Hello! I'm back again, sorry it took so long, writer's block. So, surprisingly, this chapter has the same subject as the previous episode of Hart of Dixie: Zoe's birthday. I began writing this chapter a long while ago and I was like wow when I saw the exact same idea on that episode! Alright, never mind. I hope you guys like the chapter and thanks a lot for reviewing and putting my story on alert!
Chapter 4 - Birthday Girl
It was five o'clock of the afternoon. Zoe was in her bedroom packing her stuff to go catch the flight to New York. Obviously she was taking way too more clothes than she should because she was only going to be there for a couple of days - it's almost like you're prepared to run away, she thought what made her feel upset with herself.
Joel didn't look happy when he found out - by Wade, of course - that she was going to spend her birthday in New York, instead of spending it there with her boyfriend. "I just need some time alone with my mother" she said and he actually believed it.
The night before came to Zoe's mind. She felt actually happy by spending some quality time with Wade. The last time they did that was when they were a couple and since she broke up with him, whenever they talked to each other, they would end up fighting. So, when she got home last night, a big smile was on her lips because having Wade as a friend was better than not talking to him at all.
Zoe was about to grab her dryer when she heard a noise. She stopped by the bathroom but didn't hear anything. She shrugged her arms and returned to put her dryer on the bag, and that was when she heard a noise again. But this time, it was clearer: it was voices in the hall. She grabbed the dryer again and walked slowly to the door ,"And Joel said that no one was going to rob me in daylight" she snorted "Well, come say that now Joel!" she muttered, coming closer to the door.
"You do it! You are stronger" someone said, on the other side of the door. Obviously, whoever was outside of that door, was not an expert at robbing someone. You can do it Zoe, you can handle those guys. You are strong!
She opened the door with her eyes closed and yelled, trying to hit them with the dryer "Grab her!" a deep voice said.
"Let me go!" she yelled, trying to kick them but she was way too tiny. When she opened her eyes, there was something covering her head, what made Zoe scream even more.
"You gained a lot of weight since the last time I carried you, doc" Wade said in a teasing tone. So, it was Wade? What the hell was happening? Now Zoe was glad that she had something covering her face because the memories made her blush. Gladly, too, Joel was too naive to understand what Wade meant. Gladly.
"Alright, Joel I know you are here" she said slowly "Please tell Wade to let me go, I have a plane to catch!"
"I'm sorry babe but I can't... you are going with us." Joel said and she felt him grabbing her hand. Suddenly, Wade threw her towards something making her butt hurt.
"Careful you asshole!" she said, getting angry "Seriously, where am I? I'm not liking this anymore. I have a plane to catch and you guys are here playing... robbers or something-"
"Everything is going to be fine, Z. Don't stress out"
"Lavon?" she asked in disbelief. When she heard a motor starting to work, she realized that she was in a car. "I can't believe that you are letting this two idiots do this to me, Lavon!"
"I'm sorry Zoe, but Lavon Hayes can't let you go to New York on your birthday" he said. The car started moving so she shut up. Maybe if she pretended to be dead, they would drop her body somewhere so she could go back to her room and pack. But they kept talking during the trip and didn't notice that she was trying to pretend to be dead.
"Hey!" she yelled "Did you know that I can die because of this? Having a bag or whatever covering my head can hinder me breathing. I could be dead by now and you fools don't even notice!"
"Uh... man she is right" she heard Joel say and she smiled, seeing that her plan was going great "Maybe we should take this off her head-"
"No Joel! Don't do that!" Wade yelled "You crazy? She can't see where we are going!"
"Well if I don't take this out of her head, she will never see where we are going Wade!" Joel said and Zoe felt his hands on the bag.
"Don't do it Joel!" Wade and Lavon started yelling but there's no use, Zoe could see again.
"Idiots, stop the car!" she said, grabbing the steering wheel making the car spin a few times on the road.
"Stop it Zoe, you are going to get us all killed!" Wade yelled and Zoe sat back on her seat "Alright, you want us to stop the car? Fine!"
The car stopped and Zoe got off, walking fiercely. Then she stopped and she realized she was in the middle of a road with nothing but trees around her "Where are you going?" Joel asked, running after her.
