My arms strain as I hold them high above my head against the wall, a tiny hammer and pointy nail clenched tightly in my fist as a slight burn makes its way through my muscles from the stretch.

"Okay, now a little to the left," I instruct, fumbling with the nail as I try to line it up in the corner.

The massive banner, which resembles the feel of a heavy tarp, abruptly slides to the right, causing me to lose my grip on the edge of it. Before I can catch it, it drapes over my face, blinding me.

My screech is muffled when I yell, "I said the left!"

"Sorry," Sid grunts loudly. I keep my arms pressed against the wall to keep my balance, listening to the plastic material crinkle as Sidney clumsily pulls it away from my face. I shift the hammer in my hand after it almost slides out of my grasp.

"I was falling backwards and had to catch myself before I broke my neck," She gripes.

I blow out a breath and shake my free hand out after it starts cramping. I look down from where I stand on the arm of the couch, contemplating on waiting for Austin and Lincoln to get back so that they can hang it up for me like he originally instructed me to do in the first place. I just chose not to listen and thought I could do it myself. With Sid's reluctant help of course.

"Should we do a countdown? Like, one, two, three, and then we hammer?" I ask, eying the nail in my hands.

"Why, so I can accidentally smash my thumb black and blue?" She quips sassily.

I pause. "I'm sensing some hostility here."

A growl escapes her lips and I try not to snicker as a faint blush creeps up her neck. Her face matches mine, blotchy and lightly shimmering with sweat, and her dark, curly hair sticks to her temples and cheeks.

"I cannot believe you roped me into this when we had two tall, strong men who were ready and willing to do it for us," She grumbles.

I ignore her. "Okay, on one, two, three, go, alright?"

"What the fuck ever," She murmurs, pinching the corner of the banner and the nail in between her fingers. "Let's just do this so that I can get the fuck down and make a sandwich before my stomach eats itself."

I make it to two when the front door swings open.

"Oh, thank God," Sid gasps, throwing the hammer to the floor. Which causes her side of the banner to fall. Thus causing the heavy-weighted material to slip down the wall sideways, taking me with it. I attempt to reach out and right it, and as expected, it doesn't work. I hear something loud thump onto the floor right before Lincoln exclaims, "Holy fuck!"

I attempt to swivel my body, hoping to land on the couch instead of the hard ass floor on the other side, but my sock-clad foot slips against the fabric of the couch and sends me flying backwards. A squeak escapes my lips right as a pair of arms snag me around the waist, pulling me against their body. The familiar welcoming smell of cinnamon invades my nostrils and I let my body fall into Austin's, my heart racing.

Pinned to the front of his body, I timidly peek up at him. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He asks gruffly.

I pat his chest reassuringly and feign nonchalance, even though my body is vibrating with adrenaline. "I promise you no one was more fearful for my life than me."

"You had one job. Literally one. And it was to sit and look pretty while we picked up the ice. I told you I'd do it for you," He stresses, maneuvering me out of the way.

I take a seat on top of the rickety coffee table and watch, amused as he picks up the banner while Lincoln looks for the hammer that Sidney threw. Meanwhile the person responsible for my near-death experience leans against the kitchen counter with an array of condiments laid out in front of her while she happily makes herself lunch.

"Why is everyone so hostile today?" I ask, openly ogling Austin's ass as they lift the banner up with ease and pull it taut. It stretches across the entire length of the couch and Savannah's mischievous smile gleams back at me, the words "Happy 18th Birthday Sav!" proudly displayed in large letters. It cost an arm and a leg to be made, but damn was it worth it to see my baby sister's pretty face grasp the entire attention of the room. The pink background matches the streamers and balloons that hang from the ceiling perfectly.

A thrill rushes through me, the same one I've had since I woke up at seven o'clock today and burst into my sister's room singing 'Happy Birthday' at the top of my lungs. I've found myself giddy with excitement all day, anxious to surprise Savannah once she gets home from school.

"It looks so good!" I exclaim. I jump up and tackle my boyfriend with a hug once he steps back from the wall to inspect his work. "Thank you for coming to my rescue and hanging it for me."

"You're welcome," He squeezes my waist. "Thank you for not busting your head open while I was gone."

