Darlin' - Harry Lewis

2

I wake up this morning feeling a lot better than I usually do. It's 8am and the suns shining, I pull my duvet off my body and stretch before sliding into my Ugg Slippers that are on the floor beside my bed. I open the curtains and look out to the gorgeous view of the Thames, it's a view I'll never get tired of. I wrap myself in my dressing gown and head downstairs to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. Whilst I'm waiting for the kettle to boil I check my phone, it's filled with notifications from Facebook & Instagram with people wishing me a happy birthday. I reply to every message thanking them for their birthday wishes and finish making my cup of tea. I'm 26 today and truth me told I haven't celebrated a birthday since my 21st and even that turned into an argument between Jamie and I. Grabbing my cuppa, I head over to the sofa and pull my throw out of the basket, wrapping myself up and getting cosy. I feel good today, I'm feeling positive which is something I've not been in a long time.

-NEW MESSAGE-
I open my phone to find a new text message.
Isabelle x: happy birthday bestie! i'll be over in an hour, love you 🤍
I smile at my phone and text her back.
Lola: thank you my girl, love you so much. see you soon 🤍

I look around my apartment seeing if everything's tidy, not that Izzy cares. It's just a subconscious thing. Whenever Jamie had somebody come round to our old place I'd get a beating if the house wasn't immaculate, I shake my head trying to get rid of the thought of him. I weren't going to spend my birthday thinking of my abusive ex-boyfriend.

-NEW MESSAGE-
Mum x: happy birthday my beautiful girl, i'm so proud of the wonderful young lady you are today, please come and see us soon, we miss you. I hope you have the most wonderful day, speak to you soon. Love Mum and Dad x
My Mum & Dad moved from London to Manchester about 6 years ago when my Dad got a promotion at work. I haven't seen them since but we stay in contact regularly.
Lola: I promise I'll come and visit soon Mum, I miss you both and hope you're both well. I'll ring you tomorrow and arrange a visit. Thank you for my birthday wishes, love you both xx
I place my phone down on the table and finish my tea, there's something so peaceful about living on your own and I was finally starting to get used to it.

-

An hour later there's a knock at the door, that'll be Izzy. I jump up from the sofa and open the door to my best friend, she runs over to the kitchen and places multiple boxes onto the side. She then runs back over to me, handing me the most beautiful bunch of flowers I'd ever seen in my life. "Happy Birthday Bestieeeeee" she says dragging out the e's. Honestly, you can't help but just love this girl. "You're so extra Iz, thank you so much" I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I don't know what I would do without this girl in my life. Truth be told, if it wasn't for her I probably wouldn't be here anymore. I considered ending my life multiple times after I left Jamie and especially when I moved into my own place alone. It was all foreign territory for me. I owe this girl my life.

I grab a vase from my kitchen cupboards and fill it with water, placing the massive bouquet of flowers inside and put it in the middle of my kitchens island. "They're beautiful Izzy, thank you so much" I say giving her a tight cuddle. "There's more where that came from. Let's open presents" she grabs the gift wrapped boxes off the kitchen side and pushes me back over to the sofa where I sit down. First she hands me a card. I open the card which says "A Special Friend On Your Birthday" I open the card to find a paragraph written inside.
"To my beautiful, strong best friend Lola,
I want to wish you the happiest 26th birthday, I know you don't usually celebrate your birthdays but tonight we will be celebrating. I've somehow wangled us onto the guest list for the best club in London! We're going out and we're celebrating, celebrating new starts and beginnings and most of all we're celebrating YOU. You've gone through so much these last few years and you never fail to amaze me, you're such a strong woman. I'm so grateful to have you in my life and I can't wait to watch you smash life. Here's to new beginnings, here's to us but most of all here's to YOU.
I love you so so so so so much Lola
Lots of love,
Your bestie, Isabelle x"

I close to card, placing it on the coffee table. I feel the tears threatening to fall from my eyes. "What would I do without you Iz?" I'm able to say before the tears start falling. Izzy grabs my thigh and wipes the tears from my cheek. "Don't cry, todays meant to be a special day for you. Let's open your presents" I give her a grateful smile as she hands the first box over. I pull the wrapping paper apart placing the paper on the coffee table once I've finished unwrapping it. Inside is a Louboutin box , I raise my hand to my mouth. "YOU HAVENT!" I'm literally shouting at her. Isabelle is all giddy beside me, she's practically jumping up and down on my sofa. "Open it and find out!" I lift the lid off the box and inside I find the most gorgeous pair of black heels with Louboutins signature red sole. I can't believe my eyes. I lift the heel out of the box. "They're beautiful Iz, you really shouldn't have!" I place the heel back in the box and place the box gently on the table before grabbing Isabelle and squeezing her into a tight cuddle "thank you so much, I love them" Isabelle pulls away from my cuddle and passes me another gift wrapped box. Again, I pull the paper off the box to find a yellow Selfridges box. I open the top of the box and inside is the most beautiful black mini dress. "I thought you could wear the dress and heels tonight." Isabelle says to me. The realisation that she'd planned a night out just hitting me. "I don't think I'm ready Izzy, I don't think I can go out. Not tonight." I feel really guilty, she's gone through so much effort to make my birthday perfect and it's like I'm just throwing it back in her face. I've never been on a proper night out, I was never allowed when I was with Jamie and since leaving, I haven't been in the right frame of mind. I don't even leave the house unless I absolutely need to. I go off into a world of my own before Izzy reassures me. "I promise you, we'll leave if you're not comfortable. You need to get out and start living life to the fullest. I bet you'll really enjoy yourself when you're there, just please. For me." She puts on her best puppy dog eyes. "Fine, let's do this" I let out and with that Izzy screams. "We're going to have the best night, I promise you".

-

A/N sorry if this is a bit shit, I wanted to bring Harry into this chapter but the actual birthday morning went on longer than I originally planned. However, he's in the next chapter, I promise.
L x