Riptide (a lauren jauregui love story)

Part 70

2 months later

My tour is finally over so I'm just chilling in Miami with my friends. The girls are just finishing their tour. They have a few more days. Hey have no clue that in here plus Laurens birthday is soon. I was checking in on Sofi for Camila to make sure everything was ok with her. I was staying at a house in the area and so it just made sense. I was going to the girls concert today. I was surprising Lauren on stage for her birthday. Everything for her surprise had been sorted out and everything. I went backstage after the girls started their show and I waited for my que. The screen behind them changed and the music stopped and messages from her friends and such played behind them and she watched them smiling while side hugging Dinah and held Camila's hand. Then mine came on.
"Is this thing on? It is ok! So babe I heard from a little birdie it was your birthday. That bird was you by the way like so long ago. Anyways I love you like so much and I wish you such an amazing birthday and you know what I can't do this like this." It shut off and she looked at it confused and a little sad. I snuck up behind her and hugged her from behind. She sort of freaked out, it was the cutest thing ever.
"What're you doing here?" She mumbles into my chest.
"It's your birthday I wasn't going to miss it for anything. The Taylor tour ended about 2 weeks ago and I became best friends with her and all of her friends which is lit. Anyways so like happy birthday and I'll see you after the show." I start to go offstage but she pulls me back and presses our lips together. The crowd ate it up and I smiled then left the stage. After she got off she ran to me and jumped on me. I hugged her back.
"Hey there Lolo!"
"Babe this is so perfect. You made my birthday perfect."
"It's not over yet is it?"
"No you get to meet my family yay!"
"Yeah...yay."
"You're not excited."
"No I mean I am but like...noooo."
"Well I don't want to meet your family either!"
"Good cause I don't want you to. My dads an asshole, my moms submissive and you already know Sydney."
"But Sydney's lovely."
"Yeah the only lovely person in my family. My grandma is a white supremacist with memory lapse. My grandpa was a good guy before he disappeared but his brothers kids! Nightmares every last one of em. As for the other side of my family. Well there's Sandy and her mom and grandma, all lovely people but not my blood. My grandpa is a great guy haven't seen him since the wedding though. That side of the family are beautiful people and they're great cousins but I haven't seen them that recently."
"Well damn Jackson you've got more family issues than a bee has of honey."
"That made no sense but it's your birthday so I can let it go."
"Whatever just take me to the dressing room to change." I comply and carry her to the dressing room and wait outside for her to change. She gets all changed and walks out still managing to look stunning.
"You ready to go?"
"I'm waiting out here for you darling."
"Right well let's go!"
"Ok." She grabbed my hand then led me out to her car and quickly to her house. The other girls were apparently already there so that is at least a good part. They'll be there to save me in case I fuck up. Which I probably will. We got to her house and she was bouncing in her seat. I parked and she was about ready to run out of the car but she noticed my hands still gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"So Uhm baby who is going to be here?"
"My parents and brother and sister of course. My uncles all 10 of them. My aunt Los which contrasting to my uncles there are 3. My cousins. My family friends. My friends and of course the girls, Will the tour manager, and Big Rob of course!"
"Oh wonderful."
"You don't seem excited." She says sadly.
"I am it's just kind of outranked by the nervousness."
"Aww baby don't be nervous they'll love you I'm sure of it."
"I am not sure if I trust you on this."
"Come on babe you'll be fine! I'll protect my little baby." She says the last part in a baby voice holding my arm.
"Ok you got me your baby voice is too damn cute." She giggles and kisses my cheek then I get out and go around to open the door for her. She thanks me and takes my hand as she lead me up to the front door. We got there and she gestured for me to knock but my hand froze halfway there. Once I do this there is no going back. She knocks on the door for me and a boy who looked only a little but you get than her opened up.
"Big sis how are you? Happy birthday!" He says and hugs her tightly.
"I'm good little brother this is my boyfriend Jackson."
"Seriously I thought he was your new bodyguard or something."
"What why?"
"Uhm because he is gorgeously handsome and tall and muscular. Like Lauren you probably have to go on your tip toes to even kiss his cheek."
"Wow Chris thanks for that wonderful birthday speech." She says and leads me past him into the house.
"Lauren!" Literally the whole room yells.
"Familia!" She yells back and they all laugh together. A teenage looking girl comes from a door in the living room and drops whatever she had in her hand on the ground when she sees us.
"Lauren! This is your boyfriend? Oh my god he's gorgeous! What the hell?!? He is way out of your league!"
"Thank you for that Taylor nice to know how you feel about me. Anyways yes this is my boyfriend Jackson." About 10 men dressed similarly in jeans and nice dress shirts with mean faces come up to me and crowd around me.
"You Lauren's guy?"
"Uh...uh...yeah!"
"Well see if you'll still be after tonight." The one in my face says.
"Ok." I was genuinely scared.
"Baby come meet my cousins."
I back away from her uncles slowly and then walk over to where she was talking about. There was a teenaged girl real skinny with her phone in her hand, chomping on her gum.
"This is my cousin Cla..."
"Call me Cat!" The girl snaps cutting Lauren off.
"This is Paul." She points to a pre teenish kid with dyed turquoise hair.
"This is Sarah and Evangelina." She points to two twin girls.
"And this is my buddy Roan. He's deaf but he's cool, my little super hero.
"Hey little buddy! How are you?" I sign. He smiled and signs back that he's good.
"Do you like superheroes?" I sign.
"Yeah I do. Who's your favorite?" I thought about it.
