ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ

𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈- 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁

'Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Mason, Happy Birthday to you' the group sang out in the rented-out nightclub, The Post, for Mason's 22nd birthday.

It was only a couple of hours before that he had scored for Chelsea in their 4-0 win against Morecombe, he was practically buzzing. He smiled as he looked around the room, it was filled with almost everyone he loved.

He could see his family dotted around the room, he had even managed to get his mum and dad to come out for a drink or two which he was really chuffed about. They had said they were too old for this kind of thing, but he begged to differ. He had seen them throw themselves round the dance floor at his and Dec's Gatsby inspired 21st birthday last year, so they had no excuse.

His mind flicks back to last year's party and how things have changed so much since then. He looks towards Dec, the black t-shirt sat upon his frame rather than the suit he had on last year, he's leaning against the table, his hands flicking through his phone.

Mason had felt like since him and Laura split up that he has been almost glued to his phone, he also doesn't feel like he gets to spend as much time with him recently. Its like they are both dealing with their breakups in different ways, and he missed him.

Laura wasn't here tonight, she had said something about some work thing which had Sadie sniggering, mentioning something to do with a photocopier but he didn't catch the rest.

Sadie was stood next to Ruby, while Ruby looked towards Woody and Benny. He wished Ruby and Woody would just get together, he just really wanted to see his friends happy, and he could say the same about Ben and Harriet.

They were stood with the group too as Mason approached them, Ben's hand sitting upon the back of Harri's back, they had seemed a lot more together recently for just friends, but he didn't like to ask lots of questions.

Mason reaches his arm around Dec's shoulders as Dec smiles at him as he speaks to the whole group "Gang's almost all together" he smiles as they all smile at him.

"Yeah except Laur and our Daisy" said Ruby with a smile as she leans into Sadie, who squeezes into her side.

"Yeah not long now till Daisy's back is it?" said Harriet as she frowned slightly trying to work out exactly when.

"Yeah its gotta be soon" said Ben towards her as he looks at Mason shrugging.

"Next month" said Dec next to Mason "She's back next month" he smiles, knowing exactly when she lands back in the UK, the exact date and time, after asking for her flight details when he called her a couple of days ago.

Dec knew her contract ended at the end of the season in December, however she had chosen to stay out travelling around some of the places she had visited with a couple of the other photographers.

She was then due to take the photos at the 'Race of Champions' in January before heading back home in February.

He wouldn't admit it to any of the others, but he had been counted down the days until she was coming home, almost since the moment she went away.

"Can't wait to hear all her stories" said Sadie with a smirk "especially the dirty ones"

Mason laughed, knowing if anyone could turn the mood around it would be her "Be good to have her home" he said as the rest of the group agree.

It wasn't that he had missed her every day that she had been gone, however he did find it hard not having her around all the time like she had been for so many years of his life. He knew she was the missing piece of the puzzle in their group's dynamic.

She would be the one that would be there for any of them to talk to, she would have sorted out whatever drama was going on between Ruby and Woody and she would have sorted out whatever had Dec looking so glum at times recently. He even thought she would have helped him with Sophia.

He knew it would have been slightly awkward speaking to his ex-girlfriend about the possibility of a new girlfriend, but he always knew that Daisy was understanding, and she would help him to understand his emotions properly, she would have probably talked some sense into him instead too.

If he was being honest he couldn't wait for her to come home, he thought he needed to see her to make sure his feelings for Sophia were genuine. He had this fear that he had been clutching onto Sophia to fill some kind of void since Daisy left, he knew it wouldn't be true, but he still had a tiny bit of doubt in his own mind.

He wanted to see her, make sure that he didn't feel that same warm feeling he once felt for her, that same swelling in his heart when he was near her, that same lust he would feel take over his body just by the promise of holding her, the way he felt now about Sophia.

His mind then was instantly drawn to Sophia, he had hoped she would turn up tonight. He had invited her over text the other week however she had said that she couldn't really show up, what would others think if they saw her here at his birthday, the rumours would go wild.

But he told her he didn't care, unlike her he couldn't give a shit what people thought about the two of them, he only cared about her, and he knew a part of her wanted him to.

He had even invited Josh and Liam, hoping to make it easier for her to come but she said she was still unsure so would give it a miss. It had hurt his feelings, more than he let on when he ended up calling her about it. He could hear her voice waver on the phone, he just wanted her to be as assertive as she was on the side-lines at work in her personal life.

"I'm sorry Mase" she had said down the phone, closing her eyes as she said the words "it doesn't mean I don't want to be there because I do, but I just can't, I hope you understand"

He didn't understand, he couldn't understand how she wouldn't turn up to something like this for him, if it was the other way round he would be there in a flash. However, that's where they differed, Mason wore his heart on his sleeve, yet Sophia was more guarded with hers, although he had luckily seen behind the wall she had built up, he just hoped she wasn't placing more bricks on top of it when they weren't together.

However, he is pulled from his thoughts when he hears that northern accent cut through the room "Here's the birthday boy" Liam shouted as he approached Mason, wrapping his arm around him, his body absorbing Mason into his grasp.

"Happy Birthday Mount" said Josh as well pulling Mason in for hug as Liam let go of him "sorry we're late mate, we didn't end up leaving to drive down till late and then he couldn't find the hotel" he says pointing towards Liam who fakes a shocked expression "and then someone couldn't decide what shoes to wear" he said as he moves to the side, showing Sophia stood behind him, a deep blue shirt dress hanging loosely upon her body and a pair of black heels on her feet, with that breath taking grin sat upon her face, while her hair sits half up and half down in waves falling down her back.

"Happy Birthday Mase" she said as he approached her, his arms wrapping around her waist, hers wrapping around his neck as he turned his face towards her bare neck, placing a light kiss on the skin, away from public view as she squeezed him tightly.

"Thanks, Soph" he said in almost a whisper "you don't realise how much this means to me" he admits as she feels her heart possibly double in size.