Chapter 37: Put it In a Picture.
Listen to the song Speechless by Dan+Shay.
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Live life as though nobody is watching and express yourself as though everyone is listening.
--Nelson Mandela.
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"Well are you sure you don't want to go out for dinner or something?" my mom asked as we drove back home in the small Bentley.
"Mom, you know I hate celebrating my birthday" I roll my eyes.
I wasn't lying, of course I used to be a big party girl before and I used to wreck the house because of it but not once have I had a birthday party since I was twelve.
"But honey I know how you loved spending that day with umm Dallas so I'm just asking if you need a party to take your mind off him" she asked looking at me.
We were currently on our forty five minute drive from the hospital back home, we had already completed three quarters of the journey so I couldn't wait to just lay in my own bed for a while. Dad decided to stay back for his shift so it was just mom and I. Honestly being away from Ryan for five days was killing me but I told him that he should just go to school and live his life till I came back and I wasn't going to come in the way of that.
"I have a boyfriend mom, I don't really care about Dallas" I rolled my eyes.
"You used to love celebrating your birthday when you were younger" she sighed.
"Then I grew up" I answered curtly.
"Okay fine if you're going to make it so hard at least tell me what you want? Do you want a cake? Jewellery? Dresses? We could go shopping!" she squealed.
"Okay how about this? We have lunch now-just you and I" I asked hoping I could finally eat a meal peacefully with my mom.
"I would love that" she smiles happily and touched my hand.
"But we should call the West's" she said.
"No mom! I haven't told Ryan it's my birthday and I don't want him-" I tried to explain.
"You haven't told your boyfriend it's your birthday!? Honey why would you do that?" she said as we pulled up to our house.
"Because I don't want to make it a big deal" I sighed and got out of the car, slowly walking to the door.
"I'm pretty sure he'll get mad if he doesn't know and finds out later" she pointed out as she threw the keys to me.
Ignoring her I quickly opened the door and walked up the stairs straight to my room. As I opened the door I was greeted by the back of a boy which made me scream, I screamed so loud I think Zeus heard me all the way from Olympus.
"Oh my God! Rave it's just me!" I watched Ryan turn around and raise his eyebrows at me as I heard someone run up the stairs.
"Raven honey I thought something happened-Ryan what are you doing here?" my mom walked up to me and stared at Ryan.
"I thought the same thing!" I heaved angrily before walking to my bed and falling down on it.
"Spare key under the third flower pot" he explained sheepishly.
"Inform someone next time you sneak into the house" my mom warned him before winking and heading on into her own room.
"Hey" he smirked and layed down by my side.
"Hi" I smiled.
"Happy Birthday" he said before sitting up and digging something out of his pocket.
"Birthday? Wait how? Who told you?" I asked completely surprised.
"A lot of people are wishing you all over social media and I kind of facebook stalked you a month ago" he joked as I chuckled a little.
"What's that?" I asked pointing at the small neatly wrapped black box.
"Open it and see" he passes it out to me.
"I really don't want anything" I sighed before slowly tugging on the red ribbon.
"I don't care" he said adamantly.
As I opened the box I was not expecting to see a piece of paper sitting in it, sure I didn't want a gift but a piece of paper really?
"What's this?" I asked.
"Read it" he held the paper up for me.
"Follow the clues for a gift for you,
The first ones easy it's your favorite shoe" I read it out. "You made a scavenger hunt for me?" I asked smiling like an idiot.
"Yeah and you have exactly four hours to solve it while I go take care of a few things" he stood up and smiled.
"So I have to do this alone?" I pouted.
"Well I know how much you love company so, Mark is waiting outside for you" he smiled and caught my hands before pulling me up and off the bed.
"Where are you going?" I asked eagerly.
"Play the game to find out" he smirked before planting a kiss on my lips.
"Don't leave" I whimper as he deepened the kiss.
"Baby, I have to" he chuckles and pulls me into a hug.
"Don't call me baby ever again" I glared at him as I pulled away.
