Another Sunny Afternoon (The Strokes Fan Fiction)

It's My Birthday I'll Do What I Want

It'd been a week since the guys came back from tour, and already I was regretting not going. Especially since Ryan was furious with me for ignoring him and his work orders while they were away.

"You're lucky I haven't fired you yet, you're so-"

"Annoying, irresponsible, I get it Ryan!"

Besides that, when they got back, it was almost New Years-my birthday- and the surprise Albert was talking about, was a definite surprise.

"I'm perplexed, where are we?" I'd asked for a 5th time. I was blindfolded and Nick and Nikolai was pushing me, the cold air of Winter stinging my face.

"You'll see, not hush up and keep walking, it's fucking freezing!" Nick complained, pushing me harder. I heard a door squeak open and a blast of heat hit me.

"Thank god," Nikolai and Nick said in unison.

"What am I supposed to be looking at? Darkness?"

"Calm your ass, I'm taking off your blindfold," Nick replied.

As Nick lowered the blindfold, I couldn't imagine what I was seeing with my eyes.

"Happy early birthday!" Everyone shouted. Balloons and streamers were from wall to wall, black and silver, my favorite colors. Albert and Julian walked over to me with open arms. I hugged them both. Fab and Nikolai joined soon after, and after much thought, Nick joined too.

"Thanks, guys. You didn't have to do this."

"So I guess you don't want your Christmas/Birthday gifts then?" Fab questioned.

"Of course I want them, jackass!" I exclaimed, all of them bursting into laughter. They handed me the gifts one by one.

From Nick: The vinyl for Abbey Road.

Nikolai: A record player, of course.

Fab: A bracelet that said, "A.L.J and F.M. Friends Forever." Which made me smile.

And finally, a gift from both Albert and Julian. A brand new electric guitar.

"We both wanted to get you the same thing, so we split it half and half."

I hugged Albert tightly and pecked Julian.

"You dudes are some of the best friends I've ever had! Now," I said, rubbing my hands together,"Where's the booze?"

"No alcohol for you. You get sleepy, and even when you don't, you get so shit-faced that Ryan has a hissy fit," Nikolai said firmly, sounding like my dad. Nikolai was probably the only person who had worried about me since he first met me. He hated when Ryan was mad at me.

I took the beer Albert was drinking and finished the whole bottle.

"It's my fucking birthday and I'll do what I want to, Niko. Now, where's the wine and shit? Beer's fucking fattening."

Nikolai threw his hands up in defeat and Julian handed me the bottle of vodka he brought. I smiled at him.

"Only you to bring the vodka."

---------------------------------------------

"Annabel-Lee Edgar Allan Joseph, if you don't get up, man-"

"Shut up Nick," I said groggily, my eyes half open. My head felt like someone was using a hammer to smash a brick against it.

"Here," he sighed, chucking a bottle of water and the bottle of Advil towards me.

"What happened?" I asked, opening the pill bottle. Nick laughed.

"You, my friend, drank like a sailor yesterday, and passed out in the taxi home. And if your wondering, it's 3 p.m. and Ryan is pissed like a motherfucker."

"You told him?!"

"You called him and told him yourself, with a few added words. Happy birthday, and Happy New Year," he replied, closing my door quietly.

I gulped as I picked up my phone and dialed Ryan and put him on speaker phone, getting up and dragging my hand through my green and black hair, trotting to my door.

"Hello?"

My breath hitched.

"Um, hi, Ry."

I heard a click. I guess he was enraged. Oh well, I'll deal with him later, when my head stops pounding and I could keep down my food.