mr. hemmings // l.h.

45 • madeline

**** MY GOD. THESE PAST FEW WEEKS = CHAOS.

but I finished all of my finals WOO and yalls comments really got me through it!! I'm so happy you guys love this story as much as I do :')))

I literally love you all ****

from: luke
you're being safe aren't you, love?

to: luke
of course x

Luke had been awfully worrisome the last few days, but I wasn't quite sure why. But I decided to shrug it off. It was the night before my 18th birthday, and I was ready to have fun. It was a Thursday night, my mother had spent the whole day spoiling me because she conveniently was leaving for a weekend work convention Friday morning. Luke decided he'd sweep me up after school and take me on a weekend birthday adventure and I had absolutely no idea where we were going.
But, I was excited nonetheless.

I decided to put my phone away and give my friends my attention while they had it.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"It's a surprise!" Trish objected.

"But we're almost there!" I pouted. "You may as well tell me now."

Celia rolled her eyes from the driver's seat, but then smiled.
"We're going to eat our little hearts out at The Hillside."

The Hillside was basically exactly what it sounded like, but as an outdoor 5 Star restaurant with like, 5 different courses.

"What?!" I gasped, "Oh my god, that's so expensive. I am so not actually worth that much."

Trish laughed.
"Yeah maybe not!" She winked, jokingly, "But it's a special birthday so shut up and let us spoil you!"

"I am unworthy!" I protested with a laugh, "we do not belong in a bougie place like that!"

"Tonight we do!" Celia smirked. "But I fully expect you two to return the favor on my 18th!"

Trisha threw her shoe at her.

When we got to The Hillside, it was getting dark. However, the beautiful fairy lights strung everywhere lit the whole scene. It looked like a magical garden.

A jazz band was playing live music. I chuckled to myself, picturing Luke's band play at a fancy place like this. The elderly couples and businessmen in suits wouldn't know what hit them.
But the middle-aged housewives would probably go crazy for them.

We found our table that Trisha and Celia had previously reserved. Everything was so nice. Candles were lit, and Celia made a joke that it was a romantic dinner for our one year anniversary as a polyamorous couple. I'm pretty sure one of the waiters overheard her and scurried away as fast as he could.

This is why we didn't belong here.

The next waiter came and filled our glasses with sparkling water. They first brought out a cheese plate, and gave each of us a small salad.
He came back with fancy looking dinner rolls.

Once we got through all of the small, appetizer courses, our waiter took our dinner order. Celia got steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Trisha got grilled chicken with a creamy tomato bisque. I got baked ziti with garlic knots.

We talked, laughed, and joked all night. When dessert came, it had candles for my birthday, and Trisha and Celia took lots of pictures.

"Make a wish!" Trisha squealed, as I blew out the candles.
"What did you wish for?" She asked.