My Skater Boy // V.H.

14-Happy Birthday

I open my eyes, feeling one year older. I throw off the blacket I had cuddled with on the black leather couch and walk to open the door. After Vinnie left the other day, I didn't leave the room. I heard a couple of knocks and Troy even slid a note saying he was happy I was here. They left the food outside the door. Yesterday was Sam's birthday and it took everything in me not to blow my cover and call him.

Today is my birthday. I am no longer a teenager but an adult. Today, I was supposed to take over part of the business.

I open the door and round the corner to walk into the kitchen. The guys are all facing away from me and looking down at their phones. Vinnie is facing toward me but he is looking down as he flips the pancakes on the stove. "Hey guys." I croak. I haven't spoken much for the last three days. I have done a lot of thinking and a lot of crying but I haven't had a conversation with someone since Vinnie left.

All the guys' heads snap in my direction and I look at them shyly. "Esty!" Troy yells. Vinnie looks up and all the guys start to run toward me. One after another they hug me and I hug them back. I laugh as they squeeze me. We all pull apart and I see Vinnie smiling over a plate of pancakes.

"Happy Birthday." He says as I walk over. He grabs some whipped cream from the fridge and makes a smiley face on my pancakes and then sprinkles some sprinkles on top. I giggle at this and start to eat.

"Thank you." I replied after my first bite.

"So Esty, what are we gonna do today?" Kio asks as he holds Mochi in his arms.

"I don't care." I shrug my shoulders. "Anything you lot are willing to." I see Kio and Troy exchange looks with Vinnie and they all get a mischievous grin on their face. "What?" I ask.

"We have a plan. All you need to do is go get ready and meet us back in here in exactly an hour. Not a minute less or a minute more." Troy replies. He rushes me to finish my pancakes and then shoves me into the music room.

The night I got here, I heard Troy and Vinnie arguing in the kitchen. Troy was asking what had happened to make this happen and Vinnie kept replying that it wasn't his story to tell and to not bug me. That I would come out when I was ready. I'm ready now.

I get into the music room and rummage through my go bag, pulling out all the clothes and nearly letting the 40 cal fall out. I shove it deeper into the bag and I take my clothes into the joint bathroom that I share with no one. The room is empty but it doesn't look like it was always. There are a few pictures on the floor and a bed frame but everything else is bare. There isn't even a mattress.

I quickly shower and get dressed in a white crop top and a pair of baggy ripped jeans. I get on my converse and fix my hair. I see a bandana that I had in my bag when I got here and I tied it over my hair. I apply a light layer of mascara and lip gloss and I see that it has been exactly an hour since Troy shoved me in here.

I pull my backpack onto my shoulders and walk out of the music room. As I walk I twist the ring on my left ring finger. I still haven't taken it off. I don't think I will just yet.

I walk into the kitchen and Vinnie, Kio, Troy, Shane, Jordan, and Marissa are all standing there talking. Vinnie has a backpack on like mine, Marissa has a beach bag on her shoulder and I can see her bikini top poking out of her t-shirt. Jordan has on a bucket hat and jeans and is holding his board. Before any of them see me, I reconsider my jeans and run quickly to my room.

I grab the jean cut offs and change, putting on my most casual bikini. I rush back into the kitchen and they are now all looking at me. "Took you long enough." Marissa says while walking over. "Happy Birthday, love." She says and hugs me tightly.