Caged

Chapter 13

The decorations are almost complete and it's almost 11:30. I see Taylor walking by and I shout for her to come inside. "Joseph wants the whole gang here, which includes Slylar. Can you tell her that she should go and I won't kick her out if she comes?" I ask.

"Yeah, when is this starting?" She asked. I look at the time: 11:25

"Oh fuck, get everyone. Now. It's a surprise party and we can't just have me in here to surprise him." I panic.

"Understandable." Taylor shrugs and jogs off. Tyler walks in and I feel relieved.

"Tyler, thank the lords." I sigh.

"Happy to see you too." He smiles.

"Go find Diane and Skylar. Taylor went off looking for them too," I look up at the clock. 11:27, "we have no time. Have them here by 11:30. Sharp! Go!" I ordered and he ran out in the direction opposite of Taylor. "Ryder we have to get to the top floor, get Joseph's brother and back here by five minutes ago." I say as I start walking out and towards the elevator in a fast walk. Ryder nods and gets his key card ready, and pulls out his phone. "I know I shouldn't order you around, but is now really a good time to text?" I ask.

"I'm telling Joseph's guard to stall longer until we're ready." He explains and swipes his card. The elevator doors open and I get inside, and press 4. "He said Joseph is being restless and impatient. We have about 5 more minutes."

"What's the time now I ask?" Tapping my foot impatiently.

"11:29" he answers.

"We're running." I say and the doors open. I jump out and run for the office. Their lady in charge sits at a neat desk and an open space in the wall in front of her. "I'm here for John Laney. And we're in a rush." I hand her the slip of paper Big W wrote up for me.

"Okay let me page him down." She smiles and I return one. Tapping my foot impatiently, I see a little kid walking towards us and I feel better. His guard signs him out and We jog to the elevator. 11:32. I press 1, and we wait for it to go down. We wait for a long time. The elevator seems to take longer going down than coming up. The doors open. 11:33. We jog down the hallway and towards the quiet room. 11:34. I turn the last corner and see Joseph walking towards the quiet room. I push John back and hide.

"We have to go in after we hear the surprise." I order everyone. "Hope Tyler and Taylor got everyone in time." I say to myself, freaking out.

"Surprise!" I hear echo down the hallway. John grabs my hand and I look down at him.

"Thank you for allowing me to visit my brother. I owe you." I smile and hug him before walking on down the hallway, still holding his hand. We make it to the door and I hear everyone speaking.

"Thank you guys so much." Joseph's voice travels out the room.

"Don't thank me, I just showed up." Tyler said and laughed a little.

"Yeah same here." An unrecognizable voice agreed. Must be Diane.

"All I did was bake the cake with Taylor, and we didn't even decorate it." Skylar said.

"Then who did this?" Joseph asked.

"Mostly Kristy, but her guard helped her with some stuff. Emphasis on some. She planned the whole thing and convinced Big W to let this happen." Tyler explained. I took that as my cue to enter.

"Hey guys!" I announce my arrival and Joseph turns around and smiles at me. "Sorry I'm late, I was just getting one of your gifts."

"One of my gifts? I didn't expect any! Oh my gosh, Kristy I love you." He walks towards me to hug me, I can tell by his outstretched arms.

"Well you're gonna love me more once you see what I'm hiding." I sing said, stopping Joseph. He looked excited, and I stepped out of the way and told John to walk inside. Cautiously, he took a step and then saw his brother, and ran to him. They hugged and John started crying.

"John? John is it you?" Joseph started to tear up as well.

After the heartfelt reunion John and Joseph never let go of each other's hands. I was in the middle of explaining how I made this possible, Joseph wanted to know, when Big W walked in. The room went dead silent, and all of our heads turned. "Kristy, this was the only album I could find." She walks over to me and hands me a vinyl CD that said 'Elvis' in big yellow letters, and below it said 'Blue Hawaii'. I thanked her and she walked back outside. I walked over to the record player and pulled the record from the thin cardboard case, and placed it on the player. Music soon filled the room, and everyone was bobbing their heads to the tune while shaking their hips.

I made my way back over to Joseph, but Ryder stopped me. "It's time for cake." He held up a serving knife and handed it to me. I thanked him and walked over the the cake.

"Hey guys!" I shouted. "I'm cutting the cake so whoever wants some come line up." Tyler pushed over someone and sprinted the short distance to my and grabbed a plate.

"Yes please!" He held his plate out and I laughed.

"Birthday boy first." I disappoint Tyler and he takes a step back for Joseph and John.

"Just put two pieces in one plate for us." Joseph suggests and I nod, and begin to cut the cake.

Once everyone was served, I sit alone with Ryder, and we speak to one another until Diane walks over. "Hello, I'm Diane." She sticks out her hand and I shake it.

"I'm Kristy." I smile.

"I know, you did all of this for Joseph?" She asked.

"I didn't do all of it. Skylar and Taylor made the cake and Ryder helped me decorate this room and decorate the cake." I explain.

"You're an amazing friend, you know that?" She tells me.

"I-uh.. Thanks." I blush.

Can't help falling in love begins to play Taylor and Skylar begin to dance. They hold hands and away back and forth. John and Joseph are dancing faster than the others in a playful way. Tyler is standing nearby and walks up to me. "My lady." He extends his hand and I laugh and take it. He holds one of y hands while the other is in my waist. My free hand rests in his shoulder, and we sway slowly. "I wanted to explain something." He admits. "The other day when I was about to say something but couldn't."

"Yeah, tell me!" I'm eager to know, what can I say?

"Well I know that you're lesbian, and I can't change that. I'm accepting of you 100%, but I Can't Help Falling In Love." He makes a pun, referencing the song playing.

"Are you just making jokes it is this going somewhere?" I ask.

"I have feelings-strong feelings-for you. And I know I don't have a chance, and I'm not asking for a chance. I just thought you should know." He looks at our feet and the song stops playing. I'm left speechless as he walks off. I want to go go after him and get him to explain what he means, but I can't. I walks over to Ryder and sit on the floor.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Everything is fucked up." I explain.

"How so?" He asks.

"I don't feel as attracted to Skylar as I used to anymore, Diane is really hot, and someone just confessed to me that I cannot feel the same way with." I groan. "Why are feelings so difficult?" I ask.

"I say you should try to go for Diane." Ryder nudges his head towards Diane and elbows me lightly.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well you find Diane attractive, don't you?" I nod and Ryder explains further. "Well, if Skylar has been making you feel left out and pissed off recently, it's obvious to me that she may just keep hurting you if you keep trying to go for her - and you said your feelings are going away!"

"Not that quickly!" I interject.

"Anyways, I think a fresh start will do you good. Try it." He pressed on.

"And if she doesn't like me back?" I ask.

"Then it's her loss, but you never know, right?" Ryder encouraged and I nodded.

"In time." I replied.