COMFORT CROWD [3] , jj maybank

19. birthday girl

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

18 MONTHS LATER

      MY BODY SHUTTERS AS I wake up. Sun shines into the big windows to the front and side of my bed. My arm extends out. Huh? Where's JJ?

  "Fucker," I groan, rolling onto his empty side of the Queen size bed. I gotta get up though. There's two reasons for that.

  1) Today is the day we rub it in everyone's faces that we found the gold. We got the treasure and they doubted us. The whole island and probably people from the mainland will be there. Celebrating a group of absolute morons that found gold before any adult did—besides Big John.

2) It's my fucking birthday.

  My senses come to light and I zone in on the chaos of the Pogues in the kitchen. It's my birthday and he couldn't even stay in bed till I woke up? He usually does. What the hell is he up to?

   I swing my legs over the bed, leaving the comfort of my sheets. Something I'll never get used to in this house is how damn bright it gets in my room in the daylight. I groan, blocking the sun from me as if I'll burn like a vampire. I sigh, pulling the curtain down as the rug slides underneath my feet.

  Much better.

I flick a lamp on. What time is it?

Jesus. Even my phone is too bright for me. That's what I get for drinking—5?—cherry vodkas. The clock on my phone reads 11:43am. This celebration is at 3pm and then my party is at 6pm.

It's fine. We're on time. Plus, we're the ones being for celebrated. We can be late.

  My socked feet glide across the wooden flooring where the rug ends. The door to JJ and I's room creaks open and the conversation comes to a sudden halt.

  "Jesus—"

  "Happy birthday!" All the Pogues erupt. Loud. So loud. But, I smile brightly, laughing when John B picks me up off the floor. For my birthday last year I was still at home but everyone's birthdays after the events 18 months ago needed to be celebrated, even if they despised it. Referring to JJ.

"Thank you," I croak out, voice rough with tiredness. I walk into the kitchen with everyone. Everyone is here except JJ. I pout. "Oh my God. I told you she'd pout," Bailey points at my jutted out lip, "He's—"

   "Right here!" JJ rushes in, tackling me in kisses and between every kiss he wishes me a happy birthday. He smiles his shark tooth smile and gestures to a plate of pancakes on the counter. My heart flutters at the black candle sitting in the stack of pancakes.

   "Guys, it's only like 12pm," I say with a giggle. "Okay, so? You literally celebrated at 12am on the dot. Well, kinda. You puked a minute later," Kie cringes. Did I? I don't recall that. It's probably for the better that I don't actually. "It's never too early for a celebration. Come on! Make a wish!" Cleo claps, pushing the pancakes closer to me. The flame dances on top of the candle.