t w e n t y o n e

WITH ALL THE rage of a toddler, my feet heavily pound against the sleek surface of the staircase as I slowly but surely make my way up to the third floor of Elwood. Slowly, I glance over my shoulder, noticing I had only climbed eight steps and I was already about to pass out. 

My entire body was aching as if I was eighty years old and had severe arthritis. Mr Matthews, our coach who also doubles as a junior Physics teacher, wanted to kill us this afternoon. If there's one thing about Mr Matthews that I've learned, is that he loves that damn stop watch. 

He's a good coach in the sense that he wants to push us and achieve great things, but did he really have to do it on my birthday? Training also ran over time, so I couldn't meet up with Penn and Vera for my birthday dinner in the dining hall. By the time I stumbled out of the gymnasium doors, the sun had already set and a harsh chill had swept over the campus. 

The sharp wind seeped through the material of my grey sweatpants as I quickly made my way across campus. I wanted to wait for everyone else to finish getting ready but all I wanted to do was crawl into my warm bed and sleep. 

And lo and behold, when I arrived at Elwood the elevator was yet to be fixed. It was also eerily silent which was weird because it was only a few minutes past eight and lights out aren't until ten. 

My suspicions were furthered as I finally made my way to the second floor, heaving heavily and puffed as fuck. I stepped up onto the next staircase, continuing my journey to the third level when the common room at the end of the hall  caught my attention. The doors were shut and no light was shining through the stained glass windows on each wooden slab. 

They must've been playing a movie. There was a small crappy projector in there and some guys hung up a white sheet. Movie nights are very common in Elwood. I walk forward, changing my route. I wasn't going to stay long I just wanted to see if Noah or Levi were watching the movie too. 

But when I quietly open one of the double doors, there wasn't a movie playing. There was no light at all in the common room, only that of the hallway lights flooding in behind me. I roll my eyes and my shoulders droop. Did some guys break the lights in here? The stupidity in Elwood has no limits. 

Suddenly, the lights flick on and I'm temporarily blinded as a chorus of simultaneous shouts explode throughout the room. 

"Happy birthday Hayden!" 

I'm startled slightly and stumble back but soon a large smile spreads across my lips as I recognises the many faces crowding the common room. Tacky rainbow banners had been hung around the room and some multicoloured string lights were placed throughout the space. 

A small fire catches my eye and I watch as two guys carefully carry a massive cake with blue and pink frosting towards me. I glance at the candles that were orange and read 48. Not exactly my age but close enough. 

"The store didn't have any other numbers." Vera explains as she slides up towards me. I glance at her before wrap our arms around each other laughing, "Blow out your candles, Hay." 

I depart from the hug and hold back my wet hair, gently blowing the small fires out. Cheers and applause erupts in the room as well as some ear piercing celebratory whistles. The cake his then carried to the pool table. 

"You really did all of this?" I question as I glance at Vera before back around the room. 

She nods and smile proudly, "How could you not tell me it was your birthday? I had to learn from fucking Harrison in Chemistry." 

"I didn't think it was a big deal." I shrug dropping my bags to the ground and leaving them by the doorway. 

"Of course it's a big deal. You only turn eighteen once my darling." Vera grins at me before grumbling, "It's just a shame it had to happen here of all fucking places." 

"It's not that bad." I answer as Penn and Noah make there way over to us, "This is honestly the best thing I could've asked for." 

"Hey! Don't take all the credit. I hung up the banners." Noah pouts as I chuckle at him, wrapping my arms around his tall ass shoulders. 

I mutter, "I think they look beautiful, Noah." 

"Happy birthday Hayden." Noah smiles softly as we depart from the embrace. I then turn to Penn, wrapping my arms tightly around the petite red head. She always smelt like vanilla. 

"You're all grown up! I'm so proud." Penelope giggles as we step back and I straighten my shoulders. Vera was older than the both of us and I was older than Penn by three months. But on almost all occasions, Penn is that much more mature and sensible one of us three. 

"I can legally adopt you!" I beam brightly as we all laugh and move further into the crowd of tipsy teenage boys. 

Very messily, the cake is cut up and shared amongst the boys of Elwood as well as Vera and Penn who were the only girls aside from me. There was alcohol too and of course that was shared around. 

Vera pulls me over to the sofa and I sit down while balancing two plates of cake in my hands. They were both for me. Some others join us and we make random conversations about literally anything. 

After devouring my entire cake, I needed something to wash it down with so I clamber out of my sunken seat in the sofa and towards the makeshift bar some guys had created. I grab a cold beer from the washing basket of ice and as I glance up, I catch the tail end of Chase's back exiting through the double doors of the common room. 

Has he been here the whole time? I didn't see him when I entered, but then again I was temporarily blinded and deafened. 

I put my beer down and quickly make my way through the crowd, hearing an encore of 'happy-birthdays' as I make my way after Chase. The halls were otherwise dead silent if not for the soft music filtering from the common room. 

"Leaving so soon?" I question into the silence and I notice Chase's shoulders stiffen as he freezes mid step, his back facing me. "Did you at least have some cake?" 

