This Four-Leaf Clover is All But Useless Now

“I am like Alice!” Annabelle spun around, showing off her costume and giggling, “Lost down a rabbit-hole of insane musicians and fantastical events!”
“I resent that.” Alex said, appearing behind Annabelle, wrapping an arm around her waist and handing her a beer. Annabelle reached up to kiss him on the cheek, but he caught her mouth on his. Matt, who had been talking to Annabelle while Alex had gone to get drinks, pouted.
“Where’s my kiss and beer?”
Alex sighed like a mother, and abandoned Annabelle to lick Matt sloppily on the cheek.
“There, both beer and a kiss!”
Matt groaned, wiping the beer spit off his face.
“Whyyyy?” He whined. Alex laughed, his top hat tipping to one side. Annabelle saw Kara pushing through people in the overcrowded club, all dressed in insane costumes.
“Well!” She said, when she reached the trio, “Who’s a handsome couple?”
“Yeah, I know right, Mickey Mouse and the Mad Hatter were meant to be.”
“Not you, retard.” Kara shoved Matt playfully. “The A-Team!”
“Still reckon you should’ve painted us black and we could have come as Mr T’s biceps.”
Annabelle laughed.
“That’s dumb.” Kara said, completely straight faced. Alex and Kara stared at each other down for a moment before Annabelle interrupted.
“I’m still flabbergasted that you organised this.”
“That is why I love this girl so much.”
The word love caught her off guard, but she pretended it was normal.
“Why?”
“Because you just dropped the word flabbergasted in everyday conversation!”
“It’s totally an everyday word.”
Alex shook his head and pressed a kiss to her temple.
“You two make me want to throw up you’re so adorable.” Matt said. “I’m out.”
He disappeared into the crowd.

“How did everyone manage to find costumes so quick?” Annabelle asked, referring to Jack and Zack who were loping across the room, arguing about how to walk in their donkey two-piece.
“A magician never reveals her secrets.”
Annabelle pouted, chugging some of her beer. It made her so full, but she wanted to feel more intoxicated. Her stomach was churning.
“You should of dressed them up as Tweedledee and Tweedledum.” Annabelle laughed, shaking her had at the guitarist and the bassist of All Time Low. Jack, the ass of the donkey, had spotted her, and now was trying to pull Zack along toward her.
“Aw, you’re right, we could have all been Alice in Wonderland characters!” Kara looked down at her very cute Pikachu outfit. Rian was dressed as Ash Ketchum. Jack finally reached the group through the crowd and stood over Kara, glaring at her.
“Why did I have to be the ass of the donkey?!” He exclaimed.
“Because you’re an a-“
“Ass, I know.” Jack pouted. Sulking on Annabelle’s shoulder, “Kara-Wara is so mean to me.”
“I know, baby, I know.” Annabelle stroked his hair, staring at Zack who looked completely stoned. “Where’s Rian?”
Kara waved generally around the room, “He was talking to some old friends last time I checked.” She narrowed her eyes, “But you’re right, we SHOULD get a family photo.”
“I never even said tha-“ Annabelle begun, looking up at Alex for conformation. He silenced her.
“Don’t even try.” He whispered in her ear, tickling it. For a moment Annabelle forgot that there was anyone else in the room, that there was any blaring music, dancing bodies, drunken mistakes; just her and Alex. Zack broke the moment by leaning between them, and stroking Annabelle’s face with his hand. Annabelle laughed,
“Zack, what the fuck.”
“You” he began, “are quite…pretty…” His voice was slow, his movements lethargic. Annabelle continued to chuckle.
“Thanks? You’re not too bad yourself.” She saw that he had stopped listening, and was now staring at the coloured lights whirring around the room. Jack was talking animatedly to Alex about something Annabelle couldn’t hear over the music, but Zack had begun to drag Jack, inside the costume, in another direction, while Jack was doing his best to stay put. The whole situation was comical. Kara suddenly appeared with Matt and Rian, one in each arm. She tugged on the arm of the nearest partygoer, someone Annabelle had never laid eyes on before. She continued to wonder where Kara had found such an extensive list of guests in a city that wasn’t even her own. The stranger was holding the camera up, and Kara pushed them into a bunch. As the guy took photos, they changed positions, Alex kissing her, Kara kissing her, pulling character poses, Annabelle grinning the whole time.

“Wait a second,” Annabelle begun, pointing at the camera, “isn’t that MY camera?”
“Uhm,” Kara began, “I may have borrowed it without permission?”
Annabelle glared at her, raising a fist (semi) jokingly. Alex grabbed her waist and dragged her away from the gang. He was laughing, and so were the others, at Annabelle’s attempt of being intimidating. Annabelle managed to struggle free, but Kara and the others had disappeared into the crowd. Alex turned her around and pressed a kiss to her lips. Annabelle smiled into the kiss, her beer dangling from her hand. She was still in shock about the situation she was in. Every time she and Alex kissed she would be hit with wonder. She swayed drunkenly, suddenly hearing the music as Alex pulled away.
“This is amazing!” She screamed. “You are amazing!!”
Alex laughed, “You’re amazing!”
“Let’s dance!” Annabelle had begun swaying to the music, completely blocking out everything that was going on. Her dress, already short, was flying around dangerously. From across the dance-floor, Emery stood with two random guys, sipping a beer and watching. He was astonished at her recovery, and feeling very guilty. It was almost overbearing. Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Gavin had just entered the club, and was slouching toward him, grinning.
“You dickbrain!” Emery hit him lightly when he reached him. “You can’t be here!”
The bassist was fuming, Gavin was his mate, but it disgusted him that he had the nerve to show up at Annabelle’s birthday party. Annabelle, the girl he had raped. Gavin noticed her, in her Alice costume, dancing with Alex in the middle of the crowd. He smirked as the dress bounced, flashing her underwear. He seemed to remember that Emery had said something and turned back to him.
“Why the fuck not?”
“You know why, you fucking dumbass.”
Gavin sneered at Emery for a moment. He shrugged, and then he said, “I’m going to go find Carlos.”
Which was synonymous with, ‘I’m going to go do drugs.’ Emery shook his head in annoyance once he had left, and ordered another drink.

