Thank you to @ishanichoo for her five-minute drawing of Macy at the top❤

I hate being sick. This is a weird question but does anyone know any awesome Norweigian songs?

Chapter Forty-One: "Nice Gift."

I LEANED BACK into the chair, letting out a breath. Maddy glanced at me. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm great." I lied straight through my teeth. My feet were killing me due to the heels my friends shoved me into. The dress I was wearing made me more uncomfortable than I would have been in any other dress.

"Okay, even I didn't believe that." Anmol said on my other side.

We've been in this large banquet hall for almost an hour at the most and I was determined to find my way out the second I had entered. Although I did try to have a good time, nothing really worked because from my view I could see Tanya staring right at me.

The little she-devil needs to stop looking at me like that before I take one of my heels and-

"You know what?" I interrupted my own thoughts, sitting up. "This is to honor all the women athletic teams in the university and I am glad to be a part of one of those teams. But seriously, the only reason why I am here right now is for the food."

I ended off my sentence by biting into the heavenly pasta on my plate. Maddy offered me the wine in her hand and I shook my head. "I'm good."

"Seriously? It's non-alcoholic."

"I'm okay with water."

"You know for nineteen, you're still a party pooper." She joked.

Nineteen. Another year older today.

If we hadn't been here I had a feeling Maddy would have thrown a party. Where would she have thrown it? Probably at Sam and Peter's flat. Would Peter have allowed it? Definitely. Would Sam? Maybe. Would I seriously want one? No. Not really.

But today was great overall. Maddy, Anmol, Matteo and a couple of our other friends from here were certain to make this day great for me. Peter even came along when he didn't have to but his excuse was that he didn't have any plans during the day but he was heading out for the entire night. Doing what? I have no idea but I knew he wouldn't be in the flat right now.

Sam had a tournament but I knew he would be back tonight.

Although my day was good I did miss the traditional Andrew waking me up every single morning of my birthday even though last year Jasmine did it. Speaking of Jasmine, she called me to say happy birthday but couldn't talk long but it was okay. Almost everyone I knew woke me up with a bunch of messages this morning and I had a very long talk with my dad and Justin. Everything was okay.

Except for these stupid heels.

My phone lit up from another text from Caleb who had been apologizing to me all day even though he didn't have to. Caleb was in New York and he was held back there because he had an important interview. An interview he was willing to ditch to fly all the way here for my birthday. It took an hour for me to convince the guy that it was okay he wasn't here but he wouldn't budge.

Clearly, considering this was the seventh apology message he sent me in the hour.

Anmol pulled me out of my thoughts as everyone clapped for the mention of the women's A basketball team. "You know, you can leave."

"Yeah, I know but..."

Maddy rolled her eyes. "Just go, would you? Because I don't want to hear you hiss again and I'm certain that your man is home right now."

I raised my eyebrow, "How are you certain?"

"Because from the flash flood of texts coming from Caleb on your phone, Sam just messaged you saying that he's home right now."

"Seriously?" A grin spread on my face.

Maddy stared at me with narrowed eyes. "That is the first smile you've had in the past two hours."

"Sorry?" I said with a laugh that stopped midway because I hissed at the discomfort from my feet.

"Go." She smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have Anmol to keep me company and if anything happens-"

"What could possibly happen?" I interrupted. The entire night consisted of teams being called up for recognition so far and free food.

"Drama. A fight. A clash battle between members of the volleyball team and the basketball team."

"Someone's been watching too much television with Matteo." Anmol said.

Maddy rolled her eyes at her before looking at me. "Why are you still here? Here's money for a cab. Go."

She put the money in my hands and about a half an hour later I was walking into Sam's building with, feeling the blisters forming on my feet. In the elevator, I looked down at the messages I received in the past day from old friends and new ones. But when another message from Caleb came in I sent him a text that said, 'IT'S OKAY NOW STOP' before putting my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' and sliding it in the purse Anmol had shoved in my hands this evening.

I opened the door, almost stumbling past the threshold. I hissed in pain, locking the door behind me. Hobbling over to the living room, I could hear the fake laughter from some sitcom coming from the TV.

