Chapter 331 Courage
So, back in the day, the only time I ever acted out was when I hit up a bar, and yeah, I got my butt handed to me for it. Since then, I've been the poster child for good behavior. Sometimes, I felt like they'd wrapped me in bubble wrap so tight, I was practically useless.
Lately, though, I've been stepping up my game to defend my love. I even stood up to Jenny, which, trust me, was a big freakin' deal.
Whenever Jenny was around, it was like my fight mode leveled up. Shoutout to Jenny for giving me the chance to grow. I would keep grinding until I totally owned her.
The party was kicking off at 11:30 sharp, first stop: Crystal House.
At 10:45, Brad and I headed downstairs, ready to roll. It was Brad's birthday, so while we didn't have to sweat the prep, we still had to pitch in on the big day.
In the car, I noticed Brad's ride was looking pretty bare, and it hit me—I hadn't given him his birthday present yet. I dashed back inside, grabbed the gift I'd been hiding forever, and brought it to the car.
Brad saw me grinning like a Cheshire cat and asked what I was up to.
I told him to guess. Brad did this whole dramatic thinking pose, eyes darting to the pink box I was holding. After a couple of minutes, he threw his hands up and said, "I give up, babe. Spill it."
Come on, with Brad's smarts, he totally knew it was his birthday gift. But he played along 'cause he knew girls love that kinda stuff.
So yeah, someone who really loves you doesn't need to shout it from the rooftops every day. They just get you, back you up, and spoil you rotten.
I thought I was so lucky to have Brad in my life!
When I pulled out the handmade ornaments and started explaining each one, I saw his eyes light up with surprise and happiness.
"Brad, I made these myself, and every thread has my blessings for you," I said, my voice a bit shaky. "They're not fancy or anything." My excitement turned into doubt, and I started feeling like my gift was kinda lame.
I thought, 'This is my boyfriend, the guy I'm gonna spend my life with. Is this gift too cheesy?'
I said, "I noticed your car keys and car were kinda plain, so I thought of this. I want all your stuff to have a piece of me."
I was too nervous to look up, scared Brad might think it was cheap or something.
Time ticked by, and Brad didn't say anything. Just as I was about to feel really bummed out and almost apologize, Brad spoke up in this deep voice, "Shouldn't a good girlfriend put the birthday gift on her boyfriend herself?"
I thought, 'Wait, so Brad doesn't hate my gift?'
Brad chuckled, his warm hand ruffling my hair. He leaned in, kissed my head, and said, "Babe, you're the best gift life has given me. Being with you makes everything money can buy seem unimportant. But your handmade gift? It's awesome. Did your fingers hurt making it?"
"Brad, do you really like it? You're not just saying that?" I asked, still kinda worried.
Brad grinned, "I really love it. I can totally picture you all focused while making them. Thanks, babe. I love you."
My ears got all warm. Brad, always making sure I knew how he felt, took every chance to say he loved me. It was a bit embarrassing, but honestly, I loved hearing it.
"Happy birthday, Brad. I love you too," I mumbled the last part, feeling shy.
Brad teased, "What was that, babe? Say it again; I didn't catch it."
He was doing it on purpose. But it was his birthday, and he looked so hopeful, so I decided to be brave.
"I said, I love you too. Did you hear that?" I shouted, tugging on his ear.
Brad was over the moon. He cupped my cheeks and kissed me deeply.
When the kiss ended, his lips were smeared with my lipstick, giving him this wild, sexy look.
As Brad started the car, I had to fix my lipstick in the mirror.
It was just a few minutes' drive from my place to the school. During that time, Brad kept sneaking glances at me, his eyes full of passion.
I thought, 'Having an older boyfriend is awesome; he's so considerate and caring!'
When we got there, the usually quiet and spacious Crystal House was buzzing like a beehive.
As we walked up to the entrance, a guy and a girl in charge of greeting guests lit up like they'd just found a hidden treasure. They rushed over, circled us, and then went inside first. They stood on either side, extending their hands, and loudly announced with big smiles, "Welcome our birthday star, Brad, to the stage."
Inside, more than thirty young people screamed excitedly, welcoming Brad like he was a rock star.
Before coming, Brad and I had joked that it might be lively, but we hadn't expected it to be this over-the-top.
The ceiling, which looked about twenty feet high, was covered with lights that looked like falling stars, with all sorts of colors raining down like a meteor shower.
I wondered how they managed to pull that off.
To match the falling stars, part of the tall windows was covered, lining up perfectly with the height of the stars. This way, the sunlight wasn't blocked, and the stars weren't wasted.
The room was filled with balloons of every color; one wall had a sign that read: [Congrats Mr. Pitt on your 30th Birthday,] with a comic strip showing a baby growing into an adult.
The artwork and creativity were on point.
Wait, wasn't he 29? How did he age a year? Was it too late to change it? Eh, 29 and 30 aren't that different. No biggie, as long as we were having fun.
The long table that used to hold paint was now twice as long, turned into a buffet area, loaded with flower-shaped trays of fruits, seeds, candies, dried fruits, and all sorts of snacks.
The easels were put away, replaced by rows of long benches arranged in a square.
Overall, it looked like a company annual meeting. I just wondered if there'd be traditional games like Hot Potato.
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