Being Carter Hood (5SOS)
Chapter 39
*Tick, Tock. Tick, Tock. Tick, Tock.*
"Ugh does this clock ever shut the hell up!" I wine to myself, throwing my white cotton pillow at the annoying ass clock ticking on the wall beside my bed. I just want to skip this day! To not set one foot out this room till 12am hits and its not my birthday anymore. Is that so hard to ask for? Yes I have birthday plans, and this is it.
"Woah easy girl, that clock never hit you." A voice spoke humorously.
My breathing increases and I flinch as slight panic crosses over me, making me jump to my feet on the hard wood floor. Ever since Michael and I started our break he moved into another room. So hearing a random voice was odd.
I look at the body the voice belonged to, to see A goofy smiling Luke looking back at me with amusement.
"Holy shit, you scared me! Wait... What are you doing in here?" I hiss in confusion. He tilts his head slightly sideways and furrows his eye brows at me, oddly returning my confusion. Yet for a different reason.
"You don't remember?" Luke asks. Shocked.
Oh. My. God.
I urgently look down at me body to sigh in relief that I'm not standing there naked.
"I'm sorry. I guess.. I just thought..." My words come out sloppy.
"Well you thought wrong. I wouldn't do that." Luke tells me. Hearing the disappointment in his voice that I would think that. "I'm so sorry." I look down at my feet with guilt.
I hear him sigh as the bed dips when he sits. Taking it as an invitation to join him, I sit beside Luke.
"In the middle of the night you were screaming so loudly from the nightmare you were having. Waking everyone up. It took us a while to calm you down. Three hours, actually. So I stayed with you in case you had another one. Thats it. And I guess getting secretly drunk before bed doesn't help your memory, does it?" He explains.
"No." I breath out, wiping the fresh tear away before it could fall further down my cheek. Luke wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest in silence. "I just wanna sleep, today." I mumble, not expecting his reply.
"No way! Not on your birthday! Come on, only smiles today!" Luke cheers rising from the bed and casually walking towards the door.
I don't say anything from the shock that he even knows. This is the first time anyone has acknowledged anything about my birthday, expect for my first session with Kaitlin where she asked me when it is, but even yesterday for our second session nothing was mentioned of it.
"Actually I wasn't planning on doing anything and maybe you could not mention it to the others." I try to sweet talk.
"Please everyone deserves to do something on their birthday! I bet once you get out of the bed right now, you'll be happy you did. Plus thats going to be kinda hard since we all pitched in to buy your birthday surprise." He then opens the door and sticks his nose high up in the air and breathes in. "And the fact that I smell you birthday breakfast."
Luke reaches out his hand for me to take. Feeling like the only option is to go along with it, I reluctantly take his hand and we make our way downstairs.
Immediately my nose enjoys the sweet smell. Judging by the lack of seeing anyone yet as we reach the railing, makes it clear everyone is down stairs. Even Michael, who still has an A+ on avoiding me. Maybe today he'll take it easy on me. At least one good thing can come from this day.
"Duh da duh..! I present to you the birthday girl!" Luke dramatically yells, making me flinch. Yet I could help but giggle at his wild royal hand gestures.
Once I step onto the first floor I'm attacked with hugs and 'Happy Birthdays'. Surprisingly even from Michael, but of course he skipped the hug.
They all return to the kitchen in a hurry and I follow in curiosity to see them all walking back and forth in the large kitchen area, cooking.
I sit on one of the bar stools then rest my hand on the counter top. My lips spread into a small smile as my brother sits down on the one next to me.
"Did you tell them about my birthday?" I ask in a whisper, a bit upset.
"No." Calum shrugs his shoulders. "I thought you mentioned it."
I think hard for a moment.
"Well yeah I might have a little. When I first met them, but only as small talk."
Calum looks at me knowingly. "Carter, people who care don't forget even the little things." He smiles.
I turn my head back towards the kitchen and watch as every works together to do something for ME.
And here i am being so selfish. Worrying about myself and my grief, when I never even thought how it could effect other people.
"Come on! Break fast is served! Carters favorite!" Stella yells from the dining room. Well all make our way into their so we can eat as..
As a family.
My Family.
"Would anyone like to say anything before we eat?" She asks politely.
"Me." I answer sending all eyes towards me.
"Don't worry, it won't be the speach you see in the movies that make you cry." I assure them, sending a wave of chuckles across the table. "I just would like to thank every single one of you for this." I gesture at the food "And for being my family when I needed one." The room grows silent.
"Awe.." Ashton gushes, breaking the silence making us all laugh.
"Your welcome.and remember that will never change." Stella smiles and they all nod in agreement as we all begin to eat the amazingly cooked eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, and the homemade biscuits
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"Ugh I think I need to hit the gym, now." Michael groans holding his stomach after he ate his second plate.
"If anyone needs to go to gym right now its me." I wine, regretting how much I ate, but I couldn't ignore the second waffle calling my name. That would be rude.
"No one is going to the gym until, carter opens her present!" bossy Stella appears before leaving the dining room.
"Crap." I hear my brother whisper and notice his posture straighten as he begins to pick at his fingers. I notice everyone follow and begin to appear anxious. Jeeze, what's so nerve racking about a present? I'm sure its cute clothing. The usual.
"You all really didn't have to get me anything." I announce as Stella walks back in the room with a medium sized rectangular box wrapped in owl printed wrapping paper with an overly large silver bow on top.
"I know, but we wanted to." She says and hands me the beautifully wrapped box.
I take my time and study it.
"Open it." Luke pushes, Stella slaps his arm and glares at him. They are all studying me so anxiously. With clear nerves making me confused.
Calum hands me a knife so I can cut the tape that keep the box closed.
I hear a small gasp as I peel off the box top, feeling the soft fabric brush against my skin. I'm not sure why they are freaking out. I knew it would be clothing. I take the fabric in my hands and hold it up to view the beautiful tribal print sweater as an envelope falls onto my lap. A birthday card, I assume.
I rip the sealed envelope open and take out what I expected. A birthday card. Taking the cute floral print card with vintage cursive font, I fold it open.
Ignoring the paper that fluttered into my lap and decided to read the large lettered words written in pen.HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER,
WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T TALKED OF THIS SENSITIVE SUBJECT, BUT ITS WHAT YOU NEED AND YOUR MOM WOULD'VE WANTED THIS. WE ALL PITCHED IN TO BUY YOU THIS PRESENT, WE HOPE YOU LOVE IT AS MUCH AS WE LOVE YOU.
FROM: STELLA, LUKE, ASHTON, MICHAEL, and YOUR BROTHER.
(PS: IF YOU HATE IT, THEN IT WAS LUKES IDEA.)
The room was so silent a pin could drop. As I read this in my head, I knew what had fluttered onto my lap. Its what no one had said anything about, there was only one thing.
I grip the group of rectangular cardboard papers in my hand and set it on top of the table and stare, speachless.
Six Plane tickets.
"My moms funeral." I say out loud and finally look up at them with wattery eyes.
Notes
OMG HOW WAS IT?!
The first draft that got deleted was way better :(
just remember the next chapter will be the final one!
Chapter 7:
This was totally awesome! I love it!
10/23/15