"Hazel, are you-"

"I hate these shoes," I cut Sam off, groaning in pain. "If someone convinces me, a tall girl to wear shoes that will make her even taller, knock me over the head and tie me up in my room, okay?"

I tossed the heels off, letting out an exaggerated breath when I looked at Sam. He looked dumbfounded and I have seen that look on his face many times but he looked absolutely lost staring at me.

His lips were parted his and his hand on the remote froze. His eyes didn't stay on one part of me; they drifted from my hair to my face all the way down to my legs and I didn't move under his gaze.

When I finally did get the urge to move, I swallowed. "What?"

Sam tossed the remote to the side and I heard it bounce off the couch and hit the carpet on the ground. He held a hand out and I stared at it. "Sam?"

He urged me with his fingers to come towards him but I stayed right there because I had a feeling what would happen. What would happen if I did take his hand and what we would do. "Sam-" I repeated but he cut me off.

He stood on his feet and before I knew it, he was in front of me. As if I was glass, he carefully placed his hands on me and when he spoke, his voice was low. "You went to the banquet like this?"

I raised an eyebrow. He wasn't one of those boyfriends so I was wondering where he was going with that question. "Yes. Why?"

"You, you probably had heads turning."

"Probably because I could barely walk in those stupid heels," I answered and Sam chuckled.

"You look absolutely stunning," He pressed his lips against my neck. "Today," He kissed against my jaw. "Tomorrow," Sam pulled his head up. "Every single fucking day."

"Sam-"

"No talking." He whispered.

"But-"

"Just let me kiss you." And he did. His hands held me against me as if I was ever going to let go. I let my own hands entangle themselves in his hair, smiling against his lips. Smiling at the way he could make me feel today, tomorrow and always.

He pulled away, my eyes opening on their accord to see him staring right back at me. "Happy birthday Hazel."

And after that, I don't know how it happened but it I could feel it. I could feel the intensity. The sound of the TV in the background was long forgotten and it was only Sam. How we went from the wall to the couch seemed like a mystery. How his hands went to my back, pulling the zipper of my dress down while his shirt fell to the ground.

I didn't even bother to care or realize that not even a couple seconds later while my dress joined the floor where his shirt was, it was freezing inside. But the heat between the both of us made me ignore that, made me ignore it all.

He pressed me against him as my lips made their way down his neck. He gripped my hips tightly when I went over the spot that made him loose a little bit of his mind. Almost a year with him let me know many things about him. Things that made him smile. Things that made him annoyed. Things that drove him crazy. This. This could drive him crazy.

But the atmosphere shifted when his hands went lower and not out of trust nor out of fear but of timing, I pulled back, giving ourselves a moment to recover. And in that moment, my mind went back down from trying to achieve cloud nine.

"I-I'm sorry." I whispered my face in my hands but his own still on my body.

"Hazel-"

"I'm so sorry." I let out a huge breath, pushing my hair back. The loose curls tat I had walked into the flat with were messy from his hands and from the frenzy we had partially put ourselves through.

"It's okay, c'mere."

I laid my head in the crook of his neck and waited until both of our breathing slowed down and the heat that was coursing through my body was only felt on my face. "I know you're probably so tired of this."

"Hazel. Stop. It's okay."

But at the same time it didn't feel like it was okay. I felt the need to say sorry a million times. "You're probably so annoyed. You've been with me for almost a year and I'm still not ready-"

"Macy," He grabbed my wrists, his eyes trying to reassure me what he's been trying to tell me since we got together. Since the times we almost had those moments but I stopped it from getting too far. "It's okay. Trust me."

"It's just that there's so much unspoken pressure. From people, from just everyone from even..." I trailed off, looking at him so he knew who I was talking about.

"Alexis?"

"Yeah," I sighed, the memory of one of my stupid conversation with her coming up before I pushed it down. "Even though she's not in the picture anymore-"

"She was never in the picture in the first place."

"Okay. But still it's just something that keeps coming into my head and I feel like-"

"I know what you feel will happen but it won't. And this- this won't happen until you want it to. Until you tell me that you want to. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't let people pressure you about that part of our lives because it's our business, not their's. It's between you and me. That's all it'll ever be, Hazel."

There was a moment of silence before I spoke. "I think I made a decision."

"What is it?"

