Chasing You

17

LACEY

"Up a little more," I comment motioning with my hands. Jeremy and Trey follow my movements but now Jeremy is down too far making the sign crooked. "Jeremy up more."

"Jesus woman, my arms hurt," Jeremy grumbles pushing the sign up more. I roll my eyes at him glancing at the bright pink birthday sign. Rae's birthday is today and we are throwing her a surprise party. Well, more like a surprise fifth and a friend. Everyone splits a fifth of alcohol between yourself and one other person. My partner is Sanders. Julie is going with Trey, Tori and Jeremy are going together, Rae and Robbie, Carter and Asher, and Braden and who knows who.

I asked Sanders before Braden even got wind of what is going on. According to Carter, Braden is not too happy about me going with Sanders. A part of me wanted to just tell him that we're just friends and maybe if you told me what the fuck is happening we can figure our shit out. But, let's not forget that I am still blocked on all platforms.

"Lacey! Hello! Is this fine?" Trey snaps. I jump and look at the sign nodding my head. Jeremy and Trey sigh in relief as they push down on the command strips on the back of the sign. I turn around finding other decorations to busy myself with. Most of them are already up, the things that took the longest was blowing up the balloons which Carter, Julie, and Tori are doing in the kitchen. While Asher and Braden are getting alcohol.

We hung up the twenty balloons as well as the happy birthday balloons. All we have to do is put up the backdrop for photos. We are putting it on the other side of the glass sliding doors because it's the only spot we can think of. It's a silver tinsel that is held together at the top. It's easy because all I have to do is pull off the strip from the back and place it up there. Well, the boys I should say. The boys are just getting ready here since we told them and everyone we invited to dress nice for tonight. Robbie and Rae are at her birthday dinner she requested with him. We also told him to stall until almost everybody is here so Carter will text him.

"Okay, one more thing to hangup boys and then you are free to do as you please," I say clapping my hands together. Jeremy and Trey groan from where they sat down on the couch. I clap my hands a little harder shooting them a glare. They groan again but get up anyways. The rest of them walk out from the kitchen kicking balloons into the living room and hallways.

"I'm a little lightheaded," Tori says rubbing her temples. I laugh before resuming my attention back to dumb and dumber. They are holding up the backdrop as I motion for them to bring it up a smidge higher. I give them a thumbs up as we press down the final decoration.

"Everything looks great!" Carter says holding a balloon shaped like a champagne bottle. I nod my head in agreement. The pets are residing at basketball house for the night because the cat would have been way too stressed out and Sixer would have popped all the balloons and gotten overwhelmed.

"We have to get ready because people are coming her at eight thirty and Rae's coming back at nine thirty. Fifth and a friend starts at ten," Julie lists off clutching her hands together. Carter wraps a free arm around her shoulder pulling her in.

"Julie breath, everything is fine!" Carter explains as she tosses the champagne blowup out of the way.

"Are we free from decoration duty?" Trey asks looking at Carter. She rolls her eyes at him but nods her head. The boys sigh in relief and head to our couch and arm chairs. I walk past them and head towards my room. We all split up to go into our own bathrooms and rooms to get ready. We have plenty of time but five girls getting ready in one apartment is always chaotic. I picked a small bronze corset dress. Rae is wearing a sparkling silver dress, Carter is wearing a two piece black sparkly set, Tori is wearing a red dress, and Julie is wearing a white one. While Rae has no idea that we are doing any of this, we had to make sure we all wore something different. I hang up my dress on my closet door and head to my desk where I can start my makeup and hair. I can hear Carter's low music playing for her speaker so I toss my phone on the bed.