I Heart My Best Friend

Amber

I choked on air and shook into consciousness before throwing off the duvet and sitting parallel to my bedside table.
A quick look at my phone confirmed it. Today was my birthday. I knew if I turned on my cellular data which I left off overnight, my DMs would explode, so I left it turned off. Besides, I wanted to spend today with my real family. My parents, Dwayne, and my soul mate Jay.
I hopped off my bed, washed up and got dressed in my finest blue satin blouse. Today was going to be perfect. God would make it perfect, for my sake. I needed a normal day in my life for the first time in a long time.
"Ammmbbberr!!!" Jay's voice called. I looked in the direction the voice came from and saw him dangling upside down in his living room, suspended from a pole his mum seemingly didn't notice.
I beamed at him. "Hey."
He tried to get off the pole, but instead fell and landed on his head, disappearing from my field of sight. He popped up again, rubbing his hand against the back of his head.
"Happy birthday!!!"
So much for normal.
**************~~~~~~~~~~~********
"Em, is this like a birthday turkey or something?" Dwayne asked, eyeing the turkey and inspecting it from all angles, craning his neck. He arrived a few minutes after my parents came down.
My mum dropped the fork and knife in her hand onto the plate and drew her lips up in a playful frown.
"Dwayne, this is chicken, we're just having it to usher in the real celebration."
He opened his mouth in realization, "Ohhh..."
"The birthday turkey is later."
Jay threw his head back in laughter and my dad shook his head, his eyes still focused on the wings. Dwayne was confused by the whole affair until Jay got up and dropped the cake on the center of the table. I smirked at him.
**********~~~~~~~~~~~~~*******
"You know, this time last year, I imagined I would be celebrating my next birthday frustrated by high school." I was sitting on the few steps leading to the porch, sandwiched between Jay and Dwayne. Life with boys. I threw back a gulp of Coke.
Dwayne smiled, "You have a wild imagination."
I laughed before considering my words,"It's true though, Jay felt the same way too."
He arched his head at me,"Jay's imagination is even wilder than yours."
Jay immediately dropped his bottle of grape wine on the porch.
"Hey!"
Dwayne laughed, "Imagine thinking you could beat me in a sprint."
I glanced from one jock to the other, my interest piqued by the boyish small talk.
"Oh, you wanna go?" Jay said, his eyes lit up in competitiveness.
Dwayne shrugged, "Sure."
They both got up from beside me and walked towards the pavement, that was when I realized Jay had pulled me along too.
"You brought her along so you definitely wouldn't come last," Dwayne teased.
I tossed my hair in mock-defiance.
He winked at me and my facade cleared, my cheeks flushing red.
I called the start and they shot off, leaving me behind. By the time Dwayne burst past me again, I wasn't even at the checkpoint because we were running forth then back once.
He jumped up and pumped his fist into the air.
"I told you so."
My mum's head popped out of the door.
"Kids, birthday turkey!"
Dwayne's jaw dropped and I raised my fist in defiance.
"Mum, I just turned fifteen!"
She shrugged.
***************~~~~~~~~************
We sat round the turkey placed on the center table in the living room, hand in hand. Bliss. Dwayne gripped my hand especially firmly and I felt warm.
"Bless Amber, God. Bless her friends, bless our family..."
Dwayne cut in, yelling, "Turkey!" He had finally accepted the turkey.
"Bless the turkey."

A/N
Hey. I wrote this even though I have exams tomorrow because of a very special person. Sure, it's come in late @tomkclin, but it's the thought that counts? Lmao happy birthday T, I love you😁