Alex twirled Annabelle around, grabbing her hands as she twisted and turned to the beat. The song started to change over and Alex squealed like a girl. Annabelle looked up, alarmed, and Alex screamed.
“It’s mah jam!”
Annabelle began to recognise the remixed beat as Umbrella by Rhianna and laughed, shaking her head fondly at her boyfriend. Kara had pushed through the crowd to find them once again, clutching Rian. Zack and Jack had bounded over as well, pushing people out of the way to crowd around Annabelle. The chorus started and the group went nuts.

***

“Okay!” Kara screamed, the music was off, and the entire party had crowded around Kara standing on a barstool. “As you all know, today-“ She paused, looking at her watch, laughed and corrected herself, “TOMORROW, was our little girl’s birthday!” The crowd cheered, and Annabelle blushed smiling sheepishly standing in the front row. “This kid,” Kara swayed precariously on the stool, pointing at Annabelle, Rian jumped out to steady her. She giggled. “this kid is actually the best. She’s funny and smart, and a great person! I can’t actually deal with how cute she is. She’s probably even cuter than me!”
“That’s not hard!” A voice called out from the middle of the group, the crowd laughed and Kara shot a glare in its general direction.
“Blaine, don’t make me beat you up again like I did in the fifth grade!”
The crowd laughed again, and someone yelled, “She got you good, buddy.”
“ANYWAY,” Kara continued, “let’s get this little lady out here!” She beckoned Annabelle to come over, her blush deepened as she stepped out of the group, holding onto Alex’s eyes which brimmed with warm encouragement.

“Thank you all so much for coming!” Annabelle said, “I don’t know many of you, but I’m sure you’re all as awesome and fantastic and sexy as-“
Annabelle faltered, she had spotted Gavin standing in the back of the room, his face was nothing short of a sadistic, twisted grin. Annabelle glared at him for a moment, anger bubbling up inside her, and then mimicked his smile.
“a-as the ones I do know.” She finished defiantly. Gavin’s smile faltered. She returned her gaze to the crowd, “I love you all!”
Alex looked at her quizzically, but she just grinned. Kara laughed,
“We have one more surprise for you!”
She motioned to the right and Annabelle saw that Zack and Jack were approaching holding a massive cake in the shape of a giant camera, the candles were flickering dangerously as they walked. Kara used her hands again, pretending to be a conductor, and the crowd of guests began to sing happy birthday. Annabelle could not stop grinning, and she hoped that it was annoying Gavin seeing her so happy. Nothing could ruin her right now. She reached to grab Alex from the crowd and Kara jumped down from her stool using Rian’s head to help her balance. Annabelle noticed the guy from before still had her camera and had pushed through the crowd, taking a photo of the six of them just as cake reached her.
“Blow them out!” Kara said, watching the wax melt.
“Wait!” Annabelle said, “Where’s Matt?”
The manager emerged from the crowd.
“Without whom I would not be here.” She smiled at him and the guy took another photo. “Okay, we all blow them out on three.”
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
The seventeen candles flickered and smoke rose from the cake. The crowd cheered and clapped. Annabelle kissed Alex. The cake was cut.

“Do you want a piece?” Alex asked tentatively, as everyone came up and collected some cake. Annabelle stared at the square he was holding. It was sponge, with chocolate frosting, jam in the middle. Anger was still fuelling her, she was determined to act like a normal person, to enjoy the day, her birthday. She took the cake and shoved the whole thing in her mouth, her face transforming into a grin. The worried look broke from Alex’s face and he was grinning too. Annabelle grabbed a square of cake and, catching Alex unaware, shoved it into his face. Shocked, he began laughing and went to grab another piece to throw at Annabelle. She stopped him, indicating down to the costume that did not belong to her. Alex narrowed his eyes, licking his lips clean of crumbs he grabbed the tiny girl and threw her over his shoulder.
“Alex!” She squealed. “I’m flashing!”
Alex didn’t take any notice and instead walked into a hallway where the music was substantially quieter. He placed her carefully down. She was about to send a flurry of weak, flirtatious punches his way, but she noticed his expression and dropped her hands. He pulled her into him and held her. Feeling her body against his. Annabelle relaxed into him, wrapping her arms around him as he gently squeezed her, his arms locked firmly around her. The feeling was startling, all these emotions were flooding through her, Alex’s emotions. He held her in a way that made her feel like he would never let her go. That he needed her. That he missed her. That he loved her. She suddenly felt like crying, tears welling up her throat. She coughed slightly to clear them and blinked rapidly to dispel the water in her eyes. Alex held her tighter, his mouth drawing closer to her ear.
“I love you, okay.” He said quietly, “I really bloody love you.”
The breath caught in her throat. She smiled. Any fear of the word suddenly dissipated.
“I love you, too.”

Notes