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the whole time alona mendez and joshua bassett had spent time together, the more they realized that the two understood each other perfectly.
lona didn't understand why she already felt so attached, despite only meeting him a little over a month ago and she knew that it wouldn't hurt to know. joshua, on the other hand, didn't care about the reason, he was just glad to have met her.
after filming for half the day and alona mendez being greeted and bombarded by everyone because of her birthday, she was all so happy and couldn't ask for more in the world. she would've been happy with the kiss on the cheeks and hugs but she also was blessed with gifts from her cast members. it made her truly happy to make a new family next to the one in california and australia. or so she thought.
josh was the one supposed to distract her while the others got ready. they claimed that joshua was the best candidate. and maybe they were right because ever since they left filming, alona mendez has not looked at her phone once.
joshua decided to take her to a late lunch as the waiters sang happy birthday to her. then afterwards, they drove around town, trying to take pictures. joshua saw the girl happy and that's all he needed to confirm that he might have a really, really, really soft spot for her.
now they were on their way to lona's house as josh got a message from olivia telling him that everything was ready for alona mendez to be surprised behind her front door. josh was excited to see the happy smile on her face and alona was excited to even end the day and that's saying a lot.
joshua parked in front her house and he took a deep breath, looking at alona who held the smile bigger than joshua's own world.
"thank you. for today." she told joshua and he nodded but then stopped abruptly.
"thank me at the door." josh then unbuckles his seatbelt, taking his keys out of the engine and walking out of the car.
"josh, you don't have to, i-" alona tried to stop him but the car's door was already closed and joshua was already walking to other side, about to open the other car door. she rolled her eyes playfully, unbuckling her seatbelt as the door opened. she smiled at him before she got out of the car as josh shyly smiled back at her.
they both started to walk near her front door and something about it was so awkward and shy. they stopped at the front door and suddenly, joshua's original plan with lona's friend has completely washed out from his head as they both stood there, not speaking and just staring at each other.
they faced each other and lona's heart skipped so many beats, she lost track and count. and joshua was a mess. he was nervous and he didn't know why. he knew it was too early to kiss the girl but she was just so pretty and he could not keep his eyes off of her.
they continued to stare at each other, a billion thoughts running through their heads.
should i kiss her?
should i kiss him?
no, too early.
did she have fun?
i had so much fun.
i don't like this feeling.
why am i feeling this way?
joshua's eyes then widened, realizing that lona's friends were all on the other side of the door, probably waiting as he had texted them earlier to get ready since they were almost there.
"um, you should go, don't want to miss your own birthday dinner." he abruptly said and lona's insecurities got the best of her and she started thinking toxic thoughts. she thought she had done something wrong to make the boy push her away so quickly.
"yeah, yeah, i should," she awkwardly laughs. "um, thank you, for today. again."
"yeah, no problem." he then receive a kiss on the cheek from the girl as his face turns red. she chuckled before grabbing her keys from her bag, trying to unlock the door.
"you don't have to wait for me to come in. you can go to your car now." she tells him.
"yeah, okay." he started to pretend to walk away as the girl opens her door.
"surprise!" the girl jumped slightly, joshua taking a step closer to help her get inside as her cast members filled around her, laughing.
"what?" lona softly says as both joshua and her walks inside her house. joshua closed the door as lona attacked everyone with hugs. she noticed the balloons around the living room, the cake and the stack of pizza boxes on the dining table and her heart was filled with happiness. "why?" after she hugged everyone, she stood as they all circled around her, joshua staying close. "you knew. that's why you were so eager to take me out." she accused joshua and she was of course right.
"yes, he knew!" olivia gushed.
"this is all so much. too much. i love you guys." the girl felt like crying but she held it in, seeing all the happy faces plastered on everyone's faces.
"um, we have one last gift for you." lona's head snapped back at josh who spoke.
"no." she softly says. next thing she knows, she tilts her head to see her kaia, nova, malik and marcel walking towards her. she dropped her keys, running to her best friends and hugging all of them, attacking malik first.
"so, everyone gets a hug but me?" the voice was familiar. the voice had an accent. she pulls away from nova, seeing the tall boy in behind everyone. she pushes marcel out of the way, attacking levi in a big hug as he lifts her up. "happy birthday, gorgeous." he whispers to only she heard. she let's go of him, looking around to see everyone she cared for all around her.
"your mom and dad went to go buy snacks, by the way." sofia chimed in.
"holy shit. i hate you guys."
ella's comment ! NEW BETTER PERSON CHAPTER RN RN ITS SO CUTE I LOVE IT
