A/N . I've been making oneshots, but this one is the first I've actually published. Review. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Oh yeah, it's alright if you flame. :)

September 23rd, Monday.

Also Ellie Reich's birthday, or more precisely, her 16th birthday.

Her parents spent a lot of time & money setting up her birthday, saying that she "hasn't had any proper birthdays for years".

Mainly because of the fact that she spent her past birthdays with a certain Dougie Poynter. Her best friend for six years.

But things were different this year. It was her first birthday, after six years (not counting the ones when she had no idea who he was), without Dougie. He left for London early March to audition for some band. They still kept in touch though, even though Dougie's calls and texts have been dramatically decreasing since he passed the auditions and started recording with the band, whose name is McFLY. That last fact she just recently found out.

The boy didn't have any idea on how much Ellie had missed him.

That last text of him made it seem like Dougie won't be able to call or even text her Happy Birthday on the actual day itself. Of course, she felt disappointed. And broken-hearted. No matter how busy Dougie was before, he always found time to surprise her and greet her on her birthday. But things were different now.

The only thing she could do was to accept that fact.

"Ellie?"

That sweet, musical voice came floating through the door. Her mother, for the umpteenth time this afternoon, came checking on her again.

"Mum, I'm almost ready." Ellie said, rolling her eyes as she stood awkwardly in front of the mirror. She was wearing a black strapless dress that ended just above the knees. It was a dress that her mother bought for her on the week before her birthday, and it would be total disrespect if she didn't wear it. Ellie paired it with some strappy metallic heels and elaborately curled hair. Or rather, her mother forced her to pair it with those.

The teenager stumbled over the door, holding onto the coat hanger for support. The last time she wore heels was on her 7th. A very long time ago.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Her mother raised an eyebrow as she saw her daughter holding on for dear life at the coat hanger.

"Mum, can't I just wear rubber shoes or something? These heels are torturing me." Ellie sighed, releasing her grip on the coat hanger then wobbled to her mum. She could her sigh as she looked amused at how pathetic her daughter walked in stilettos.

"For Gods sake Ellie! You're already 16! Act like a girl." Her mother scolded, in which the young girl only rolled her eyes. Ever since she was a child, she's always been described as boyish. She was really wild, in female children standards. She often spent her afternoons playing soccer instead of dolls, and goes home with a muddy shirt, a muddy face, and a huge grin. She beat the boys again. She was proud of that, yet her parents disagreed.

Rolling her eyes, Ellie proceeded to the car which drove to the venue of her 16th birthday. The Garden Court.

It was a huge, dome-shaped place near the beach. The pathway leading to the main building was covered in plants and trees of all sorts. The door and the windows were all made of glass. The place was really expensive that only the revoltingly rich people could afford to rent it for a few hours or so.

Ellie arrived, and almost had a heart attack at the amount of people were there. Some faces were recognizable, most of the others weren't. It made her feel like it was her mother celebrating her birthday, instead of Ellie herself

After a few moments of socializing with the guests, and having small talk with her friends, Ellie decided to "take a whiff of fresh air". A pathetic excuse to go outside. She stumbled to the boardwalk and gripped the iron, staring at the scenery in a rather awkward position.

The sky was so clear, with only a few stars. It reminded her of the times when she just laid on the grass beside Dougie. They were having a star-counting contest then.

If only Dougie was here…

She leaned her body against the terrace, noticing a figure walking briskly from the pathway.

And there he was.

Hair styled to perfection. Those aqua eyes sparkling with joy. And that grin that made her heart melt everytime she saw it.

Her best friend.

"Happy Birthday, Els!"

The 16-year old was too stunned to speak. There was Dougie, standing like a god sent down from above. He was wearing a sleek black suit, a burgundy tie, and a huge smile on his face. She was only hoping, only dreaming...yet it came true.

The best friend whom she'd thought left her since he joined McFLY. The best friend whom she'd thought had forgotten her. He was there, right in front of her. He didn't forget her birthday.

"Doug..?" Ellie stuttered, trying to walk up to him for a closer look. However, with the height and the narrowness of her heels, she staggered to the ground. Fortunately, a pair of strong, tanned arms caught her just in time.

"I thought you changed. You're still as clumsy as ever." Dougie rolled his eyes and shook his head as he took Ellie's arm and helped her up. Somehow, that certain action caused a current of electricity to flow through her body, sending shivers down her spine as she felt her fingers interlocked with his.

"I'm not clumsy. Its just that these heels are hell. And for God's sake Dougie, it's only been a few months." She checked her shoes in a gentlemanly manner, before looking up to gaze at Dougie again. He was the one who changed. Dougie was no longer that thin kid with a weird hairdo. He was…attractive. Though he was still thin in men standards, he'd certainly buffed up. His spiked up blonde hair before was now arranged in a matted mop of dark brown hair, with the fringe almost covering his eyes.

He was more beautiful than ever.

"You changed…a lot." Ellie murmured, trying to break the silence that enveloped them. She could see a smirk from Dougie's face. Of course, he had noticed that Ellie stared at him for a long time. Somehow, she thought that he'd changed so quickly in a span of nine months.

"You changed too. Somehow, the thought Ellie Reich wearing a dress, a strapless one too, can't quite fit in my mind." Dougie grinned, pretending to check her out. But that pretense meant so much more to Ellie.

"What do you say we go and have a walk?" Dougie piped up suddenly, giving her hand a little squeeze. A small hint of blush stained Ellie's face, as she nodded slowly.

This was probably the best moment of her rather uneventful sixteenth birthday.

"So how's school?"

"They've all been wondering where the hell you went, Dougie."

"They do? Wow." He asked, the shock obviously real. Nobody really paid attention to that odd kid who sat next to Ellie in class, that weird kid who was alone in the lunch table with a music magazine or doodling on his notebook.

They've circled the boardwalk for about three times now. Dougie stared absent-mindedly at the dark blanket of the sky, while Ellie stole a few glances at him. There was just this strange feeling she had ever since she saw Dougie here.

"How's London?"

Dougie lifted her eyes and stared at her, a small smile on the corner of lips. He inched closer to Ellie, stopping any kind of movement as he twined his fingers with hers. He rested his forehead against hers, and smiled.

"It's okay. I mean, they're really friendly and nice and all, and we've started recording but…" Dougie paused. His eyes meeting hers.

"I missed you."

Ellies heartbeat at that moment echoed through her body. It was so deafening. She bit her lower lip, a blush staining her lovely cheeks as she looked down on their intertwined fingers.

"I missed you too Dougie…I…" She hesitated. Her mind seemed almost blank as she slowly looked up into his mesmerizing aqua eyes. And then, she spoke something she should've said a few years ago…ever since that day she saw that silly mop of light blonde hair running around the street.

"I love you."

To her ears, Ellie almost spoke in a foreign language that only she could understand. But for Dougie's, it was music. Pleasant music. blink-182.

The grin wiped off from Dougie's face, but he still had his forehead pressed against hers. After a few gruesome moments of silence, he smiled. A warm smile that made her heart melt.

Moving his head, Dougie pressed his soft lips against her forehead. The butterflies in Ellie's stomach set aflutter because of that single action…that sensation of his soft lips.

"I love you too, Els."

He moved his lips and placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose, on both of her cheeks, the corners of her mouth, and finally her lips. The contact made her jerk a little bit, with that sudden electric current that surged through her body. Dougie could only chuckle as he pulled away for a short while, before crashing his lips onto hers again. A more ferocious kiss this time.

"Happy Birthday."