Alexander (CENTURIES series: Book #1)

17

"SURPRISE!"

Everyone jumped out of their hiding spots and waved banners and flags, and blew their party horns in our faces as we stepped inside Miles's house.

Alex and me stood in the door, Alex laughing silently as everyone came up to him to wish him a happy birthday. People patted him on the back, the girls hugged him, some even gave him a kiss on the cheek (luckily for him, I wasn't the jealous type), while Miles and Jagger – the ones who had been behind his surprise party – waited until everyone had said their happy wishes before they approached the birthday boy.

"Alright, on a scale from 1 to 10 of knowing – 10 being you totally knew – how much did you know we were throwing you a surprise birthday party?" Miles asked.

"69," Alex replied. "You know you can't hide anything from me."

"Damn you and your fucking ninja brain," Miles muttered, turning to Jagger. "I'm blaming you."

"What, why?!" Jagger exclaimed, crossing his arms. "I told you we shouldn't do it, I said he'd see right through it."

"I know, but you didn't talk me out of it, soo..."

"Seriously fuckheads, you both suck at throwing surprise parties," Alex voiced dryly. "Go do what you're good at and go land some chicks."

Miles looked mock-offended while Jagger just scoffed. "Yeah, you're right, we probably should. Now that your head has been whipped properly by our Sophie-girl here, we got 'em all to ourselves."

"Bro please, you're just glad you guys actually have a shot now," Alex smirked, looking down at me. "Them ladies love some rock-hard Stone."

I rolled my eyes. "Deflate your ego there, Theodore. It's crowding the room."

"Don't call me by that name," He instantly said, his voice hardening into a serious tone.

Miles and Jagger noticed the sudden tension and both awkwardly coughed and studied their shoes; everyone who spend more than five minutes with Alexander Theodore Stone knew that they shouldn't ever mention his middle name to him. It pissed him off and with good reason.

"So aah, we're just gonna go get something to drink..." Miles awkwardly coughed, looking everywhere but us. "... go scope the scene, mingle... I'm the host of the party after all and—oh look, D-cups!" He looked after a girl and then he was gone, leaving an awkward Jagger behind, smiling sheepishly.

"Uhh... Maybe I, uh, should go give him a hand... you, uh, you never know with those D's."

"Just disappear already." Alex grunted.

Jagger didn't need to hear that twice and took the exit, making a beeline for the booze.

"I'm so sorry, Alex," I said, looking sincerely up at him. "I wasn't thinking, can you forgive me?"

I saw the mischievous twinkle in his eyes before he made a ridiculous scene of showing that he was thinking hard. "Hmm... maybe you should show me how sorry you are."

I rolled my eyes when I realized he wasn't upset at all. Sly bastard. Nevertheless, I decided to play along. "How so?"

He slowly licked his lips and then gave me a dirty smirk – a smirk that said it all.