The Four

Chapter 13

Waking up on your birthday is supposed to be a happy moment, not terrifying. But living with your college roommate who never matured, makes waking up a startling experience.

For example: on the day of October 25th, Shay was woken up with a loud pop of a mini confetti cannon.

Shay jumped up with a yell in his bed glaring at the foot of it. Emmet just stood there with a large smile on his face as he popped more confetti onto his bed.

"Happy twenty-fifth!" Emmet exclaimed as he went to reach for another one only to get nailed with a pillow in his face.

"It is six in the morning!" Shay glared at him as he glanced at his phone to check the time.

Emmet nodded enthusiastically, "And you're twenty-five now!" He grabbed a large wrapped box from the floor pushing it onto Shay's bed.

Shay sighed and grabbed his shirt from beside him, pulling it on over his head. He gave Emmet one last look before grabbing the box, unwrapping it.

"I'm going to kill you." Shay said the minute it was open as he looked from the box to his friend.

Emmet just shrugged as he sat down on the edge of the bed, "So worth it."

"How much did this cost?" Shay asked as he held up a blanket that had both his and Emmets face on it.

"I'm not telling." Emmet shook his head as he laughed at the sight of the blanket.

Shay looked over at the blanket and set it down on his bed. He gave it one last look before turning to the man at the foot of his bed, "Thank you."

"Anytime!" Emmet grinned before tossing him a smaller box before exiting the room.

Shay glanced down at the box, an eyebrow raised before opening it slowly. In the box was a gold watch that looked like it belonged in a high class jewelry shop. Shay smiled a little before setting it aside on the table next to him.

His birthday was never celebrated by anyone other than him and his parents until he got to college and met Emmet. After he met him his life changed for the better. He actually started to make friends and he actually felt like he belonged in the world. Shay was finally the person that he dreamed of being since he was young. Now he is still growing for the better.

Shay stood up from his bed and made his way to the kitchen only stopping when he saw two girls sitting at the counter. One of them looked more awake than the other did.

"Happy birthday!" Addilyn grinned while Melanie just mumbled it trying not to fall asleep at the counter.

"Thanks" Shay laughed as he watched how they said the sentence drastically differently, "Emmet, drop it!" Shay ordered as he shook his head as his friend held up multiple mugs and a glass pot of coffee that he wasn't allowed to hold.

"Or give it." Melanie held her hand out for one of the cups.

Emmet carefully handed one of the cups to her and poured some of the coffee into it.

"We got you something!" Addilyn spoke grabbing Shays attention away from Emmet, "It's not much but I- we hope you like it"

Melanie snorted softly, "She even got me to paint with her which is shocking."

"You said you liked painting with me!" Addilyn looked over at her.

"I like it when you don't yell at me over using the wrong shade of blue!" Melanie shot back as she leaned against the counter.

"You weren't using the proper dark blue." Addilyn muttered as she walked over to Shay holding a flat piece of canvas, "Also, you used up all of the wrapping paper."