Me before you

chapter 22

As January turned colder and more bleak around her, Sana, inevitably, found talk turning to what was usually one of her most dreaded events of the year: her birthday.

Every year, like clockwork, January would rage on with snow and clouds and as her birthday drew nearer, she would no doubt be subjected to an ungodly amount of calls and visits from her mother, inevitably trying to stage some ridiculous elegant cocktail party – and inevitably giving her the cold shoulder when Sana refused. Not to mention the awkward work colleagues and reliably terrible gift from Wonwoo that she’d always pretend was perfect to spare his feelings.

That was what her birthday meant before. Now? She wasn’t quite sure.

She said as much to Chaeyoung when she asked. They were out for a quick coffee, bundled in a back booth at Granny’s beside the absurd old jukebox with a steaming flat white clasped between her cold hands. “It’s not a big deal.” Sana insisted, trying to avoid the conversation. “Honestly. I just want to get it over with.”

“Sana, come on,” Chaeyoung shot her a look across the polished table. “It’s your first birthday in Lincoln.” She paused, eyes finding Sana’s pointedly. “It’s your first birthday with Y/n.”

Sana bit back an incredulous smile, looking down into her coffee cup. “Really, Chae.” She looked up, flipping a dark wave of hair behind her shoulder. “I don’t want to make a fuss.”

“Celebrating your birthday isn’t making a fuss, Sana.” Chaeyoung told her. Behind the counter, Jisoo was making coffee, machine whirring loudly over the low chatter of conversation. “Maybe a small get together would be nice? Just Y/n and Louis and Nayeon and me. What do you say?”

“No.” Sana repeated firmly, with a scalding sip of flat white. “I’m not making it an issue.”

Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t you getting all weird and dysmorphic about age, is it? Because I swear to god if you start then there’s definitely no hope for –“

“Chaeyoung.” Sana’s eyes found hers.

“Okay, fine. Fine. I’ll drop it.” Chaeyoung held up her hands as a peace sign before taking another sip of coffee. “By the way, speaking of Nayeon… The wedding’s getting closer.” Her friend paused, hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “And I realised I haven’t actually asked you to be a bridesmaid yet.”

“Really?” Sana couldn’t help the incredulous smile that appeared on her face, or the sudden rush of warmth and gratitude that spilled through her chest. She knew it was silly, but nobody had ever asked her before. She’d never really had friends back in Boston.

“Absolutely.” Chaeyoung told her earnestly, hands wrapping tight around her coffee cup. “And feel free to bring Louis. And Y/n. Although we’ll send out actual invitations closer to the time with all the details. I just wanted to check that you can bridesmaid beforehand.”

“I’d be happy to.” Sana assured her.

It wasn’t until after Jisoo had cleared away their empty cups, and Sana was buttoning her coat up that the topic of her birthday came up again. She was just untucking the ends of her hair from her black wool scarf when Chaeyoung’s bright eyes just lit up.

“What about your cabin?” Chae asked, halfway through tugging on a glove. “The one out by Pinewood?”

Sana frowned. “What about it?”

“Why don’t you go there? The bank holiday weekend’s a few days before your birthday. Nayeon and I would be happy to have Louis if Wonwoo can’t.” Chaeyoung bit back a smile. “You could take Y/n. It would be good for you. For both of you.”