I kiss his cheek and step away. I clap my hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay, it's almost one. The food's gonna take a while so y'all should probably unload the grill Lincoln brought and fire it up now. Sid and I will start the cake," I say excitedly.

Lincoln steals a chip from Sidney's plate and quirks a brow. "I've never seen you like this before, Aria. You've had a permanent smile on your face all day. It's kinda weird to see you so..."

"Happy?" I supply sarcastically.

"Yeah, that."

Sidney reaches out and pinches Lincoln's nipple when he reaches for her pickle spear. He lets out a girlish squeal and sidesteps the counter. "Leave her alone, you dodo. You only turn eighteen once, and Sav deserves a proper celebration," She says.

Lincoln frowns and shoots Austin a confused look. "The fuck is a dodo?"

Austin and I smother a laugh as Lincoln steps outside to unload the grill and Sidney turns to the fridge, taking out the hot dogs and premade hamburgers we prepped this morning. Austin turns to me with a soft look in his eye. "We'll be out back, alright? Try to keep the batter in the bowl this time."

I roll my eyes and lightly shove him. He snags me by the waist as I start to walk to the kitchen and dips his head down, his mouth brushing my ear. "You look beautiful today. Have I told you that?"

Warmth spreads through me and a small grin tugs at my lips. "Thank you," I say sheepishly. I'd decided to "dress up" for the occasion, and by that I mean I decided to wear a dress instead of my usual ripped jeans and oversized t-shirt. This one was another babydoll style dress, a vintage find I'd snagged from the thrift store that's a stark white with subtle pink floral detailing. It made me feel feminine and pretty, and I'd even donned light pink eyeshadow today to match. My loosely curled hair with a half up/half down braid completed the look.

Austin pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilts my head up for a soft kiss. It's short, sweet, and still makes my toes curl and body heat in excitement.

"Hey, yeah, so I'm still here. Just letting y'all know," Sidney calls from the kitchen.

A flush coats my cheeks as we break away and Austin smirks. He kisses my warm cheek, squeezes my waist, and mockingly salutes Sidney as he grabs the tray of food and walks out the front door.

I clear my throat and grab the apron Sidney brought over, grinning as I see it matches hers with a comical picture of a whisk and the phrase "Whip It Real Good" printed across the front.

"Y'all are so in love it's gross." Sidney remarks, passing me the measuring cup.

I purse my lips, focusing intently on the back of the cake mix box.

"So you keep telling me," I murmur distractedly.

"Because you are."

"Not quite, but whatever you say."

I hear her softly whisper what sounds like "denial" as she cracks eggs into a glass bowl. She's quiet for a moment, and I relax, glad she's stopped with the accusations.

Until she blurts out, "So when are y'all gonna fuck?"

I can't help it; I burst into laughter. Straightening up, I playfully flick flour in her face, grinning.

I've never felt so content in my damn life.

——

"Lincoln, for the love of God, shut the fuck up before I rip your balls off your body and throw them out the window."

"Jesus Christ," Austin murmurs from his crouched position behind me. "Are they always like that?"

Sidney, Lincoln, and I chime "Yes" at the the same time.

"Okay, seriously, you two. Cut it out, she's gonna be here any second," I say, exasperated.

"Sorry," They say.

I look over at where Sid and Linc sit crouched behind the kitchen counter, silently bickering, and then dart my gaze behind them to the clock on the microwave. Sav will be here any minute and I feel like I'm going to black out with excitement.

Austin's hand snakes around my body and pulls me into his chest. "I can hear your heart beating."

"I'm excited," I quietly defend myself.

He places a kiss on my pulse point and his words whisper against my skin gently. "Everything looks so good. She's gonna love it just as much as she loves you. Promise."

I place my hand over his and squeeze his fingers, my heart in my throat and gratitude pulsing through my veins. The happiness that brims within me threatens to boil over and the word "love" teasingly thumps around in my brain.

I'm knocked out of my reverie when I hear footsteps bound up the front porch and two voices happily chatting. Savannah and her new coworker turned friend, Anna. My entire body freezes when the door knob turns, and the minute it pushes open, myself and my family leap up and happily exclaim "Surprise!"

