Susanna's POV

I decided I would sit and wait in the apartment building's lobby for Joey. While I'm waiting I'm playing with my phone and listening to my ring tones. Alan's ring tone is The Song from the movie The Song... if that makes sense. Caleb's ring tone sound like it's out if an old Super Nintendo Mario game. Chad's is unique, just like him. He got a hold of my phone one day. Well let's just say he found the recording app and made a little rap. It was okay, but a little cheesy, if you ask me. Just as I am about to press the button for Joey's ring tone, a familiar voice reaches out to me.

"Hey, pretty lady is that leopard on your new glasses?" Joey strides over and stands by my chair.

"Yeah, what's it to ya, Stamper?" I say adopting a Brooklyn accent. Why, you ask? I have no clue, I just do that sometimes. I grin. "Okay. Yes, it's leopard. Glad you noticed." I say blushing beet red, seriously Joey just called me pretty. I hug him briefly and it feels safe to be in his arms just for those few seconds.

He laughs and rolls his eyes, at my first response. Then at my second he just looks at me without saying a word, before finally clearing his throat, "Well. You still interested in my plan?"

"Of course. Do you want to walk and talk?" I stand, slipping my purse strap over my shoulder.

"Actually, I was thinking we could go for a drive." He reaches out and takes my hand and we walk to his car, where he holds the door while I get in.

We drive and before I know it, we are at the studio. "Joey? What are we doing here?"

"Wait and see." He shoots me a smile, then when we are both out of car and at the door of the studio he wraps a tie dye bandana around my eyes and face.

"Joey, your surprising me is just suffucating me right now." I gasp for air.

"My bad." He loosens it and grabs my hand as he guides me into the building. We walk for several minutes, and I'm almost sure that I hear shuffling. And not from me or Joey.

"Okay. Now, you can take it off." He says, I reach up and slip the bandana off, immediately gasping in total shock.

Joey's POV

"Surprise!" Me and the whole gang shout at the top of our lungs.

Pretty blue eyes filled with surprise lock on me. "What's going on?"

"Well this is what's called a party, Miss Stephens." I say patting her arm like a doctor to a hospital patient in the mental ward.

She swats at my arm. "No dur, Joey." Happy tears spill down her cheeks.

"It's not the exact day, but we wanted to celebrate you being here a year." Caleb says as him and Kelsey make their way over to Susanna, wrapping her in a hug.

"A year?" Susanna's hand flies to her mouth. "It has been a year, hasn't it? Wow."

"You put up with Joey a full year that is a big deal." Chad says, ruffling my hair as him and Fallon hug Susanna. He turns and winks at me, "Kidding bro."

"Susie!" A.J. and Presley rush over to her. She picks them both up, one on either hip.

"There's my girlies!" She kisses both girls on the cheek, putting both into a fit of giggles. After she sets them down, Alan and Brycie hug her too.

"Can we do it know?" A.J. says squirming. She looks at her dad and he nods, "We got you presents. I cleaned your guitar, Mommy and Presley helped a little. Rowe is too little though." She adds matter of factly.

She grabs Susanna's hand and pulls her over to the guitar. "Thanks. I have NEVER seen that bird that clearly." She traces her finger over the hummingbird on the pickguard.

The next thirty minutes fly by as everyone gives their gifts to Susanna. I go last. "I think you will really like mine." I say with a smile.

"Should I be nervous?" Susanna laughs, eyebrow raised.

"Ouch. You didn't even worry about Chad's gift." I fake hurt.

"He had Fallon." Susanna shakes her head, then she bats her eyelashes. "Please Joey. I'm curious."

"Fine." I say handing her a big box. "Have fun."

She unwraps it and opens up the box a look of excitement, until she realizes what I've done. "You wouldn't?" She squints her eyes at me.

"Only one way to find out." I laugh. She keeps opening box after box after box, each smaller than the last. Until about a dozen boxes later she gets to the last one. I try to keep the grin off of my face as she tears into it. I know she has seen the gift when she laughs.

"Joey!" Her voice escalates as she laughs even harder. "This everyone is how Joey gives gifts to his girlfriend." She holds it up for everyone to see, they all start laughing too. And then they all head into the kitchen for the snacks. Okay so yeah... it's Chick-fil-a.

Susanna and I hold back. "So I take it you like your present?"

"Love it." Susanna grins, and runs her finger over the pink faux diamond studded pepper spray can. "The heart is my favorite."

"I hope you don't go around threatening some new guy with this one. I wanna be that guy." I say, half goofy, half totally serious, as I pull back her hair.

"Only you, Joey Stamper. Only you." She smiles at me.

Suddenly a curly blonde head sticks around the corner. "Message for you." A.J. hands me a slip of paper.

Susanna and I read it, "The chicken is mine. You love birds lose!"

We laugh and in total sync yell, "Chad!!" We race into the kitchen.

I wouldn't change the path my life took in this past year. Not for anything. Cause if I did I wouldn't have Susanna in my life.