"I could've if you didn't eat it all." Chase scoffs as he turns around slowly and I glance up at him. I hadn't seen him since Sunday evening and his gorgeous face always seems to render me speechless. 

"Hey, I am the birthday girl, I get the biggest piece." I retort back cheekily as I nervously play with the sleeves of my faded sweatshirt. Chase chuckles at me as he jogs down the steps, meeting me at the bottom so we were levelled. Well, not exactly levelled because he was tall as fuck but it's as good as we're going to get. 

"Happy birthday, Jones." Chase smiles softly down at me as I glance down at our shoes. 

"Can..." I glance back at him, my chest instantly compacting in on itself as my eyes lock with his and I gulp heavily, "Can we talk? About Sunday?" 

Chase leans back on the wooden bannister of the stairs and runs his hands through his hair, "I was stupid. I should never have done that and I'm sorry Jones." 

"Hey, it's not like you forced yourself on me. I kissed you too." I laugh slightly, trying to lighten the conversation that was extremely awkward "It's just my weird way of comforting people; I kiss them." 

"I wanted to talk to you sooner but I thought you wouldn't want to see me." Chase informs me as he folds his arms across his chest. I wondered if he felt the same loneliness I felt not talking to him for four days. As much as I hate to admit it, but I actually missed his sarcastic comments and back handed insults. 

"Chase, you're my roommate. Of course I'd want to see you." I tell him truthfully as he glances up at me, "I just hope that us kissing doesn't change anything. That we can still be friends." 

Chase pauses before chuckling to himself. He pushes off the banister and drops his arms to his side, "Aw, Jones. You think of us as friends?" 

"Yup. And the asshole returns ladies and gentlemen." I clap my hands sarcastically, slowly making my way back to the common room as Chase begins climbing the stairs. 

"Don't get too drunk. I don't want to have to carry you up to our room." Chase advises me before I turn back around, pointing a stern finger at him. 

"No promises!" I chime before spinning on my heels and returning to the common room. 

♤♤♤♤ 

"Oh shit. It's all gone." 

I glance up, noticing Luke walking towards me with his empty plate and a small pout on his handsome face. He points at the platter where the massive cake once sat. 

"I was coming up for fourths." Luka grins cheekily as I laugh and turn to face him, resting my hip on the edge of the pool table. He places his plate down on the green surface, "Happy birthday Hayden." 

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and perch on the tips of my toes, "Thank you." 

"I wanted to give you this earlier..." Luke trails off as I step back and he pulls out a small box from the pocket of his jacket, "But I didn't want to pull you away from all the fun you were having." 

"You could pull me away from literally anything if you give me presents." I say excitedly as I take the box from his hand and open it. It was a necklace. Gold, with a simple chain and a pendant in the shape of a capital H. "Wow. I love it." 

"Really?" Luke gushes as he sticks his hands into the pocket of his jacket, "I didn't know what to get you. I thought about getting you flowers, but flowers die. I know you like chocolate but chocolate causes diabetes. And then I saw that necklace but I was worried if you were allergic to silver so I got you gold but if you're allergic to gold then, ah shit, I—" 

"Luke, hey, calm down." I laugh at his adorable blush as I wrap my arms around his shoulders again, "I really appreciate you getting this for me, I honestly don't know how to thank you."

"Well, I'm still waiting on that date." Luke grins as we depart. 

"Hayden! Get your beautiful ass over here!" Vera shouts from across the room and both Luke and I turn our heads, glancing at Vera as she sat on the sofa, her arms in the air as one hand as clasped around a bottle of beer. 

"Ignore her." I giggle as I turn back to Luke, "And soon. When my life is not as hectic as it is now. I promise." 

"Can't wait." Luke beams before nudging his head in the direction of Crazy on the sofa, "I'll let you go before she comes over here and drag you away." 

"I'll text you later?" I question, quickly glancing over my shoulder at him as I make my way back to the sofa. 

He nods with a small boyish smile, "Yeah, I'd like that." 

I turn around, making my way back to the group of people occupying the sofa and surrounding chairs. Vera cheers loudly as she gazes up at me, her arms being thrown in the air again as she grins brightly. 

"There's the birthday girl!" She giggles as I sit down next to her and she wraps her arms around me. She smelled like a mix of alcohol and sweet perfume. "Just a warning, I'm super fucking drunk and I'll probably be sleeping in your bed tonight." 

"Sleepover!" I grin down at her as she laughs loudly before resting her head on my shoulder. 

anyone else a scorpio like hayden?

if not, what zodiac are you? 

i'm a libra. where my libras at? 

IMPORTANT

Hi guys, so I just wanted to touch on this quickly. 

If you haven't heard, something incredibly vile and evil has occurred in New Zealand. 

I live in Auckland and I was absolutely appalled to see what had unfolded on March 15th. Not only were they muslim, but they were human and in every way deserving of a life on this planet. And for this to happen in our home, their home, where they were suppose to be safe, loved and protected is absolutely disgusting. 

sending my love and thoughts to those affected. 

kia kaha christchurch. 

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