Limonene |H. S.|

9. nineteen

My eyes are still riddled with bacterial infection, so this chapter will probably be riddled with mistakes. Sorry for that!
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As any paranoid person would, I stayed up until after midnight to see who my true friends were, only for my mania to be interrupted when Lennon shot through the door of my room at 12:04 am, wearing the same pajamas I was wearing, and a big, baby blue gift bag in her hand. I had barely enough muscle strength to open my eyes completely, but I managed to smile and return her hug. Luckily, my birthday fell on a Saturday, so I didn't need to dread the sound of an alarm clock, or the uncomfortable felicitations I would recieve from people at school.

"What are you doing here?" I let out a breathy laugh and turn on the lamp on my bedside table, sitting up and crossing my legs.

"It's my best friends birthday, of course I'd be here." Lennon shrugs as if it was too obvious. "And I come bearing gifts. Here, open this one first."

From the big, blue bag, she pulls out a small box, with ribbon tape dancing as I take it in my hand. Inside is a single cotton candy air freshener, the little cardboard tree painted in swirls of pink, blue and yellow.

"Picking up your car today, huh?" I nod with a smile, senses dulling with the sweet aroma of cotton candy. The gift meant to much to me, and I didn't even know how she knew I'd be getting a car today, because I surely hadn't told her.

"After breakfast, which you're obviously welcome to come to."

My birthday itinerary had been planned for weeks, now, and I'd polished it again when my dad made me go out with Harry, which to me, was a guarantee that I'd finally get a car. It's not like we were never able to afford it, he just didn't want me to be driving around on my own whilst underage. After going to the agency, Lennon and I would be heading to get our nails done, and my hair was in desperate need of a trim. Then, as idealized since forever, we'd be getting ready for my birthday party, that would be held in Lennon's house.

With a last complaint from my friend about how I was barely giving her any blankets, we both drift off to sleep.

-

"I can't get over how good a new car smells." Lennon happily squeals as we wait at a red light, my hands on the steering wheel of my brand new, silver metallic, Audi A5 Cabriolet, convertible, with black leather interiors and a 261 horsepower performance, whatever that means.

It was beautiful, it was quite possibly the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. And like someone waiting at the altar for the love of their lives to finally walk down the aisle, small tears brimmed at the corners of my eyes when I saw it. I told Lennon this was love, the purest and most sincere form of it I'd ever felt. The leather of the steering wheel, the seatbelt across my chest, the buttons and the screen, the feel of my foot on the gas pedal, it was all together almost as good as sex.

"You're so grown up, oh god." She sniffles, finger scrolling through spotify, indecisive as to what song she should put next. The light turns green just as she chooses a very upbeat, cheerful song.

I get off the boulevard and take some turns before I'm on Lennon's street, slowly making my way in her drivethrough and parking my car right behind hers. There's a smile still plastered on my face as I reach to the backseat, pushing the giant red ribbon away and grabbing the overnight bag I'd brought with me.

"I still can't believe you drove your parents away for the party." I say in amusement at the odd silence of the house, taking my jacket off once we're inside.

"I didn't do anything but enjoy the casualtie of their retreat being on the same weekend as your birthday. They left something for you in the dining room, by the way." Her head points to the side before walking off to the stairs.