Loved You First ! Zarry !

Chapter 20 - Z : Just Us !

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental or only for recreational purposes.

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Oprah Winfrey —

The more you praise and celebrate your life,

the more there is in life to celebrate

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Z

My heart was beating so fast that I wondered if it was humanly possible. I picked up my handmade forest green paper bag, Mum had changed the handles from single purple string ribbon to the braided ones also in purple, this had a better grip, and the bag was heavy with gifts.

I went down the stairs in my galaxy socks, funnily enough, I had forgotten my white sneakers by the door. As I placed my gift bag and sat on the entry way bench, Mum came to help me wear my shoes and tie my shoelaces. She wished me good luck.

"Thank you, Mum, but I am not going to a war!" I replied.

She raised her eyebrow highlighting how important this was for me and then patted my back. My sisters were giggling, piping through the staircase railings from upstairs. I guess this was a novelty in our house and they were getting a kick out of it. It did feel like a big task, attending a friend's belated birthday party or at least that's what my sisters have been calling it and teasing me.

Baba was surprisingly at home and helped me get inside our minivan and put my seat belt on, he put a seat belt on the paper bag beside me as well. Then Mum gave him the lemon cake which went on the passage's seat.

Yes! best to keep all Harry's gifts safe.

It took Baba all of 2 minutes to start the minivan, drive and park it in front of a house quite like ours and as Harry had told me it's color – Off White.

The ride was so short it didn't give me enough time to breathe. It would have been better if we had walked here both for my nerves and the environment.

Our science teacher Mrs. Albright loved discussing global warming, it had made me anxious about the planet, so I had started reducing the time I spent in the shower. Mum thought it was hilarious, but we all must do our two cents.

We were at Harry's doorsteps, and I was a tad bit panicking, hence random thoughts to distract me. At the last minute I thought about the possibility of a surprise party. I would hate that.

Baba rang the bell and we waited for all total 5 seconds before Harry opened the door and hugged me right away.

"You came" he squealed "I am so happy".

His high pitch made me laugh.

"I told you I will" I squeezed him in my arms and rocked us back and forth.

"Happy Birthday Harry!! Hope you had a good party" I wished him.

Baba wished him too.

"Thank you" He nodded smiling and gave me a kiss on the cheek, gentle and sweet, I liked that.

Baba and Harry's Mom greeted each other, spoke for a bit and then he left, giving the cake to her. Harry had ushered me inside and was still holding my hand.

"Who all are here?" I asked slightly worried by the threat of surprise gathering.

"It's just us, you and me" Harry replied enthusiastically, "Mom and Gems will join us for the snacks in the kitchen then we can go to my room and play. Dad couldn't take time off from work, good thing Mom got some time off"

Moms are the best, always there for us.

Harry kept his promise and I liked him more for that.

"Just Us" he assured me, squeezing my hand and I felt thousand times better.

Harry's Mom asked us to come to the kitchen and she put the lemon cake on a stand on the kitchen island. Harry's sister came down the stairs.

"Hi Zain, my name is Gemma" She extended her hand towards me "glad you are here" I let go of Harry and shook her hand.

It was a quick handshake, nothing too friendly, I appreciated that.

"This one here" she pointed to Harry "has been waiting by the door, since he came back from school, obviously for you"

I looked at him. He hid his face and asked her to "stop it".

I chuckled. Harry was being cute.

"Time for cake cutting?" His Mom diverted our attention to his rescue.

We sat on the bar stools around the kitchen island.

"It's so pretty, all yellow and creamy. I love it" Harry admired the cake.

"Mum made it from your mom's recipe, and I helped a bit" I told him.

"Thank you so much Zaini and please thank her from my side, it's so nice of her" He clasped his hands together and beamed, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's very kind of Trisha to make this, I told her its unnecessary, but she insisted. We are very grateful." Harry's Mom replied.

"Thank you, Harry's Mom"

"You can call me Anne"

"Umm... is it ok if I call you Aunty Anne, feels weird to call you by just your name"

"Sure darling, why not" Aunty Anne gently patted my hand.

She lite the candle, made in the shape of number seven.

"Make a wish Harry" Gemma said cheerfully.

He looked at me, blew the candle and closed his eyes, his hands still clasped like in a prayer.

His eyelids were almost pink and shiny, his face calm. As I kept looking at him, I could feel my heart rate going down. Like he could transfer some of his calmness onto me.

A tender smile spread on his face, and I looked at the dimples on his cheeks. He was the prettiest human I had ever seen. When he opened his eyes, I admired his sparkling green eyes and the way they shined.

"Done" He looked at his mom and grinned.

"What did you wish for?" Gemma asked.

He stuck his tongue out and said, "not telling you".

"We will see" She replied with her tongue out as well.

"Here and be careful" Aunty Anne gave him a cake knife.

He made a small cut on the cake, and we sang happy birthday to him. He took out the piece and feed it to me.

"Thank you!"

I took a bite and licked his fingers by mistake.

"Sorry" I exclaimed.

He started laughing and then I started laughing. I took some cream off the cake in my hand and smeared it on his nose. He cleaned his hands on cheeks. We were still laughing.

Gemma looked at us incredulous.

"Crazy boys" She said playfully and went upstairs with her plate containing a slice of cake in hand, "have fun" she added halfway up.

I picked a piece from the slices Aunty had distributed methodically for us and feed it to him.

"Its so yummy" he cried with happiness. I nodded in agreement.

We ate more slices and Harry started playing footsie with me. I gave him a small kick in return. Mum had done a fantastic job, perfect balance of sweet, sour and spongy. This was the best birthday celebration I had ever been a part of, and I so thoroughly loved the simpleness of it all.

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