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Aubrey woke up as she had done for many birthdays in a row: in her crummy old shitbag house, in the attic.
Lord, this fucking sucks.
She was sure her friends had something planned - at least Kim - and Hero would probably call at some point, having taken steps to make sure she was doing OK and keep in touch after finding out the state of her home. Well, hey, at least it was the first birthday in the last five she'd be able to spend with her older group of friends.
It was the first one she'd known what really happened to Mari.
Oh, Mari... she missed her. At least she was happy when she... went, but that wasn't a great consolation. Maybe she was here in spirit. Aubrey hoped to God those prayers of hers were answered.
Welp, better get up. Aubrey did her rounds - fed Bun-Bun and cleaned out his cage, gave him a little pets and cuddles for good measure, then went to brush her teeth and have a bath.
Aubrey had just gotten out of the bathroom and was about to face her waste of space excuse for a mother when she heard knocking on her front door.
No, actually... that was banging. Someone was banging on her front door. Jesus Christ, they'll take it off the fucking hinges off if they weren't careful. She'd have to try and threaten them into paying for a replacement - Aubrey felt she rather needed a door on her home, even if it wouldn't lock properly.
When she opened the door, Aubrey's frustrations melted away as she was greeted by a girl with an undercut.
"KIM!" Aubrey tackled her bestie into a hug.
"AUBREYHAPPYBIRTHDAYILOVEYOUUUUUUU!" yelled Kim.
"AAAAAAAILOVEYOUTOOOOOO!"
"AAAAAA! THIS DAY'S GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN!" Kim was practically jumping up and down in Aubrey's arms.
They pulled away. "Ya think so?" asked Aubrey. "Well, it can't be that bad if you're gonna get me away from this old dump." She kicked the doorframe.
"That's the plan," Kim said. "Now follow me."
"Sure. Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"You're not even telling me? On my birthday?" Aubrey feigned melodramatic exasperation at how she was being treated.
"No I fuckin' ain't. Now c'mon!"
The two girls stepped out into the street. Aubrey closed the front door behind her (not that her mom would notice however she left it - she hadn't even so much as turned her head to all the yelling) and began to follow Kim up the road.
She thought maybe her friends had something planned for her in Faraway Park, but that attempt to figure out what was going on was cut short when Kim turned right at the park fence. Ah, so the Plaza. Gino's pizza party? She wouldn't mind some greasy food right about now.
Walking into the plaza, Aubrey spotted a limo in the parking lot. A fucking limo! What's the fancy brigade doing in Faraway?
They kept walking, and Kim's wicked grin slowly spread across her face as it dawned on Aubrey precisely where in the Plaza she was being led to.
The limo. She was walking to the goddamn limo.
They stopped in front of it. After a few seconds of Kim just watching her friend's face, Aubrey spoke.
"No fucking way..."
Kim nearly doubled over laughing. "Yes fucking way! BITCH THIS IS YOUR LIMO! THIS IS YOUR RIDE FOR THE DAY!"
"HOW DID YOU GET THIS?"
Kim chuckled some more. "Don't you worry about that. Now let's get this show on the road!" She walked up to the driver's side door, Aubrey following, and, facing the same direction as the car, tapped with one knuckle on the window, like some fancy valet guy. Her face betrayed no emotion as she acted out her part, but Aubrey knew she was relishing this little piece of am-dram.
As the window rolled down, Aubrey was greeted by a familiar face. The driver waved at her with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "Heeyy."
"...Hero?
"Gotta admit, I didn't think I'd see you here."
"Heheh, that's OK, I wouldn't have expected me either. Sorry if you were expecting a fancy driver. It, uhh... it was a little out of our budget."
"Ahh, don't worry about it, man! ...And hey. Thanks for this. Good to see you, too."
"You're very welcome, Aubrey. It's great to see you. And happy birthday!"
"Aww... thanks." Aubrey's cheeks prickled just a little, and she smiled softly and bashfully.
Aubrey and Kim turned to the passenger door of the limo, and Kim spoke for everyone. "Well, then, birthday girl! Your carriage awaits."
