Watching the entering of her guests he noticed that the 'Mick' boy was not the only one to attend and hold her close. He nearly shattered the crystal each time one of them neared his mortal. And while it escaped Sarah he noticed the few boxes and bags being brought in while she was distracted. So easily deterred she was from watching them all, the only reason being that she hadn't seen them in some great time.
When Sarah had answered his question he had been surprised, at the moment he had forgotten the deal. Obviously she hadn't and had remembered to answer him at the last moment. Presently she was dancing to music that came from a box with two other girls. He frowned as the hem of her indecent skirt/dress rose up along her thighs. She had claimed sixteen, a mere child compared to himself, but at many times she was all woman. When she kicked a leg high in the air he wished he hadn't promised to stay away. Even still he didn't give up the chance to watch her in her unguarded state.
Laughing Sarah twisted her hips and kept pace with the music. She mimicked the moves of her counterparts nearly to the breath, something worth bragging about due to her lack of lessons and their continuing them. Letting one tip her back she sent a long leg into the air. Twirling 'round she felt her jumper rise around her legs, she didn't care. Falling into the cushioned chair that had been spared from the moving excursion she continued to voice her joy. Only to fall silent as the music was turned off. Glancing in curiosity to the culprit. One red haired Nicole who looked positively evil, she saw her world go dark as the lights were hit. Then came the boys. 'Whom I didn't see leave. I'm out of practice if I didn't notice this group was up to something. Looking to the pair she saw the small cake in their hands, candles in it providing all the light in the room. Four voices filled the air and it was enough to make any music instructor scream, they were all hitting the wrong notes for each syllables of every word in the song.
"Happy birthday to you!" They all chorused. Tearing the song to shreds at each word.
"Happy birthday to you." The boys sang alone.
"Happy birthday dear Sarah!" The girls sang, butchering the sound.
"Happy birthday to you!" They finished in perfect harmony and it was enough to sooth her ears after the murder they had done to the age-old song.
"Birthday? Its not my birthday." She denied.
"Check the calendar wallflower, your seventeen today." Mick teased, mouth open to deny she did a mental count of the month and date. Shutting her mouth she blushed.
'Crap he's right I hate that.' She thought chagrined. "Oops?" She let out weakly, she was rewarded with laughter. One breath and all the candles were out, next she knew the lights were back on and a box was in her lap. Looking to the not-so-innocent-looking red head she suddenly was very afraid of the contents of the box. With the airs of holding a bomb, she shook the light cube. Opening it, while holding it away from her face she knew she was not going to be teased for her precautions. Nicole's gifts were infamous and everyone after the first time knew to be careful. Pushing aside the colored tissue she felt her eyes widen. "Not in a million years! Nicky!"
"What is it?" Suzette asked, eyes gleaming in laughter and curiosity.
"Thongs!" The flame haired wonder crowed. Suzette cheered and laughed the designer in her knowing that the gift was completely and embarrassment to Sarah.
"Revenge shall be mine! Remember this Nicky! I know when your birthday is." The girl being threatened gave a theatric mock scream of terror and fell into a false feint. Sarah was already planning her revenge. Another box made it to her lap and she glanced to Suzette. While Nicky was known for her prankish gifts Suzette was known for her fitting gifts. Lifting the cover she sucked in some air. One set in pink, another in cream violet, pearl white, baby blue, and the last pair in black. All toe shoes. "Oh Suz." She breathed. "Their, wonderful."
"Ya well this is to go with that." Mick cut in cheekily. Tossing her a back wrapped in, unsurprisingly, the Sunday comics. "You don't think I gave you that lesson earlier just for my health did you.
"You sneak!" She accused, while helping her adjust her form he must have been gagging her height and size. Ripping the paper off she was proven right. Two new training outfits were displayed to her friends, One uni-tard of pitch black, another of deep red. A leotard of tie die creation colors of teal, magenta, rich blue and green. And a bikini training set of black. She loved them already.
"You were getting lessons today?" Nicky sympathized. "How can you move?" Mick slugged her and gave an answer.
"Sarah's a tough girl. You're just the baby." Nicky rolled her eyes to the ceiling in a silent prayer for patience. Then dove for the boy and mocked a severe beating, only tickling him until he begged mercy.
Finally it was Bernardo's turn to give her a gift. She lost her breath and her eyes went wide when the highly decorated, dark stained wood case was put in her lap. "Oh Berny. I couldn't!" She tried to hand it back to him but he only shoved it back to her.
"Si you can. I made it myself, I will find great offence if you do not except my gift to you." Looking to him in pleading eyes she unlatched the box. Opening it she saw different levels rise to greet her. The top half of the case held a mirror and the top level had a hair set. Not just any though. Ebony, decorated with silver vines and leaves, made her brushes and two hair combs. The second level was bare but held spaces for makeup. The third was obviously for jewelry. All of it was impressed with dark blue velvet. Running her fingers over the surface she felt words escape her.
