Paper Airplane [s.m]

Eight

"Do you want us to get you presents?" Reggie asks.

"Um no." I say.

"Why not?" Thalia asks with furrowed brows.

"Because I've never really cared about my birthday. I just want to hang out with my friends on the roof." I shrug.

"Okay but I'm buying a cake." Thalia tells me.

"Okay fine. Oh by the way my boyfriend is flying up here to hang with us." I tell them.

"Isn't Shawn gonna be there?" Alex asks me.

"Yeah and?" I ask.

"He doesn't know you have a boyfriend." She tells me slowly.

"Oh." I don't know why I start to panic when I realize that I never told him. Maybe I led him on? I hate to admit it, but I was kind of flirting with him.

My birthday is in two days and I'm honestly dreading it rather than being excited. I'm turning 18 but my mom isn't even here to celebrate it with me. I remember last year when she put all 17 rainbow colored candles on the small cake. There was lots of fire and it was probably dangerous but it was fun.

I move around my food in silence until lunch is over. I don't feel like eating, I don't know why but I'm in a mood now. It's probably because I miss my mom. I should call her. After school I'll call her and tell her all about New York City.

"Time to go." Thalia tells me. I don't remember hearing the bell.i get up and grab my things. It's the end of the day so I can go home now.

As soon as I get home I throw my bag to the ground and dial my moms number. I've had the number memorized since like 5th grade.

"Hey Roni." My mom says. I've missed her voice. I haven't even been away for that long, I'm being so dramatic.

"Hey mom." I say with a smile.

"What are you up to?" She asks me.

"I just got home from school, what about you?" I ask and sit on my bed.

"I'm about to head to a meeting so i can't really talk right now but I promise I'll call you after." She says.

"Oh yeah. Okay. Bye." I say and then hang up after she says good bye.

I just lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling for a while after that. Daisy is at a friends house and my Aunt is working. I can't really hang out with my group because Alex and Jade have a date and it'd be awkward without them.

I could always call Shawn but he's coming over in a couple days for my birthday anyways. Okay screw it, I'm texting Shawn.

Roni- hey

Shawn- hey what's up?

Roni- I was actually wondering if you'd wanna come over, I'm super bored.

Shawn- oh yeah of course, I just need an address.

Roni- *address*

I wait for about 20 minutes for Shawn to show up. I don't know why I'm nervous for him to come over. He's never been to my apartment before so that may be why. I look around my room just as he texts me that he's here. My room is a mess.

There's dirty clothes on the floor and random stuff covering my desk and dresser. I go into panic mode and shove everything into random places. I'll fix it later, I just need it to look clean. I throw my dirty clothes onto the laundry room floor and run out of the apartment.

He's standing in the lobby when I get down there. I smile and wave him over.

"Why are you breathing so heavy?" He asks.

"Oh I took the stairs?" I say furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. That doesn't make any sense. I just came out of the elevator. He starts to laugh when he realizes it too and my cheeks redden in embarrassment.

"Why don't we just go up to the apartment." I say changing the subject. He nods and we step into the elevator.

"Who's home?" He asks as we enter the apartment.

"My Aunt is, but we can't bother her when she's in her office." I whisper as we pass the closed office door. I can hear her typing and then sketching and typing some more. He nods and we walk into my room.

He immediately runs to my bed and jumps onto it, laying on his back. I walk over and lay next to him.

"I have an idea." He says.

"What is it?" I ask.

"We should listen to music and jam out." He says. I shrug. I'm bored so why not?

I turn my radio on because my phone is in the kitchen and I don't feel like getting it. The first song that comes on starts with humming. Shawn's eyes light up and he smiles really big. Does he like this song or something?

"You've got a hold on me, don't even know your power..." It starts. Shawn starts at me with a huge smile and I start to recognize the voice after the 3rd verse.

"No..." I say and look between Shawn and the radio.

"That's mercy! That's my song Roni!" He says and jumps up on his feet. I get excited all of a sudden and wrap my arms around his neck.

"Yay!" We exclaim together. We release each other and it's not awkward at all. We're just two friends celebrating a huge success. It's a good feeling having so many friends here after not even a month.