It All Started with a Beanie

(24)

The week before winter break is always the worst. For one, it's exam week and that's self explanatory. The second reason being it's my birthday week. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind my birthday, but I just don't like having all that attention on me. I just like spending it with my loved ones and that's it, no gifts or cake required; it's just like every other day of the year, no reason to make a big deal about it.

That's at least how I perceive my birthday. Ollie, however, does not think the same way I do.

"Your birthday is Friday and you're just now telling us?!" He says this a little too loud for my liking, causing some of the other tables to look our way. I give them sympathetic looks that just cause them to roll their eyes.

"Yes, Ollie. My birthday is Friday. But it's not a big deal." I shrug and take another chip out of the bag Parsons has. He tries to swat my hand away but fails, giving up and just letting me eat his chips. I give him a victorious smirk and he just chuckles and shakes his head.

"Not a big deal? I big to differ. It's my best friend's birthday. Of course it's a big deal!" He throws his hands all over the place, almost hitting Cam a couple times and somehow, almost hitting me too. 

The round table we sit seats eight. Cam and Ollie sit next to each, Liv sits to the right of Cam, one seat separating them. I sit to the left of Ollie, one seat separating us, with Parsons on my left, one seat between him and Liv. 

"I've just never made a big deal out of my birthday. It's like every other day of the year." Ollie furrows his eyebrows, getting a little frustrated by my words. 

"We have to do something, E. It's your birthday. We need to celebrate." He pouts and looks at me with those eyes I can't say no to.

I look to Cam, who's smirking. "I'm not going to win this, am I?" I ask him. He shakes his head, chuckling.

I sigh in defeat. "Fine. We can have a small celebration." Ollie's face lights up like a Christmas tree and I can't help but smile at his state of happiness. 

"So what do you want for your birthday?" Parsons asks me. I look at him, being immediately met with a world of green.

"Nothing. I don't like getting gifts." I hear Ollie gasp.

Here we go again.

"Erin, I'm beginning to think something is wrong with you. Do you have a fever?" He places his hand against my forehead and I let out a laugh. "You will be getting gifts on your birthday, I promise you that." He points a finger at me and I raise my hands in surrender, knowing I could do nothing to change his mind.

He smiles in victory and begins to write down some things on a piece of paper.

He pokes my thigh, gaining my attention. "Seriously, Beanie. What do you want?" 

"Like I said, nothing. Your friendship is enough; I couldn't possibly ask for more." I offer a small smile but that doesn't seem to satisfy him.

"You might not ask for more, but you deserve more." He says this in a more gentle tone, lowering his pitch so only I can hear. I can tell there's an underlying meaning to his words but he doesn't elaborate.

"Give me an unlimited supply of muffins and I'll love you forever." I joke, causing me and him to both laugh.

As he opens his mouth to say something, the bell rings. I internally groan, wanting to know what he was going to say but I leave it alone.

For  the rest of the week, my birthday was not brought up. We were all focused on exams so something as unimportant as my birthday wasn't on the topics list. For a little bit, I even forgot it was my birthday week.