Aubrey rolled her eyes and opened the door. Sitting in the limo, apparently waiting quite patiently, was a short, skinny boy wearing a distinctive eyepatch. She gasped.
"SUNNY!" Aubrey dived into the limo and hugged her boyfriend like a teddy bear, then planted a few kisses on his cheeks. Sunny's ears went a bit red.
"Happy birthday." Sunny spoke, the piano to Aubrey's fortissimo.
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THE CITY!"
"I was. Hero brought me here."
"In the limo?!"
"In the limo."
"Well... guess that makes more sense than Faraway having limousines for hire." Sunny didn't have a reply for that. Aubrey continued the conversation.
"So we've got this for the whole day? How did you pull that off?"
"You've got this for the whole day." Aubrey blushed and got all coy at that. "We pulled together to raise funds. Me, Kim, Hero, all of our friends and some of yours. We would have had a driver if that wasn't too much, but Hero was able to negotiate a lower price if he drove instead." Hero turned around in his seat wearing a grin and a wink.
"Ahhh, I'm not worried about it," Aubrey said. "I'm sure Hero's got this car all under control."
"You bet! You wait 'til you hear this baby purr! Gonna be smoooooooth sailing." He put on his grin and wink again. Aubrey chuckled.
"So whose idea was this?"
"It was Sunny's," Kim chimed in. "He got in touch with me telling me about his big plan, and how he'd already told Hero. Then we got everyone else in on it."
Aubrey turned to Sunny with surprise on her face. "You thought of this? And you organised it yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Aww, lookitchu! Bein' a people-person all by yourself! You're becomin' a heckuva man, Sun-bun..." Sunny's ears went red, as did his face. Kim fake-wretched.
"Alrighty, then," she said. "Let's get this party started! I'm gonna sit up front with Hero, give you two some privacy.
Aubrey snorted, face reddening a little at the same time. "You sure? You can sit here if you want. Right, Sunny?" Sunny nodded at Kim.
"Nah, I'm good. I'll be fine ridin' with Hero."
"You sure?"
"Wha- yeah... yeah, I-I'm sure."
Aubrey smiled sweetly (at least on the surface) at Kim until she closed the limo door, slowly. Kim got in the driver's cabin next to Hero, who turned round. "By the way, guys..." Hero pressed a button and a little black glass shutter started sliding up between the driver's seats and the passenger cabin. "We'll leave you both to it. Just give me a shout if you need anything." Grin and wink on his face for the third time, Hero pushed down on the button again until the shutter was all the way up. Aubrey and Sunny looked at each other. They were both embarrassed, cheeks a little flushed.
"Well, at least we're done with that shit," Aubrey piped up. "Plus, she's made it difficult for herself. She's got it bad for Hero."
Sunny snorted. "I've seen her try to talk to him."
With that, Aubrey and her Sunny settled down for the ride back to the city, conversation flowing (as much as Sunny's conversation could flow). Hero turned out of the Plaza and started driving, making small talk with Kim - which was fine for him, but for her... kinda awkward. Aubrey knew she would be, too. Yeah, that's what you get.
In the passenger seats, though, the air was at ease, and two childhood sweethearts got to catch up in person and make up for lost time.
Everyone met up at Sunny's house. Kel and Basil were there, but so were the rest of the Hooligans - everyone had really put their heads together to make this day a special one. It was a bit of a squeeze in Sunny's new apartment, but they managed. Everyone came up to Aubrey one-by-one to wish her a happy birthday - Kel was his usual bright and cheery self; Basil, while a little nervous with everyone around, was gentle and sincere and gave Aubrey a hug; Angel was hyperactive; Vance was chill and cool, candy in his pockets; Charlie was the absolute sweetest (and she gave a mean hug, too); and Mikhael had prepared some grandiose statement about time flying by as the Earth turns and spins around the Sun, and how Aubrey was now a year older and a year wiser, and how many battles she would conquer in the year ahead. She punched him on the shoulder. His longwinded speech finished with the word "Ow."