"I don't have time for your stupid jokes, Joel. And why in hell did you agree to this? Don't you see that Wade doesn't think right sometimes?" Zoe said, angry with all of that "It's almost six p.m. and I'm not at the airport to catch my plane. Because of you three! Happy now?"
Zoe turned her back on them and started to think in one way to get out of there. She walked around the road, trying to find a way to get out of there but there was nothing but mud and trees... and she was wearing high heels! And her precious black dress?! She would never ruin it by walking in the mud. She sighed in desperation and grabbed her head with her hands.
Wade looked at her and it felt like something sharp pierced into his heart "Look I'm sorry alright?" Wade said, in front of her "It was all my idea but it's for a good cause... just trust us alright?"
"And why should I do that?" she said, crossing her arms prepared to give him a punch.
"Because you are going to lose your plane anyways, you are doomed to spend your birthday with us" he smirked, teasing her. Zoe fight the will that she suddenly had to smile and narrowed her eyes at him.
"You know there's a lot of planes to catch, right?"
"Just come with us, Z. Please" Lavon said, begging. She looked to the three mans in front of her, especially to her boyfriend. It had to be something good, right? Lavon was the most grown up man in this group, he would never do something that would upset her. She dropped her arms to each side of her body and sighed, gazing briefly to the sky.
"Alright" she said and she could hear their laughs right away "Do whatever you guys have to do"
"We are going to put you on the car again and we are going to cover your eyes... only your eyes this time, alright? We don't want your precious boyfriend having a panic attack thinking that you're dying or whatever" Wade said in a teasing tone. Zoe nodded her head and closed her eyes. She felt Wade's fingers touching her cheeks slightly and she felt something in her stomach that made her blood boil in her veins.
Once they made sure she couldn't see anything, they put her on the car and it started moving again. Through the entire trip she didn't open her mouth, not even once. They were talking around her but she wasn't listening to it. The only thing that ran into her mind was the fact that her plans on spending her birthday at New York were all ruined. She felt sad. She needed the atmosphere that only New York could give to her. But now Zoe was in a car, going to somewhere she didn't know. Perfect.
"Finally, we are here" Joel said and the car stopped. Zoe sighed and got off the car with Joel's help.
"Alright doc, now you need to walk a bit and then you can get that thing from your eyes" Wade said and she started to walk. She heard them behind her and Joel by her side, hand to hand with her so she wouldn't fall in the middle of the way.
"I seriously hope that you aren't going to sell my organs to someone" Zoe said once she climbed a few steps.
"That would be a great idea, but maybe some other day alright?" Wade said. Someone grabbed her shoulder and by the texture of it she knew right away it was Wade "You can open your eyes now."
Zoe opened her eyes and a crowd of people appeared right in front of her "Happy birthday!" they yelled with smiles on their faces, clapping their hands, happy to see her. Her jaw drop and she covered her mouth with her hands. She looked at Joel, that was also clapping, and to Lavon and Wade next.
She couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing, but Zoe felt glad that she wasn't in New York.
"I'm glad you are liking your party" Wanda said, taking a strand of her red hair from her eyes. She hugged Zoe for a second and then walked away. Zoe looked around the room full of people happily talking and smiling. Zoe couldn't be more happy. If you had ask her two years ago if she would like to spend her birthday with people of Bluebell, she would have laugh in your face and yelled at you a big no!. But now, there she was; looking at everyone in there, smiling, feeling loved.
"Zoe Hart!" she heard the familiar voice of Dash behind her. She turned around to look at the man behind her, with a smile on his face, adjusting his hat on his head. He cleared his throat and he grabbed his recorder in front of his mouth "It's now pretty obvious that the town of Bluebell looks at you like you have been living here since you were born. How do you feel?"
Zoe sighed and laughed "I feel wonderful, Dash" she said. Normally, she would get really pissed off at him for walking around her with that recorder prepared to record something priceless. But this was her birthday and she felt like being nice to people; usually, she was a big pain in the ass, always doing something wrong around here.
"We already have a Golden boy in this town, do you ever thought that you could be the Golden girl, if we had one?"
This question hit her like a kid just threw a ball at her. Zoe? Being the Golden girl? Her mind flew to the pale but pretty face of Lemon Breeland and she shivered "Oh, I never thought of that! That's totally out of my league. George done a lot for this town, but I don't do nothing special. I just-"
"You are one of Town's beloved doctors. That's a huge thing, so I dare to say that maybe you could be the Golden girl." Dash laughed and Zoe chewed on her lip, faking a smile. The killer look on Lemon's eyes pierced through her mind and made Zoe shiver again "So, Zoe Hart, would you like to thank to anyone in special?"
