𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐑

39

"speachhhhhh".

everyone laughs, josh finding the strength to pull himself up as bryce whoops and yells for him to do a speech. public speaking has never been josh's strong point until recently but even now, he'd rather not say anything.

"alright, alright" he laughs, leaning on his chair.

the large group quiet down. william leans back as he sits on nessa's lap. he's rather tired after eating all that birthday cake and the excitement of seeing his big brother.

"first and foremost i'd just like to thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come and help celebrate me being an adult, finally" josh starts, subtle laughter filling the room. he looks around at all his friends and family. he's one very blessed boy.

"celebrating my eighteenth birthday here in los angeles with my best friends would have been perfect enough but my family being here with me too? now that's just the icing on top of the literal cake. so ness, thank you. you really have no idea how much it means to me that you would go this above and beyond for me".

nessa squeezes william, a smile on her face as everyone looks at her with smiles also.

josh can feel sarah stare at him and if looks could kill ...

"and to you, sarah, my gorgeous girlfriend" josh speaks, moving the attention to the bitter blonde on his left.

she smiles, pretending that she's not enjoying the attention.

"you planned this night for me and i couldn't be happier about how i've celebrated my birthday. i find myself falling more in love with you each and every day. i love you sarah. thank you for all that you do".

the table falls silent, the words that josh spoke strikes everyone, including sarah. she gets up onto her feet and holds him- planting a kiss on his lips. josh can't bare to look at any of his friends or his parents or nessa.

she sits there on her chair with mads' hand on her leg for comfort. she knows she has no right to be upset that josh has a girlfriend but hearing him say that he loves her in front of his parents ? in front of their best friends? in front of her? it hurt like knives being stabbed into her back and heart at the same time. like she's repeating her worst heartbreak all over again. her heart feels shattered like broken glass, slicing and cutting deep. his words are like poison that drops from his tongue, killing her soul instantly.

"ness? i'm tired" william speaks, his voice little and soft.

in the midst of trying her hardest not to break down right there and then, nessa hadn't noticed everyone start to get their coats. she sighs, taking a deep breath.

"it's okay, i'm not in the party mood anymore so why don't we go back to the house? watch a movie and then go to bed?" she suggests, bouncing the small boy on her knee a little.

williams face lights up, "can we have popcorn?" he asks. ness nods her head.

the boy leaps off of her lap and runs over to his parents, letting them be aware of his plans.

nessa stands up, putting on her own coat and grabbing her things. she walks over to mads and jaden who are giving her sympathetic looks. she hates that they feel pity for her.

"hey listen, william is tired so i'm going to give the party a miss and head home with him and liv" nessa tells them.

"what? no, you have to come! it's his birthday" jaden protests. he'd hate for nessa to miss out celebrating with her friends over josh's poor choices.