Given Time

♡20♡

I'm beyond glad it's Saturday. I worked my butt off during the week, finishing my assignments and reading the chapters in advance for the coming week, all so I can have this weekend to myself to celebrate my birthday.

No Tanner, no drama, just me and my friends. Well, in an hour I'll have my friends.

While Zara's busy spending the morning with Jake, and Ben's off visiting his parents for lunch, I'm as free as a bird.

It's kind of been a blessing having some time alone. It's not even one in the afternoon yet, and I've already been to the laundromat, tidied my side of the room, and popped down to the local convenience store to pick up a bag of popcorn and bottle of coke for our movie marathon tonight.

When Zara suggested on Tuesday to redo our night in, I was ecstatic, as the jerk who must not be mentioned our first attempt at this. As for the jerk, I haven't heard from him since the night he stormed into my room, and I don't want to again.

I'm sitting in front of the mirror, curling the last piece of my hair with Zara's curling iron when my phone chimes on the bed. I release the delicate curl in a rush, so it bounces past my shoulder, and I swipe my phone off the bed. The screen is lit up with my mom's picture on the home screen, requesting to FaceTime with me. That's odd. I slide the bar to accept, and I'm immediately met with my mother's cheery face.

"Hi, Mom! I thought we were going to FaceTime later?" I ask as I unplug the curling iron.

"Hi, sweetie, I couldn't wait. Look at your hair, it's so curly! I love it."

"Thanks."

The screen zooms out of her face, and I spot a patch of bright green grass behind her right shoulder. Why is she standing outside? It's meant to be raining back home.

Wherever she is, it looks sunny. I notice the strap on her shoulder, and it looks like she's wearing one of her floral midi dresses.

"Where are you? I thought there was supposed to be a thunderstorm in DC today."

"Well, that's the best part about me calling, hon. Your dad and I are standing outside."

"Outside, where?" I ask dumbly.

"Outside of Putnam Halls silly. We thought we'd come visit you for the weekend!"

She spins the phone around so I can see my dad dancing in front of the door of my dorm.

"Oh, wow, Mom... Dad. I can't believe you're here," I squeal.

"I see we got you," my dad jokes, showing his face on the screen. "You couldn't expect us to not see you on your birthday."

"Aren't you going to let us in?" Mom asks.

"Sure. I'll be right down."

I hang up the phone and grab the key off the hook. I descend the stairs two at a time, and when I see them waving at me from the other side of the glass door, my mouth bursts into a smile.

"Mom!" I yell, running into her open arms as soon as I open the door.

"Oof," she breathes as I encase her in an hug.

She feels so warm, and I can smell the heavenly scent of lavender from her perfume.

"Oh, how I've missed this," she coos, stroking the top of my head.

"Don't cry. This is meant to be a happy moment," my dad says, hugging me after.

"I am happy." I hiccup, overcome with emotions.

After a while, I release my dad and step back, looking at them both. "This is insane! I can't believe you're both here."

"Well, you better believe it, as we're whisking you away for the weekend," my dad announces with a smile.