"Of course" she said, clearing her throat "To my dearest boyfriend that planned this party for me"
Dash clicked on the red button on the recorder and narrowed his eyebrows at her "What are you saying?" he asked "It wasn't your boyfriend that planned this party for you! I can't believe that he took the credit for it-Oh! I always knew that the guy liked to get all the attention focused on him-"
"Hey, don't talk about Joel like that! He is a great guy and he doesn't like a lot of attention, I guess that you actually don't know him very well!" Zoe sighed with her hands on her waist "This town... if a new person sets foot in this town, you get all judgemental!"
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Zoe Hart, but... well, what you said upset me a bit too." Dash said, adjusting his jacket and clearing his throat "Very well, I'm sorry, but there's something in that table that is calling my attention. Excuse me, doctor Hart."
Dash disappeared and walked towards a table with shrimp. Zoe looked around the room and spoted Joel with a beer in his hands by the counter with Wade with him. She walked towards them and touched Joel slightly on his arm "I need to talk to you" she said.
"If this is about your present, don't worry. I'll give it to you soon" Joel smiled at her and drank a little bit of beer, just to make a disgusted face right away "Anyway, I'm sure you are going to like it."
"It's not about that," she said "You were the one that planned this entire party, right?"
Joel narrowed his eyebrows and shook his head "No honey, it wasn't me." Joel pointed to someone "It was Wade"
Zoe looked to the man on the other side of the counter, smiling at both of them "Wade?!" she muttered "I thought-"
"I'm sorry, but he was the one with the idea. Me and Lavon just helped him out," Joel shrugged. Zoe took the beer out of Joel's hands and took a sip "This whole thing was Wade's idea. You should go thank him."
"Yea, sure. I should... yes, I should go thank him" she muttered and glanced over to the guy who, apparently, planned the whole party for her. For a moment, she felt happy thinking that it had been Joel's idea. It would be nice knowing that her boyfriend actually thought about doing something nice for her, but of course he didn't.
She was about to walk over to Wade when someone grabbed her arm "Zoe Hart!" Brick Breeland called her "I almost couldn't believe when Lavon told me that they were planning out a surprise birthday party for you."
"I'm surprised to see you here" she said, trying to not talk about... who planned the party for her. Somehow, it made her feel something weird on her stomach that she wasn't liking.
"Well, I had to come" Brick said and smiled at her. Weird, Brick being nice to her "I'm sure you think I don't like you not even a bit, but... well, seeing everyone being so nice to you made me think that maybe I should be nicer to you too."
"Sure" she rolled her eyes as soon as Brick laughed.
"Anyway, there's a gift from me and Lemon in that pile of presents" Brick said studying the glass in his hands "It's nothing special just... a little thing. Lemon made me give it to you, I'm not quite sure why"
"That's very nice of you, Brick" she said, narrowing her eyebrows. Lemon made Brick buy her a gift? Since when did Lemon grow sympathetic feelings towards her that made Brick buy a gift to her? As far as Zoe knew, Lemon always disliked her and so the thought of the blond wanting to offer something to the doctor, was weird. But she couldn't say nothing else but thank you.
"Alright, maybe we all should gather around here and make the birthday girl open her gifts, shall we?" AnnaBeth's voice cut through the noisy room and made everyone walk to the middle of the place. Zoe felt the heat rushing to her cheeks "Zoe come over here!"
Why her? She was turning twenty-nine and she had to open her gifts in front of everyone like she was five? That reminded her of her seventh birthday where her whole friends were around her watching Zoe opening the big present from her mother, that turned out to be a huge dollhouse.
Zoe walked to the middle of the room where AnnaBeth handed her the first gift "That's from me and Lavon" Zoe opened the small envelope where she found two tickets where she could read New York in it "We know that you didn't get to catch your flight tonight so that you could be here, so we thought it would be something nice to give to you"
Zoe's eyes glanced towards AnnaBeth "Thank you, thank you so much" she hugged the woman beside her and she turned to Lavon.
