ILLICIT AFFAIRS | WLW

You Belong With Me

𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟐𝟐𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑

The soft warmth of Tuesday morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue across Blair's room. She was still curled up under her blankets, her mind hovering in that blissful state between sleep and wakefulness when a soft voice began to cut through the fog of her sleep. The voice was sweet, melodic, and growing louder with each passing second.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Blair groaned softly, her body sluggish and heavy with the comfort of sleep. She recognised the voice immediately; it was Ann, singing as she tiptoed into Blair's room with the kind of uncontainable energy that was impossible to ignore. Blair felt the edge of her blanket being pulled back, the cool air hitting her skin as Ann leaned over her.

"Come on, sleepyhead!" Ann laughed, shaking Blair's shoulder lightly. "It's your birthday! You can't stay in bed all day."

The blonde cracked one eye open, blinking in the soft morning light. Ann was standing at the edge of the bed, grinning like a child on Christmas morning, her hands on her hips as she waited for Blair to acknowledge the day.

With a deep sign, Blair pushed herself up onto her elbows, her hair tumbling messily around her shoulders. "Ann," she muttered, her voice thick with sleep, "It's far too early for this."

"It's never too early for birthday celebrations! Come on, get up. I've got something special planned for you." Ann laughed, undeterred by Blair's grogginess.

Anderson rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips as she sat up in bed. She wasn't someone who made a big deal out of her birthday. In fact, growing up, birthdays had never been a big event in her life. Her father was often out of the country with work, and so celebrations were often an afterthought; a cake bought from a grocery store and a quick family dinner consisting of take out. There had never been balloons or extravagant surprises, so she had learned to keep her expectations low. As a result, Blair had never really experienced the magic of birthdays that so many others talked about.

But since meeting Ann, things had changed. The brunette had been determined each year to make Blair's birthday as special as could be, and Blair had to admit that it was nice – nice to have someone who cared enough to celebrate her.

"Okay, okay, I'm up," Blair said with a sleepy laugh, swinging her legs out of bed. "What did you do?"

Ann's eyes sparkled with excitement as she grabbed Blair's hand, pulling her toward the living room. "Come and see!"

As they stepped into the living room, Blair's eyes widened in surprise. The room had been transformed into a colourful display of birthday chair. A mix of pink, purple and white balloons floated around the ceiling, some tied to chairs, others bouncing lazily on the floor. Their soft pastel colours filled the space with a warmth that made Blair's heart swell. The kitchen island was covered an assortment of treats: a stack of fluffy pancakes drizzled in syrup, a vibrant fruit platter and in the centre of it all, a beautifully decorated birthday cake. Red velvet, Blair's favourite. A bouquet of yellow roses, their petals bright and cheerful, rested beside the cake, the epitome of friendship.

Blair stood in stunned silence for a moment, taking it all in. It was overwhelming in the best possible way. She felt a warmth spread through her chest, a mix of gratitude and love for her friend who had gone to such lengths to make this day special for her.

Blair blinked back the sudden sting of tears as she turned to Ann, overwhelmed by the gesture. "Ann, you didn't have to do all of this."

"Of course, I did!" She beamed, her eyes shining with pride, "You deserve to be spoiled. Come on, blow out the candles!"