Always with You | BOOK #2 OF ITS YOU TRILOGY

20. birthdays

I'm thankful you exist because you saved me. Saved me from this tragedy called home.
**

Cameron's POV

Every year on my birthday when I was little, I would ask for a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream, dark chocolate on top, and a shitload of whipped cream for me to dump my face in.

The last birthday I had when the group was still together was a couple weeks before the guys left. It was the morning of, and I could hear loud shuffling outside of my door.

The door opened and in came Ty with my strawberry cake in hand, Kaydon with a trumpet playing a song, Blake with a huge gift in his arms and the bowl of whipped cream, and the girls had a banner saying, Happy Birthday!

Harry wasn't there for that birthday. I'm glad he wasn't. He was always absent from my birthday. Only the girl's, which we didn't care about. He would probably say shit to us anyway.

After that year, only the girls, my mom, Melly, and I celebrated my birthday. I didn't get my strawberry cake, I didn't get my whipped cream, and the birthdays never felt right. Melly would make our favorite onion rings for us to feel better, but if Ty or any of the guys were there, I would've been overjoyed.

My own brother wasn't home, so my birthday night was spent with my own mom. She spent the time getting high on our back patio with our neighbor because she saw a photo of Harry with the guys. In summary, my birthday's for the past two years I've been hiding out at Parker's house and Si's.

Back to today, I'm currently just thanking a couple people on social media for wishing me a happy birthday on my bed. It kind of feels special when you get posted for your birthday, you know? Then suddenly, my door gets busted open and I nearly shit myself from the surprise at this early in the morning.

In comes Kaydon with his out of tune trumpet, the girls with a banner saying Happy Birthday, Blake with a huge box full of bags and a bowl of whipped cream, and then there's Ty at the back with that same strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream. A smile breaks out onto my face as they all sing terribly loudly.

"Happy birthday, CamCam!" Blake sets the box down and goes over to me, hugging me tight.

Kaydon sets down his trumpet and runs over to me ruffling my hair. "Happy day of birth Cam!" I laugh and he hugs me as well.

Kaydon and Blake work together to get the box of gifts back downstairs and I can hear their struggling with all the grunts. Then, the girls jumped on my bed and started attacking me with hugs.

"Happy 18 bitch!" Parker shouts and I hug them back tight.

"Happy happy birthday, Cam!" Sierra says and they both get off, giving Ty a pat on the shoulder as they go out and help Kaydon and Blake.

I smile and turn to Ty who is setting the cake down ever so gently. I stand up and go to him and his arms immediately pick me up and spin me around. I laugh and I can see his smile radiating, his eyes having so much joy, and the true love in his face. He sets me down and I hug him around the neck. The smell of cologne and cake makes its way to my nose.

"You smell like cake," I whisper into his ear and he chuckles softly.

"Happy birthday, C." he says to me, eyes directly looking at me. His voice is soft and pure and I can feel his hands on my waist, squeezing it gently.