The two groups went out shopping as one, going with Aubrey to all the places she wanted to go, getting clothes she wasn't able to get in Faraway and some cool stuff with which to decorate her room. It threatened to drain her wallet, but her friends stepped in and helped pay. They insisted. Except Kel, who forgot to bring money. Fucking idiot.
Then they all went to grab lunch. A pizza place. No Gino's, but hey, the city's pizza wasn't half bad if this was anything to go by. Hero made sure to step in and stop Kel eating all of it, but thankfully, they ordered plenty, so everyone was able to get their fill. Even Kel, who finished the rest off once everyone else was done. Somehow. Sunny's appetite had improved since Aubrey was last with him in person - she was pleased to see it, and she made sure he knew.
They went to a nearby park afterwards. Angel and Mikhael ran around, Kel shot some hoops with a basketball he'd begged Hero to buy for him, Basil walked about looking at some of the fauna in the area, Hero sat on a bench and watched the goings-on, looking up at the sky sometimes, just relaxing, joined by Charlie. Hero talked much more than she did, but they seemed to get on quite well. Kim and Vance sat down and gorged on candy (guess they needed dessert), while Aubrey and Sunny flitted between everybody, sometimes together, sometimes separately. Sunny and Basil spent some time walking around, too. Aubrey was pleased. They could both do with that.
Then when everyone was done with their activities, they sat in the park all together and just... talked. It was a blast. Everyone was getting on way better than they were the previous summer. Even Basil seemed pretty comfortable considering who he was with. It was... it was really nice. Aubrey had all her friends with her, all getting along.
Well, except one... but she was still around, kinda. Mari lived on in everyone whose lives she touched. She got chances to talk about her with Kel, Hero, Sunny and Basil, and though it was hard for them in their own ways, they all agreed.
For the day's final act, the two gangs in one returned to Sunny's. The hooligans had the idea that it was some kind of party, so they had music to play and shit drinks to consume (and a couple fancy ones). The friends Aubrey shared with Sunny, however, were not really the partying type. So they just kinda... chilled out? In the end it ended up being a kind of party/chill-out hybrid, where people sat around and just talked, drank if they wanted to, and kept the music at a manageable volume. Sometimes people would roll out the video games, particularly Kel, who got into a pretty heated lil' bout of that one Captain Spaceboy party game with Sunny, Angel and Mikhael. Sunny won, naturally - his gaming skills were unmatched. Mikhael wasn't happy about that. The fact that Kel refused to call him by his, adopted name didn't really help his mood, either. (Not that Aubrey ever called him "The Maverick", but he never had the balls to call her out on it.) He and Angel were both melodramatic little shits throughout the whole thing, but hey. At least it was funny. And even the people who weren't playing would stop by and cheer their friends on.
Towards the end of the night, Aubrey stepped out onto the balcony to find Sunny sitting at a little table out there. Early in the evening, before everyone got too into the swing of things, Hero made sure to explain that he and Sunny had decided to designate it a quiet area, away from all the rest of the party shit; they knew not everyone there was the raucous type, so they'd made sure to include something for that in their plans for the end of the day.
"You OK?"
Sunny nodded.
"Gettin' loud?"
"Mmm." Sunny nodded again.
Aubrey sat down next to him. "Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"
Sunny sighed and looked at his feet. "...Lots of things."
She laid a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "...I getcha."
Silence for a little while.
"...I hope you've had a good birthday."
"Sunny." She shuffled closer. "I've had a WONDERFUL birthday. Thanks for everything." She gave him a peck on the cheek and smiled coyly at him. He smiled back.
That didn't happen often, but it made Aubrey feel warm every time.
"...Thank you, too, Aubrey. For a lot of things. I'm... lucky. To have you."
"Aww..." She rocked him back and forth teasingly with her hand. "You sweetheart. I'm lucky to have you, too."
"...I'm... sorry... that... Mari... isn't here..."
"Hey. You know how we feel about that- you know how I feel about that. I'm not letting you beat yourself up anymore about all of that." Aubrey pulled Sunny close, into a hug. He returned it, holding on tight like he needed it.
"And... I think she is here. In her own way. I'm sure she'd like to see you happy." She turned and looked at the sky.
