Hey party peoples! Sorry for the chapter wait... sophomore year has been crazy busy! Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know this idea has been used a lot, but I tried to make it as original as possible. So I hope you enjoy! By the way, who saw the new episode? Ethan got friend-zoned...:( I pretty much cried into my pillow that night. Lol just kidding, but seriously. She better change her mind! Like soon!
FleurForce: OMG IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY?! Happy birthday! :D This chapter will be dedicated to you, since it's about a birthday! Haha, happy late birthday!
On with the story!
Today is my sixteenth birthday.
I stretch my arms out and sit up slowly, yawning as I blink open my eyes. In front of me is my whole family, holding a large stack of pancakes and a HUGE gift.
"Morning, guys." I slur sleepily.
"Happy birthday, Ethan!" They sing and hand me the goods.
"Ooh, what could this be?" I ask as I prepare to rip open the giant gift in front of me.
I tear off the crimson paper and a smile forms on my face as I see what's inside.
"Sarah!" I exclaim in delight as she hops gracefully out of the package and envelops me in a hug.
"Happy birthday, handsome. Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" She pinches my cheek and leans in to peck me on the lips-
BRINGGGGG!
My eyes fly open and I jolt awake. I rub my eyes and fall back on the pillow, smiling.
Today is my sixteenth birthday.
My birthdays are not as crazy as the dream I just had, even though that would be ideal, but my family always goes full-out. I'm usually a pretty self-deprecating kind of guy, but on my birthday, I make that a second priority.
I hop out of bed and walk down the stairs, a smile plastered on my face.
"Morning, guys." I announce as I walk into the kitchen for breakfast.
"Morning." Everyone mumbles a reply as they fumble around the kitchen like normal.
"So... What's everyone up to?" I ask awkwardly.
"Ethan, honey. Everyone's kind of busy at the moment, so maybe it would be best if you got ready for school." My mom passes me swiftly and ruffles my hair before grabbing her work binder.
I look at everyone in confusion. Could they have... Forgotten?
"But-" I start.
"Hush. Today is a VERY important day!" My mom gushes.
The grin returns. Of course they didn't forget!
I nod in anticipation.
"Your chemistry final is today!" She finishes with an encouraging grin.
My grin quickly turns into a frown. Is she for cereal right now?
I take one last look at my busy family before heading upstairs to get ready. Well, Benny most definitely won't forget... We always do huge things for each other's birthdays! And Sarah... She won't forget... Right?
Wrong.
Sarah picks me and Benny up to go to school like normal, and surprisingly Erica is here too.
"Ethan!" Sarah greets me happily, and I shoot her a smile in return.
Benny looks back and forth between the both of us.
"What, no hi, Benny!" He frowns.
Sarah shrugs, "Hi, Benny."
Benny grins in return and we plop into the backseat, since Erica took the front.
"So, Erica," Benny leans forward in his seat, "How are you this fine day?"
Erica growls and positions herself so that she is facing towards the window.
Suddenly, Sarah coughs in Erica's direction.
"Oh, uh, hi, Ethan." She mumbles.
"Hi... Erica?" I reply in confusion.
Erica gives me a small smile and then returns to facing towards the front.
At this point I'm confused that Erica has said hi to me, but I also can't believe none of my friends have mentioned my birthday yet. Not even Rory, who has just recently flashed himself into the backseat because Erica refuses to let Sarah pick him up.
"So guys, do you maybe want to hang out after school?" I pipe in, maybe then at least I can spend my birthday with my friends, even of they don't know about it.
"Uh-" Sarah starts and every single one of them exchanges a look.
After about a minute of this, I'm feeling pretty impatient and hurt. "So... Is that a no... Or..?"
Sarah coughs. "Well, I would love to hang out, Ethan, but I have to go to a, um... Family dinner at my Aunt's." She explains quickly.
"Yeah!" Benny adds. "I ALSO have to go to a family dinner! At my... Uncle Stan's!" He finishes.
"I thought your Uncle Stan moved to Cuba?" I raise an eyebrow.
"We're taking a private jet." Benny finishes with a goofy grin.
Sarah shoots Benny a death glare and he cowers. "Sorry, E!"
"Yeah, I have some serious snacking to do," Rory pipes in, "I haven't eaten in DAYS!"
Erica rolls her eyes, "And I am... Accompanying him. It's not like I would hang out with you anyway, Dor-" Sarah shoots her a glare, "I mean, Ethan." Erica composes herself.
I sigh. Can this day get any worse?
The answer is yes. Yes it can. The school day was rough. They always list all the birthdays on the school announcements, and mine wasn't even up there! It's almost as if my birthday never existed! And to top it all off, the gang skipped lunch to go who knows where, and I was stuck eating by myself in the library. Plus, I'm pretty sure I failed that fricking chemistry final my mom was talking about earlier!
