loving you is a losing game - avery x jameson

chapter 6 - birthdays

I WOKE UP with a start. It was 6 in the morning, and yet I could still feel Max's excitement from half a mansion away. I could picture her lying in bed, thinking of all the things that she could do today.

(for the sake of the story, her birthday is no longer shared with Emily Laughlin.)

I got dressed and ran into her room. I creaked the door open a peek and saw her standing in her pyjamas, trying to figure out what to wear. I opened the door and ran over to her, tackling her to the bed. 

"Happy Birthday!" I whisper-shouted in her ear. 

"Thank you beach!!" she whisper-shouted back. 

"Now, I need your help." She held up two outfits. "Which one should I wear?" 

I studied the two looks, both from Max's closet. "I have a better idea." I said. 

I beckoned for her to follow me, and we crept through to my room. I turned on the lights, and threw open the door to my huge walk-in wardrobe, which used to be for Tobias, and his wife Alice. Now, it was filled with Country Day uniforms and the most elegant dresses that you'd ever seen. Max squealed beside me. 

"It's your pick, birthday girl."

After about an hour of looking through dresses, Max settled on an elegant dusty pink dress, with sheer sleeves and little fabric butterflies stuck onto it. She looked like royalty. I grabbed some of my makeup and dabbed a bit on her, copying what my makeup team taught me to do for a natural look for school. 

Max looked at herself in the mirror and had one thing to say. "Wow."

The two of us rushed downstairs, starving for breakfast, but were met with a pleasant surprise.

 "Surprise!" The four Hawthorne brothers had decorated the dining hall in streamers, balloons and banners that read "Happy 19th Birthday Max!" 

Max squealed with delight. "Thank you guys so much!" She looked around and noticed the presents on the table. 

"Wait, let me get mine!!" I yelled back, running up the stairs. I grabbed it off of my desk and ran back, making sure not to slip on the marble tiles in socks.

Max proceeded to open the gifts, one by one, leaving mine until last. 

Grayson had gotten her a new swimming cap and expensive goggles, for their shared interest in swimming. 

Jamie got her a micro microscope, which could fit in her pocket for schoolwork. 

Nash got her a glass periodic table with a little bit of each element in it, which was perfect for Max. 

She said thank you to each and everyone one of them, and then got to mine. She looked at me and started peeling back the paper to find... a card and a tiny box. 

She looked at me suspiciously, so I said "Open the box first." She pulled off the lid and gasped. 

"What is it?" Nash asked. 

"A kangaroo necklace." I smiled at her. "The country wasn't up for sale, so I got you the next best thing." 

The boys looked at us strangely, but that was okay. Max smiled, tears brimming in her eyes. 

"Open the card!" Jamie said. 

"Okay, okay, fine!" Max replied. She ripped open the envelope and opened the card. She started crying.

"Thank you Avery!!!" she sniffled. "I can't believe it, four first class tickets to Australia." 

I gave her a big hug. "Told you I got the next best thing." She wiped her eyes. 

"Thank you." She whispered. 

Xander came around and gave her a hug. "Open mine." he said. I watched Max open Xander's present. She ripped it open and pulled out- a notepad. A plain, boring, old notepad. 

"Ta da!" Xander said, playing up the awesomeness of his gift. "It's for all those amazing ideas in your head." he clarified. 

She looked at him, her eyes glistening, but pulled herself together. "Thank you," she said, "that's really... thoughtful of you."

 Xander beamed. "I know." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. 

"Thank you all, so much. I'm just going to- umm- head upstairs." she sniffled, and ran out.

The three Hawthorne brother rolled up their sleeves and looked at Xander.

"What?" he said innocently. 

Nash stared him down. "Alexander Blackwood Hawthorne, tell me why and tell me now why on earth you thought a notepad would be the best present to get your girlfriend." 

Grayson stared at him with eyes of steel. Jameson cracked his knuckles. c

Xander stumbled "I- well I- ummm-" He looked at me. I nodded. "It's actually just a joke. I made something myself. It's waiting upstairs." He said, not looking his brothers in the eye. 

"Well?" Jameson asked. 

"Well what?" Xander replied. 

"Well, go on! Give it to her!" Nash finished. Xander and I ran upstairs.