"I want to wait."

Sam processed that for a second. "Wait until what? Marriage?"

I nodded, waiting for his reaction.

Sam processed that too for a second. "Okay. Do you want me to get down on one knee right now because I haven't purchased a ring yet-"

"Sam."

He laughed. "I'm okay with that. I really am."

"Okay."

"Good. Now, I have cake and I haven't seen you all day. And it's your birthday. You're finally 19. What do you want to do tonight?"

"I saw Tanya today. What I want to do is relax."

"With cake?"

"Definitely. We're not going to let all that cake go to waste." I looked over at the balcony and the jacuzzi that was there. "Can we go there?"

"Right now?"

"No, in five years." I sarcastically commented.

"You're annoying."

"So are you."

Sam smiled. "We can go but I highly suggest you get off me because what I'm thinking of doing to you right now is going to be reserved for our wedding night as of 34 seconds ago."

My face burned and I quickly scattered off Sam, my heart beating fast under this gaze. "Can you at least tell me who bought you that?" He said in reference to my underwear. The same underwear that was similarity almost like the one Caleb had got me last year for my birthday. Great, now I was pretty sure Maddy and Caleb had been talking to one another.

"Maddy did today when we went out and made me wear it." I said.

"I know it's not my birthday but this is a nice gift to see."

"Shut up."

When we were in the jacuzzi, my back against his chest, I moved my hand through the water as the hot jets bubbled. Sam kept his head on my shoulder, hugging me against him. We faced the view of the city where we could see what felt like all the buildings. "I wish you could have seen your friends."

"You speak like they aren't your friends too. Sam, there are so many factors. School ruins everything anyway." I grumbled.

"And Caleb says sorry a million times he couldn't be here tonight."

"I know. He's still texting me sorry the entire time. I told him it was okay but he feels bad."

"Yeah, he kept telling me today to tell you how sorry he is. By the way, I will have one of your favorite people flying in in a couple of weeks."

"Favorite people?"

Sam cleared his throat. "On the next episode of Catching Up With The Cahills..."

I laughed, turning around to face him. "One of Macy Anderson's- sorry I mean the future Macy Cahill-"

I laughed even further, splashing him with the water and he grinned wide.

"One of Macy Cahill's favorite Cahill's, Phillip John Cahill will be joining Macy and Sam in Manchester along with Sam's mother who is doing business nearby for a couple of days."

"Phillip, really?"

"Yeah. They're coming by after their March break trip or maybe after. He called me the other day. He misses you."

Sam and I couldn't even go anywhere for Spring Break. Actually, I'm pretty sure no one from Uni that was one a sports team would be able to go anywhere. We had tournaments all that week anyway.

"He misses you too. You're his favorite brother."

"He's my favorite brother too."

"I don't think Toby would like to hear that."

"As I said, he's my favorite brother too." I laughed and took the cake on my finger and smeared it on his nose.

Sam cringed. "Are you seriously going to waste the cake?"

"Are you seriously going to be a party pooper?"

"Party pooper? I'm going to be a party pooper when the only party consists of two people?"

I took another piece of cake and wiped it against his cheek. "Yeah."

"Fine," Sam took the plate my cake was on and took two fingers, swiping it along the icing of the cake before rubbing it on the side of my face. I gasped.

"You want to do this?" I said, pulling away from him and grabbing his pwn plate of cake.

"Yeah. Get ready. You're about to get-Fuck!" I took my plate and hit it aginst his face so that cake splattered all over him from not just his face but his hair.

I laughed, quickly getting out of the jacuzzi. "Yeah, Caleb is missing out. He would love to see this."

"C'mere, this cake has your name written on it."

About an hour or two later Sam and I were lying in his bed. We had gotten all the cake out after showering but I felt like there was a piece of red icing still in my hair. Either way, a smile came to my face.

I stared at him. His eyes were close but his breathing wasn't even, letting me know he wasn't asleep. I stared at every aspect of him. Of his face. Oh God, I was so in love with him.

"Hazel," He questioned and I hummed in response. "You're not going to sleep?"

"In a second," I mumbled, keeping my eyes on him.

Sam at me for a long second before he reached an arm out to his nightstand. "Did you think that I was actually going to let you fall asleep without giving you your present?"

