"It's a Golden Gopher cosplay hockey stick!" he yelled in excitement, giving James a huge bear hug. "THANK YOU!"
"Well, you are the oldest, so you should have the new hockey stick!" James smiled.
Logan handed Carlos the last present on the table. It turned out to be a coupon for the Corndog Cart, a superhero t-shirt, and his completed math homework.
"Logan, this rocks!" Carlos said. "You guys are the best!" there was a group hug that Mrs. Knight made sure she got a picture of.
Carlos bounced in excitement as Katie carried his chocolate ice cream cake over to the table. Mrs. Knight lit seventeen candles, and then she, Katie, and his three friends sang to him.
"Make a wish!" Kendall cried.
What could I wish for? I'm living the life in Los Angeles, my three best friends are here with me, all of my other friends from the Palm Woods are coming at three to wish me happy birthday, and my mom and dad are stopping in next week from Minnesota for a visit. What more could I want?
Carlos blew out the candles, and his best friends, Katie, and Mrs. Knight clapped. Carlos smiled. He had wished that times like these would keep on coming.
Well, I hope this wasn't too terrible! I put all of the lines inbetween so you wouldn't get confused when the scenes changed, and I didn't want this to be too long, because I thought it would get boring. I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry for the cheeziness, but I figured it was a good place as any to start. Thanks for reading!