"There's something else," Lavon handed her a box wrapped with red paper "Lavon Hayes couldn't just give you two tickets."
She opened the box and her jaw drop open when she saw a blue and white jersey with her name on the back "Lavon... this is awesome!" she said with a smile craved on her lips "Thank you so much!"
From the crowd appeared a small woman with red hair falling gracefully on her shoulders "Now it's time for my gift!" Vivian said with a smile on her lips. She didn't know her cousin was there, how didn't anyone told her? Vivian handed her a box wrapped with golden paper where she could read Happy Birthday Zoe in a perfect caligraphy. Zoe opened it and she found another blue box that she knew right away what that was. Her favourite cookies from New York. But how...?
"Wade gave me the idea, he told me that these ones were your favourite cookies and it reminded you from New York" Vivian smiled at her and gave her a brief hug "It's nothing big but... I know you like it so,"
"T-thank you" Zoe stammered gazing at her cousin as she walked away. Now Wade was sharing things about herself with his... whatever Vivian was to him? She felt something in her stomach and like something sharp pierce through her heart. Zoe didn't know why, but she felt mad at Wade right away; not at her cousin, but at him. He ruined the idea that she had: that it had been Joel planning this whole party for her, and she was feeling mad because he was sharing things about her. Of course that her favourite cookies weren't something private, but still she felt mad at Wade.
For a couple of minutes people walked around her, handing her gifts. Most of them was food that the caring people of Bluebell were used to give away. I think I don't have to buy anything to eat for the next entire months, Zoe thought.
One of the things she liked the most was the gift from Brick and Lemon. Inside a little box was a picture of Harley and by it side was a beautiful golden pen, with a lot of letters below it. Brick said it was the letters that Harley asked x to keep sending until Zoe finally come to work on the practice. When Brick said that it was nothing special, Zoe thought that it would be another pie or whatever. But something from her dad was a big deal. She had tears in her eyes when she looked at the gift and the scent of the old picture surrounded her nose.
"Here baby, this is your gift" Joel grinned beside her with something wrapped with blue paper. Zoe smile instantly and put away the bracelet on its box to grab Joel's gift.
"I'm so excited to know what this is!" she said grabbing the gift on her hands, looking at it.
"Then open it!" Joel said with a proud smile on his lips. Zoe tore the paper apart, excited to know what was it that Joel bought to her. Her smile slowly disappeared from her lips as her eyes got used to the green gift in her hands. A book "What do you think? Like it?" a book with Joel's signature. It was his own book! She faked a smile and looked up.
"Y-yes. I liked it a lot" she lied. She didn't like it a bit. It was her birthday but it seemed like it was Joel's birthday. He was more excited than she was about the book. He grabbed the book.
"When I thought about it, I felt so proud" he said, gazing at the book nodding his head "You are always talking about how proud you are of me and how much you like my writing that I thought you would love this one"
Of course she was proud of him! Joel was her boyfriend, but what did he have in his mind when he actually thought that she would like that gift? There was a lot of things she would like to get: a new pair of Christian Louboutin heels, she wanted to see a Victoria Secret fashion show. There was a lot of things she wanted and a book from her boyfriend was not one of them.
"I'm really glad you liked it" Joel said and kissed her cheek. Then he disappeared on the crowd leaving her with that stupid book on her hands. Zoe felt like throw it to his face. What if she offered him a pair of high heels in his birthday? Maybe he would understand how she was feeling right now. She was feeling like her boyfriend couldn't do anything right.
Zoe grabbed a glass of wine from a table and walked over to the Lavon's kitchen door. She gazed the sky very carefully and then her eyes glanced over to the lake. Everything would be so much nicer if Joel understood her and knew what she needed "Hey doc" Wade appeared by her side. She found it a little bit ironic that he appeared there when she was thinking about that, but she did nothing. She just gazed at him with her eyes narrowed "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because I have a lot of questions for you," she said, folding one of her arms "Why did you plan out this entire party for me?"
Wade studied her expression carefully, "I thought it would be a good idea. Since Joel didn't come out with some idea to keep you stuck in here for your birthday, I needed to come out with one myself" Wade smirked and took a sip from his beer "I usually get all the job, you know. People need me"
"Sure" Zoe said with gritted teeth and a smirk on her lips "I have another question for you. Why did you tell Vivian about my favourite cookies?"
