A Season of Firsts

Chapter 12

After the night with Felix, my life gets even busier, which I'm thankful for, because I don't have any time to sit with my own thoughts. Hallie and Chase are still going strong, Felix is still trying to get a second 'friends' date out of me, and me and Rory are also still just friends.

I have been picking up extra shifts at work, because schools have broken up for Christmas break, so the resort is packed. I don't mind though, it gives me more money to spend on having fun with my friends.

Oh, and it's my birthday in two days. I think entering my second decade of life is something that I should be excited for, but I'm dreading it. I'm not ready to not be a teenager anymore. I don't have anything figured out.

Hallie has promised not to make a fuss over my birthday though, and Mabel can't come because she is home for the holidays at her family's house in Vancouver, so she can't be a bad influence.

I have just finished an eight-hour shift at work, and I am dead on my feet as I practically crawl up the stairs to my flat. When I reach the door, I hear voices coming from inside, but I just assume Chase is over, like he is a lot of the time. I almost have a heart attack when I push it open to see Hallie sitting on the sofa, with Cara sat next to her.

"Happy birthday!" Cara shouts, and runs over to tackle me with a hug. I take a second to register that this is real and I'm not hallucinating, before I scream in delight and start jumping up and down while still holding onto her for dear life. I don't think I realised how much I missed her until just now.

"What are you doing here?! You gave me the shock of my life!"

"That was the plan!" she laughs in pure joy, "I'm here for a few days to celebrate your birthday with you!"

"Your parents were okay with you flying across the world on your own?" I ask, knowing how protective they can get of her.

"Yes, they were fine, I'm a grown woman. I'm only allowed to stay until the 21st though, because they have lots of family festivities planned," she says, rolling her eyes.

"I'm just glad you could be here at all! When did you arrive?"

"Hallie picked me up from the airport about an hour ago."

I turn my attention towards Hallie then, narrowing my eyes and asking both of them, "How long have you been plotting this?"

"About two weeks," Hallie grins at me.

"How did you go that long without telling me?" I ask her in shock, because she is definitely the type of person to accidentally ruin a surprise.

"I thought you were going to suss me out when you kept mentioning Cara, but I must be a better liar than I thought."

"Thank you, this is the best surprise ever," I say, to both of them, and go to hug Cara again before I get emotional.

"I have something for you both, let me go and grab my suitcase," Cara says, detaching herself from me before kneeling down by the sofa to unzip her bag.

She pulls out a huge bag filled with chocolate and sweets from back home, and both Hallie and I scream and run to her when we see them. Nowhere does confectionary better than England. I would fight anyone who says otherwise.

"Dairy Milk! I've missed you so much," I coo, before ripping the purple packet open and breaking a chunk off to eat.

Hallie's first choice is a box of Maltesers, which she shares with Cara.

"Thank you so much," she says, her cheeks stuffed like a hamster.

"Yeah, thank you Car, this is amazing. I still can't believe you're here," I say, and I'm giddy. Everything is perfect.