"Okay, anyways best of luck" he kissed my cheek before leaving the room.
It took about two minutes for Mark to enter the room and ambush me into a bear hug.
"Happy Birthday you idiot" he hugged me tight.
"Thank you Mark" I smiled as I pulled out of his grip.
"Okay let's start this thing!" he jumped up and down making me realize he was more excited for this than I was.
"Let's go to the shoe rack" I announced walking down the stairs and searching for my favorite pink heels.
Sure enough there was a piece of paper sitting on top of it with Clue #2 written in bold letters.
"How did he know they were my favorite?" I asked confused.
"I helped, duh?" Mark replied rolling his eyes.
"Okay. Clue 2, You use this everyday to get to school and back,
But since you got into an accident you'll find your next clue in something similar and black" I read out a little confused.
"This makes no sense-" I said looking a little annoyed with the clue.
"He means the car outside" Mark revealed and pointed outside as I walked out of the house.
I saw Zack standing next to the car, "Happy Birthday Pink" Zack hugged me as I smiled and returned the hug as he ruffled up my hair and I glared at him.
"Come on search for the clue" Zack urged me.
I opened the car door and looked around for a familiar blue piece of paper stuck on the steering wheel.
"Clue #3. When's the last time you went to work?" I read out as I realized that I myself had no clue what the answer to that question was.
"I'll drive" Zack offered as I got into the front seat with Mark in the back.
We arrived the diner soon enough but it was dark and all the windows were shut making me confused, but I knew better than to answer that question.
"Get in" Zack urged me as I slowly opened the door leading inside.
As I did I watched in surprise as everyone inside screamed "Surprise" everyone inside screamed and I literally jumped back falling into Mark's arms as he pushed me in front.
I watched as Cara walked in front with a cake that had eighteen candles lit. I smiled to see Ryan walking right behind her as he walked besides me and pulled me in his arms.
I looked around to see a few of my friends from cheer along with a few football players were all there, I also saw Daniel, Mark's brother walk up to Zack and my mom smirk from behind the counter. How she even reached here was beyond me but I was beyond happy.
"Come on make a wish" Ryan whispered in my ear as I realised that they just finished singing Happy Birthday.
I closed my eyes and blew out the candles as I watched them lose their shine.
I wish, that I'll always be this happy.
"A dance?" Ryan put out his hand as I grabbed onto it. I heard the song Begin Again by Taylor Swift play on the small boombox in the corner.
Ryan spun me round before pulling me into his welcoming hold as we danced slowly to the song.
"Thank you, thank you so much" I said as I put my head on his chest.
"Your mom mentioned you hate birthdays, I hope you changed your mind" he smiled.
"Consider my mind changed" I chuckled.
"I love you birthday girl" he kissed my forehead.
"I love you too West" I smiled as we continued to sway to the music.
The party continued just like any other daytime party, I had settled into a booth with my mom and the Mrs.West as we watched Amy talk to a few jocks about the negative effects of football.
"You knew all this time?" I asked my mom.
"I'm a master of keeping secrets" she winked.
"And the whole way back from the hospital you acted like you had no clue" I pointed out.
"I'm surprised she kept it a secret" Jackie joked as my mom playfully punched her.
I laughed it off and walked around to sit with Cara, Zack, Ryan and Mark. Everyone seemed to be stuck in their own conversation but as I reached there Ryan tugged on my blouse and placed me straight on his lap.
"So how was the surprise?" Mark asked as he munched on his chips.
"Don't talk while eating" Cara scolded him.
"It was nice, I really wasn't expecting it" I put my arm around Ryan's neck.
"That's kind of the point of the surprise" Zack joked as I rolled my eyes.
"Well, it's not over" Ryan pulled me closer.
"I couldn't ask for anything more, so it better be over" I said looking into his green eyes.
"I have to spoil you as much as I can so I do have another surprise" he smiled.
"So anyway Rave, here's your last clue" Cara said grinning before pulling out an envelope and passing it to me.
