𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 • 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

twenty-eight

That morning, I walked downstairs to find everyone in the living room. Despite going to sleep at that late of an hour, everyone was already awake around 1 p.m. and it surprised me.

"Happy birthday, mister Doh," I smiled at Aaron, his face lighting up.

"Thank you, Ellie," he replied, smiling himself. There was a girl sitting next to him on the couch. "Oh, I don't believe you've met Tori! Ellie, this is Tori, my girlfriend. Tori, this is Ellie, and she's... she is Sam's childhood friend but by now she's everyone's friend so I don't really know how to introduce her."

Tori laughed and shook my hand. "Hi Ellie, Sam's childhood friend and now everyone's friend, nice to meet you."

I laughed along with her. "Nice to meet you too, Tori."

"So, we partyin' tonight or what?!" Corey laughed and jumped up from the couch.

"I guess so?" Aaron agreed chuckling, watching Corey's excitement. "But I don't have time to do the preparations."

"You're all good, Aaron boy. We gotchu," Corey smirked.

I smiled at the ordeal, Aaron and Tori standing up. "Anyways," Aaron said. "We have to go."

"What time will you be back?" Dev asked.

He thought about it for a second, before replying. "I think I'll be back around ten."

Dev nodded. "Have fun you guys."

We exchanged our 'see you laters' and I watched as Aaron and Tori disappeared into the hallway, and a couple seconds later I heard the front door shut.

"Alright, everyone's on party duty," Corey said.

"Well, someone else can do the grocery shopping this time," Colby said. "I need a change."

"Okay..." Corey replied, thinking. "Jake, you wanna do the booze?"

"Dude, I'm underage, how am I supposed to get away with that?" he laughed.

"Right, I forgot," Corey replied.

Dev chuckled. "We can do it, Corey."

"Good," he agreed. "You wanna do the party supplies then, Jake? You can bring Sam along and Kat if she feels like it."

"I'm in," Kat nodded. "Buying party supplies is the best."

"And what do we do?" I asked Corey, looking between Colby and I.

"You can set up the stuff around the house, if you'd like. Like the bowls and cups and tables and the lights and music stuff."

"Sounds great," I smiled.

Sam continued. "Let's say we all get at it now and meet back here around... let's say three?"

"Yes, I believe that will be enough time," Dev smiled. "Let's go."

Corey and Devyn stood up first, leaving the house. After a couple minutes of Jake, Sam and Kat thinking about what stores to go to, they also left.

"C'mon, Brock," I giggled as I pulled on Colby's arm. He was still laying on the couch.

He pouted. "I don't wanna get up."

"You have to!" I replied, using all my force to get him off the couch, but to no avail.

Colby's fingers wrapped around my wrist and tugged on my arm, making me fall over instantly. I landed on his chest, my face inches from his. "That's not fair."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around me, squishing me. "I'm just the stronger one."

"Oh," I chuckled, jokingly offended. "Okay, I see how it is."