Savannah stares at me, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Anna stands beside her, a small smirk on her lips. Sav quickly runs her gaze over each of us, and before I can say anything, she promptly bursts into tears.

"Sav?" I ask frantically. I take a step forward to go console her, but she meets me halfway, bulldozing into my arms. She wraps around me like a koala and burrows her face in my hair, crying on my shoulder.

I squeeze her hard. "Is it too much?" I ask quietly.

She yanks her head from my neck and hastily wipes at her eyes. "No!" She exclaims. "How.. why-"

"Because you deserve it," I squeeze her waist. "Happy birthday, baby sister. Welcome to adulthood, it sucks."

She lets out a choked laugh and yanks me forward for another hug, murmuring "Thank you," over and over. Tears sting my own eyes and I softly inhale, the smell of her strawberry scented body spray meeting my nostrils. Home.

——

"Sav, open mine first," Lincoln says, shoving a tiny gift bag in her hands. She grins and pulls it open, eyebrows furrowed as she pulls out a tiny wooden box that's painted an off-white color. The five of us watch from the our seats on the carpet as Sav sits in the recliner in front of us, full of BBQ and cake and ice cream.

"I made that," He says proudly. "Look at the top."

She does, flipping it over before running her thumb gently across the top.

"What's it say?" I ask, confused.

"It says my name," She says softly. "It's engraved." She looks over at Lincoln. "Is it a jewelry box?"

"Yep. Figured you'd want somewhere to keep your girly shit when you move to college. I made one for Sid that she keeps on her vanity," He explains.

My breath catches at the word 'college'. Austin senses where my train of thought is heading and squeezes my thigh. Sav grins. "Thank you. That's really thoughtful."

"Us next," Austin clears his throat, reaching behind him. He drags a larger sized gift bag around his body and pushes it towards her.

"It's heavy, so you'll have to leave it on the floor," He warns. I still as she curiously leans over and rips out the decorative tissue paper I pushed inside the bag to obscure the gift.

"Holy shit," She gasps. "Are you serious?"

"Pull it out," I encourage.

She does, her eyes lighting up as she admires the the box her new record player came in. One of my favorite things about Sav was how strongly we both shared the love of music. We spent a majority of our childhood listening to our dad's old radio when we couldn't afford cable or to even block out his and mom's fighting, so it was no surprise that she eventually brought up the topic of record players and wanting to collect vinyls. She'd talked about wanting one for years, so it felt like a huge accomplishment to be able to purchase one for her, with the help of Austin.

Warmth fills my chest as I watch her lightly run her hands over the sleek box. "There's more in the bag," I say hoarsely.

She reluctantly pushes the box aside and pulls out the records we purchased for her; Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Weezer, and Cage The Elephant. Altogether expensive as fuck, but so worth it to see the look on her face.

She launches forward and yanks Austin and I in for a tight hug. "Thank you so much. I love y'all."

"We love you more, Savvy," I say, my voice cracking.

"Happy birthday, squirt," Austin says, leaning back and ruffling her hair.

"Well, shit," Sidney says, pouting at Anna. "How the hell are we gonna top that?"

——

The evening passes by both quickly and slowly at the same time. A perfect evening full of food, fun, and laughter. My belly is full of good food and cake, and my cheeks hurt from the permanent smile that's sat there all day.

With a quick hug to both Sid and Lincoln, the last guests to leave, I bid them goodbye at the door and turn to survey the catastrophe that is the aftermath of Savannah's party; paper plates and plastic solo cups and beer bottles litter the counter, and pink streamers lay haphazardly across the floor and kitchen table amongst an array of popped balloons and a huge pile of ripped wrapping paper.

I busy myself with picking up all of the discarded trash, tossing empty cups and plastic silverware into a loose trash bag. A grin tugs at my lips when, from her bedroom, Savannah and Austin's chatter comes to a halt when they suddenly turn up the volume on the record player.

Savannah had been itching to get it set up on the wooden crate in her bedroom and she'd dragged Austin with her, the two of them discussing different variants and records that she hoped to ultimately collect in the future.

