The Pop-Up Shop

Chapter Twenty

RUEL'S POV

I thanked the crowd and then ran off the stage before taking off my mic pack and going back into the green room. 

I walked into Joel already filming and I pulled the bin over to get into it. I honestly don't know what I was doing but the content was content, you know? 

We were going to be staying at the venue for my birthday countdown and then going back to a hotel for the night. We passed time by playing music and I opened some early gifts from my band members and Nate. The whole group stood in the green room as we counted down the final seconds of me being 16.

R: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Everyone cheers and throws empty packets of food on me and claps as I dance around in my chair. I quickly text April. Wanna ft the birthday boy?

She quickly responds: got homework. ttyl x

I push the weird feeling away but it still had a gut feeling of it being a bit odd. We would always FaceTime when she was doing homework and I would even help her with it...even though I dropped out but that's beside the point. 

We all packed up the final things before heading to the hotel. Nate, Joel, Michelle, my mum and I were all staying at one hotel and my band and backup singers were at another. We finally found our room on the fifth floor and as I approached my door, everyone pulled out their phones and Joel started recording on the camera. 

What was going on?

'We doing a room tour or something? Why is everyone filming?' I ask but no one answered, just chucking in reponse.

They smiled at each other as I scanned my room key. I scream as I see a figure in the doorway but quickly laugh and wrap them in a tight hug as I realise who it was.

'What the hell are you doing here?'

'It's your birthday, did you seriously think I was going to miss it' April says and I shake my head, still holding her tight.

'I was so confused when you didn't wanna FaceTime me. I was like..."She always FaceTimes"' she laughs and I smash my lips into hers. 

I turn around while still holding her in my arms as she nuzzles into my neck. 'You guys all knew?'

They all nod and laugh and I roll my eyes. How could I be so clueless? 

I lift her up and she wraps her legs around my waist. I close the door behind us. 'Sorry, we have some catching up to do'

She laughs as I carry her into the room before dropping her onto the bed and her legs pull me onto her. Our lips instantly connect for it feels like since forever. I genuinely forgot the way this girl makes me feel. It was amazing. She was amazing.

We laid on the bed with our legs entangled and her head on my chest. 'So how did this thing get planned and stuff. How was I so oblivious to it all?' I ask and her painted nails trace the crinkles in my shirt.

'Well first, we made sure everyone's notifications for the group chat were off but yeah. It was a pretty good plan' she explained

'Mate, I was actually so scared when I saw you standing in the doorway, like, did you hear me scream?' I sigh and she chuckles 

'Yeah, you sounded like a 13-year-old girl'

I push her off and she laughs as I go to get the door which someone who has just knocked at

APRIL'S POV

I laugh and nearly fall off the bed as someone knocks on the door. Ruel gets up assuming that it's room service bringing our food. 

I grab the television remote and switch the tv on before hearing a choir 3 or 4 voices yell 'Happy Birthday!'. I hear a conversation continue to occur so I stand up and walk over to the door to see who Ruel was talking to

'April! What are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same thing Mary' I respond.