To Learn to Let Go | ✔

Chapter 37

Grayson's P.O.V (Back to our regularly scheduled programming!) 

Trent's birthday was just a day away. His father was still in the hospital, transferred now to the treatment program he would have to complete. My parents were still away on their trip, returning on Sunday despite their best efforts to end the trip early. I assured her that we were doing okay, and they should enjoy themselves. So, we had the whole weekend alone to celebrate. We were going over to Brayden's apartment tomorrow to celebrate with him and Nat, but the rest of the weekend was all us.

I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what to get him. What do you get someone for their 18th birthday? Lottery tickets? I was only 16 so that was out of the question. I wanted to get him something special anyway, lottery tickets didn't feel special. I had asked Trent if he could drive Nat and I to the mall after school Thursday so that she could help me shop. We were wandering aimlessly looking for the perfect gift.

"What does he like?" Nat asked.

"Music, video games, horror movies, I've gotten him into all of my nerdy shows and movies. But I want to get him something really special."

"Does he wear jewelry or anything?" She asked.

"Not really, he wears a cross necklace that his mom gave him, but that's it."

"What about a record? You said he likes music." She suggested.

"Maybe, he does have a small vinyl collection already."

"There's a record store downstairs, let's go!"

We made our way to the record store and started browsing through the shop. They had a huge selection, everything from old classics to today's top 40. I wasn't seeing anything that was good enough for Trent though. "Nat, I don't think we're going to find anything," I sighed.

"There has to be something! Keep looking."

I walked around for a few more minutes and eventually found myself up by the register. Behind the counter there were shelves of rare and limited-edition records. I scanned those shelves and my eye landed on a copy of "Burryface" by Twenty-One Pilots. I thought back to that first time he drove me to school, after Kyle sprained my ankle. "Tear in My Heart" came on the radio and I sang along to it, Trent told me he liked my singing voice. I wasn't even really aware of how loud I was singing. I was just trying to ease my anxiety about being driven home by the beautiful and terrifying boy I had no idea would come to mean so much to me. Whenever I hear that song now I think of Trent, and the good memories. I don't think about how I got beat up, or my ankle sprained, or any of that.

"I found it!" I excitedly told Nat.

"Twenty-One Pilots?" She asked.

"It was playing on the radio the first day he drove me to school."

"Oh my god, that's so cute!"

"Excuse me, how much is "Blurryface?"" I asked the woman behind the counter.

"It's $130. It's the limited-edition white with black splatter." She explained.

"I'll take it."

"What's in the bag?" Trent asked when he picked up up later.

"You'll see tomorrow." I smiled.

"Babe, you really did not need to get me anything! My birthday is not a big deal."

"Trent, you're turning 18, it's a huge deal!"

"It's really not," he shrugged,

"Babe, celebrating another year of your life is a huge deal!"