"...Yeah."
"That's it." She ruffled his hair. "Now c'mere." Aubrey pulled at Sunny's collar and brought him in closer, and they kissed.
They held it for a little while, then broke away. A few seconds after, Sunny seemed to realise something, and looked away sheepishly. "Uh, Aubrey... if Mari's here, then... um... did she see that?"
Aubrey's devilish grin sprang onto her face once again. "You fuckin' know she did." Sunny blushed.
Aubrey turned to the sky a second time and spoke. "Hey, Mari, you always liked embarrassin' boys, right? How's embarrassed Sunny for ya?"
She waited for the sky's turn to speak. "Hope that's some good food." She looked back at Sunny. Sunny blushed harder.
The door opened behind them. "O-oh, I'm sorry! I hope I haven't interrupted anything..."
Aubrey turned around with a little smirk on her face. "Not at all, Basil. Come sit with us." Basil walked over and sat down opposite Aubrey and Sunny.
"How are ya? Gettin' too loud?"
"Uh, y-yeah... A little loud, a little crowded."
"Fair enough. Everyone gettin' on well?"
"Yeah, yeah! It's going smoothly. Your friends have been nice to me, too."
"Ah, I'm glad." They had a lot of being nice to catch up on.
"Your friend, uh, The Maverick... he's nice. I like him. He's really funny!"
Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Pfft. That's one word for it."
"Hehehe... He's not afraid to be himself... I like that."
Basil fiddled with his hands while he spoke, and Aubrey noticed.
"...Are you still nervous around them?"
"No, no! I mean, um- uh... I am, a little bit. But it's getting better! Everyone's being very... nice to me."
Aubrey sighed. "You OK with us talkin' about this?" she said, turning to Sunny. He nodded. She turned back to Basil. "I'm pleased it's getting better. But I don't blame you for being nervous. We treated you like shit for so long.
"I-I-It's OK! Everything's fine now! That's all I really want."
She could see through it.
Aubrey stood up. "Come with me. Sunny, we're just going to the other end of the balcony. Back in a minute." Sunny nodded, understanding and acceptance on his face and in his eyes. Basil got up and followed Aubrey over to the railing at the other end of the balcony, nearest the door.
She looked him square in the eyes as she spoke to him in hushed tones. "Listen... I know you still feel like you deserved it. But I'm here, and I'm telling you that you didn't. Not for what I thought you did with the photo album, and not for what I know now. OK? And I'm so sorry for how I treated you. For four fuckin' years! Sometimes I'm amazed you still call me a friend. So, um... yeah. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. And I know the rest of my other friends are as well. I didn't mention any details, but I said to them you'd been goin' through a rough time for... a long time, and told them to cool it. And they listened, thankfully. We've talked about how what we did to you wasn't right, and we're trying to be better people now. We may have been delinquents, vandals and thieves, but we're not assholes. At least... not anymore. Is - Is that OK? I'm just - I'm sorry, Basil. I'm sorry."
Pause.
"Uh... I've been trying to learn to speak about my feelings a little more in therapy, so, uh... Um... Sometimes... I do feel like I deserved it all those years. But, uh, uhhh... I've been getting better. I don't feel it all the time now. Sometimes I can accept that you and your friends were, uhh... ... at fault? I don't like thinking it and I don't like saying it and I don't like it at all because I don't want to believe that you were... in the wrong... but I'm learning to accept it. And knowing that... I still forgive you. It... was hard on all of us. And... I didn't deserve it, but mostly I'm just happy to have you back. I really missed you. I'm glad I can call you my friend again."
Aubrey started to tear up, and she tried to blink them away. "...Me too, buddy. Me too. Hug?"
He smiled. "Hug."
They held each other tight, squeezing a few more tears out of Aubrey, and some out of Basil.
"Thank you, Basil. I love you. I really do."
Silence floated in the air for a beat.
"Oh, uh, not in that way, uhh, I'm kinda taken, I, sorry, I meant, uh-"
Basil patted Aubrey's back and giggled sweetly. "Hehehehehe... It's OK, I know what you mean. I love you too, Aubrey."
