Color

Fourteen

The following day was Scott's birthday. 

And while Mitch was a little too shy to organize a party at such a new place, Kirstie and Alex were just outgoing enough to ask around.

Kirstie even found one of the more popular people at the college, that agreed to throw a house party and invite everyone he could, as long as Kirstie and Alex promised to help him out with buying things for the party. 

Mitch then called Avi, and told him to keep Scott inside all day and to keep him oblivious to the party plans. 

The boy that agreed to help him held a hand out toward him. "My name's Mario. I'll introduce you to my roommates when we get to that."

Mitch shook his hand. "Thank you for helping us."

"No problem. I'm always down to party."

Alex shook his hand next. "Mitch is just a little shy, and being as new as we are, I figured we'd just have our own party, but... The birthday boy is a big party guy."

"And birthday boy's name is..?"

"Scott."

Kirstie walked over to hug Mario. "Thanks again."

He just smiled. "Alright, so. I'm gonna tell one of my roomies to make phone calls and stuff, and then would one of you guys mind helping him set the house up? We're pretty good at this stuff, but extra hands can't hurt."

Alex knew that Mitch and Kirstie wouldn't want to be anywhere by themselves with a stranger, so he nodded once. "I can do that. Just give me an address?"

Mario quickly nodded, taking his phone from his pocket. "Let me get your number, and then I'll text it over."

*

Scott watched Avi make lunch, leaning on the counter with a frown. "Where is everybody, Av? I wanna watch movies with Mitchie."

"I know, babe. But I think Kirstie said something about taking Alex to talk to the athletic director, as well as getting herself a job interview at some coffee shop that's in the middle of the campus."

"But..." Scott frowned, and looked away. "Whatever."

"Don't be upset, Scott. We can watch all your favorite movies when they get back, alright? I'll tell Mitch to buy a cake or something."

Scott just shook his head. "No, don't do that. Don't bug him."

Avi put whatever food into the oven, and once he'd hit the timer, he gave Scott a smile. "Let's cheer you up, then. I have your present in the other room, and I'll go get it."

Scott watched him go. "You bought me a present?"

"Yep." Avi mumbled as he rushed into his room.

Scott sat down at one of the chairs in front of the kitchen counter, setting his cast on his lap. 

Avi slid the present in front of him when he walked back in, grinning widely. "All yours, buddy."

Scott looked up at him, now shorter because he was sitting. "You didn't have to get anything."

"Yeah, yeah, just shut up and open it."

Scott smiled a little, and then began tossing tissue paper out of the bag. He first found a tiny box, that looked almost like a jewelry box. "Avi, I hate to break it to you, but I'm already engaged to--"

"You dumbass, it's not a ring."

Scott opened the box, and smirked a little. "These look badass."