Song This Chapter Is Based On: "Level Up" by Ciara
The next morning, it was the start to the final day of Luke's birthweek. And today, Luke hoped nothing would go wrong.
He came to the kitchen and didn't see Funfetti muffins or yogurt. There wasn't even anybody in the house. He then saw a note on the counter.
"Let's see here…oh, Christmas shopping? I guess that makes some sense…" Luke says.
Lucy thinks of a gift. Losing her charm meant it was back to square one for her, so she chose a pair of skates she knew Luke would like. Luna chose a new Vocal Point album, which was Luke's favorite acapella group.
Everyone was having so much fun shopping for each other, almost not thinking about Luke, who was back at home.
Marcy came to see Luke. She got his Funfetti muffins and yogurt. Luke sniffs and looks at her.
"Oh, Lukey, don't be blue…" Marcy says. "It's your day to shine!"
He sees this. "Awww, Marcy…" He says, smiling at her.
"I'm going home to see Luke." Lucy says.
"The final day of his birthweek and we picked Christmas shopping instead of breakfast with him…" Luan says.
"Let's go. Besides, we already failed by choosing to buy him his Christmas gifts and leaving him alone." Lucy sighed.
They arrive home, quickly hide their Christmas gifts for Luke, and come to the kitchen. They can see Marcy holding Luke.
"You could have included him. I would've offered to distract him and everything." Marcy says.
Charity felt horrible about this.
"You could have taken him to breakfast and you could have included him in the shopping trip. I would've taken him once you started shopping for him. And you call yourselves good parents and siblings…" Marcy says.
Luke just looked down, feeling disappointed.
"Don't worry, Lukey. You can spend Christmas with my family." Marcy tells him.
"You never wanted to include me!" Luke sobbed when he saw his family. "Why did you exclude me?!"
"Well? Are you going to answer him?" Marcy asked.
"We wanted you to have your alone time. I wanted to be with you, but I didn't think you'd want to and Lisa was working on something." Lucy says, looking down.
"You left me because you thought I hated you?" Luke asked.
"Yeah, Lucy wanted you to know the real her alone, but jumped ship at the last moment. She still wants to take you out so you can know the real Lucy." Luna says. Luke felt hurt still.
Later, Luna took Luke out to play in the snow with Lincoln and his group of friends and the Foxes, building a snow castle as it was 9 a.m.
Luke wasn't smiling much.
Marcy decided to take him on a birthday date.
"Gladly!" Luke says and goes off to get ready, still feeling mad.
"You call yourselves a good family, do you?" Marcy tells the siblings. "Non-inclusive, I can see. Wait until my mother hears of this."
"Lucy…" Leni says taking the knife away from Lucy, who felt alone without Luke, knowing he would be mad.
"He's leaving tomorrow. You separated me from him. I wanted to be with him this morning. You all insisted on Christmas shopping for him." Lucy says. "Now I have no one, and it's all your fault."
During the date, Marcy feeds him as Shane offers to buy dessert. It was the least he could do to make sure Luke was happy for the time being.
Meanwhile, Penny and Lisa were working on a big arcade machine for Luke.
"Once I make things right, Shane will take me back." Penny says.
"What you did was wrong, Penny." Lisa says. "It would have been better to talk to Shane about it instead of letting your emotions take over."
"I know." Penny says, looking down. "I feel like a horrible person for ruining Luke's week like this."
"Next year, I'm probably going to have to give him a perfect charm or something, because I don't think he should celebrate with us next year. He's better off elsewhere." Lisa says.
"That's his 18th birthday! That's a big deal!" Penny says.
"And we can't afford to ruin it." Lisa says. "If we don't make him happy tonight, he'll be off to a townhome in Petoskey Falls tomorrow."
"Well, Oliver, it's time to say goodbye to our leader." Angry Luigi says. Oliver looks at him.
"I mean those Louds can't be trusted. They are psychologically evil, so they die or Luke dies." Angry Luigi says.
"He needs help." Alem tuber says as Angry Luigi was really in paranoia mode.
