Sequel to "Life With Boys". Read that first!
Life as a teenager with a famous football playing dad isn't easy for Raelinn Emerson and her younger brother, Ashton. Raelinn's dad, Ryder Emerson, just got traded to the Denver Bronco's. When the Emerso...
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"New year is the glittering light to brighten the dream-lined pathway of future" — Munia Khan
Song: Born To The Night by Ava Max
The past month and a half has flown by, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and now its New Years Eve. Which means, today I turn 18. Finally. I've completely healed, for the most part, from my accident, and I'm doing a lot better.
I still haven't figured out the secret my family and Gray are keeping from me, but I'm assuming I'll find out today. If not, then I'm going to get super nosey and FBI on their asses.
The light is dimly shining into my room, as I lay staring out the window, content in the silence. That is, until my door busts open, and there's many people talking at once.
"Happy Birthday, Raelinn!" I hear Jessie's voice over all of them. I laugh, sitting up in my bed. I was prepared for something like this, so I wore cute pajamas just in case. Just a plain long-sleeved purple shirt, and purple plaid pants.
"Thanks guys." I grin, taking in the sight before me. My parents, Austin, Liam, Jessie, and Gray are all crowded together in my room. Grayson walks to the other side of my bed, and kisses my forehead, handing me a bouquet of sunflowers. My favorite.
"Happy birthday, love," he whispers, pecking my lips softly.
"Thank you, baby." Jessie barges her way through, and flings herself onto my bed, hugging me tightly.
"Happy Birthday babe!" she squeals in my ear, leaving a ringing sound. I laugh, hugging her back.
"I'm sorry, what? I can't hear you," I tease, making her pout. "Thank you, Jess."
She smiles and snuggles up to me, making me laugh. Liam chuckles and sits next to her, running his fingers through her hair lovingly, then looks at me. "Happy birthday, Rae."
"Thanks, Liam." I can't help but smile watching the two of them together.
"Happy birthday, my baby! I can't believe you're 18," my mom sobs, hugging my dad. My dad just chuckles and pulls her closer, then smiles at me.
"Happy birthday, Linnie," he tells me. Then suddenly, Ashton is flying towards me, and leaping onto my bed.
"Happy birthday Rae Rae!" He may be younger than be, but he's definitely larger than me. He's six feet tall, while I'm a short five foot two.
"Hey, everyone off my girl," Gray mock pouts.
I reach my hand out to him, laughing. He grasps my hand and sits on the other side of me, as Ashton struggles a little to get up. Ashton sits up, and moves to the end of the bed with Liam. Jessie is basically passed out next to me by now.
"I'm making breakfast. It will be done shortly," my mom tells us, then leaves the room. Ashton and my dad follow shorty after.
"I can't believe tomorrow starts a new year," Jessie says, her eyes opening and looking up at the ceiling. I can tell she's still struggling with the loss of her pregnancy, and all the holidays were hard for her.
"Yeah, it feels like just yesterday I moved here and met all of you guys." I smile, looking at my friends.
For Thanksgiving, I went to California with my family and Gray's family, and we all had dinner at my grandparents house. We did the same thing for Christmas Eve, then spent Christmas at home, and Jessie and Liam came over and we exchanged gifts with them. It's the first holidays in a while that I've had friends to celebrate it with, and it was amazing. I'm very much looking forward to the new year with them too.
"It's almost been a year since you moved here, right?" Gray asks, his fingers intertwined with mine, and his thumb tracing the back of my hand.
"Yep. A year in March. It's crazy how much can change in a year." They all nod in agreement.
This time last year, Tyler and I had just broken up when I found out he used me, and I was going through a really rough time. I got involved with the wrong crowd, and almost wrecked my family, and my future. But, my parents saw me struggling, and luckily we were able to move far away from that part of my life and Texas. I'm thankful my dad got traded, and thankful for our new lives here in Colorado. I don't even want to think about where I would be right now if we didn't leave.
"So," Grayson starts, breaking me of me thoughts. I look up at him, waiting for him to continue. "We're still on for the family dinner tonight, right?"
"Yeah, we have reservations at my favorite restaurant at 6pm," I tell them, and they all give each other a knowing look. There it is again.
"Well, considering it's almost nine, and we're about to just now eat breakfast, we need to start getting ready afterwards. I'm taking you on a pampering day with your mom," Jessie tells me, making me smile.
"Thanks, Jess!"
"Which means, you two have to leave after breakfast." Jessie gives the guys a pointed look, and they nod. I can't wait to find out what this secret is. It's driving me crazy.
"Breakfast!" my mom calls from downstairs. We all scrambling up from my bed, and hurry down the stairs. We sit down at the table, and start to eat the delicious food my mom has made for all of us.
So far, this birthday is turning out better than the ones the past few years. And I have my friends and family to thank for that. Last year I was a drunk mess and passed out by midnight. I honestly don't remember much of my last birthday, other than the fact I ended up in the hospital the next day.
This year though, I vow for it to be different. It already is.