"I couldn't." She tried weakly, the effort was pointless.
"Sarah, mi amiga, you know I am a lover of art. It was my pleasure to make this for you. Te yama?"
"Me yamo me yamo! Gracias!"
"De nada senorita, your welcome." He whispered into her ear after she launched herself at him. Hugging him tight she released him only when Mick began to talk.
"Hey, hey you two. Break it up or I might just get jealous."
"What about the cake?" Suzette asked, effectively ending the moment of mush. When the plates were all but eaten they all clambered around the TV and settled in for a night of movies. Sarah, along with the boys, would comment on the male actors. Leaving Suzette and Nicole to check out the girls. When the first movie finished it was nine o'clock.
"Sarah, you need somebody. You're the only one here without a partner." Mick teased. Tossing cheese puffs, with perfect aim, into Bernardo's mouth. She was taking cheese balls and tossing them into the air, all of them hitting their mark in her mouth.
"Excuse me for having not met the man of my dreams."
"Maybe you don't need a man. Come on, what do you say Sarah?" Nicole waggled her eyebrows and Sarah laughed.
"Sorry I bat for the other team, actually I'm probably a spectator. God help me. My best friends the four of you and out of us all I'm the only straight one." A few pillows hit her as she laughed. Brief pillow fight later, Sarah winning four to one, and they were back to their usual sprawls.
"How." Puffed Suzette, the oldest of them all at the old age of twenty. "Does she always whip our butts?"
"Youth and skill." Sarah teased. Relishing the looks that were sent to her. "Aw you all love me. I'm da baby, remember?" There was a time she hated being the youngest, she was long since over that. "I'm used to being on the not-a-chance-in-the-world side. You all know that by now."
"I'm up for killing her, who's with me?" Suzette called, four hands wearily rose into the air but all fell back in exhaustion. "Right we'll do it right after the apocalypse." Sarah laughed and began to gather soda cans.
"Who wants more, I'll grab some while you pop in another movie." After playing waitress she sat in front of Nicole, who was in the chair. As the preview to old movies began to air she felt her friends hands begin to kneed her shoulders. Groaning softly she winced when her friend found a particularly painful knot. Relaxing all the same she rolled her eyes up then closed them. She opened them slowly as the movie started. Laughing when she saw that it was 'Annie' from Disney. The play production that she had met them all in, though this was the original movie.
"Sarah are you ok. You're never this stiff unless you're bothered and stressed."
"One word Nicky 'Karen.' Nuff said. But for the most part, and biggest reason, I would rather not talk about it." How was she to tell her that it was really a hormone driven Goblin king, one namely after her?
"I'm sorry Sare."
"Don't bother, I will do whatever you want as long as I don't have to move and you don't stop." She heard the giggle of her friend but ignored it. She was willing to let the hands work their own magic on her stiff shoulders any day of the week.
Jareth watched astonishment and wonder pass Sarah's face as she opened the last gift. Begrudgingly he admitted the mortal had shown great talent in the work. But it still angered him to see her accept a gift from another man. When they had eaten and settled around a TV they watched a movie. He raised a brow when Sarah began agreeing with the boys and not the girl on the male characters. After the movie they all began teasing Sarah, saying she needed a partner. 'She's mine.' His mind growled. But when the girls offered their company to Sarah he wondered. She had told him that the boy preferred other males. Could the girls prefer their sex as well? Sarah merely shook her head and joked with them. Saying she preferred to stay single. The interesting part happened when the second movie began. The red haired girl with the boy nickname began to rub Sarah's shoulders. Sarah gave no objection and was far from bothered when asked questions, though she told of her wish for privacy. He found it odd how she did not dance around the question, did not lie. She told her friends the truth, even if it was not what they wanted to hear. But the look of pleasure was something he carved into his memory, someday she would express that due to him, but for now it was a lovely taste of what would be. When the second show ended he watched them toss around pillows, the weather too warm for anything more. Sprawled on the floor they were soon all asleep. Now was a chance to converse with her, vanishing from his thrown he reappeared at her side. He glared at the leg of the artist that she was using for a pillow. Trailing her form he saw that one of her legs was on the chair, laying atop the leg of the eldest girl. It was quite plain that Sarah was at ease in her surroundings and most of all with her company. Using his foot he nudged her side, a second later her eyes shot open. Focusing on him in the dark, sucking air in through her teeth she glared at him. Grinning decadently (look the word up if you don't know it) he knew the games, were about to begin.
Well? The party happened, a little more to go but what do you think? REVIEW PPPPLLLLEEEAASSSEE!!!!!!! Any ideas over what should happen? I know where I'm going (for once) but if you have any ideas for scenes I may find space for them.
~BUM~