"Think about it. They only brought Luke into their home to mistreat him!" Angry Luigi says and shows a 5 hour long video as it was now 2 o'clock.
"He's right, we need to get Luke out of that house ASAP." Rachel says.
"Yeah." Griffin says.
Alem tuber looked annoyed at Angry Luigi and the Foxes. "You 5 are being idiots. Right now, everyone has horrible family issues."
With Luke, he came home with Marcy and Shane. Lucy offered him a gift, which was a little arcade toy. Luke looked at it and played with it a little.
"Thanks." Luke sniffed. "I just wish my morning would have gone better…"
"I'm so sorry." Lucy says. "We really should have included you."
"If tonight doesn't go right, I'm going to be sitting in the back of Shane's car, with my stuff loaded in it, and I'll be off to Petoskey Falls to live with him." Luke says.
"We only have tonight to make things right." Luan says, overhearing this.
"We really messed up this morning. I think Luke really wanted to go with us, and we left him behind instead." Lincoln says, guilty.
Soon, they began to set things up. one more mistake and it was Goodbye, Luke. They would wake up tomorrow morning to see him off to Petoskey Falls with Shane if they screwed up.
Stuff like this is why Lucy takes the blame for everything.
They hung up streamers, balloons, and pictures of Luke. The regretful tears soon filled their eyes.
With Luke, he was still feeling numb. Shane put an arm around him and so did Marcy. They try to cheer him up.
"Do you want to go to your party tonight?" Shane asked Luke.
"Of course I do! It's my party…" Luke says.
The guests were soon helping set up for the party as well.
"What's the point? Life is hopeless.." Lucy says.
"Don't be negative." Leni says "Be positive."
"I'm positive we'll fail." Melony snarked, just wanting to get a roast in. "I may not know you, but you seem to have a bad track record. I'm surprised Luke's stayed at that manor for this long." melony says
Lucy sighed. "She's right, we screwed up and we'll never see him again and I just lost my big sister, soon Luke, and then Lincoln will leave!" Lucy sobbed.
Charity saw this and had to say something before things went south.
"You won't lose Luke." Charity says.
At 5, Luke got ready for his entrance at Dave & Buster's as Charity took the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment you have all been waiting for! This guy has upgraded himself and is now at the level he deserves to be at! Entering this wondrous arcade celebration in his honor, the birthday boy who upgraded to Level 17, Luke Flynn Huntington!" Charity says.
Luke enters in on an arcade-themed birthday float that Oliver and his siblings designed for this party. He was dressed in neon from head to toe, which included neon blue streaks in his blonde hair and neon sneakers designed by Oliver himself. He also wore neon blue "pixelated ladder shades" over his eyes.
The guests were impressed by this and once Luke did his dance to Cooler Than Me by Mike Posner, they were left wanting more.
The party then started with a scavenger hunt around the arcade. Luke was excited about this and couldn't wait to join his guests as they looked for each game on their lists. Luke teamed up with Marcy as the scavenger hunt commenced.
Luke found an item. It was a picture of himself. Marcy found Luke's 3DS.
The hunt went on as Luke and Marcy won.
Next was some board games in the party room.
"Hey, where's your girlfriend?" Luke teased Garrett.
"Who, Kylie?" Garrett asked.
"No, Melony! I saw you two feeding the giraffes and riding an elephant together at my zoo party..." Luke teased.
Then they played arcade games as Luke played Sugar Rush. Luke was a pro at this.
Angry Luigi played Mario Kart Arcade DX.
Melony was in the corner alone, sitting patiently and thinking of stuff. This is where being blind really sucked. She began tapping her feet against the floor. She could hear the laughter. They seemed to be having fun, and even Luke was laughing.
"Hey, Melony, come pla-oh, you're blind." Sasha says.
Melony curled into a ball as Melissa noticed her.
"I'm fine." Melony says, knowing if she cried, Luke would bail with Garrett and Shane and this party would be ruined.
After the games, Luke explored Dave & Buster's with Oliver, Shane, and Garrett.
Marcy and 9-Volt were too caught up in gaming.