He looked at her for a while, trying to understand what she was really trying to say. He narrowed his eyebrows "I just-why? There's something bad about it?"
"No," Zoe shook her head and gazed at her glass of wine "I was just wondering why... you told your girlfriend about my favourite cookies so she could give it to me"
"I-... Well, first, she is not my girlfriend" Wade said, clearing his throat and looking around the room nervously "And she came to me and wanted to know my opinion on a gift for you. She knew that we are... two great friends and... well, that's it. It's not like I told her something private"
"Alright, alright. You don't need to get all nervous about the girlfriend thing," Zoe said. Deep down in her heart she felt relieved that Wade wasn't in a serious relationship wth her cousin. Yes, he could move on. But not with her cousin... not with Vivian. Not with someone she knew and that she could point flaws... or excuses "And thanks, it was great idea. Both the party and the cookies."
"You are welcome, doc" Wade smirked and took another sip from his beer. He scratched the back of his neck and looked nervously through the door "Here, I have something for you myself"
Zoe smiled seeing him putting his hand on his pocket. When he reached out his hand towards her, there was this little dark blue box on his hands "Wade... what's that?" she asked, excited.
"Open it" he said, handing it to her. She opened the little box carefully and gasped when she saw the pretty silver necklace standing there. There was only three silver letters in the middle of the necklace: doc, and it made her heart melt "Did you like it?" Wade asked, his voice shaking.
"Wade, I loved it" her mouth drop open, passing her fingers on the necklace. Wade grabbed the necklace and made her turn around. Zoe grabbed her hair and shivered when his fingers touched slightly her neck. She closed her eyes, trying to control her breathing. They broke up so much long ago but his touch could still make she feel weak "I have another question..." she said, turning around to look at him, with her fingers pressed on the letters of the necklace now in her neck.
"If you are going to ask me about the colour of my underwear-"
"No, Wade!" she rolled her eyes and laughed "Why... why did you let Joel give me such a bad gift?" She heard him laugh and looked at Wade as he took another sip of beer.
"The book, huh?" Wade bit his lip and gazed at her big brown eyes "I tried to make him offer another thing but he actually thought it would be a good idea. So I didn't say that it was an awful idea and that you were going to hate... you should see the happy expression the guys face-"
"Hey, don't need to be mean!" she slapped him slightly on the arm. Their conversation ended when AnnaBeth walked over to Zoe and grabbed her by one arm.
"Come on!" she said excited "It's time to cut the cake!" Zoe walked away from Wade while AnnaBeth made her walk to the middle of the room where she found an enormous cake. They light up the candles and everyone started to sing happy birthday to Zoe. She had never liked when people did that, she felt like a little kid. After the cake, people started to go home and in a blink of an eye the only people on the room was Zoe, AnnaBeth and Lavon, Joel, Wade and... Vivian.
"It was a great party" Joel said, sitting on the couch next to Zoe. Zoe pretended that she wasn't mad at him and gave him a small smile.
"You guys need to come over tomorrow and help me and AnnaBeth clean this up," Lavon said scratching the back his neck.
"Uh... We gotta go too" Wade appeared on the room with Vivian behind him "We will talk tomorrow, alright?"
Zoe gazed at Wade and to Vivian and she felt like something pierced her heart. The kind smile on Vivian's face made her stomach hurt and just looking to Wade made her feel... bad "Goodbye, Zoe" Vivian hugged her and gave her a little kiss on the cheek "Happy birthday again, the party was great"
"Thank you, but you just have to thank Wade here since he was the one that planned out this party" Zoe muttered, looking at Joel.
"Something tells me that you are mad at me," Joel narrowed his eyes "How come you being mad at me? What did I do wrong?"
"So... this is the perfect time to leave" Wade cleared his throat and his hand flew over to Vivian's shoulder. One more knife on Zoe's back "See ya doc" and with this, Wade and Vivian disappeared from the room but Zoe didn't take her eyes from the door. She couldn't deny it anymore or keep it to herself. When she was with Wade, everything was great. He made her feel great.
"Maybe we should go to?" Joel asked her bringing Zoe back from her thoughts. Back to reality.
Sorry if the end is a little bit boring but I didn't come up with anything else. Actually, I did. But I think that this chapter is already a lot bigger than the other ones. I hope you liked it!
