Lover Dearest [3]

12.) Beach Parties

“Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday, dear Tommy!
Happy birthday to you!”

We sang loudly, which earned us a few dirty looks from other people in the fancy restaurant. The round table that we were sitting at was kinda humungous, and it had to be to fit fifteen people around it as we all watched as Tommy blew out the one candle on his birthday cupcake- he refused to let us get him an actual cake, much to Andy’s disappointment.

I was sitting between Taylor, who was still freaking out about being invited to Tommy Kidder’s birthday dinner, and Holly. We’d been at the restaurant for quite a while, talking about nothing and everything and wishing Tommy a happy 22nd birthday. We even reminisced about his birthday party two years ago when we met his parents and Holly even brought back the horrifying memory of me walking in on her and Kale on the front porch.

Oh, my poor virgin eyes.

That was something that will forever be burned into my corneas, unfortunately. I mean, I’d known Kale for about two weeks before I’d walked in on him making out (very heavily) with my best friend on the front porch of Tommy’s house. I’ll never look at him the same way again, even if it was two years ago, it scared me for life and you just can’t get back that kind of innocence.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Andy asked as Tommy finished his cute cupcake and we were all finished with our desserts- I had triple chocolate cake, which was probably the most amazing thing I’d ever put in my mouth- don’t take that the wrong way.

When we all agreed that it was time to leave the restaurant, we all got up from the table and pushed in our chairs, walking for the exit, which I’m sure  a lot of people were relieved to see, considering we’d made so much noise the whole two-ish hours that we were there.

“This has been like, a dream come true.” Taylor gushed as we walked towards the two cars we’d taken here. I rode in a car with Ryder driving and Jarrod sitting beside him in the front. In the middle row, there was me and Jackson, and then behind me sat Taylor, Damon, and Brendon.

“So we’re still going to hang out at the beach for a while, right?” I asked Ryder as he followed the other SUV down the road towards the mansion-castle.

“Yeah.” Ryder answered. “Andy bought loads of liquor yesterday at the store for it, too.”

I rolled my eyes at that- of course she did, with us being in Australia, we can legally drink.

“Are you guys staying to hang out at the beach or are you going home?” I asked, turning to look at Taylor and Damon sitting behind me.

“I don’t know about this party pooper, but I’m staying.” Taylor grinned. “Our parents are out of town tonight, so they won’t even know we’re gone.”

“Yeah, that sounds fine.” Damon agreed.

We all rode to the mansion-castle in a relatively comfortable silence, as everybody was excited for the night ahead. It was only almost nine, and with the night Andy had planned for her fiancé’s birthday, it was going to be long, but in a good way.

When we were all emptying out of the black SUVs, nobody made a trip inside, we all just walked around the mansion-castle towards the beach.

“You’re going to walk onto the beach in those heals?” Jackson asked with amusement, walking beside me.

“No.” I chuckled, looking down at the black ankle boots that I was wearing. They matched the body con dress that I was wearing that had a crème colored bust with a butterfly pattern on it and the bottom hugged my body with black fabric. My hair was in a fancy pony that showcased my gold leafy earrings. “I’m going to take them off, smarty.”