"I like Captain America because of his shield how about you?"
"I like iron man!"
"Man that was a better choice than mine." He laughs and puts his fingers in his mouth. I laugh with him.
"Babe I didn't know you spoke sign language."
"Yeah I saw a kid at my high school who was deaf so I learned sign language to speak to him because I could tell it annoyed him when people thought speaking louder would help him hear them."
"You're so perfect." She says sighing.
"I know you are but what am I?"
"I just said that..." Then it clicked exactly what I did.
"Ok well played." Taylor and all of Lauren's other more adult cousins sighed looking at us. I chuckled and winked at them and they kind of freaked then one blew a kiss at me. I turned back to Lauren who was glaring at them.
"Babe you ok?" I ask snapping her from her trance. She turns to me and smiles.
"Yeah I'm fine of course." She smiled and kissed my cheek pulling her promise ring necklace from under the top of her dress so that it was on display then stood up grabbing my hand and leading me to the kitchen. A man and a woman and a few women who looked similar to the woman stood there.
"Mami y Papi...." Then she chattered off in Spanish which I found really sexy but I kept my testosterone under control. They had like a mini conversation in Spanish before I heard my name.
"This is Jackson my boyfriend."
"Ok so you ditch Luis for a stupid Australian man whore." Well damn he doesn't even know me and he said those things. I wonder what it would be if he hated me. I wasn't going to try to find out.
"Dad can you just try to be nice. You don't know him yet."
"I know enough to say that he is not good enough for you."
"Shut up Mike you just loved Luis like a son." Who I presume is her mother said and then walked over and offered me her hand.
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Jauregui."
"Please call me Clara. Mrs. Jauregui makes me feel old. "
"Even Camila is better than this nimrod and you know how I felt about you dating girls."
"Thank you for having me over here Clara. You have a beautiful home and a beautiful daughter." I tell her to which she smiles and Lauren blushes.
"Anyways Happy Birthday Mija there will be food out soon. When are your girls co..."
"Heyo Jaureguis!" Camila called.
"Wassup dawgs!" Dinah says.
"Never mind there they are."
We both chuckle and then walk back to the living room and see the girls greeting everyone.
"Jackson!" They all squeal then run and hug me.
"Hey harmonies good to see you too!"
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
"Because it would ruin the surprise."
"Whatever you're just so cool!" Ally says.
"Aww Thank you loves."
"Can y'all unhand my boyfriend I'd appreciate it."
"Lauren learn to share." A different voice says from below me.
"Taylor you have to let go of him too." Lauren says and then a bunch of arms let go. She finally released me and I saw some of her cousins checking me out from the side. Her uncles were staring to but in a different way like they wanted to murder me. Nonetheless I went around with Lauren and did all of the birthday stuff, mingling meeting her friends and family, and mostly singing along to the music her sister Taylor was playing on Spotify. Soon it was time for her to open gifts, she sat and I sat next to but below her. I was on the floor while her and Dinah sat side by side and her sister on her other side on the couch.
"Jackson what'd you get Lauren?" Dinah asks.
"Sorry baby I don't have anything for you."
"It's ok baby you're here and that's what matters." She smiles but I could tell she was a little disappointed.
"You couldn't even bother to buy your girlfriend a gift?" Her father says and scoffs. I got the call I've been waiting for and answered it, walking out of the house to talk. See I have a gift for Lauren but it's a lot more complicated to deal with so I needed some help. After my practically 20 minute call I head back inside but not before hearing her father.
"He's been out there on the phone for 20 minutes on your birthday and didn't get you a gift. Lauren he doesn't love you."
"Mike just leave it." Her mother says. I walk back in a little later and act like I didn't hear.
"Taylor can I talk to you for a minute really quickly darling?" She squeals then walks over and Lauren gives me a hurt look so I throw her a smile but it doesn't cheer her up. I give Taylor the information then she went on to do her part so I sat next to Lauren who hugged my side. I felt bad for leaving her here for the call but I had to. Her father was giving me a disgusted look but i just smirked knowing my plan. I nodded to Taylor and she turned on the tv to the right channel. Happy for me it was the end of my song I want crazy. Lauren tapped her fingers and hummed along to the last 2 consecutive choruses of the song. Then Nick Canon came on because this is teen nick top 10. I sent him a text saying now and on the tv he actually pulls out his phone looks at it and smiles.
"What the hell that was some coincidence timing!" Lauren says seeing how that worked out little did she know that was actually me.
"Alright y'all that was my boy Jackson Danielson with I want crazy. Ok now today is a big day. Does anyone know why it's a big day? You? no? Ok well it's Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony's birthday today.
"Happy birthday queen!" A female voice from behind the camera says. Lauren looks at me excited, happy and confused then giggles a little at the girl.
"Now I am not gonna lie sweetheart I forgot. Don't take it personally. You know who didn't forget, your boyfriend Jackson Danielson y'all." She looks at me again shocked.
"Alright so he called me up and was like. Yo Nick this is a big deal I gotta do it big so i was like sure man what do you need. And he said I got an idea that'll help us both. So I agreed. Now here is the newest song off of Jacksons debut album Loving through rhythms, written for his girlfriend for her birthday, Unconditionally. Happy birthday Lauren. Here it goes." It took place with me in the snow in a gold crown and a costume from that show reign so I looked all Royal and stuff. Then the dancers.
"Oh no, did I get too close oh?
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?
All your insecurities
All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

