[14] Ezra: 'Group Hug!'-1

(There's still time for the clock to strike 12 in the UK [so it's still JULY 12] so Imma sing again now. Stop complaining AGAIN, PC ;) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR PAIGEEE (tugalicious)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!! Have an awesome sweet 16 my funny, fantabulous, perfect, cute, hot- Okay, you get my point again. HAVE AN AMAZING YEAR AHEAD! *hugs* AND YEP, dedicated to tugaliiocus and our 4 years of friendship!!!!! ''' [14] Ezra: "Group Hug!" "Paige-Chan." Silence. "Paigeeeee-Chan." More silence. "Guess what?" She had the nerve to continue to read her yuri manga without showing the slightest of hints that I even exist. And she's not even pissed off at me or anything, mind you. It's just how we work. Damn, but still, this girl must be given an award or something. "Fine, I'm not gonna tell you." How can someone remain nonchalant even after that? Seriously, I told you, didn't I? Award winner. "Psst." I look up from the empty classroom to see Micajah's beanie covered blond head popping up from outside the door, a questioning look in his eyes. Thank the freaking Lord. What the hell took him so long? I'm currently waiting with my little friend Paige after Law class got over-it's been almost ten minutes, and since she didn't have any class for the next period and since coincidentally this room is also free, she'd decided to sit back and enjoy her books here. That's very fortunate for me because I couldn't have explained following her to wherever she might've decided to sit and read without giving myself away. 'Come on,' I mind-link my brother, grinning, 'Bring it in!' "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Seneca and Micajah yell in unison as they step into the room with the medium-sized chocolate cake-I didn't want to go too overboard and make her kill me-which she might anyway, once she learns what else I have in store for her. Paige jumps in the air in shock and drops her book in surprise. She then slowly removes her feet off the table and stands up self-consciously, looking at the two of them in confusion, "Who're you guys?" "I'm his brother and she's his best friend!" Micajah introduces the two of them as he walks forward-in-between the aisles-to where I've stood up to join a very flabbergasted Paige as well. "Oh . . ." Paige mumbles as she finally seems to take in the cake that's been placed in front of her on the desk. She then turns to me in utter confusion, "How in the freaking hell did you know?" I smirk proudly with a level of smugness not known to man, "I have my means." "Yeah, talk later! Now make a wish and blow the candles! We hope you like chocolate!" Seneca exclaims as she interrupts my moment and gestures to the cake, handing over a plastic knife with a ribbon taped to the handle. "But, um-" Paige starts with a confused look as she appraises the said knife dubiously as if it might be a ticking time-bomb. I grab it out of my best friend's hands and shove it in her direction, silencing her with a glare, "Do it, Paige-Chan!" "ALRIGHT, UGH, FINE!" She grabs the knife and closes her eyes as if she's pissed-off, but anyone can see the small smile she's fighting, twitching at the corners of her lips. That's my girl. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Paige, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" We sing as loud as we can in a horribly off-key manner as she finally blows the candles and cuts a piece of cake, feeding each of us and getting fed by us in return. "Now, onto gift time!" I quickly pull out the envelope from my jacket pocket as I raise my eyebrows, cutting off her surprised protest yet again, "Here, this one is from all three of us." "But I don't accept gifts!" Paige protests anyway with a stubborn look, and I grab her hand placing it on her palm, forcibly closing her fingers around it. She continues to glare at us. "Just open it." I roll my eyes, "It's good manners to accept gifts graciously, P-Chan. Stop being a little whiner," "Whatever," She mumbles as she finally opens the envelope and reads through the piece of paper, her eyes going wide and then wider with each word she reads. Exactly the reaction I'd hoped for. "Um," She looks up at the three of us uncertainly, as if she couldn't believe this thing was actually happening, "Is this for real?" "Duh," I grin, stretching my hands in a 'aren't I the coolest' manner as I flip up my collar. "B-But, these are two tickets to the Comiket Anime Con in TOKYO! AND it includes a whole weekend stay there! ARE YOU FOR REAL?" Paige almost bounces with excitement as her wide eyes flit between the three of us rapidly, now almost radiant with unadulterated joy. "YES!" We chorus, making her jump and throw her arms around my neck, "OH MY GOD, I TAKE BACK EVERY BAD THING I EVER SAID ABOUT YOU, YOU'RE THE BEST!" I grin, holding her tightly for a moment and enjoying the little moment of rare affection from this girl who's come to become a great friend. "Oh, yeah?" I pull back finally and look at her with an evil smile, "Let's see if you still say that after this." With that, I shove the chocolate icing I'd secretly taken off the cake during her hug, all over her face-yep, she might need new glasses, making her look at me in absolute stupefaction. And then, "DAMN YOU, EZRA!" I laugh, running out of the classroom with her hot on my tail. ~ That afternoon after the last class of the morning, I'm still grinning as I'm once again reminded of the silly prank Nyah had pulled. I know, but I can't help it. For those of you wondering, Seneca and Micajah had come and bailed us out. "Goddess, would you believe that this was the same guy who told me-no barked at me, and I quote, 'Are you coming, or are you gonna stand there all day and smile like a loon'?" Micajah jabs my middle with an elbow playfully as he joins me and Seneca, quickly pulling her close and pecking her on the lips. Yeah, you just wait. That'll be me soon. And I'll be kissing Nyah. NOT Seneca. "He did?" Seneca growled as she stopped walking all of a sudden, shooting her infamous laser-beam glare that can literally melt a human. Uh-oh. Thank you and your super-accurate memory for dredging up old shit, Micajah. "Um, no . . ." I chuckle nervously, rubbing the back of my head, "Of course, I would never disrespect my Aleph like that. I don't have a death wish, do I . . ." The question came out more like a statement, and I let out another anxious chortle. Seneca inhales sharply, turning her focus to her Mate-who looks pretty worried himself, "I'm assuming this was in the beginning because I never heard any of this," "Uh," Micajah takes a tentative step forward and hooks an arm around Seneca's stiff neck, planting a kiss on her cheek. Good Micajah, that's it. Melt her. "Yeah, but you know what? It was so far back that I think I must've gotten the words wrong. He couldn't have been that rude," "Uh-huh, You're a shitty liar, Cage. Now just tell me exactly what happened and I'll let this go." Seneca raises her eyebrows as she slowly takes a step back from under Micajah's arm, crossing her own arms across her chest as she sizes the two of us up. "Well . . ." Micajah glances at me for permission, and I close my eyes and nod my last nod before my death sentence. "In the beginning, as you suspected always, he was kind of mean." "Mean, how?" "Like little comments here and there because, you know, he was disappointed that I was so . . . um, weak and everything." Micajah mumbles the last part in a voice that's a bit low, and that softening of his voice at the mention of the past indicates how affected by it he still is at times. He'd already been through so much stuff and was barely holding up when he met Seneca, and that's when I had to go ahead and open my big mouth and make things worse for him.