CHAPTER 13: HAPPY BIRITHDAY, MY LOVE!

It has been whole three weeks after the play and it was Leo s birithday. Piper arranged with his parents to organize surprise party in his home. She was sooooo thrilled and excited about it! She got R.E.M. T- shirt and two tickets for R.E.M. – concert next month and she just could not wait to see Leo s face when he opens her present!

Leo s parents had to travel to Los Angeles urgently cause of work. They were sad cause it was Leo s birithday, but Piper comforted them by telling them that they will have surprise party for Leo.

At Leo s place besides Piper were Phoebe and Cole and Prue and Andy. Leao had basketball game after school, so that gave plenty of time to five of them to decorate house and finish with all preparations.

Piper was chief in the kitchen, she made all food and cake in shape of heart all by herself and she wrote on it 'I love you, Leo! Happy birithday! Piper'

All was set and dark started to fall. On Piper s command, they turned off all the lights and hide beside furniture.

After basketvall game, Leo took a shower in school bathroom and he was ready to go home. Piper was sick (that s what she had told him, hehehehe) , but she said that she will try to go out with him this evening. Leo was worried for her and decided that they will celebrate it later, when she gets better.

IF ONLY LEO KNEW WHAT WAS WAITING FOR HIM!

He drove to home and parked car in front of the house. All windows were in dark.

"He is coming!", whispered Andy.

Leo opened doors, came in, put his bag down and turned the lights on…

"SUUUUUURPRIIIIIISEEEEEEE!", exclaimed everybody, jumping behind furniture.

Leo smiled:

"What is this?", he asked, while people congratulate birithday to him.

"You should ask your girlfriend about it", Cole told him and pointed with his index finger toward Piper in left corner of the room. She was looking at him and smiled. Leo smiled, too and ran toward her, hugged her, took her in his arms and circled her around. Than they shared a kiss…

"I am not sick", said Piper, smiling.

"I can see", replied Leo with smile.

"Happy birithday, my love", whispered Piper and kissed him slowly and gently, driving him crazy with that and he deepened a kiss…

It was 23:24 and party was great; lots of music, dancing, jokes…

It was time for opening presents. They sat Leo down on the couch while "Shiny Happy People" played.

He took first present and looked to card:

"Prue and Andy", he smiled and took paper off. It was new basketvall ball and book "Romeo and Juliet". Leo smiled.

"Thanks! It is great!", him and Andy clasped hands in five, and Prue hugged him:

"You are welcome! Happy birithday!", said Prue and Andy, as Andy leaned and kissed Prue.

"Thanx!", said Leo and took another gift.

"Phoebe and Cole", he said with smile and opened present. In box were two CDs of R.E.M and two Teddy – bears who hugged each other. Cole rushed to explain:

"That s you and Piper".

"Like he would not get that by himself", giggled Phoebe.

Piper was standind behind Leo and leaned in, whispering to his ear, so only he can heard her:

"Sugar at the end. You will get my present when we stay alone."

From her warm breath, Leo felt that he is trembling inside. And Piper jumped and exclaimed:

"Cake time!", she ran to the kitchen, light up the candles and came back in room. Before she showed up, Phoebe turned the lights off. They all sang "Happy Birithday". Piper put cake on the table , sat beside Leo, wrapped her ahnds around his waist and said with smile:

"Make a wish, honey."

Leo closed his eyes and blew the candles. All were puffed off! Everybody applauded. Andy out the light on and Leo saw cake. Prue handed him a knife to cut first slice. Leo took Piper s hand in his hand so they can cut it together.

"Thank you", he whispered "Cake is beautifull", he kissed her and they forgot about cake kissing until crazy Cole exclaimed:

"Aaaaaaw, Gee, leave it for later! I am starving!", he teased them. They bursted to laugh, as well as the others. They have cut the cake.

Prue, Andy, Phoebe and Cole were leaving and Leo and Piper were escorting them. They said "Byes" and went away.

Leo closed doors and leaned on them, looking to his beautifull girlfriend.

Piper came toward him and they reunited in passionate, long kiss. It last for few minutes , longer than ever…They were sooo much in love with each other!

They have parted for a second and one inch from Piper s lips, Leo whispered:

"God, Piper, I love you soooo much!", he covered her lips again with his lips, feeling how is she trembling. He took her in his arms and carried her to couch, gently lay her down and kissed her lips, face, eyes, hair, neck…

Than, he heard her whisper:

"I think it is time for you to open my present", she got up, feeling her lips burning from his kisses. She took present from her bag and went back to couch. She sat next to Leo and handed him a package.

"Happy birithday, my love", she said with smile.

Leo smiled, too and opened a gift.

"Oooh, Piper…", he whispered, taking out R.E.M. T – shirt Honey, where did ya found it?"

"I have ordered it from Los Angeles. Prue s friend works in music shop there."

