━

AS AUDREY WALKED INTO THE SCHOOL, her boots crushed the crisp november leaves against the concrete.

it was wednesday, december twelfth.

audrey's fifteenth birthday.

excitedly, she walked into the gates, wearing her favorite outfit; her doc martens, upon stockings with a lacy, frilly shirt and a dark red skirt; all paired with a black zip up.

"oh my goshhh, look it's the birthday girlll," lilith sang as audrey walked up to the familiar bench. "here, for you." marina smiled as she set a small birthday crown on audrey's head, and lilith put a feather boa on her; handing her a bucket full of goods.

"food and make up is from me, the gift cards and money is from lilith." they stood beside each other, proud of the gift basket they had curated for their best friend.

"i've never had so much birthday jazz in my life," audrey laughed, "thank you guys, so much, actually." she added, setting the basket down and opening her arms wide to hug them both.

"seriously, you guys spoiled me so much this year." she breathed, hugging them tight. "well, we figured since we won't be here next year you might as well have something personal, you know?"

"thank you guysss," she smiled as they pulled away, "ima go put this in my locker, wanna come with?" she asked, picking up the light blue bucket. "we have a minute left, otherwise i would," marina said, "same, sorry odds." lilith said, hugging her.

"we'll hopefully go to the mall?" lilith asked, pulling away, "sure," she smiled bright as the bell rang, "love you guys!"

━

as audrey walked into class, she sat down beside miles, who looked like he was asleep upon the desk.

"today you guys are going to be starting a new project, one that needs to be completed by the first day of the second semester." their biology teacher explained.

"in other words; you have the rest of the semester and your winter break, if you so choose to work on it then."

miles sat up, slightly startled by audrey. "when did you get here?" he asked, running his hand through his hair, "just now?" she smiled, "it's your birthday?" he asked, actually shocked.

"yup." she replied, handing him a kitkat, "i'm good," he said, raising a hand, "you sure?" she asked, "actually, sure, why not." he shrugged, taking the bar from off the desk.

"how old are you turning?" he asked, leaning his cheek on his hand, "fifteen." she simply said, his brows raising slightly, "what?" she asked, turning to look at him. "nothing, i just–i thought you were already fifteen."

she laughed a bit, "you really don't know me." she smiled, realizing most people in her grade knew her birthday, even if they didn't really talk to her.

"you think?" he laughed as she bit down on her lip to hide her smile. "so you still wanna tutor later, or take the special day off?" he teased.

"well i was thinking of going to the mall with my friends.." audrey trailed off, her lips getting caught between her teeth, "oh that's fine," miles nodded, his cheeks growing pink.

"we can hang out at my place over break if you want," miles suggested, "since there's another project due and we have all of break to work on it."

"yeah that sounds fine," she smiled softly as she set down her basket of presents on the floor.

i should've gotten her something.. he thought as he watched her pull her pink sleeves down to her knuckles.

"wait, before you go to the mall, do you wanna just go to the coffee shop to hang out?" he asked as she looked at him in contemplation, "just for a bit, don't worry." he added, nervously picking at this sweater's hem.

"sure," she sighed with a smile, "cool." he huffed with a small grin. "let's get started, i don't wanna do too much work today," she stretched her arms out, her top raising a bit as her abdomen showed just a bit, miles trying to ignore it from the corner of his eye.

"yeah, i know." he mumbled as he took the sheets of paper and began to read the instructions.

━

as audrey talked with her friends throughout lunch and each period, more and more people kept wishing her a happy birthday, smiling, hugging and giving her small gifts or knick-knacks in their bag that they could find.

by the end of the day, audrey's backpack was two pounds heavier, and her hands two times more full than they had been when she had first made it to school.

she walked to the front of the school, waiting for any of her friends, marina, lilith, miles.

"miles," she breathed, looking around for a familiar mop of dark curly hair, sighing upon not finding him.

suddenly, a hand gripped her shoulder harshly, making audrey gasp. "wh—"

"we looked everywhere for you!" marina whined, "and lilith checked your 6th period classroom, where were you?" the dark haired girl asked, "i-i was waiting for you guys," audrey muttered, "sorry."