The 4 boys walk around. They arrived to see the mascots about to perform a show for Luke.
"A show?" Luke asked curiously. They performed his favorite song for his birthweek. He grinned at this and even Garrett, Oliver, and Shane were impressed.
While Luke was busy with his friends and Shane, Melony ran out to the mountain. After slipping on ice, she unleashes an emotional shockwave similar to the one she used when pushing Garrett at the mall. She slipped and fell off the mountain but grabbed on to a branch. It snapped as she fell into the ice. She didn't want anyone to follow her into this mess as she tried to swim upwards but was unable to. She cursed herself and realized this might be the end for her.
Soon, they played a second song as Shane joined them on stage. Luke was smiling at this as he loved Shane's singing.
Melony began to think back on her actions as her arms and legs wouldn't budge. She thought about the cosmic buddies and wondered if they would save her.
"Please help…" she thought as she got an idea and turned herself into a watermelon.
Meanwhile, Savannah was baking the birthday cake.
"I challenge you to a rematch" 9-Volt says
"I don't have the belt anymore. Brandy beat me." Marcy says.
"What?!" 9-Volt asked.
Ashley did a magic show for Luke as he clapped with excitement.
Soon, Penny and Lisa revealed a new arcade machine with microgames.
"I love it!" Luke says.
"Heh." Penny says.
Later, Luke hit a video game controller piñata as arcade and gaming-based toys and candy fell. Luke cheered and collected his share of it all.
Then he took to the dance floor with Marcy.
Melony was walking in the cold, shaking.
"I think I'm home." she says as she enters Stella's house.
"Wait, this isn't my house." she said before fainting.
At the party, Luke kissed Marcy as they slow danced.
After that, Mugman, Mona, and her band began to play their cover of Photograph by Def Leppard as everyone danced and enjoyed the show.
Then they performed their cover of Closing Time by Semisonic. Fans cheered as Luke smiled at this. Luke loved this song, among others.
Soon, it was pizza time as it was Luke's favorite and he got first serving. Luke began to eat with Marcy. Oliver, Benny, Luan, and Willow were together.
Mugman was eating with Emira.
"So, you're in a band? That's…cool, I guess." Emira says.
"Did you like the show?" Mugman asked her.
"It was incredible. Do you think I could, like, ask you a favor?" Emira asked him.
"What's up?" Mugman says.
"Well, me and my twin brother are celebrating our birthday soon, and we are pretty strapped for entertainment and stuff. Could you do it?" Emira asked.
"When is it?" He asked.
"The end of January." Emira says.
"Oh, that sounds like fun! Let's do it, Mugsy!" Mona says. "We do love Emira enough to help her out, right?"
"Well, sure. We'll do it." Mugman says with a smile. "Oh, and I like your blue hair. It looks really good on you, Em."
Emira couldn't help but blush at that comment. Amity and Edric were giggling at this.
Soon, the lights turned off in the party room as Luke looked around.
He soon sees candlelight as the lights lit up to show the video game-themed cake that Savannah made. It says Happy Seventeenth Birthday, Luke! You've Leveled Up To Level 17! and the candles were neon-colored.
Luke took a picture of the cake and smiled. Savannah really outdid herself on this cake.
Savannah smiled as she took a picture. Everyone sang to Luke as he took this moment in one last time.
Luke smiled, wishing he could win ANH as he blew out the candles.
Marcy feeds him three slices of the cake.
Later, there was a drone light show then fireworks as Luke smiled.
After the party, everyone went to Oliver's house for the sleepover.
"Ashley, you don't have to go." Lucy says
"You think Luke will understand?" Ashley asked
"Maybe." Lucy says.
Luke got to watch his favorite show, High School Musical, The Musical: The Series. Shane smiled at this as he liked this show, too. There was a socializing break after that. Luke smiled and had his notebook out as he sat with Shane on Oliver's couch.
He started writing in it as Shane was giving him many different ideas for his birthweek. Luke was grinning and writing at the same time as Shane was very excited.
"He plans parties, too?!" Emira asked as she watched the two of them.
