Repression ▶ M•C ▶ 2/3

Chapter 31

"What did he say to you? Did he try anything on you? Jesus Georgie, speak to me?" Harriet said frantically, waving her arms around and nearly hitting me in the face. "He was nice to me, and no, he didn't 'try anything' on me?" I stated, slightly confused. If they were friends, why was she so worried? What was going on? "Why do you care anyway?" I questioned her. She laughed to herself and looked at me like I was crazy "Why do I care? Michael Clifford is bad news George" Harriet warned me. Ok, this was worrying. If one of his best friends was warning me about Michael being dangerous it was a bad sign. I was slightly scared now. "Why?" I asked her nervously, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer. Was I missing something? "Isn't it obvious? Just by the way he looks and acts, you can tell he isn't normal" she said, frowning slightly. Now that was unfair of her to say. "I like the way he looks, and if I'm not mistaken, only a few hours ago you told me not being normal was good" I snapped at her. She sighed in annoyance and looked down at her shaking hands. "I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that he isn't the sort of person you want to get close to. Don't say I didn't warn you" she says, standing up sharply.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" I was woken suddenly by loud shouting and I shot up in bed. I was a bit hazy; I rubbed my eyes and looked up at the gathering around my bed. Everyone was holding presents and slouching around in their pyjamas. "Guys" I smiled, noticing Michael had only just woken up. "Come downstairs, we want you to open all your presents and eat cake until you're rushed off your feet preparing for tonight" Cat grinned, her messy pink and blonde hair was knotty and had strands of it sticking out, obviously not brushed since waking up. "Okay, you guys go on ahead, I'll be down in a second" I pulled the duvet off me and got out of bed. They all piled out the door and talked to each other as they went down the stairs. I limped to the mirror and took my hair brush off the chest of drawers, pulling it through my lilac hair several times before tying it up into a ponytail.

"Are you excited for tonight?" I watched as Michael yawned and stretched, also getting out of bed and standing by my side. "As long as you're going to have a good time and we might have to drunken birthday sex after then so am I" He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his head on the nape of my neck. I let out a giggle and leaned back onto him, dropping my hairbrush onto the ground. "I think that will be a pretty good way to celebrate my birthday" I was so happy, today was going to be the best day of my life, I could feel it. This day was going to be a day I'd remember for a very long time. "Come on, you have some wonderful friends waiting for you, and there are presents that need to be opened" He took his arms away and took a step back. I let out a sigh and nodded, picking up one of his jumpers from the floor and pulling it over my head and slipping on some leggings. He reached out his hand and leaded me out the door, walking by my side as we stepped down the empty staircase. I could hear the laughter and conversations of my friends in the other room; they were talking about Ashton, teasing him and joking around about a girlfriend. When we approached the living room their conversation died down, and started to whisper and their footsteps sounded rushed against the wood flooring. I looked over at the kitchen before we entered, hundreds of red plastic cups stacked up in towers next to each other on the counter, beside rows upon rows of bottles of vodka, tequila, beer and many other spirits, enough for maybe a thousand people. There was no way in hell that i was going to be sober at the end of the night.

I looked away as we walked through the living room doorway, and saw everyone gathered around the sofas, with several presents lying on them. There was a cake placed on the coffee table in front of the tv, with my name neatly iced onto it in purple colouring. This is really the first time I've ever celebrated my birthday, I don't remember doing anything special like this ever, I would normally just spend it on my own. But now I have friends that really care, they're better family than my actual one. "Sit down" Luke pushed my father's armchair into the centre of the room and Tink shoved me into it. Calum stepped forward holding a small wrapped box in his hands. He held it out to me and I stared curiously. "It was originally Gwyneth's present but technically it's from me now" He shrugged as I started to unwrap the present. I carefully lifted the lid off the small box and pushed the tissue paper stuffed inside out of the way, to show a thin silver chain, with a matching pendant in the shape of a capital G. "It's beautiful Calum, I love it" I took it out of its packaging and began to fasten it around my neck. "It was Gwyn's idea" He denied any credit.

"Shut up and take a compliment" Michael pushed him out of the way and handed me a leather back book. "My turn" He grinned. I smiled and took it from his hands, turning the front page. I thought it was a book, but it was actually a photo album. There were two photographs on each page, which consisted of photos of me, the group, Michael and me and our surroundings in Sydney. I flicked through the pages and almost all of them were filled up. I looked back up and Michael was looking nervous. "What do you think?" He asked. I paused, glancing back down at a particular photo. It was all of us, huddled around a booth in a clouded bar, the smiles on all of our faces looked happier than I had ever seen before "I think it's perfect, thank you" I stood up from the chair, leaving the album on it and grinning at the people in front of me. "I love you guys" I opened my arms and laughed as they all hurried over and smothered me.