"it's fine, let's go?" marina said, linking her arms with audrey and lilith, "i-i uh-" audrey huffed, "i have to go to the coffee shop real quick," she muttered, her head hanging slightly low as she awaited the response from marina.

she turned giving audrey a blank stare, before shaking her head, "why?" she asked, as audrey avoided her gaze, "i left something there yesterday when i was studying," she lied, picking at her cuticles.

"i thought you had tutoring yesterday?" lilith intervened, "y-yeah, i did, but after that i went to the coffee shop," she hummed looking up at her friends, it was only a half-lie.

"fine, whatever, we'll meet you at the mall." marina said, holding hands with lilith as they started to walk away.

audrey sighed, biting down on her lip as she felt a familiarly weird feeling caught in her chest. she looked down at the basket full of gifts, before looking up at the two girls already in the distance.

"hey," a husk voice mumbled, pushing her thoughts to the side as she flicked her head over to see miles close behind her.

really close behind her.

"hi," she smiled a bit, "what's wrong?" he asked, before holding her hand, "i-i just-.." she cut herself off, trying not to notice his hand in hers, "nothing, let's go." she whispered, looking back at him.

as they walked to the sidewalk, audrey looked around, seeing kids in their cars, and some on the bus looking at her and miles.

she nervously played with the plastic on the basket, scraping her cuticles against it.

miles noticed, looking at her eyes and then the tip of her nose before his gaze soothed down on her soft pink lips.

"are you alright?" he asked, "i can hold that if you want." he offered, pointing to the basket as he set a cigarette between his lips, flicking his lighter close to the end of it and cupping it with his hand.

"it's fine," she shrugged it off, glancing once more at the cars that passed them by, "are you sure, you're okay?" miles asked, he didn't want her to feel bad on her birthday, especially since they were hanging out instead of doing math work.

he had a feeling she didn't want to be here with him.

"look," he paused, holding onto her arm as he stopped, "if you don't wanna go, i get it. it's your day and i don't want to stop you from having fun."

"no!" she laughed, "i do wanna go out with you!" she said, looking at him with a smile, as his lips parted. she gasped, realizing how it sounded. miles laughed a bit, taking the basket from her.

"i just don't want you to be upset, and you seemed kinda down." he muttered, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"sorry," she mumbled, looking at the cars again.

"it's just i haven't really known you long," she explained, "and you seem really nice, miles." she hummed, smiling at him a bit. "why thank you," he chuckled as she huffed a laugh, "your very welcome."

"i just didn't want to make my friends upset, i didn't tell them until five minutes ago," she told him, as he nodded, looking ahead of them.

"well, i promise you, i won't disappoint you." he smiled, tucking the basket underneath his arm. "i don't think you could," she joked, "i've already had a number of great scores, three B+'s and two A+'s."

"is that so?" he asked, "why didn't you tell me?" he looked at her as she looked down, rushedly tucking her hair behind her ears. "i wanted to show you at the end of the semester," she said as he nodded, puffing.

as they made it to the entrance of the coffee shop, miles dropped the cigarette butt, smushing it under his foot. he pulled the door open for her, as she walked into the shop.

"get whatever you want," miles said as audrey set her bag and basket down on a small cushioned chair. "oh, no it's fine, i have mon—"

"it's for your birthday," miles huffed, his cheeks heating up. he didn't known that it was audrey's birthday, but he had still wanted to get her something.

"miles, you didn't have to.." audrey smiled at the boy, who shook his head, "i wanted to." he mumbled, avoiding her gaze as he counted some bills.

"thanks," she smiled, nudging him. "what'll it be?" he asked, handing her the money. "fifty dollars?!" she whisper-shouted, "shit miles, i only need seven bucks–"

"it's for your birthday," miles emphasized, tilting his head at the girl, her face inches from his. "so, what'll it be?" he asked, as she sighed. "caramel ribbon crunch." she muttered, her cheeks growing red.