"You never need to give me a present. You don't have to get me presents even though you constantly find ways to shower me in presents." I informed him.

"I knew you were going to say that. I got you something small when you went to take Soccer out for a walk. I got you this in Bath-"

"Wait!" I shot up, putting a hand on Sam's chest. "Where is Soccer?"

"You've been here for like three hours and you're asking this now?"

I ignored that question, "Where is he?"

"Peter has him. He took him for the weekend."

"The weekend?"

"I can call them and tell him to come back in the morning."

"I didn't say I wanted Peter. I just want Soccer."

"Okay, let me tell Peter that and see what he-"

I snatched Sam's phone out of his hand. "Stop. I was kidding. Now, what were you saying about Bath."

"Before you cut me off?" I moved to shove him but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me to sit on his lap. "Grandfather saw how much you like taking pictures and he suggested that we give you this as a memory of Bath."

Sam held out a snow globe. He shook it and I watched as the fake snowflakes into the glass fall around the castle inside. The illusion was mostly that the snowflakes weren't just white, they glittered in green, blue and white, making me stare longer than I should have.

"I love this." I said, shaking it against lightly, I inspected the base of the snow globe. There was a picture of different buildings. Buildings that looked like the one I had taken a picture of in Bath were all the way around and I brushed my thumb over one familiar place. "Is that bridge we crossed?"

Sam looked at it, "Yeah. That's it. You really liked that bridge."

"It was just really cool." I admitted before looking up at Sam. "Thank you and I'd call Charlie to tell him thank you now but we know he feels better if he sleeps at ten every night."

"We can call him in the morning."

"No but seriously. I love this. It's so mesmerizing." I said, shaking it lightly again and watching the snow fall over the castle.

"I'm happy you like it."

"Sam?" He hummed in reply, his eyes tearing off the snow globe and looking into mine. "Can I ask you about something?"

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"Andrew and I were talking the other day and I got a text this morning," I sighed. "Did your view of Jasmine change when you found out that she cheated on Andrew?"

Sam paused. "My view doesn't matter. Did yours?"

I took a deep breath, my eyes falling onto snow globe instead. "She called me this morning to tell me happy birthday. To tell me that she wished she could be here to celebrate it with me. She brought up what we did in the past. What we did last year. What we did the year before. It was like she was reminding me of the good times. Of how strong our friendship was before..."

"Before?"

"Before she moved to Australia. Before we live in two different time zones. Before-"

Sam cut in. "She cheated on your best friend?"

"Before she cheated on my best friend," I confirmed. "And I-Andrew tells me not to think of her any differently because of a choice but I do. I do see her differently but it's wasn't just because of that. It felt like a lot more. Like, we're not on the same page anymore. Like, all those years of friendship just went down the drain."

"Don't think like that." He told me.

"I can't help it. Her going to Australia and me coming here only distanced our friendship but her doing that to Andrew just set the bar. Because it was Andrew and Andrew is like my brother and even though I called Jasmine my best friend back in high school-"

"If it came down to Andrew or Jasmine, you would have gone to Andrew in a heartbeat. I get it. Some friendships don't last Macy and I get that."

Of course he did.

"I know."

Sam took the snow globe out of my hand and set it on his nightstand. He pulled me further so that I was laying on top of him. He smoothened my hair don with his hand and I put my ear against his heart. "Hazel?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad you had a good day."

"And a good night," I whispered. "I had a good night."

Sam chuckled. "I'm happy you had a good night as well."

"Thank you."

"For the snow globe? You said that-"

"No, not just that. Just thank you. For being here right now. For coming to the same place as I would be. For meeting your family and everyone that came with them. For you."

I could see that arrogant smirk creep on his face and I rolled my eyes. "I just wanted to thank you. I wanted to thank my handsome idiot."

"Your handsome idiot says you're welcome and that he's in love with you."

"I'm in love with you too."

He kissed me on the lips before moving up to press a kiss to my forehead. "Now Hazel, sleep."

"I'm going to sleep remembering that Peter took Soccer away from me on my birthday and you allowed him too."

"Goodnight Hazel."

I laughed, pressing a kiss to his chest. "Goodnight Sam."