Lover 000

24 Underland

"Ow! What was that?!" I hiss at the sizzling pain in my knee.

"Uh, nothing. You're fine." Alex says, still holding my hand.

"How the hell am I fine if I can't see shit in front of me?" I curse, blindly following the way Alex is leading me in. To be blindfolded is something I was never a fan of. The feeling of not knowing where I'm going is awful and quite terrifying.

"Alex, I'll trip." I say in panic.

"I know."

"Can't you just carry me?"

"No."

I huff, squeezing her hand more tightly. The sound of music is undeniable and I have a bad feeling we're in front of a club. Apparently, Alex parked further away so I wouldn't know where we are, but come on, loud music, people talking? It's obviously a club.

"Are we in front of a club?" I ask, staggering behind my best friend.

"No."

I suddenly bump into her back. I hear her say some words before a more masculine voice replies. It's a small conversation I don't pay any mind to, mainly because I'm focused on the strong yet pleasing scent of chocolate. Then Alex grabs my hand once again and gently pulls me with her.

"You gotta step over." She instructs.

"What, now?" I ask confused.

"Yeah."

I nod and carefully lift my leg. I feel the higher level and step with my other leg as well.

"Okay. Follow me now." She says. I stick to holding her forearm while we walk. Soon, the music I previously heard becomes much louder.

Such as the one in a club.

"We're in a club, right?" I ask, now fully sure of my assumption.

"No."

"Are you ki -"

"Pass here." She interrupts me and takes both of my hands, guiding me through what seems like a much more narrower space.

"And now, stay still." She tells me. I do as she says and press my lips together in anticipation.

I hear an obvious sound of some very heavy door opening before Alex rips off the blindfold off my face and I squint at the light.

"Surprise!" I hear a bunch of voices yell all at once and I force myself to take a better look in front of me. The lights might blind me, but that won't stop a humongous smile from erupting on my face when I notice some of the most incredible people I've ever met stand right in front of me.

I place a hand over my mouth and stare, the moment being far too unbelievable.

"Happy birthday, sugar." Carter steps forward, a round, nicely decorated cake placed in his hands.

"Carter." I manage before a small tear falls down my cheek. Carter notices and places the cake on a table before coming to hug me.

I sniff quietly, but it becomes more intense when I feel more people join the hug. And I know exactly who they are.

The reason why I'm crying isn't just this amazing surprise which was organized, but also because the last time I saw the boys, it didn't end so well. With me keeping things from them, messing up their flights, their lives being threatened by a psychopath and their group dynamics becoming hectic, I thought they'd never talk to me again. And now they're all here, surrounding me in a hug on my birthday.

As we part, I look at all of them and smile softly, still wiping my tears from my cheeks.

"I thought you'd hate me." I admit.