The Little Life

Chapter Fifty One

I got a plain hamburger with Mac sauce in my happy meal and Ashton let me get extra fries instead of apple slices. Jack never allowed that so I was relishing in my extra salty treat on the way home. The toys were for Disney's anniversary so I got the mad hatter on a podium with fireworks behind him.

Boring.

I had texted both Jack and Tasha while we were out but neither had replied. I was starting to get anxious not knowing what was happening. Ashton attempted to calm me down as we pulled into the driveway but it was no use. Especially since there was an unrecognizable car in our driveway.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and picked up my trash before opening the car door and stepping out. Closing the door behind me, I began to slowly trudge to the front steps of the house with Ashton wrapped around my arm. I pulled out my key to unlock the front door when it suddenly burst open.

I looked at the person, shocked at who I saw before me.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" I squealed with tears in my eyes.

"Your friend Tasha here planned the whole thing. She's been talking to us for a while to plan us coming to celebrate you getting engaged." He said as he pulled me in for a hug.

Suddenly my mom appeared behind him. "We are so excited for you baby!" She hugged me and squeezed the tops of my biceps.

"Is that why you've been so weird?" I looked between Jack and Tasha, who were standing behind my parents.

"Wellll that's why I have been weird. But you guys were literally supposed to go do stuff today so I could set up in secret but Jack here couldn't put work down for five fucking seconds" Tasha rolled her eyes. My eyes widened at her language.

"Hi I'm Ashton" Ashton laughed as he shook my dads hand and gave my mom a hug.

"We have heard so much about you. All of you! We can't wait to get to know everyone" my mom said as she walked towards the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I asked my mom as she opened the fridge.

"Oh, I ordered you lavender cupcakes from that bakery at home you love" she said as she pulled out a white box.

I squealed in excitement and hurriedly grabbed the box from her hands. "Thank you!"

As I opened the box, the scent of lavender wafted through the house. It was my favorite scent in the entire world, other than Jack. For the past few years, I had gotten lavender cake or cupcakes for my birthday. Lately, we've all been so busy I've gone the last two without them. I couldn't wait to eat these.

As I went to take a bite of one, Jack cleared his throat.

"Awww what?" I whined.

"What did you eat for lunch? Maybe we should let that settle before you eat a bunch of sweets, hmm?" He said as he walked over and kissed me on the forehead.

I shot Ashton a pouting glance and he giggled and threw his hands up. I knew he told Jack I got extra fries instead of apple slices.

"I've got some stuff planned for everyone so why don't we get started!" Tasha beamed as she reentered the kitchen to join everyone.

Before we began she stepped away to take a phone call. A few minutes later she rejoined the group and spoke. "So I have another surprise. And it's here now" she said as she walked to the door, opening it to find Jacks parents. "Surprise!"

"You guys drove all the way here? Wh-" Jack started but was cut off by his mother squeezing him then flicked his head. "OW what was that for?"

"That was for not telling us yourself you were proposing" his mother giggled as she pulled me in for a hug as well.

"So good to see you, Mary" I said as I leaned my head against her shoulder.

"You're looking much better than the last time I saw you" she looked at me with kind eyes as she spoke. The last time she saw me was when she took care of me while Tasha was...gone.

"I feel a lot better too! Thanks to this girl" I ran to Tasha and squeezed her, reminiscing on the time when I wasn't able to do that.

"So, let's get this party started shall we?" Jack said as he smiled at his mother.

The rest of the night we all talked and drank and ate great food Tasha had gotten catered by small local company. She had even created drinks that represent us; mine a cotton candy martini, and Jacks a new old fashioned. Throughout the night some more friends of Jack showed up along with people from the club.
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The next morning I awoke with a headache. I rolled over and checked my phone, noticing the time was 7am. Our parents left around 11pm and left us to enjoy ourselves with our friends. We thought it was a great idea to have drinking contests, and Tasha won all of them.

I groaned as I crawled out of bed to go to the bathroom. As I stepped out of bed I tripped on something. Looking down I noticed a body, and after turning it over I realized it was Tristan. I giggled to myself as I walked into the bathroom, quietly shutting the door. After I was finished and my hands were washed, I quietly exited the bedroom to see the mess that was made last night.

Walking through the house I saw a couple more stragglers that camped out for the night, mostly friends of jacks or people from the club. One thing I noticed, however, was that Tasha was nowhere to be found and the house was...clean?

I trudged into the kitchen, noticing the dishes had been done and all of the trash was bagged and sitting by the front door. I looked around, mouth agape, staring at the cleanliness. Even after having around 25 people in our house partying, someone had cleaned up. Suddenly I heard a door shut and footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Oh, mornin!" Tasha said with a wide grin. "You look like you're gonna suck off a ghost with your mouth like that. What up?" She said as she opened the fridge and pulled out a container of orange juice.

"You're awake? You're...fine?" I asked, shocked by how normal she seemed. She drank more than the rest of us combined.

"Uhhh, ya. Do you not know me? Also don't be mad, but there's someone in your room with me" she smirked as she poured two glasses of orange liquid before placing the juice back into the refrigerator.

"Wait. What? Hold on. I'm confused. How are you alive, one. Second, why would I be mad? Unless it's Jessie. Is it Jessie?" I asked, taking a sip of juice.

"Oh gods, no," she laughed," her name is Vanessa. She's one of the new bartenders at Fallout. We've been...hanging out"

"Oh, so you're fucking then?" I giggled.

"Shut the fuck up. No, for your information we're kind of seeing each other" she said quietly as she looked to the ceiling.

"TIC TAC YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?" I said way too loud.

"Shhhh everyone is still dead, remember? Keep your voice down. And we don't have a label. We're just chillin."

"Fine. I'm happy for you. Did you do this?" I gestured to the kitchen and living room.

"I did. Couldn't sleep" she shrugged as she walked towards the living room.

We pushed a body off the couch and turned on the tv to watch something while we waited for everyone else to come back from the dead.