"you got it," he winked, walking up to the counter. "what cake pop?" he turned to her, as her jaw hung agape, "i don't need a cake p–"

"she'll have the birthday cake pop," he told the woman, "anything else?" the woman asked, "uh, sure just a tall cappuccino." he shrugged, "and a cheese danish."

"alright, that'll be 18.40," the woman said, as miles handed her a few bills. "miles, what about this?" audrey asked, holding out the money as he sat down, "it's for you," he simply said, taking his bag off his seat.

"but i thought it was for the drink," she said, her face in pure shock, "no, i paid for the drink, that money is for you to spend." he chuckled as he pulled out his phone, "miles, i don't even know what to do with this."

"well you're going to the mall after this, right?" he asked looking up at her, "yeah," she trailed off, "so buy stuff there, whatever you want, i don't care." he muttered, as he stretched his arms out.

"thanks, miles." she smiled, as he got up to get their order.

the two talked all throughout the half hour, learning more and more about each other in thirty-minutes than they had in the past three months.

"have you ever had a boyfriend?" miles carefully asked, sipping his drink, "no," she giggled, "i don't know if i'd want one." she shrugged, hoping he wasn't taking it where she thought he was taking it.

"and why's that?" he tilted his head at her, "problematic," she shrugged. "i'm not allowed to date either." she said, sipping her drink as she looked down at her phone.

"woah," miles at up, "really?" he asked, smiling a bit. "i mean i don't blame your parents, i'm sure tons of boys have probably asked you out."

"oh, is that what you think?" she smirked, "no, maverick, the guy who's friends with steven, asked me out in sixth grade."

"holy shit," miles laughed, "and what did you say?" he asked, "i told him i couldn't, because my parent's wouldn't let me. god, it was in front of the entire class too."

audrey laughed upon remembering another boy asking her out in first grade, "omar, too."

"what?!" miles exclaimed, "tell me you said no."

"i did, infact say no. he hated me forever, and i'll always hate him, too." audrey explained, "why? if you don't mind me asking." miles hummed, studying her hands as her fingers tightened around her phone.

"it's kind of complicated," she started, wincing at her words, "i've got time." the boy nodded, "is it because he asked you out or..?"

"he just did stuff that wasn't, really–" she sighed, giving up on explaining. "he's a bad person, miles."

"okay," he slowly nodded, "i can tell, selling drugs to thirteen year olds at the junior high," miles clicked his tongue, "i wouldn't date him either." he surmised, as audrey laughed.

"so that's it? you've never really dated anyone?" miles asked, with a small smile as he looked down at the small table in front of them.

"nope, never have, never will." audrey said, licking the whipped cream off her straw. "never say never." miles muttered as he looked at his shoes.

"hm?" audrey hummed, leaning closer, "nothing, i just remembered something from class," he chuckled, taking a look at his watch.

"shit, audrey it's five." he said, getting up and putting his bag on as the girl gasped. she shot up out of her seat and set the drink down before putting her backpack on, miles holding her basket.

"have fun, okay?" he smiled as they made it outside, he handed her the basket. "okay," she shyly said, smiling as he put the basket in her arms.

"bye, see you tomorrow, birthday girl." miles chuckled as she smiled, waving to him as she walked towards the sidewalk.

"never had a boyfriend, huh..?" he mumbled as he flicked his lighter open and closed.

━

hiii

i know it's been a while, but i just wrote this right now.

i know not everyone of my followers likes miles fairchild, but i wanted to publish something since i hit 200 today <3

i love all of you soooo so much, and seeing your comments and replies to my comments literally makes me sooo happy.

i usually publish my chapters at like 2 or 3 am for a few reasons;

i write best then, and because i love to wake up to everyone's positive comments

especially my constant readers <3

@-delicatehearts 

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  @moonleuer 

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@fallenst4rrr

ty so much for always reading my books & commenting here and there <3 i loveeee posting chapters solely because you guys leave sweet ass comments 

LOVE U GUYS SO MUCH // TY FOR 200 FOLLOWERS 🎉 

💋