Chapter 10

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"When are mum and dad coming home?" I asked, whilst we were all seated eating dinner. We were having pasta and it was almost too good for me to be opening my mouth for any other reason than to shove more in.

"Soon. They're still caught up with business in the city." Nick answered, looking at me and avoiding the other boys' gazes.

"You're not telling me something." I frowned, sitting back in my chair.

"Mum and Dad do lots of work Ash, they have to go to the city all the time."

"But why are they going this time?"
They all looked at each other again before Nick chose to speak.

"They're sorting out things with lawyers and court."

"For what...oh." My frown deepened and I shuddered at the thought of Sunday's events.

"They'll be back tomorrow, I'm sure." Austin squeezed my hand. "I forgot about our race!" He exclaimed.

"You just didn't want to do it because you were too scared to lose." I smirked, getting a collective chuckle from the table, minus Austin.

"Tomorrow, after school then."

"We have training." Jonah reminded him.

"Me too."

"For what?" Ryan asked, all heads turning to face me again.

"Tate asked if I wanted to come to a track training session with her because I told her I'd been running with Austin...and beating him."

"You told her that?" Austin groaned.

"It's just at school isn't it?" Nick checked.

"It is. Scarlett's on that team." Jonah said. You always had to stay alert as to who was speaking at dinner. They surprisingly sounded all the same.

"I'm more than happy to supervise all the running events." River grinned wickedly.

"Ew." Ryan wacked him. "Your baby sister is going to be one of those girls, you idiot." His face suddenly shifted into something more stern and somewhat protective.

"Let's go shopping for running gear, Ash." River faced me.

"I have clothes, I think."

"Shorts?"

"Yep."

"Mm, no, I think leggings are better."

"I don't have those for running."

"River, forget about it." Austin grimaced, sighing.

"Just let me know if you've had enough during it and I'll come pick you up. Otherwise, meet Jonah and Austin at the end and either Ryan or I will be there." Nick instructed.

***

"What's on your birthday list, Ash?" Ryan asked. We'd all scattered ourselves over the place as Nick had some exam he needed to study for, Jonah and Austin were outside with the soccer ball and River had gone to his room, presumably to do something tech related. It was just Ryan and I left in the lounge.

"Birthday list?"

"Like the list of things you think of or write down that you'd like as presents for your birthday."

"I get presents?" There were always people at my old school that would come after their birthdays with these new, flashy items and say they were from their parents, but of course I'd never received any gifts. Heck, I didn't even know when my birthday was.

"Of course." He laughed, pulling me closer.

"You're warm." I snuggled in.

"Your hands are freezing! You should have more clothes on."

"What kind of things do you put on your birthday list?"

"Anything."

"Can I put chocolate?" I grinned, eyes wide.

"Sure." He shrugged. I gasped and giggled in excitement. "You could put books on there or maybe get your own skateboard. Even running shoes or new clothes too."

"I need to write this down." I shook my head, jumping away from him to get a notebook and a pen.

"Grab a jumper whilst you're at it!" He called after me. I grabbed a new notebook I'd bought the first time I'd gone shopping and a pen, as well as grabbing a jumper of Ryan's that I'd happened to see in the wash and thought looked comfy. "That's mine." He gaped.

"You can share because you love me."

"Sure I do." He rolled his eyes.

"You don't love me?"

"Eh."

"Rude!" I gently wacked his chest but he only smiled.

He helped me think of ideas to write on my birthday list and told me I should think of something to buy Austin. He assured me Mum and Dad would pay for it and that it wasn't a big deal, since I didn't have any money of my own to be spending.

Him and I planned my cake, which I also got my own of, and Austin would have a separate one. It was the perfect chocolate overload cake, and I couldn't wait to eat it.

"Do you want to have a party?"

"I don't think so." I pondered. I wasn't a fan of large groups of people and didn't really know that many people I could invite. "Maybe I could just do something small."

"You can do whatever you like. What about a sleepover?"

I'd never had a sleepover before, which made it all the more reason to say, "Yes!"

"No boys." He stared at me seriously.

"What, why?"

"Coz."

"But there's this boy I met in my biology class and..."

"Boy what now?" Austin glared as he walked inside.

"Are you talking about Levi?" Jonah smirked.

"Hey! Don't tell them!" I huffed, glaring at him. "Why can't I invite him? You said to invite friends!"

"You're friends with Levi?" Austin put on a confused face.

"Well, I wasn't specific enough in that they have to be girls." Ryan ignored Austin and answered me.

"Can Austin invite girls?"

"Austin are there any girls you'd like to invite to something for your birthday?" Ryan turned to Austin.

"No." he shook his head.

"No need for boundaries when there isn't a demand." Ryan faced me again.

"Jonah has a girlfriend," I emphasised, "but I'm not allowed to invite a friend that just so happens to not be a girl?"

"Correct."

"I'll just ask mum instead." I mumbled. 

I put that aside for later and instead continued to plan all the other aspects of my celebration and my actual birthday. Austin and I agreed on nearly everything which worked well.

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