"Thank you", he leaned and kissed her.

"Wait", giggled Piper. "There is more."

Leo looked to package. Indeed, there was white envelope in it. He took it and opened it. His face covered with amazement and huge happiness "Piper…", he breathed and took out two tickets for R.E.M. concert next month!

"I hope that you will take ME on their concert", she whispered, teasing him. Leo looked to her , than to tickets, than jumped and screamed from joy.

He took her hand.

"Come here, my sunshine!', he hugged her tightly "I love you…Thank you sooo much!"

"I love you, too", she replied "And, you are welcome."

"When did ya found out?"

"In New York. I saw a schedule for their tour so…", she said, unbuttoning his shirt "Are you talking me to concert?"

Leo s hands went under her shirt and caressed her skin.

"Yes", he whispered and kissed her like never before! Whole world stopped for them…

Her body was totally close to his body and their kisses turned from slowly and gently to fast and passionately.

Piper knew that she wants to spend night with him. She was ready. She took his shirt off and carreses his arms and shoulders driving him crazy and not stopping with kissing him…

But, Leo did not wanted to rush her so he collect whole strength he had to stop what was going on and asked her quietly:

"Piper…are you sure that you want this?"

She gazed to his beautifull green eyes and whispered:

"I am sure", she took his hand and they went to his bedroom.

Leo went with his fingers through Piper s gorgeous long hair.

"I love you, honey", he whispered and than joined their lips in the most lovingly kis till than. Gently, he laid her down on the bed…That night, Piper and Leo reached the sky, reached the stars with their love for each other…

In early morning, Leo was watching beautifull face of his lovely Piper. She was sleeping peacefully with her face on his chests. Her breathing was calm and steady and was the most beautifull lulaby to Leo. He kissed her and drifted off to sleep…

After two days, Piper decided to visit Ted in hospital. He went out from the intensive care, so he could have visitors. Leo said that he would also like to go.

Piper and Leo stepped out of a car and enter in hospital. They went on second floor and searched for room number 56. They knocked and opened doors.

"Heeey!", Ted s face brightened up with smile.

"Hey, Ted!", Piper greeted him "How are ya?"

Leo shook hands with Ted and they both smiled.

"Hey, man!", Leo greeted him "How are you holding up?"

"Fine, I guess", tried Ted to smile. Piper took his hand in her hand.

"You will get well. Just be brave and strong. And patient."

"I sure hope so", sighed Ted. "But, enough about me! I heard that you two were brilliant as Romeo and Juliet! And not just in play!", he winkled to them and three of them laughed "Guess it is true that everything bad happens for something good. If I did not broke leg, who knows what would happen!"

They all laughed again and started to talk about school, friends…

Finally, day of concert arrived! Piper was ready and she was waiting for Leo to come. She was talking to her Dad when door bell rang.

"That is Leo!", she jumped from couch, kissed her Dad to cheek and ran outside.

"Hey!", she greeted Leo and kissed him.

"Hey to you, too!", he replied with smile.

"Nice T shirt!", winkled Piper.

Leo smiled and hugged her, kissing her lovingly.

"Come on, lets go!", she said and they quickly went to car.

There were sooo many people in hall, but somehow two of them managed to come to first row. At exactly 20:00 concert started with song "Loosing my religion".

Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

Piper and Leo sang from top of their lungs songs "Shiny happy People", "Radio Free Europe", "Drive", "Daysleeper", "The one I love", "Man on the Moon", "Near Wild Heaven", "Lotus"…

And than…"Everybody hurts" started. Piper closed her eyes and sang:

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,

When you re sure you ve had enough of this life, well hang on.

Don t let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts

sometimes.

Sometimes everything is wrong. now it s time to sing along.

When your day is night alone,

(hold on, hold on)

If you feel like letting go,

(hold on)

When you think you ve had too much of this life, well hang on.

Everybody hurts. take comfort in your friends.

Everybody hurts. Don t throw your hand. oh, no. don t throw your

hand.

If you feel like you re alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

If you re on your own in this life, the days and nights are

long,

When you think you ve had too much of this life to hang on.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,

Everybody cries. and everybody hurts sometimes.

And everybody hurts sometimes. so, hold on, hold on.

Hold on, hold on. hold on, hold on. hold on, hold on.

(everybody hurts. you are not alone.)

In the middle of song, she was pulled in Leo s embrace. He said gently to her:

"Piper, you are the best thing that happened to me in whole life! Nobody ever loved me like you do. You had fulfill my two life – dreams; to watch R.E.M. live and ", he put gently kiss on her lips "And you becoming my girlfriend!", he kissed her deeply, pulling her closer and closer to him. Than he gently said, touching her lips with his lips:

"I love you, Piper…"

"I love you, too, Leo… More than I can tell", said Piper gently.

With that words, their lips joined in a kiss like they will never parted! And they will not because they belong to each other – forever.

THE END