Happy Birthday

Running title: Happy Birthday

Sarah Day

★☆★☆★

The music is loud. Teenagers fill the room from wall to wall. I linger by the edge, watching my best friend dance with the boy she's been chasing for years.

"Took them long enough." Sawyer walks up to the wall, leaning against it. My breath catches as he leans next to my ear and says: "You owe me for our bet."

It's true.

We bet months ago on how long it would take for Gianni to ask Selene out. He said it'd be before November; I thought later.

It's Halloween.

I let out a breathy laugh. "Okay, okay. What do I owe you? Twenty? A week's homework?"

"A dance."

"A dance? That's all?"

"Indeed, Miss Gyles." Sawyer grabs my hand and pulls me to the makeshift dance floor.

He stops when we reach the middle, and wraps his arms around my waist. "Sawyer, you-"

He cuts me off by twirling me around and then pulling me close. "I know life has been messy for you. But please don't put off you and me any longer." We're dancing in a different style than all those around us. He's holding me close. We're swaying back and forth at a slower pace than anyone in the room.

"Sawyer...what are you doing?"

"I'm dancing, Ellie. You are too, matter-of-fact. Have you never danced before?" he says cynically, a smile on his lips. I can't help but smile too.

Everything around me seems to fade out. It's if Sawyer and I are in a different universe from everyone else, but in the same spot of time.

"Ellie, I want to hold your hand while we go on long walks, I want to be able to wrap you in my arms. I want to be able to kiss you again and not have to worry that it scared you away. I'm already yours, Ellie, but I'd love it if you were mine, too." I start to speak but he cuts me off. "I know you say you're not ready, I know it. But when you are, I'll be there-- day or night."

His lower arms are warm, resting against the lace cut-outs of the dress on my hips. I reach my hands up over his shoulders and interlock them behind his neck, and lean my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"Any time, Ellie." I place a chaste kiss on his cheek and grab his hand.

"C'mon," I beckon, and I pull him outside. Through the sliding glass doors, up the wooden staircase next to the patio, and onto the terrace outside our dining room I lead him. I begin to climb the ladder, and he follows. He knows the process, we've done this before.

We both lay down in the spot we've laid so many times before. But somehow, it's different; I think he's not just my best friend anymore.

And I know it'll never be the same.

He wraps his arms around me, cradling me. We stare up at the stars in silence.

"Sawyer?"

"Yeah?" He mumbles, fighting the sleep that is beckoning him. His face is buried in my neck. I can feel the beat of his heart, and the rise and fall of his chest.

"I think I am ready now." His sea-green eyes open to meet mine.

"Are you sure? Please don't be messing with me, Ellie. My heart can't take it."

Instead of answering, I timidly lean forward and press my lips to his. He reacts instantly, and his soft lips move against mine. It's short, sweet.

He places a small kiss to my forehead and holds me tighter.

At half-past 5 in the morning the dark sky is lighting up with streaks of crimson light, and we are still awake. Sitting on the rooftop, we overlook the houses in the dawn light. It's as if we're on the top of the world. He scoots closer to me and wraps his right arm around my shoulder. I look over at him and give him a small smile.

I begin to study his face as he does the same to mine. The soft breeze blows ripples into his light brown hair. Short on the sides, much longer on the top. His skin is a lovely golden tan; a shade that my body can never reach no matter how hard I try. His sea-green eyes are surrounded by thick brown-framed glasses with lenses round enough to where if you weren't looking closely, you might mistake for completely circular. They suit him well. I wonder why he doesn't wear them often.

His plump, rosy lips turn up the slightest bit, sending a small smile back to me. We both turn back to look at the sunrise once again. I lean to my left and rest my head on his shoulder, the smell of his cologne engulfing me. I feel him give my shoulder a short, tight squeeze, and he pulls us backward, so we are now laying flat on the slightly angled roof. It's at a slope steep enough that we don't have to crane our necks to see the horizon, but flat enough that it's comfortable and we aren't sliding down. His arm is wrapped around my shoulders, cradling my head, and I use his shoulder and upper chest as a pillow.

And at this moment, it's like nothing prior to now ever happened. It's just me and him, and an empty, quiet world.

It's content, it's peaceful, and I quite like it.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"Anytime, love," he replies. "Happy birthday, Ellie."