Pool Hunny // Benny Rodriguez

39.

Caroline.

I was stressed out if my mind, my birthday party was tonight and it was supposed to be a huge thing and so far everything was going right but it could still go awfully wrong.

"Hose?" Kenny offered in helpfully sipping on his milkshake.

I shot him a sharp look, "don't you dare."

I had recruited him Will and Parker to help me set up because the others were busy up until my party. "Cee relax, okay? This is going to be great." Will reassured elbowing Parker as he looked in the general direction of where the hose was lying.

He rolled his eyes, "yeah, trust me everyone will love it. The New Yorkers are coming up too right?"
I nodded, "the whole group, minus James of course. He is never stepping foot in my house again."

"And you're sure he won't come anyways I'll bet you anything Serena's creepy little sisters told him why everyone is leaving." Parker continued.

I pursed my lips, "we'll deal with that when it comes to it. Although let's hope it doesn't."
"If it does Kenny will finally be able to put the hose to good use." Will answered making us laugh.

I smoothed out my dress, it was gorgeous if I do say so myself. Light pink with a shimmery, slightly darker pink floral pattern across it. It was backless with thin straps and floor length. The dress line staying relatively close to my body and not poofing outwards. My hair was styled back in a bun with some loose pieces and face framing pieces carefully sticking out to give it a more relaxed look.

Everyone else started arriving half an hour later. I was beging elated to see all my friends, I'd invited about two hundred people and I hadn't caught up with some of the in a long time.

Emmy and Ahslyn hurtled towards me grins on their faces, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They shrieked flinging their arms around me. I grinned hugging them back, "thank you!" 

"How does it feel to finally be seventeen?" Emmy asked as she handed me a bag with a present in it. 

"I'm so exited!" I replied putting it down on the table with the other presents before Ashlyn shoved a box in my hands. 

"I want to be there when you open it." She told me winking, "now come on let's get something to eat." 

I'd set up tables all around the back garden, ours was pretty big so it had enough space for everyone, there wasn't a seating plan anyone could sit with anyone and the food was at a buffet so it was self serving. 

"LINA, LINA, LINA!" Frankie and Evan yelled as they ran down the lawn to meet me. 

"FRANKIE, FRANKIE, FRANKIE!" I called back laughing as she jumped on me wrapping her arms around me, "I missed you loser." 

Frankie smiled, "missed you too, how are things with the bridge troll?" 

I snorted, "decent I guess, we're friends now but nothing more which totally sucks ass but I guess it's better than pretending to hate him. I haven't seen him yet today though. Let me introduce you to my friends, you know Ash, Will and Parker already but this is Emmy Rodriguez, the bridge troll's cousin and that's his best friend Kenny." 

As Frankie went to say hello to them I said hi to Evan, "how are you birthday girl?" 

"Brilliant as usual. Today is all about me and you know how I shine when I'm the centre of attention." I answered with mock vanity making her laugh. "Where are the others?" 

Evan grinned, "Serena, Nate and Seb came with me, they just stopped off at the loo and the others, made the mistake of letting Cordy drive and called your house from the payphone five mintues ago, they're late because she took the wrong turn off the highway to avoid running over a squirrel that turned out to be dead already."