"Happy Birthday to you...happy birthday to you...happy birthday to Chloeeeeee...happy birthday to youuuuu!"
Hazily, I sit up and rub my eyes, to Ashton sitting next to me on my bed with a little parcel in his hands.
"Happy Birthday!!! Gosh, 13...your gonna go all grumpy on me now!" Ashton jokes. I giggle as he puts the parcel in my arms. Slowly I pull away the black ribbon and strip away the wrapping paper. Some black skinny jeans, a blue bandana, and a copy of "The Fault In Our Stars" drops onto my lap.
"I...I know its not really much but..." Ash starts to say apologetically. Before he can finish, my arms are wrapped around his neck.
"Thank you" I say into his ear, his curly hair brushing my face. I feel his arms wrap around me. After a minute or so, he releases me.
"Better get ready, in an hour we're gonna go meet the guys at Lukes...we wrote a little something we'd like you to hear, if that's okay?"
I nod, my eyes twinkling. Ashton leaves, closing the door behind him, humming the birthday song as he goes.
I pull a black and white long sleeved crop top from my wardrobe, teaming it with the skinny jeans and the bandana.
A few streaks of eyeliner later, and I think I'm done. I take a couple of steps back and stare at my reflection, a firm grin on my face. Almost on cue, Ashton walks in. As his eyes set on me, his mouth drops.
"Y'know if I was a girl thats probably exactly what I'd look like" he says slowly, tweaking my bandana. "Ready to go?" I nod and follow him down the stairs. In unison we tie our converses, and we bundle into his car. It used to be dads, but when he died he gave it to Ashton in his will.
We don't have a long drive, just a few minutes. Luke only lives a few streets away. Ashton parks on Lukes drive ans jogs over to the door. The mail flap opens up, and two dark eyes stare through.
"Who is it?" Calums recognisable voice growls.
"Lemme in you retard..." Ashton replies, a hint of amusement in his voice. Theres the sound of a jangling of keys, and the door opens up. I follow Ash as he casually strolls into the house.
"Heyyy birthday girl!" Calum says, grabbing me and spinning me around the hallway. I giggle and playfully hit him. "Ooh she's a sassy one hey Ash?" Calum jokes, setting me down. We follow him into the living room where Luke and Michael were sat on the sofa, strumming random chords on their guitars. Freakily, their heads lift up and look at me in a synchronised fashion, and beams spread across their faces. Michael cranes his head to Luke and together they run at me, smothering me. They jump around singing 'Happy Birthday' as I giggle and jump with them.
"Hey guys don't KILL the girl, I'd like to be alive at 14 if thats okay with you guys..." Calum jokes. Ashton laughs, a high pitched girly giggle that I've always loved.
"Haha yeah, I kind of need her to boss around and argue with...and if you don't...well I guess you won't be getting any pizza later..."
Almost instantly Luke and Michael let go of me and run to the settee, placing their guitars in their arms. Ashton sits on this box thing that he uses as hia drums and Calum sits on the floor.
"Ready guys?" Ashton calls.
"LETS DO THIS!" Luke shouts.
"For pizzaaa!" Calum screams.
"Lets nail this shit!" Michael calls on his loud voice. Ashton gasps.
"Michael don't swear!" He says seriously before giggling. I tut.
"Get on with it then, I'm getting old here!" I say winking at them. They all nod and a guitar riff fills the room...
"Heartbreak girrrlllll..." they finish, craning up to grin at me.
"That was AMAZING!" I say after a suspensful pause.
"PIZZA?" Michael shouts towards Ashton. He nods.
"Offf we goooo!"