I stow the leftover hamburgers in the fridge, a snort escaping me when "Black" by Pearl Jam blares loudly from her bedroom. The two of them belt the lyrics loudly, and I find myself hurriedly swiping trash from the counter with my forearm, itching to join them and let loose.

A steady knock rings out against the front door as I round the kitchen table, soft enough that I probably wouldn't have heard it if I'd been standing across the kitchen.

Thinking nothing of it, I lay the trash bag in a chair and glide to the front door, mindlessly undoing the dead bolt. I freeze when the door swings open to reveal my father.

Even though it's dark out and the porch light isn't on, I'm still able to detect the annoyed frown that mars his face. He leans in closer, curiously, his eyes darting over my shoulder to see what's going on in. I hurriedly side step him, blocking his view and pulling the door closed as much as possible. I shield myself with it and shoot him a stony look through the crack, making sure to keep my voice even but quiet enough not to alert Sav and Austin of his visit; I'm hoping to get him off the front porch without causing any trouble.

"What are you doing here?"

Dad shifts uneasily, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath his feet. "Today's my daughter's birthday, is it not?"

It's on the tip of my tongue to snarl out a bitter "I didn't see you four months ago on mine," but I refrain and instead bite out, "She doesn't want to see you. You should go."

I attempt to edge the door close, but his hand shoots out, halting my movements, and I grit my teeth when I instinctively flinch.

"Not so damn fast. Why you in a hurry, little girl? Let me in."

The song in the background changes to "Alive" and I mentally let out a breath of relief when it gets cranked up even louder. I don't even give a damn if the neighbors are pissed. I refuse to alert Savannah to his presence and have him ruin what has been a great day for her, for us.

I raise my voice just a tad in order to be heard over the music. "You don't live here anymore and we don't want you here. You need to leave. Now."

An angry look that has me tightening my fingers on the outside of the door passes across dad's face. "I'll leave. But you have something that belongs to me, and I want it before I go."

My heartbeat quickens. "I don't know what to tell you. She hasn't signed them. I haven't even seen her in weeks. If you want them signed, find her and get it done yourself."

Dad chuckles wryly and leans closer. "I'm so damn tired of you kids telling me what to fucking do. Just like your batshit mother, always bossing my ass around like you have a say. You either get me those papers or I take her ass to court and sue her for everything she's worth."

This time, a surprised laugh escapes me. "Did you not hear what I just said? Neither of you live here, so that has nothing to do with me. I won't let you put us in the middle of you guys' shit again. It's bad enough you did it for fifteen years. You have five minutes to get off my porch."

"That so, little girl?" He takes a menacing step forward and points his finger at my chest. "You like the house you're standing in? Because my fuckin' name is on the deed. It ain't yours and never will be. I'm your father, so you're gonna do what I damn well tell you to do before I kick the damn door in and throw your ass out of it," He spits.

I'm stunned as the door is abruptly yanked from my grasp, but not by my dad. Austin gently knocks me to the side and takes my spot, towering over my father by at least two inches. Dad takes a cautious, confused step back.

It hasn't even clicked in my brain that the house is now dead silent, which makes Austin's low, threatening words seem all the more louder. "She asked you to leave, so why haven't you left?"

From what I can see between the small crack in between the door jamb and Austin's shoulder, dad straightens his shoulders and a hard look crosses his face.

"Who the fuck are you? This is my house and my daughter, I ain't gotta leave if I don't want to," He snaps.

A startled squeak sounds behind me, and I spin around to see Savannah staring open mouthed at the scene taking place in front of us. Dad must hear it too, because the next thing I hear is the scuffle of a boot against plywood and Austin's gruff voice saying, "Don't look at them. Look at me."

His next words are calm, almost too calm. "I'm very good friends with Cory Wicker down at Memphis PD, and if I hadn't already googled your fucking public record online already, the stories I've heard about you straight from his mouth tell me everything that I need to know. You're lucky to even be standing on Aria's doorstep right now, so if you know what's good for you and the freedom that you shouldn't have been granted in the first place, you'll turn around and walk right the fuck back to wherever you came from."

A strangled noise escapes dad's throat, and he scoffs in disbelief. "Who are you to tell me—"