They held the hug for a while. Sunny, on his chair, had been lost in his thoughts, trying not to listen in on what he assumed was a private conversation, but he could see the emotions, and he saw the hug. He was glad.
A gentle knock sounded on the balcony door, and out poked Hero's head. "Oh, sorry Aubrey, sorry Basil." He looked around. "Oh, hey, Sunny!" Sunny waved. "Um, Aubrey, your friends are saying they need to start making their way back to Faraway, so I wanted to call you in. Seems like things are winding down."
"Oh, right, thanks. Be right in."
Sunny got up and walked over, and then, hand-in-hand with Aubrey, and Basil alongside, they walked in.
It was an animated set of goodbyes. Vance needed to get back for work tomorrow, and the hooligans all took his car except for Kim, so they needed to go with him. They all said goodbye to Aubrey one-by-one, Kim enthusiastically, Charlie quietly, but warmly (giving another mean hug), Vance coolly and all laid-back, Angel and Mikhael overdoing it as usual. As Kim left, she spoke to Kel quietly. "Kel, by the way... your brother's hot."
"Pbbbptpbbbbptpbbbtttwhat?"
"Hehehehehehe." Kim was clearly elated at Kel's embarrassment. "But also... if you tell anyone I said that, I'll fuckin' crush you."
"Oh... OK!" Kel replied, somewhat breathlessly and uncertainly. Kim turned and left, but not before giving Kel one final eyebrow-raised glare.
Aubrey looked around once the hooligans were gone. "So that's them outta here. How are we getting back?"
"We've still got the limo," Hero said. "You can all ride in the back together."
"Ooooohhh! I've always wanted to be in a limo!..." said Kel.
"Ah, great, sharing a limo with Kel."
"Hey! ...You're lucky it's your birthday."
Aubrey punched Kel lightly on the shoulder. "I'm just kiddin'. Thanks for today." She smiled and looked around. "Thank you all for today..." Her smile grew bigger. She smiled like a 12-year-old Aubrey once smiled, big and wondrous and bright.
"You're very welcome," said Kel. "But we've got one more present for you."
Aubrey raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Really? Whatcha got?"
Hero piped up. "Well... I think this one is for Sunny to tell you about."
"Huh? OK..."
Sunny stepped in front of Aubrey and tried to look her in the eye as best he could.
"Uh, well... ever since last summer, we've been thinking about your... living situation..." Aubrey winced a little. "And we wanted to do something about it. So we got together, and, um... we spoke to my mom. We, uh... convinced her to let you stay here, w-with me."
Aubrey stood silent for a second, then spoke breathlessly. "...You're kidding me."
Hero walked up from behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. "We aren't. We all wanted to help you out, since we didn't before... and well, with some input from all of us... and a little Hero charm over the phone..." He winked and grinned. "We talked her round. We had to explain some of the details about your house and your mom, but we thought it was worth it. You can stay here with Sunny."
Aubrey was tearing up. "W-What about Bun-Bun? My rabbit?"
"Oh, um..." It was Sunny's turn to speak again. "He can stay here too. That took a little extra work, but Hero pulled it off."
Aubrey stood silent for a few seconds more, and then... she cried. "I can't believe it... Thank you.
"Sunny, thank you!" She catapulted into his arms and hugged him hard, then planted a kiss on his lips. He kissed back. Kel would have fake-wretched, but he knew better than to ruin the moment. Basil wiped his eyes, practically about to cry himself. Hero smiled - it reminded him of himself and someone else a few years ago...
Aubrey broke off from Sunny and hugged everyone else in turn, just as tightly, still crying. (She had to admit... Kel gave pretty good hugs, too.) Sunny spoke once more.
"Um... I don't think you'll be able to stay right away. My mom wanted to get everything properly sorted out here before you came to live with us. Sorry. You'll probably need to stay in Faraway for a little while before you and Bun-Bun can move in."
Aubrey turned back to her boyfriend, smiling kindly, graciously and gratefully, and wiping her eyes. "That's OK. I can handle it. I already did - what's a bit longer, huh?" She tried to laugh a little, though she was still a bit sniffly. "I can get things sorted on my end. Get Bun-Bun ready, and stuff. Pack up my things."