Worst. Birthday. Ever.
And now, my parents have sent me on an impossible journey throughout town to find something called "memory foam". What the heck? ! I'm starting to think the stuff doesn't even exist! Some lady at the grocery store told me that it was some type of mattress, but some homeless guy named Ted told me it was a moisturizer!
After my sixth store, I'm done. I hop into my car and turn on the ignition. The one good thing about my birthday this year is that I was able to get my license!
When I arrive home, (without the stupid memory foam) I walk into a completely dark house.
Great. My family isn't even home.
I swear under my breath as I drop my book bag on the floor and switch on the lights.
"SURPRISE!" Voices yell as I whip around to find our house decorated with bright streamers, and a huge sign that reads, "Happy Sweet Sixteen, Ethan!"
Everyone is here. Sarah, Benny, Erica, Rory, my parents, Jane, Benny's grandma, Hannah, and even a couple of other casual friends from school.
My mouth at this point is agape, and I can't form a single word. "Guys," Is all I manage to get out before I'm engulfed in bear hugs. First it's Benny, who gives me a bro hug and punches me playfully. "We wouldn't forget, E!"
Sarah's next, and she envelops me in a hug and whispers in my ear, "Happy birthday, my favorite nerd," Giving me chills.
Even Erica walks up to give me a side hug. "Now I know why you were being so nice to me today." I poke her playfully. "Don't push it." She mutters, but says it with a smile.
After the remaining hugs are had, we all head to the family room for presents. The gifts are exchanged, and I'm feeling as happy as can be. But then Sarah gives me her gift.
"Who's next?" Benny exclaims. He's been taking control over the whole operation, calling himself "the PBM" or "the Perfect Birthday Man".
"Me." Sarah says, blushing slightly. "I have this, but I was thinking maybe I could read it to you later?" She asks, holding up a card with my name written in beautiful print. Hey, it's Sarah! It's going to be beautiful!
"Nah, I think you should read it now." Benny pipes in for me.
"Yeah, Sarah. Read it NOW." Erica smirks playfully.
"READ IT! READ IT! READ IT!" The whole party chants, causing Sarah to blush immensely.
"She doesn't have to..." I say in her defense.
"I'm the PBM. And I say she DOES!" Benny exclaims with a smirk.
"Fine!" Sarah squeaks, causing everyone to erupt into silent laughter. She pulls out the note and prepares to read.
"WAIT!" All the heads snap towards Benny. "She should stand up! We need to make this a moment to remember, people!" He says with authority and pushes Sarah towards the front of the room. Lastly, he grabs a chair from the kitchen and sits me in it in front of the standing Sarah.
Sarah clears her throat and takes out the card. She opens it slowly, and takes a deep breath before starting to read. I shift positions in my chair, and staring up at her beautiful figure makes it feel like we're the only two people in the world. But she doesn't feel the same... Right?
"Happy birthday, Ethan," Sarah starts with a smile. "It's been an amazing journey. Me, Erica, your idiotic friends," Benny and Rory let out small gasps, "and you." She gives me a small smile. "It all started when you spilled your lunch on me at school. You said sorry, and I called you a dork." The party lets out laughs and I blush.
"But seriously, Ethan, if it wasn't for our strange set of circumstances, we would have never become friends. So I don't take back any of it. I don't take back anything." She whispers the repeated line with sincerity and I let out a held in breath. "If it wasn't for everything that happened, I never would have met the amazing guy who's one of my best friends today. Ethan, you're the sweetest, kindest, most caring guy I know. You're pretty extraordinary, actually." She lets out a nervous laugh.
"But that's not why I wrote this letter. I mean, it is, because everything I've written so far is one-hundred percent true, but this is where it's about to get super cheesy. Ethan Morgan," Sarah closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, she is staring right into mine, "I've fallen for you." There's an immediate chorus of aww's and gasps, but all I see is Sarah.
"Ever since I met you there's been something there. Something. I wasn't sure what it was at first, but it hasn't done anything but gotten stronger. My birthday gift to you this year is... Is-" I stand up and take her hands in mine.
"What?" I whisper.
"-A kiss." She finishes and crashes her lips to mine. There's tons of background noise, but I can't pay attention to anything but us in this moment right here, right now.
She pulls away and our foreheads press together.
"Only... A kiss?" I ask and let out a little chuckle.
"Depends," She smirks a little, "What do you want this little something to be?"
I stare into her eyes and reply simply, "Something sweet."
And then we're together again.
Well that was super cheesy... But I can't help it! I'm a romantic (:
So until next time... please review! (:
Next One-shot: Lean on Me
