Boston Is for Lovers// Matt Sturniolo//

Birthday

Margaret's POV
I can't believe it's about to be my nineteenth birthday. June came so fast, this year had gone by so fast. I have spent so many months applying to colleges but I knew where I wanted to go. Boston University.
I wanted to stay close to my mom and to the triplets. I had gotten the acceptance letter three days earlier but I was waiting until my birthday party tonight to tell everyone.
The triplets had been insistent on the fact that we had to do something for my birthday. I decided to just have a small get together with Nick, Matt, Chris, my mom and their mom and dad.
I rushed home after work at the coffee shop I worked at that was in the downtown area of Boston, traffic was horrible but I decided to watch the triplets newest video they had posted the night before.
Things with YouTube had really been taking off for them recently and they have had multiple people all the way from Los Angeles trying to get them to sign to management company out there. I knew this was something they had wanted for awhile now and I was so proud but also recently terrified of what that meant for me. I knew how selfish that sounded but it was the truth.
I didn't want to lose them. If they did decide to move to California and I stayed here for college. What would happen? Would we drift apart?
I pushed my worried thoughts aside as I pulled into my drive way. I unlocked the door and heard laughing coming from the kitchen. Chris and Nick were sitting at my small round dining room table. As they heard me come in they shouted
"Happy Birthday!" As they got up from their seats and rushed to envelope me in a hug.
"Thanks guys! Where's Matt?" I asked surprised to see just the two of them here.
"Oh he said he had to go run some errands but he promised he'd back in time for your birthday dinner tonight!" Nick said giving me a reassuring smile.
"How was work?" Chris asked before he took a drink of Pepsi.
"Good, the usual. Traffic was horrible but I finally got to watch your guys new video while I was stuck on the freeway. I can't believe how big this YouTube thing has gotten for you guys!" I said with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"I know! we had like 100k views in less than 3 hours. That's crazy!" Chris said with every ounce of excitement in him.
"I smell like coffee and crusty milk, I'm gonna go shower and get ready for dinner tonight. Wanna hangout while I get ready?" I asked as I set my purse and keys by the front door and slid off my work shoes.
"Duh kid! why do you think we are here?" Nick said laughing at me.
The boys were sprawled out on my bed playing music on the speaker in my room as I walked to the bathroom and closed the door and turned in the shower. I slipped off my work clothes and stepped under the hot running water.
I couldn't help but wonder what Matt was up to while I grabbed my shampoo and began to scrub my scalp clean. He'd seemed distant lately and I couldn't figure out why. I know Nick said he was running errands but I couldn't help but think he was avoiding me lately. Everything is fine over to the boys house to hangout the last well he'd stay in his room and say he was tired or busy but I could hear him playing video games.
I guess I was avoiding him also though. Me and Matt have this ritual where if we can't sleep or need to talk we will text eachother an emoji of a yellow bird. This has always signaled to us to grab our keys and jump in one of our cars. Most of time it's his and we go for a long drive and talk, or listen to music or just enjoy each other's presence. He had texted me the day I got my acceptance letter at 2am. I saw the yellow bird and knew what it meant but pretended I didn't see it until the morning and that I had fallen asleep already.
I don't know why I did that. I guess I was just not ready to talk about my acceptance letter yet.
As I finished washing off my body wash and turned off the water. I wrapped a towel around my wet hair and put my robe on and headed back to my room.
The boys were still playing music and were reading the comments left on their new video when i sat down at my desk and opened up my makeup bag. I knew Chris would love to weigh in on what he thought I should wear for my birthday tonight since he loves talking about fashion so I turned to ask
"What's the vibe for tonight? Are we dressing up or going casual?" I asked directing the question towards Chris.
" hmmmm" he said rubbing his hands together "I think we should dress up guys! I mean you only turn 19 once kid"
" Well then while I do my makeup you guys go through my closet and put together some outfits" I had no clue if I would regret asking that but it didn't matter I think Chris was just happy I had that much trust in him.
I applied my makeup intentionally dark tonight. I wanted to look put together and grown up. I wanted to look confident so maybe I would feel confident in delivering the news about University.
To my surprise the outfit wasn't bad. Chris and Nick had laid out one of my favorite dresses is was very 90s, calf length with a high neck and dark navy with small white flowers. They chose my favorite pair of doc marten boots.
"Well... if we don't have two fashionistas" I said laughing at them as I looked over the outfit.
I told the boys to go to the living room as I changed into my outfit. I decided to just let my hair air dry. It was down to my lower back and very wavy. I didn't feel like putting the effort into straightening it tonight. After all it was just going to be me and my favorite people. Who cares how my hair looked.
I walked into the living room just as the front door began to open.
Thinking it was Matt I rushed to go greet him. It was just my Mom. She opens the door and smiled at me " Happy Birthday honey, I got off work early and I went and picked up all the stuff to make your favorite meatballs for tonight!" She said pulling me into a hug. I hugged her back and held on for a little longer than usual, I really needed it today. My mom pulled back to looked at me questioning my long hug. She always knew when something was up with me. I just waved my hand at her and mouthed "nothing"
"Hi Katherine" Nick and Matt yelled from the living room. My mom said and asked the boys to go grab the groceries from the car as she threw her keys at them. They were happy to help and went to grab the bags from her car.
While they were outside I turned to my mom who was brewing a pot of coffee. I swear she's the only person I know who can drink coffee like it's water. I guess that where I get my bad coffee habits from though.
"Hey mom have you talked to Mary Lou today? I haven't seen Matt and I was wondering if she mentioned what he's up to" I asked trying not to sound too eager for information.
"No. She sent me a text while I was at work to say her and James will be here around 7 but that's all I've heard. Why is everything okay with you two?"
"Yeah we are totally fine!" I said trying my hardest to sound nonchalant. In reality I didn't know if we were okay.
The boys came in carrying three bags of groceries a long cake box.
"Mom you don't have to get me a cake!" I said tuned to her as she blew on the hot coffee in her mug.
"Oh yes I didn't honey! You only turn 19 once!"
"Heck yeah Katherine. That's exactly what I said to her!" Chris said as he set the cake box on the kitchen counter.