I grin as I glance around at all my friends I’ve made over the last six months. Friends I wouldn’t change for the world. Friends who won’t abandon me in a random bar by myself, drunk. No, I found better people than that.
Jade and Alice particularly feel like family, and I doubt I’ll be getting rid of them any time soon—we’ve been through so much in the short time we’ve known each other.
“Make a wish.” Alice winks as she holds up the huge caramel cheesecake she made me. “And make it a good one.”
I suck in a breath and close my eyes as she holds the cake to my face. I slowly exhale as I blow out the candles and allow my wish to fly through my head.
I wish that my relationship with Finn works out and we’re the happiest we can be.
A burst of claps erupts around the small section of the pub we’ve cordoned off for my birthday, along with cheap drinks and party food.
As Jade starts to cut the cake, I latch onto my phone and stare down at the time. My heart thumps in my throat because Finn said he’d be here thirty minutes ago, and he’s still not shown his face.
We woke up together this morning, and we went our separate ways as we both had lectures we needed to attend, but something churns in my stomach at the thought of him not being here yet. And that makes my mind race with a thousand different possibilities.
Has he gone out and got drunk? He seems to do that a lot, and I know he does it to try and quieten his mind, and rather than letting him drink himself stupid, I usually distract him by inviting him over to watch shitty movies, talk nonsense for hours, and have great sex.
When I know he’s in my company and sober, it’s a relief.
He doesn’t need alcohol when he’s with me, but then there are times when he doesn’t always answer his phone, and it terrifies me.
I try not to let it force me into overdrive with the amount I overthink, but I can’t help but feel like nothing I do is enough. I know he cares about me, that’s obvious, he just has his own battles to face, and I don’t know if I can do anything to help in the long run.
Alice slings an arm around my shoulder before adjusting my party hat. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I force a smile.
She frowns. “You’ve got that fake look going on. Is it because Finn isn’t here yet?”
“No. He’ll be here. He’s just running late.”
“Alright.” She takes my hand and drags me closer to the table. “Let’s eat this monstrosity of a birthday cake.”
After devouring a slice and ordering a few more drinks, I watch as Jade glances at someone behind me, and when reliefwashes over her face, my heart rate increases. I twist my head over my shoulder to find Finn strolling in, wearing an oversized hoodie and jeans.
Everything stops when I see him because he’s so undeniably beautiful it hurts. His blond hair is ruffled but somehow still lies perfectly on the top of his head. The second his eyes rest on mine, he smiles, and I instantly know he’s not drunk. For once, his eyes aren’t bloodshot, and there isn’t a sway in his step, he’s walking towards me with confidence and purpose.
Finn grins from ear to ear, and I lose my breath. As soon as he reaches me, he clasps my cheek with one hand and towers over me with bright green eyes that make my knees shiver.
“Happy birthday, sunshine,” he whispers before pressing a sweet kiss to my lips. He already said it this morning, but I’ll take hearing it twice. I hum in surprise and grip onto his bicep as he kisses me again and again. “I’m sorry I’m late. We had an issue with our washing machine. It started leaking, and I had to turn off the power before we got electrocuted. It was only me and JJ, and I couldn’t leave him. I’m sorry, it was fucking chaos.”
A small chuckle escapes my lips as I stare up at him. “That’s okay. All that matters is that you’re here now and you didn’t get electrocuted.”
Finn’s thumb brushes across my cheek tenderly, while not taking his eyes off mine. “Thank god we didn’t,” he says softly. “How’s your birthday been so far?”
“Good.” I look over my shoulder at my friends. “We cut the cake and had a few drinks. Nothing crazy.”
“Well…” He pulls away slowly and thrusts a gift bag into my hands. “I got you something.”
I stare down at the glittery bag before taking it with my fingers. “We’re doing presents?”
Finn scoffs. “Of course we’re doing presents.”
“Okay.” I raise my shoulders with excitement.
I fish through the bag and remove a flat white box. My brows crease as I flick the lid open. I tremble as I stare down at the most gorgeous locket I’ve ever seen. It’s oval-shaped with a floral design on the front.
“Finn,” I whisper as I take it out of the box and hold it delicately.