I quickly opened it and pulled out the note inside, "Clue #4. You kiss me and then you take me to the park you used to go to with your ex boyfriend" I read to myself.
Not exactly. I thought to myself.
"You ready?" he asked as I took his hand.
"Yeah let me just get my purse" I smiled and walked over to my mom where she handed me my purse wordlessly and continued to chat with Jackie.
"Hey I didn't get the chance to ask but where's your mother?" I asked him as we walked towards his car.
"Left for New York the night after your accident, she writes to me and for some reason I reply" he held on to his ego as we sat in the car.
"Are you going to meet her again? I mean it's cause of me your last meeting got cut short" I said with a little guilt.
"I think we're on good terms so I might meet her again and it's not your fault you got into an accident" he rolled his eyes.
"Aren't you supposed to go for Thanksgiving to New York?" I asked confused.
"No but I should stay back, you're still sick and-" he reasoned out.
"I'm a big girl Ryan, I can take care of myself. And aren't you going to start the car?" I asked impatiently.
"But I don't want to leave you, it's been five days since I've seen you and since Thanksgiving is tomorrow so there's no way I could go. And I'm not starting the car till you tell me where to go? It's the whole point of the clue" he pointed out.
"Oh you're going to New York!" I exclaimed and pulled out my phone, "Also drive to the dock" I urged him.
"What are you doing?" he asked as he started the engine.
"Booking you flight ticket" I answered as he continued to drive.
"Raven don't. I want to spend Thanksgiving with you and my dad and Jackie and Amy" he begged but I knew he was lying, he felt guilty to go to New York when I was sick and honestly I still remember how happy he was when he told me that she invited him so there was no way I was going to let him miss his chance of spending time with her.
"Don't kid yourself, you can spend Christmas with us" I scolded him as I started to pay for the ticket on my phone.
"Rave?" he called out as I looked up at him.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Is it wrong that I actually want to go and spend time with her?" he asked with a sorrowful smile.
"No! No way! She's your mother Ryan! It's perfectly normal for you to want to spend time with her, I think you should go to New York. Spend time with her, explore the city and do what you love" I smiled reassuringly as he stopped the car and I booked the ticket.
"Well for the past five days I actually tried doing what I love" he pointed out as I stared at him confused.
"Come with me" he said as we walked towards the back of the park towards the dock, our dock.
"The last time I painted, I painted my mother and I promised myself that I would never paint again because I never painted out of love it was always out of anger and frustration. But on Monday I picked up a canvas after so many darn years and I painted my favorite thing yet" he caught my hand and pulled me.
I smiled as I realised what he was getting to and just as we arrived at the dock I saw a stand with a rectangular piece of cardboard covered up behind a cloth.
"What did you paint?" I asked hoping that I was on the same page as him.
"You, I thought you would have got that by now" he chuckled as he pulled the cover off.
It was beautiful, it was so precise and flawless. My fingers skimmed through the painting. I remembered it as the first day we sat together in the cafeteria for lunch. My ombre pink and purple hair looked way prettier in the picture and my eyes were the perfect shade of Sapphire blue. I wasn't looking at the person observing the picture but my eyes seemed to be lost somewhere else. It was so amazing and I knew I didn't deserve it.
"I wasn't sure if you'd like your hair colour like that" he pointed out the painting "Or like your blonde roots starting to show now" he said unsurely.
"I love it" I whispered.
"I love it and it's perfect"
"I mean of course after all I had the best muse-" I stopped him by placing my lips on his.
I kissed him, his fingers run through my hair as he lifted my chin to intensify the kiss. I gasped as he slides his tongue down my troath and my hands instantly find their way around his neck as I pulled him closer.
"I love you" he whispered as we broke the kiss.
"You're so darn lucky that I can say the same" I winked before he smirked and pulled me back in for another kiss.
**
I'm done with this book so how you guys liked it.
I could continue but I feel like I'm dragging it on right now so it's better to put a full stop.
I may or may not write an epilogue but I'll keep you posted!
Till then this is the ending scene for #Westone