She turned her eyes upwards and looked wistfully at nothing in particular.
"Besides... I need to go back today, anyway. There's someone I haven't been to see."
It was past 11 when they got back. Hero parked the limo in the Plaza, and the gang walked to the church. Aubrey and Sunny stepped forward to a tombstone bathed in moonlight. Hero had decided to give them some privacy, so he waited near the graveyard door with Basil and Kel.
Aubrey began, holding Sunny's hand.
"Hey, Mari... sorry I'm so late today. I kinda got swept up in other things. They all had big plans for me today." She grinned.
"I hope you're doing well, up in Heaven. And I hope you got to see what was going on today - I hope you were with us. I had a great time. They all took great care of me." She squeezed Sunny's hand, and he squeezed back. "I had a great day, Mari. Best birthday I've had in a long time. And I wish you could be with us in person, but-" She looked at Sunny, whose eyes were fixed almost expressionlessly on the gravestone. "- but I know you're happy we're all back together again. And I know you love that Sunny and I are boyfriend and girlfriend." They both blushed.
"...You'd be very proud of him, Mari. I know you are, up there. He's come a long way. And I know it's hard for him... but we'll get through it. Together." They looked at each other and blushed again, squeezing each other's hands.
"Oh, and you won't believe this!" Aubrey turned back to the grave. "Sunny invited me to live with him in the city! They all sweet-talked your mom into agreeing! I couldn't believe it at first. But I know it's gonna be wonderful. Think of all the cute couple stuff we'll be able to do - we can go into town together, we can tell each other good morning and goodnight every day, we can share a bed-"
Sunny looked up at Aubrey, surprised and flustered. "Um... it's OK. My mom is gonna get you your own be-"
She smushed a finger against his lips and shook her head. "Nah. We're sharing a bed, Sunny."
Sunny went tomato-red, ears and face, and looked down at his shoes.
Aubrey giggled and turned to the grave again. "How's that for teasing? Not bad, huh?"
She thought some more. "I think that's all I gotta say right now. I'll make sure I come and visit before I leave for the city, and I'll make sure I come back and visit once I'm there."
...
"Thanks for listening, Mari. Thanks for everything. I love you."
They stood in silence for a few moments.
"Anything you wanna say?" Sunny nodded, then walked over and knelt down in front of the gravestone. He spoke softly to it for a few minutes. Aubrey couldn't make out what he was saying, but she could see the emotions coursing through him.
When he was done, Aubrey beckoned over Hero, Basil and Kel. They each said their piece. Everyone's emotions were running high afterwards, bubbling under each of their surfaces.
"Hey..." Hero spoke. "How 'bout a group hug?"
Ordinarily, Aubrey might have been a little annoyed at another group hug. But she had grown. She had her friends back. They hugged tight, sandwiching Aubrey in the middle.
But Aubrey realised someone was missing.
Once they broke away, Aubrey spoke quietly, and a little shakily. "Guys... um... if it's OK... could we have another hug... with Mari in it? This time?"
It took a few seconds for everyone to register what she meant, but they understood.
"Of course," said Kel. Hero looked at his younger brother, smiling gently, and nodded.
One-by-one, with Aubrey leading, the group gathered around Mari's gravestone and wrapped their arms around it and each other. Aubrey couldn't help but smile.
The hug lasted a while. Once they were done, they stood up, and Aubrey sniffed and wiped away a tear. "Thanks, guys."
Basil, who was looking back at the grave, turned to her. "You're always welcome."
"Yeah, Aubrey," said Kel. "And thanks for being you."
Aubrey smiled and looked at everyone in turn, and when she turned at last to Sunny, he smiled, that most beautiful and loveliest of smiles, that knew the way to Aubrey's heart. She smiled back. She took his hand.
She nodded, and with one final look back, they left the graveyard and walked out of the church. Everyone was silent until they stepped back out onto the street, but once they were there, as they all walked each other home, they talked, looking back on the celebrations of the day, and thinking up future plans.