ADOPTED BY THE SIDEMEN

• 17th Birthday •

***
Holly's POV
***

I open my eyes and look outside the window.
The sky is still dark and quiet, no signs of the sun inching forward to start the day.

I turn over in bed and reach out for my phone that's charging on my bedside table. I check  the time and sigh when I see it's six am. It's also Wednesday. Wednesday the twenty-fourth of November.

I lie on my back again and stare at the ceiling. Complicated feelings start to pop up as I realize it's my seventeenth birthday.

I sit up in bed and rub the back of my neck. I yawn, stretch and get out of bed, awake now to get ready for the day.

Before walking out of my room, I stop in front of the mirror and look at my face. Nothing looks different. My hair is still brown, my eyes are still the same and my freckles stay as prominent as the day before. I look at my body and see the same shape as yesterday. I'm no taller and no shorter either.

Everything is the same, yet I feel different.

***

Once I'm dressed and washed and my face is made up I make my way downstairs to the kitchen.
I almost jump out of my skin when I see Talia crouched by the oven, checking on something that smells absolutely delicious.
I didn't expect anyone to be up at this hour yet.

"Morning!" Talia grins, scooping me into a big hug when she sees me. "Happy birthday, sweetheart"

"Thanks, T," I smile, hugging her back.

"I made you your favourite cinnamon muffins"

"Were you sent from heaven?" I ask, sighing happily. "Thanks"

"Sit down, sit down," Talia says, pushing me into a chair. "I'll get you a muffin. JJ's coming down in a second. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please"

Talia nods and switches the kettle on, getting the teabags ready.
I bite into my muffin and close my eyes. I love Talia's cinnamon muffins. They are truly magical.

"Sucks that you have college today," Talia sighs. "I hate Wednesdays"

"I only have three classes today, so I'm not too annoyed"

The kitchen door opens and JJ walks through with Simon. They smile when they see me and start singing.

"Don't," I laugh, accepting a hug from Simon.

"Aww, but singing is fun!" JJ chuckles, hugging me too. "Happy birthday, angel"

"Thanks, dad"

JJ releases me and I continue to eat my muffin. Simon and JJ help themselves to the tray and come back to the table with their own muffins.

"So, are you feeling seventeen yet?" Simon asks, sitting down next to me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I chuckle. "I looked in the mirror earlier and I still look the same"

Talia takes my face in her hand and looks at me, studying me well. I smile in confusion and Talia shakes her head.

"No changes. Only more beauty. Watch out for the boys"

"Don't even joke like that," JJ scoffs, sipping his coffee. "No boys until she's thirty-two"

I roll my eyes at JJ's ongoing joke. I fear the day someone asks me to marry them as they'll have to meet JJ.

***

"Have a good day at school, yeah?" JJ says, giving me a hug. "The guys and I will pick you up after school and we'll go do something"