Right There || Dylan O'Brien

chapter twenty-three; cookies

The stylists had already done Holland's hair and makeup and she was wearing a typical Lydia outfit. It was pretty amazing to finally see the set; where Dylan was working, but also her friends but especially where season three had been filmed. She was excited, constantly looking around her what the people were doing until something came up into her mind and she turned her head to the strawberry blonde.

"Can I ask you something?"

She went to sit up for it, putting away her phone before looking at her with her green eyes. "Does it have to do with your date on Friday night? No, of course I don't mind helping you what you have to wear. It's no problem."

"Well, not exactly. But thank you anyway, I kind of need somebody in that department."

"It's fine," she smiling, patting her thighs in curiosity. If didn't have to do anything with that, then what was it? There had to be something else. Whether it was good or bad, it was bothering her friend. "What else is it what you want to ask me?"

"Before Dylan went to pick me up, Jesse gave me something. A gift for my birthday," she started, avoiding her gaze as she played with her hands. "He said it was cheap, small but suited me. I don't know what's that supposed to mean, I don't even know how he knows this week is my birthday-..."

"This week is your birthday? What day?"

"Sunday."

"How can you not tell anybody? Did Dylan know?"

"No."

She sighed in frustration, running hand through her hair. Clara hoped it wasn't because she was trying to think of something to celebrate it, a party to celebrate her birthday. That's not what she wanted; she would be getting lots of attention, people were probably going to spend money on her. No, all she wanted was a delicious cake. "Anyway, what about that gift. Did you open it yet?"

"No, I didn't."

"Then when are you planning on opening it?"

"I'm not sure. How am I supposed to know?"

She shrugged, checking the time on her phone before standing up. She grabbed Clara's hand, pulling her towards the dressing rooms where she went to search for Dylan's pants. "I think you should open it now. I want to be there, I want to know what's in it."

Going back with his car keys, the girls jogged to the parking lot. Holland opened the car door, sat down on the seat as she held the blue package. "Open it and let's hope it's nothing special."

"Well, if it's cheap and small-..."

"And suits you, it still can mean something special to you."

Clara sighed deeply, beginning to wrap it open. She was afraid it was something that would make her confused, annoyed and possibly even mad but there was basically nothing. There was just a floral box with chocolate chip cookies. "Oh, I love these!"

"And how does he know?"

"I was sitting at his table last week," she went to take a few steps back, opening the box to grab a cookie. Then she handed the box back to Holland. "His friend said his girlfriend wanted him to do something sweet after telling him about me. Which I didn't like, it basically means he pities me. I guess Jesse kind of stole the idea-..."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but these are just delicious cookies. Almost everybody loves them."

The strawberry blonde locked the car and then walked after her. "And well, maybe I shouldn't think it's suspicious. But what can I say? A guy gives your best friend's flirt, almost girlfriend, a gift for her birthday she didn't know he knew about it. Dylan didn't even know when your birthday was, did he?"

"Does it look like I care about the gift, I care about the delicious cookies-..."

"What if they weren't cookies? The gift could be a cliché heart necklace," she linked her arm with Clara's, turning to look at her. "What would you think?"

"I mean, I would be surprised and confused. To be honest, I hoped it wasn't going to be something like that. But if it was, I don't know what I would do with it. Wear it, I'm not sure. It would be sweet, but... it's a kind of-..."

"Too romantic? Cliché? Stupid?"

"Why would you want to know anyway?" she watched her friend shrug her shoulders, giving her an innocent smile. She imitated her for second, rolling her eyes. "Holland, let's be real. Have you ever seen me wear accessories besides a simple bag? I'm not that type of girl."

"What if it's a birthday present from Dylan?"

"I'm not sure. Why? Is he planning on buying me something?"

She sniggered awkwardly, shrugging her shoulders for the second time. "I've no clue. You should ask him yourself."

The friends had settled down at Holland's house, hanging out in the living room as they talked and laughed with each other. Seana was there, cuddled up with her fiancé in the comfy chair while the others were on the couches. Crystal was happily talking to Holland about she had done today, petting her dog and Clara was doing her daily reading next to Dylan, secluded from all the people.

He had his arm over the couch around her, eyes gazing at her until she turned to the next page and looked up. She smiled, raising an eyebrow at him in confusion, "am I amusing you?"

"Always."

She was speechless, shy at what he said so she turned back to her book. It wasn't like she could actually focus on what was happening in the book as much as she wanted to with the sounds around her, but it sure was something that kept her from getting attention. It maybe were the same people where she went ice skating with, but they weren't ice skating now, were they?

"...Hold on. Cole, how old are you again?"

Oh yeah, plus Dylan and Holland both knew about her birthday coming up.

"I'm turning 21 and no, there's not going to be a party," she looked up, Holland's mouth dropping open at how stern her voice sounded. She was being serious, she wasn't joking. "I'll bake myself a delicious cake and I'll be hanging with my mom, Chris and Sandra. Those things I'm excited about. You can come, we can hangout but I don't want any gifts."

"What's it what you don't like about birthdays?"

"Because there's honestly nothing interesting about."

"Why not? You like the idea of celebrating you survived another year, like you said."

She went to close her back with a forced smile, causing her to sigh deeply. "What is it what your planning? What's it what you all want to do to celebrate my birthday? I honestly don't think there's anything more fun than a cake."

"Well, I was planning on doing a sleepover."

"A sleepover?"

"Yes, a sleepover. Like we've all done in pre-school or high school," Crystal laughed, running a hand through her short hair. "But then something extremely different. Like, there's going to be cake, lots of whipped cream-..."

"Sounds like porn."

"Oh my god, Tyler!" it blurted out before she could even think, leaning her forehead into the palm of her hand. But of course she didn't mean it like that. "Oh no, ehm... forget what I said."

The boys were the first to burst out laughing, loud and high pitched sounds leaving their mouths while the girls weren't so surprised. If somebody enjoyed talking about sex or anything related it would be Tyler.

Holland smirked, tapping her pointing finger on her cheek as if he was thinking. "What is going through your mind? It has to do something with whipped cream or perhaps Seana."

"You forgot the chocolate sauce and strawberries, though." He didn't even defend himself, causing Seana  to slap his arm, sending him a glare before she laughed.

"And let's not forget it was all was Crystal's idea of making a porno movie-..."

Now it was her turn to go in defend mode, mouth dropping open and shaking her head. "I just like the combination of cake and whipped cream. Don't blame me. I'm sure I'm not the only one."