My Best Friend's Brother

13: The Party

Marie

It's been about a month and a half since I've moved to London and I've officially fallen in love with the people and the city itself. I've made quite a few friends at work and have gotten pretty close to Karter's friends and the girls, as Liam says "Your part of the gang M!".

So today is Grace’s birthday and we've all been pretending like we've forgot, even Alex. So, you can imagine how pissed she would be. We're actually throwing her a surprise party at my place. I had called Grace and asked her to come over and hang with me, when I didn't wish her she sounded very pissed off but agreed to come.

Soph and El helped me preparing food, while I made a chocolate fudge cake my own secret recipe which I recall Grace loving a lot and always begging me to make it for her in college.

Liam, Devin, Karter, Carl and Alex had spent all day decorating. My apartment was officially filled with balloons. We've also made a collage for Grace from Age 1 till Age 23, hanging on the wall, obviously her mum helped us by sending pictures. Since Grace doesn't have much family in London it's just us.

Around 7:12, I hear someone knocking on the door. "M, it's me!" Grace says soon after.

"Okay guys get into position!" Alex whisper yells.

I open the door to see an obviously angry Grace.

"Come on in G!" I say and move aside. As soon as we pass the kitchen, everybody jumps out "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grace!" And with that the amazing decor also comes into Grace’s view.

Grace puts her hands on her chest, "Aww you guys. And here I was mad you guys forgot!"

Alex walks over to Grace and kisses her, "How could we? This was all part of M’s plan!"

Grace then hugs me, "Aw M! I love you so much!"

"I love all of you so much! Thank you, guys!" With that Grace goes and hugs everyone.

Once we were done with dinner, I bring out the cake. Grace looks at me and the chocolate cake in my hand and starts jumping up and down,"M is that your special fudge cake?" She asks.

"I remembered you loved it!" Once I place it on the table, she hugs me, super tightly.

After we were done with the cake, everyone was sitting in the living room while Karter and I were doing the dishes in the kitchen.

"You're a really great friend to G, doing all of this!" Karter praises.

"I know she'd do the same for me!" I say with a smile. 

"Did I tell you the food was delicious?"

"Yes, you did." I say with an amused look.

"Did I tell you that you look gorgeous tonight?" he asks stepping closer to me. 

I slightly blush at his comment, "Guess charming Karter is back huh?"

"Oh, I never left baby" he says with a smirk. 

I was about to speak up when we heard El yell, "M! Kar! Get your asses here, present time!"

Luckily, we were done with the dishes so we head to the living room. I took a seat next to Grace and Karter took a seat beside me.

The last present Grace opened was Karter's, he'd gotten her a Gucci bag and a pair of stilettos, with my help obviously. We had gone gift shopping together. Grace opens it and gasps, she gets up and hugs Karter, "Aww M, I love it so much! Thank you. But considering the fact that last year you got me a few candles and coffee mugs, this is surprising. Has your taste improved that much?" Everyone laughs at her comment.

"Nope. M helped me out, I was going to get you bed sheets and suitcases'" Karter states. Which is true he was, Thank Goodness I was there. 

"Thank You M then. You two are like always together now!" Grace remarks while smirking and I can see the rest of them wiggling their eyebrows at us.

"Yeah yeah!" I say trying to change the topic.

"This has been the best birthday ever, but there's one thing that can make it even better!" Grace says.

"What's that?" Devin asks.

Grace turns to me, "Marie, remember on my previous birthdays and all the times I was upset you would sing for me; you know your voice soothes me, I love hearing you sing. Marie please?" She begs with puppy dog eyes.

"G. No, I can't" I state.

"Come one M, we're family! No need to be shy around us!" Liam adds.

"Yeah, come one M!" Karter encourages.

"Marie. Marie. Marie." all of them start rooting.

What's the worst that could happen? I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I should do it. They're my friends. They won't judge me! I hope. 

"Okay fine!" I sigh.

Karter immediately runs and gets my guitar. We all laugh at his eagerness. "What? I've been begging her to sing for me for two months now but she won't budge. Don't blame me for being excited" Karter defends.

Devin sets a seat for me in front of the couch so I'm facing all of them.

I sit down with the guitar in my hand. "Play the most recent one you wrote!" Grace says and I nod.

"I wrote this about a month back, it's called Rule the World"

I take a deep breath and start, my fingers start playing the tune on the guitar and then I start singing, 

I told, I told, I told myself again

I'm never running back on what I said

As I finish the song, they all start clapping. I smile at them and get up, placing my guitar down.

Grace comes and hugs me first, "Thank you M! That was a beautiful song, for someone who doesn't Daviderve it" She wipes a tear that was threatening to spill. 

"I thought my singing makes you happy, why are you crying G?" I ask worriedly. 

"It was just beautiful M" she smiles at me which I return. 

Soon I'm embraced in a group hug, "We're here for you M" Alex says. 

"Guys I'm fine! I'm over it" I smile at them once we pull away. For the first time in months, I'm not lying, I'm actually done with Sam for good. 

"I KNEW IT. I f*****g KNEW IT. Marie; you have the voice of an Angel. I have to sign you to the label. With a voice like that you'd be making millions! I'm not pressuring you but seriously the offer is open!" Karter says.

"Marie you should consider it. You're so talented! Have you ever considered singing?" Sophia asks.

"Her dream job was to be a singer!" Grace blurts out, "Sorry I wasn't supposed to say that!" Grace apologizes.

"Marie, you can still follow your dreams. The offer is always open!" Karter says.

"You should think about it Marie," Alex says.