Like after every party, a headache woke me up. I checked the clock on the nightstand: 1:46 PM. I survived.
Everyone must be awake by now. I slowly went down to the kitchen, but everywhere was silent. I guess I wasn't the only one who drank a lot last night. Everyone is still sleeping. Strange. I'm never the first one up.
Only now did I remember that today is my birthday. Finally, I'm nineteen. Since no one was around, I decided to cheer myself up. I baked my favorite and most delicious chocolate cupcakes. After putting them on a plate, I took them to the living room. I put on some music and danced alone while eating. I guess I wasn't fully sober yet.
A minute later, El came downstairs, looking sleepy at least, she looked the part.
"What's going on here?" she mumbled.
"We're celebrating!" I yelled.
"Celebrating what?" she was confused, but I didn't mind. I never told them when my birthday was.
"The best holiday of the year!" I screamed.
The shouting woke up Louis, who also came down.
"What happened?" he asked El while I was jumping around to the music.
"She's celebrating the best holiday of the year," she explained.
"What holiday is that?"
"I don't know. That's all she said," she shrugged.
"Luanna?" Louis approached me. "Let's go calm down," and he started leading me toward a room that, somehow, I hadn't yet been in.
When we entered the room, it was dark, and I had a strange feeling that something wasn't right. Louis and El closed the door, and I heard them searching for the light switch. As soon as the light came on, I got a fright.
"Happy Birthday!" yelled Beth, Harry, Niall, Jake, Josh, Liam, and Zayn.
I was surprised, delighted, and scared. They started singing the birthday song, and I watched them, stunned and grinning. When they finished, they all rushed over and hugged me, forming a giant group hug.
"How did you even find out when my birthday is?" I asked, excited.
I hadn't celebrated a birthday in about five years, but this year was different. I wanted to celebrate it because I was happy.
"We have our ways," Jake winked.
"So, where are the gifts?" I asked energetically.
"And there's the old Luanna," Harry chuckled.
"Don't start."
"Follow us," Liam said, and he started walking out.
They seated me on the living room sofa, and everyone left. Finally, they returned with boxes, bags, and other things. I hugged everyone individually and thanked them. I started unwrapping the gifts, which were wonderful. I got a bottle of perfume from Beth and a makeup set from El. Jake gave me a horror film collection, and Louis gave me a football with my name on it. Josh, Liam, and Zayn chipped in for one gift and bought a new black electric guitar, which made me squeal.
Niall's gift was unique. He held a large brown teddy bear. Not just any bear. It was wearing black sunglasses, and written on its belly was: "I'm the cool one." In short, a perfect gift, or rather, a perfect birthday.
"Thank you, guys," I smiled, sitting amidst the gifts. "Really."
I honestly wanted to cry because I hadn't been wished a happy birthday like this in a long time. Since I didn't really have true friends, besides Jacob, no one used to greet me. Mostly just a text message.
"Are you okay?" Niall asked.
"Yeah, it's just," I hugged the bear. "I haven't been greeted like this in a long time," I got emotional. "You guys are the best friends anyone could ever need," I smiled as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"Luanna," Beth cooed, sitting down next to me and hugging me. "We require you more than you know. Without you, Harry and I probably wouldn't be together. Without you, Louis might not have asked El out. Without you, Jake wouldn't have such an amazing best friend. Without you, I might still be that same shy girl with no friends in college. You changed everything here. Us," she declared, making me cry even more.
"You're perfect," I whispered in her embrace. "Incredible. Every single one of you."
"You are too," El said, joining the hug, as did everyone else afterward.
"Since it's already 3:24 PM, and you're the only one here who's eaten, Luanna, we invite you to come with us to Nando's," Jake said, extending his hand to help me stand up.
"Yasss!" I screamed. "Food!" I instantly cheered up and tried to forget that I had just been crying.
"I'm driving!" Josh yelled.
"Idiot! My car—I'm driving," Niall laughed, grabbing the keys.
"Guys, there are ten of us. How are we going to fit?" I was confused.
"Somehow, or someone, will be left behind," Niall chuckled as he walked out the door.
We quickly put on our shoes and jackets and followed him. El sat on Louis's lap, and Beth sat on Harry's. I had to sit on Jake. Liam sat next to us, and Josh squeezed onto the floor by our feet. Zayn and Niall sat in the front.
"I don't like this," I muttered.
"You?! How should I feel?" Josh complained.
"Just be quiet," I kicked him lightly.
"See?! I can't even move," he complained.
"Stop complaining," Niall laughed.
"But don't try to dictate, because you're not the one sitting on a person whose legs are thinner than yours and are digging into your ass," Beth hissed.
"Hey," Harry feigned offense.
"Your legs really are too thin," I agreed.
"Is it necessary to discuss Harry's legs right now?" whined Liam, who was pressed against the window.
"Is someone sitting on you? No? Then shut up," Louis said angrily.
"I don't think this was a good idea," I sighed.
"I think the opposite. It's a great idea," Niall and Zayn laughed.
"I'm driving after this," I said fiercely.
"No!" Niall objected. "Not my car."
"It's my birthday—I do what I want," I retorted.
"It's my car—I don't want it smashed," he didn't give up.
"I won't smash your car. I have a license, and I've driven thousands of times," I argued.
"No," he still held his ground.
"I don't accept no for an answer. I'm driving, and that's final."
"Fine," he grumbled.
"If Luanna drives, does that mean she gets to choose who sits in the front?" Beth asked hopefully.
"No!" Zayn protested.
"Yes!" everyone else in the car screamed.
"I'll think about it," I grinned just as Niall stopped in the parking lot.
We got out of the car as fast as we could.
"Finally!" Josh yelled, stretching.
"I agree!" Beth shouted.
"My legs are not that thin," Harry defended himself.
"They are," I agreed. "How do you even fit into those jeans? I wouldn't be able to get in there."
"Can we please stop talking about my legs? Let's go eat," he mumbled and headed toward the entrance.
There were hardly any people there—only a few—so we felt like royalty. We lined up, and I, of course, was first.
"What do I get if it's my birthday?" I asked the cashier, who looked confused.
"Um, well, nothing," she stammered. She was a newbie, or so her badge read.
"Free food, because we're paying for you," Niall said.
"That's normal," I was impressed.
Finally, we all ordered food and pushed the tables together to sit down. We were like one big, united family. That's how it felt. We had a fun time, stuffed ourselves, and finally drove away from there.
I was driving, and Beth was in the front seat with me, so Jake sat on Niall, and Zayn sat on Harry.
"It's digging into me," Zayn complained.
"Don't even try it!" Harry snapped.
"Are we going back to the fraternity house?" I asked, pulling out of the parking lot.
"No, you girls go to the dorm to get ready, and we'll go to the fraternity house," Jake explained.
"Get ready for what?" I clarified.
"It's a secret," he grinned. "The clothes are already bought, so don't worry."
"Alright," I sighed.