Mona nods as Lucy was planning Luke's 16th anniversary.
"Tomorrow, you guys are invited to my sleepover." Sasha says as Luke smiles.
Kat and Ana were drinking soda as Stephen admired the Snickers cake Oliver made.
"How big is this cake, Oliver?" Stephen asked him.
"7 layers high." Oliver says. "Took a lot of Snickers ice cream and other stuff, but Luke is absolutely worth it."
"It looks pretty damn good." Stephen says. "I'm totally taking notes on a cake this size for my birthday."
"Are you gonna want my help with it?" Oliver asked. "There's a big balance of ice cream and cake that only I have the skills for. You'll need my help to do all that."
"Offer accepted." Stephen says, shaking Oliver's hand. He then grabs a bowl, pours some crunchy Cheetos into it, and carries it into the living room.
Later, the sleepover games began. It started with a small pillow fight for those that wanted to do it, then 2 rounds of Twister followed that. Disney Scene It? was next, and after that was Would You Rather?
Now everyone was sitting around the living room table with the next game that Oliver set up. The Bean Boozled challenge.
"How does this game work?" Luke asked Oliver.
"The game uses a spinner wheel for players to decide what color of jelly bean to sample. Each color of jelly bean could either be the normal, great-tasting flavor or a weird, gross tasting flavor. The bad flavors appear identical to the great tasting ones." Oliver says. "There is a 50/50 chance you could get a gross flavor in favor of the normal ones."
"So what are the flavors?" Remy asked.
"Stink bug or toasted marshmallow, old bandage or pomegranate, rotten egg or buttered popcorn, toothpaste or berry blue, liver & onions or cappuccino, barf or peach, booger or juicy pear, dirty dishwater or birthday cake, stinky socks or tutti-frutti, and dead fish or strawberry-banana smoothie." Oliver says.
"This will be fun." Luke says.
"Then let the game commence!" Oliver says with a smile.
Luke spun the wheel as he got rotten egg or buttered popcorn. He tasted it, then spit it out. "I got rotten egg!" Luke says.
He then gives the wheel to Remy, who spun dirty dishwater or birthday cake. Remy picks up the corresponding bean and tastes it.
"What does it taste like?" Oliver asked Remy.
"Dirty dishwater!" Remy says, spitting it into the trash. He gave the wheel to Mugman, who spun stink bug or toasted marshmallow.
Mugman tasted it. "Toasted marshmallow." He says with a smile. "My favorite!"
The game continued until it came to Oliver, who spun the wheel. He got dead fish or strawberry-banana smoothie.
"Moment of truth, Ollie. What are you tasting?" Luke asked.
"Strawberry-banana smoothie." Oliver says. "Not too bad."
"Mind if I try?" Melony asked.
"Sure." Luke says and gives her the wheel.
She spun it and got liver & onions or cappuccino.
"Both suck." Kat says as Melony tasted it.
"Tastes like nothing." Melony says.
"What?!" Everyone says.
"Listen, I have an ability to numb my tongue, so if I don't like something, I just don't have to taste it." she says.
"Gross!" Kat says, tasting the liver & onions jelly bean that Melony picked.
After that game…
"So are you going to kiss Garrett, Melony?" Luke teased.
"Ooooh!" Everyone says.
"Okay, if we're going that route, we're gonna play a game that involves couples and a closet." Oliver says. "Seven Minutes In Heaven."
"What?" Garrett asked, nervous.
"Two people are selected to go into a closet and do whatever they like for seven minutes. It is common for the participants to kiss or make out, but they may instead choose to talk, engage in sexual activity, or simply do nothing and wait for the time to expire." Oliver says.
Soon, Oliver spun the bottle, landing o,n Melony. He spun it again as Garrett got nervous and Melony shook.
"Go on!" Everyone says, pushing them in as Melony shook.
"You're with Kylie, right ?' Melony asked.
"Correct." Garrett says. "I don't intend to leave her. I mean, just because we rode an elephant together and fed a giraffe together doesn't make us boyfriend and girlfriend…we're just friends, Melony. I want it to stay that way."
