Take Me Back To September

Chapter Eleven

"Quiet down, everyone," Robert said. "So today is a special day for one of our students. I would like to say thank you all for coming tonight. It might not be like regular small groups, but it will be a special one. Now, the reason we're here tonight. We are here to celebrate the birthday of September. Happy seventeenth birthday. I hope your day has been great."

"Happy birthday!" everyone yelled.

I laughed and stood up. "Thank you everyone. Today has been great and I appreciate you all for doing this tonight. However, it isn't me we should be celebrating tonight. Why don't we celebrate God with worship?"

Everyone cheered. Harry stood up to the microphone, his guitar in hand and spoke.

"Why don't you guys stand up so we can worship the Lord our God tonight."

Harry started to play the guitar. Right away, I knew what song it was. He began to sing in the microphone as everyone began to clap.

"There's no space that his love can't reach. There's no place where we can't find peace. There's no end to amazing grace."

We all continued to clap as we sang the lyrics. I looked at Tyler, who looked at me. Trying to be silly and playful, I nudged him in the side with my elbow and smiled.

"Take me in with your arms spread wide. Take me in like an orphan child. Never let go never leave my side."

He nudged me back, in which nearly made me fall. I laughed and turned back to Harry.

"I am, holding on to you. I am, holding on to you. In the middle of the storm, I am holding on, I am."

We all continued to sing until we got to the end of the song. Once Harry finished singing the last note, we all clapped and cheered. He then started to play another song, in which was Beautiful Things.

I looked at Tyler, who was into the music and overall the moment. Smiling, I looked to my right, finding my two best friends in the same awe-filled moment. To see them like this made me smile. How did I get so lucky as to have them in my life?

It took me a minute to notice the sound of clapping had replaced the soft strum of the chords. The song was over and I never even realized it. Tyler grabbed my hand and looked down at me.

"Are you okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

We sat down, along with everyone else. I looked up to the stage, awaiting for what was to come.

"When I first met September," Harry said, looking out to the crowd, "she was a ball of energy. And I'm not even lying. I think it was Halloween when I first met her. For some reason, she decided to be the sun, while Ariel, Mackenzie, and Megan were other planets."

Laughter filled the room. They all stared at me as I sat on the stage before them.

"Well, you know me, always wanting to be the center of attention," I joked.

They laughed even harder. For some reason, it has always been a tradition for the birthday boy or girl to sit on the stage while all of their friends make a complete laughing stock out of them. I didn't really mind much, because I'm already a walking disaster. Plus, it's kind of fun to see your hysterical mistakes through your friends' eyes.

"Alright, my turn! My turn!" Mackenzie yelled.

She got up on the stage beside me and looked at everyone before her.