Come just as you are to me
Don't need apologies
Know that you are all worthy
I'll take your bad days with your good
Walk through this storm I would
I'd do it all because I love you, I love you

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

So open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart, and just let it begin
Open up your heart, and just let it begin
Open up your heart
Acceptance is the key to be
To be truly free
Will you do the same for me?

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
And there is no fear now
Let go and just be free
'Cause I will love you unconditionally (oh yeah)

I will love you
I will love you
I will love you unconditionally"

The song ended. And then it showed a credit that said in big letters. Choreographed by Normani Kordei and then another that said Concept Design by Dinah Jane Hansen.
"Alright y'all Jackson Danielson you heard it here first, now we just gotta wait for that album. 1 month y'all. Anyways Happy birthday Lauren and in your honor coming at y'all is sledgehammer."
The video started playing. Taylor turned the volume down a little.
"You wrote that for me?"
"Of course what'd I tell you when we started dating. I'll write songs about you because you're so amazing you deserve songs about you." She hugged me around my neck.
"Thank you so much baby I love you. That was the best gift ever."
"That's not your gift love that was what you deserved regardless now here comes your gift." I reach into my back pocket and pull out a gold necklace.
"How did you..."
"I saw the tab open on your phone when I was snooping."
"You're amazing." I put it around her neck.
"Well a princess deserves her jewels."