Set of Four || Christopher Sturniolo (complete)

20

I walk down the street, staying on the phone with Alahna just in case something happens.

"I got their presents a while ago. I'm so excited. In all honesty, waiting until their birthday to buy the decorations probably wasn't the best idea. I'm gonna get some poster boards and make signs too I think. Cause I have like 8 or 9 hours until the boys wake up." I explain.

"Make sure you film their reactions! I wanna see what they do." Alahna says.

"Definitely." I smile.

I walk into the store and look for one of the things at the top of the aisles that says party supplies, decorations, birthdays, posters, arts and crafts, anything like that.

"There's nothing." I say. "Oh look! I found poster boards."

I flip the camera. "Which colors should I get?" I ask.

"You should get bright pink posters." Alahna laughs. "Or you could get their favorite colors each."

"I was thinking about that but Chris's present is already baby blue." I say. "And Nick's is brown."

"Well still. If you wanted you could get Matt's poster in the color of the gift you got him and they could be matching." She says.

"Yeah! Okay I'll do that. Matt's present is mainly white but it has a lot of colors on it. I'll just get a white poster and put a lot of colors on it." I say.

She nods.

"Now I just need pain markers. I just need a silver one, and colorful ones for Matt's." I say.

"Oh I saw something sparkly." Alahna exclaims.

I go back into the aisle I just passed. "Jackpot."

I find a pack of silver markers and a pack of rainbow ones as well.

I buy the posters and paint markers and head back to the condo.

After making signs for all three of them, I start writing birthday letters for them.

I start with Matt.

Dear Matt,

      You've been like a brother to me since I met you. I can't believe you guys are 18 years old. The first day I met you. I cried a lot that day. You and Chris were just playing with chalk in the driveway, you didn't know it was scary to look exactly like another human being. I was standing there in awe watching, meanwhile, when Nick came out the front door I finally went ballistic. But thankfully I'm not scared anymore. I wasn't planning on that day going the way it did. To tell you the truth, I wasn't leaving my house to get mail. I was leaving the house for good. I was going to run away. I didn't know where, I was just tired of my dad and my brother. But I decided to stay when I saw you and Chris in the driveway. And 4 year old me made the best decision of my life that day. Ever since then you've been one of my closest friends. Remember in 4th grade when you punched Tommy in the face on the playground because he told me that football wasn't for girls? The bloody massacre of that day, what a tragedy. You've seen me at my highest and you've seen me at my lowest. I've cried to you, I laughed with you. I know I can come to you about absolutely anything and I grow more and more thankful for how much happiness and peace you bring me every day. You listen to me about anything and everything. Even if you don't understand it or know how to fix it, you're still there to help me through it every step of the way. You taught me how to drive. You didn't give up on me when I ran the van into a tree. You're the reason I passed Biology sophomore year. That was the longest night of studying I've ever been through, and without you I wouldn't have done it... and I'd probably still be in high school. I love you so much big brother. Enjoy your big boy years Matty B.

-Jordan

Dear Nick,

     You are such a baddie. That's it. That's all I have to say. You're a king. Love Jordan.

I draw an arrow in the bottom with the real note on the back.

Seriously dear nick,

     You're the person that made me feel like home. Matt and Chris are nice and all but you're the person I go to when I want to talk on a serious note. You helped me with Sean, and James, and Dylan, and Peyton. And now I sound like a whore. But anyways, back to my main point. I love how you'd always be ready to do anything I wanted to do. If I woke you up at 4 AM when we were in high school just because I was bored, even if you had a huge test or something the next day, you would still talk to me no matter what. You helped me with my insomnia. You taught me to be vulnerable and be myself around people. And if they don't like me for who I am, screw them. But in all honesty, I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you bestie. You better pull all kinds of bitches with me when we can go clubbing.

-Jordan

Chris's note it going to be a little more difficult.

Dear Chris,

You've been super overprotective of me ever since we were young. So was Matt, but he never tried to chase down an ex boyfriend or anything. Even though I've never really opened up to you, I want you to know I still love you as much as Nick and Matt. Just because fans pick favorites doesn't mean I have to. You've all contributed to my life in different ways. You were always the overprotective one. I've come so far with you. Your first impression of me was pretty bad, you tried to convince me otherwise but I'm not that stupid :), and look how far you've come. I'm forever grateful for every punch, chase and throw you've done for me. I love you.

-Jordan

Matt's note was probably the easiest to write, he's the one I had to most to say to.

"Okay guys," I whisper. "I made them their posters." I hold up the posters I made.

"And here's the letters." I don't show what they said, they're private, but I hold up the envelopes all pretty and decorated. "It's starting to get light out. But I still probably have like 3 hours."

I turn off the camera and curl up onto the couch, now that I'm done I can sleep for a little bit.