"Same." Melony says, relieved. "But what're we gonna do for seven minutes?"
They watched a video before coming out seven minutes later.
"So how was it?" Luke asked.
"We didn't kiss. We don't like each other like that. I don't know why everyone is assuming that." Melony says.
"You two smiled at each other." Luke says.
"And you kissed me on the cheek and called me Garrett." Remy says.
"Oh, um, that's just how we greet each other in my country." Melony says.
"Dang it!" Luke and Remy say.
It was now Garrett's turn to spin the bottle. Garrett smiled and spun it twice as it landed on Luke first, then Marcy. The two of them went into the closet.
"So…what should we like, do for seven minutes?" Luke asked.
"Play video games?" Marcy asked, already playing. "If Garrett is going to disappoint, then I'm ready to disappoint."
"So we're playing a game of disappointment?' Luke asked as he teared up, hoping to kiss her.
"If I want my first kiss, I'm not doing it as part of a game, Luke. Unless you actually like me." Marcy says.
"I do like you!" Luke says.
Marcy kissed him as there was cheering in the background. The two of them went to third base in the closet as Luke was grinning like a maniac by the time they came out.
Next was Mona and Mugman. The two of them didn't hesitate to start touching each other the minute the closet door was shut.
"I wanna go next..." Kat says, still awake. Skylia had to tell the younger kids what kind of game this was. They grinned.
"Let's mess with Brandy's stuff!" Emma says as the three of them go upstairs.
Lucy sighed, going next.
"But who is she goin' in there with?" Oliver asked. He spun the bottle as it landed on Cuphead.
"Cuppy's gonna kiss! Cuppy's gonna kiss!" Mugman and Chalice both say, giggling.
Lucy froze as Cuphead took her into the closet and grinned.
"Come on, Lucy, I know you want me…" Cuphead says.
Lucy wordlessly looked at Cuphead. She hesitantly made the first move as she began to kiss him. Cuphead pulls into it and it turns into a heated make-out session for the full seven minutes.
Lucy's body was starting to feel hot. She knew time was almost up and Cuphead sadly couldn't go to 3rd base, not yet, anyway.
Soon Sasha was up and went in with Shane. Sasha kisses Shane and goes for his pants. Shane takes off his shirt, and allows Sasha to remove his pants. Sasha finished him just in time.
Shane was in his underwear in front of everyone as Sasha had soon hidden his clothes. Penny sighed.
They were all clapping. "What a man!" Luke says as Shane turns crimson red.
"And we got our true winner!" Remy says.
"Who is it?" Garrett asked.
"Shane!" Remy says.
Later, after Shane dressed in his pajamas, it was time to have the 7-layered Snickers ice cream cake. But Oliver stopped everyone from getting a piece right away.
"Mr. First Piece here!" Luke says, cutting himself a slice and eating it.
Oliver frowned. "Luke, you have to make a wish and blow out the candles first!" Oliver says.
"Oh, okay." Luke says, allowing Oliver to light the #1 and #7-shaped candles. Shane then led several renditions of the birthday song, Luke giggling like a maniac as he was taking this in.
"Blow out the candles and wish!" Remy shouted. "We want some cake!"
Luke stood on his tiptoes, trying to reach the candles. Oliver then grabbed Luke and lifted him up as he thought of a wish.
He soon wished for a great anniversary as he blew out the candles and cut himself a second slice of cake.
Everyone else soon got their pieces and talked about their favorite party that they attended this week.
Luke smiled as he listened. Today did get better.
"So, are you leaving, Luke?" Luna asked.
"No! I can't leave my friends!" Luke says. "This day actually got 200 times better!"
"Or batter, ha ha ha!" Luan laughed.
Penny shows a slideshow of his best cakes. Luke loved them all, but today's cake was amazing.
Savannah smiled. "Glad I could help." she says.
"I hope to get an epic cake for my anniversary. 16 years in the acting business is a pretty nice cause for celebration in my book…" Luke says.
"I'm working on it. You will just love it!"' Savannah says.