Back to the Beginning || Raura

19.5

because of quarantine, here's a chapter i literally just finished. it's not as long and glorious as id like it to be, but i thought i'd give you something to keep you indoors. STAY INDOORS AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING YOU GUYS! THIS IS SO SO SO VERY IMPORTANT!

Back to the Beginning | 19.5 |
| Laura Marano |

| Friday: December 29th, 2017 |

"Happy birthday." Laura whispers, gently stroking her thumb on Ross' chest. He gives her a sleepy smile.

"You've said that so many times already." His voice is deep and scratchy still from just waking up. Last night they were partying at the beach club the resort has here in Cabo. As soon as the clock struck midnight, everybody in the family (and the Hudson's) broke out into the happy birthday song to Ross. Of course Laura had to be the first to wish him a happy birthday, sadly it was only with a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug, but they definitely celebrated it better around three in the morning when they finally got back to their hotel room. Now, it's nearly eleven o'clock in the morning,

"You're the birthday boy, I'm going to be saying it all day." With a smile, he sits up enough to kiss her. "We're all meeting for lunch downstairs at the buffet in an hour." She tells him.

"That gives us more than enough time-" She cuts him off with a smile.

"To open your birthday present." His smile fades.

"I mean, I guess we could do that before the other thing I had in mind." Her smile widens and she quickly gets out of bed. "Bug, I already know what it is. Can't I open later?" He asks. She rummages through her suitcase until she finds his wrapped present in a small bag so it wouldn't get ruined.

"Maybe I got you something else, too." She didn't, she only got their annual birthday journal they get each other every year.

"Bull shit. I've been looking at your account the last few months." She rolls her eyes.

"Of course you have." She mumbles. She sits down beside him in bed and holds out the gift for him. Without saying the word, Ross grabs it out of his hands and rips the white wrapping paper off. Like always, it was, in fact, their annual journal. The journal Laura picked out this year was a maroon color with a shiny black crown in the top corner of the cover. He smiles and runs his hand over the journal.

"Thank you." He looks at her.

"You're welcome." She whispers. "And because you're a cheater, you know I didn't get you anything else, but please know that it's only because all my income from working at my moms theater-" He cuts me off with an eye roll.

"Is going towards bills, textbooks for school, and groceries." Her smile turns sheepish. "Buggy, I know. Your Christmas presents were great, and you being here with me is even better." He sets his journal down beside him. "Leaving you in a week is going to be so fucking hard." He wraps his arms around her.

"It's always hard, Ross." She says with a small laugh. He gently lowers her down onto the bed.

"Yeah, but I feel like I have you for longer this time around." He tells her. Once her back hits the bed, he hovers above her. "Can we do what I want to do now?" He asks. "That could be another birthday present." She furrows her eyebrows.

"Ross, I do that with you when it's not your birthday. We already did that today. We've done that everyday." He smirks.

"Hell yeah we have." His lips press against hers. "This is my favorite thing to do with you." She pushes on his chest.