It's Soo's birthday! Gif of her w. kittens instead of puppies but you get the point.

***

And I'm tired of all your friends,

Listening at your door.

I want, what's better for you,

So long, my friend and adversary.

But I'll wait for you.

-"Under Cover of Darkness" || The Strokes
__

"Alright, so's everyone ready, or do I need to run through the plan once again?"

"Jesus Christ, Lou," Niall mutters tiredly, yawning into the couch cushion. "You've told us fifty times, mate. We got it."

"Yeah, but actually," Cara nods between him and Anais on the couch in the boy's place. "We're not gonna fuck anything up," she sighs. "Sheesh."

"Anyway," Louis continues, as he look between his so-called 'friend' Niall and his so-called 'friend,' Anais, as she laughs in amusement.

Nothing about this is very funny to him, if he's being honest.

"You can all stop being a bunch of pricks about it," he says, as Zayn throws his arm over Anais' shoulder and plays quietly in her hair. "This is important, so you'd better get the plan right."

"At seven, you and I are taking Soo out for an intimate dinner," Anais repeats, for like, the millionth time. "By six-thirty, though, Cara, Niall and Zayn are all supposed to get the place ready."

Louis places his hand behind his ear. "Decorating with...?"

Anais snorts. "With balloons and streamers and the other shit I bought. By seven, all of the rest of Soo's friends are supposed to get here, and - "

"And doors lock when?"

Anais sticks her tongue in her cheek. "Doors lock at eight, 'cause you don't want anyone to," she raises her hands for the air quotes, "'ruin the surprise.'"

Louis nods, eyes closed. "Very good, Ana."

Cara coughs into her hand. "Prick."

Niall laughs, obviously.

Louis shoots them both a glare, flipping Cara off...obviously.

Anais rolls her eyes. "And by eight-thirty, we're supposed to be back with Soo. We'll surprise her, sing, cut cake, etc., and the puppy man is scheduled to bring the dogs at -"

"At nine," and Louis finishes with a loud clap of his hands. "Yes. Yes. And if you need any help setting up, there's always Liam or Haz for you to call early..."

"Or," Cara says, with a flip of her hair, "because girls do everything better, there's also Jourdan or Chanel or Magdalena to help out, too."

"Yeah, there's them," Louis nods. "There's all of them, too."

Hours later, after Louis has been convinced that his friends won't ruin Soo's birthday party, Anais and Louis both take up their part of the bargain and take a very excited (but definitely nervous) Soo out for dinner, Cara is left in the boy's flat with both Niall and Zayn before the rest of their friends and Soo's guests all begin to arrive.

And everything's going to plan.

All things are working well.

Kind of.

But, it's going to be a great night, right?

Right.

Hopefully.

___

Zayn might actually kill Lucky before the night ends

Heads up

These are the two consecutive texts Anais receives as she and Louis sit with Soo in one of her favorite Thai restaurants on 6th Ave.

They're both from Cara, and Anais doesn't notice that she's received these texts until her food is brought before her and she checks the time and sees that she's got unread messages from her sister, who's coming to visit in Spring, and also Cara Delevigne.

Anais sees this text and responds.

Please please keep him from killing Lucky

I can't bail him out of jail tonight

Louis would be mad

Soo would cry

Cara texts back immediately.

Soo would definitely cry

Ana I'll try

"Jesus," Anais mutters lowly, as she sits at a table with her friends and really does play third-wheel.

Soo looks up at once. "What is it, Ana?" She asks, because even though it's her birthday, Soo is nervous and Anais can tell. Anais knows that Soo is nervous about whatever the hell Louis has planned for her tonight and that alone would have anyone (who knows Lou, at least), a little on edge.

That Slip 'N Slide was really not a good idea.

"Oh, y'know," Anais shrugs. "Just Zayn."

"Aw," Soo grins, because she loves Anais and Zayn and is probably the biggest fan of Zanais, ever. "You and Zayn equals perfection," and she pouts, as they sit alone at the table and Louis excuses himself to the bathroom. "Why didn't he come, too? It's like, weird now, y'know? Going out and not seeing him all over you."

"Um, he's not all over me," Anais says, and Soo makes that, 'Yeah, right. Sure,' face of hers, but says nothing, because Zayn makes Anais happy, and she's never really known any guy to make Anais that happy.

"And, anyway," Ana continues, "he's still at the flat helping Niall out tonight," she explains. "He says happy birthday, though, and he'll see you later tonight."

"Okay, good," Soo nods. "But, he could've come, y'know."

"Yeah," Anais grins, throwing her arm around her best friend's shoulder and hugging her close.

She plants a kiss on her cheek, leaving red lipstick on her pale skin. "I know, Soo."

Zayn would have much rather come.

He would have definitely had a better time going out to dinner than staying trying to set up at his place.

He realizes this as soon as the night begins, actually, because things kick off with Cara and Niall inhaling the helium in the balloons and then proceeding to sing Top 40 singles and that really really starts to wear on his patience as he feels the onset of a headache.

Like, really.

And he thought it would help that Liam came over to help, but he showed up with Sophia at the same time Cara called Magdalena and Chanel to come over, and that just fucked everything up.

Chanel and Liam were incapable of going more than six minutes without arguing.

And Sophia only makes things worse, apparently.

Advil is popped at this point 'cause this headache gets real. 

But, Zayn is able to calm down a bit once Harry gets there with the cake, because now, there are enough people to take care of all the tasks Louis has requested.

Balloons get blown up.

The house is tidied.

Streamers are hung.

Candles are set in the cake.

Then, Jourdan shows up with Daphne and Joan and bottles of champagne and it's like, they're actually almost ready to put on a real party and get this shit together for Soo.

And it's like, as soon as Jesse and Zach come over (with not one, or two, but three bottles of flavored Patron, mind you), Zayn settles into this comfortable familiarity. Everyone is having a great time and enjoying themselves and really, all he needs is Anais and Lou and Soo to show up and he could forget about the stress of getting ready and just enjoy himself. Once the guys get there he starts laughing, 'cause Zach makes him laugh, and everyone's having a good time and things are good. Like, things are really good.

It's nearly 7:30 and he's only got an hour to wait for his girlfriend and his best friend and the birthday girl, but the doorbell rings.

There's more.

See, 'cause what Zayn forgets is that Soo is just like Anais, and Soo has more friends outside of Louis and Niall and himself and Harry and Liam and Jesse and Zach and Magdalena and Jourdan and Joan and Daphne and Chanel and Cara.

Which is already a shit ton of people to have actual connections with.

That's a lot of people to be close to.

He almost doesn't understand how Anais does it.

And, much like Anais, Soo has friends that include what seems like everyone else who fucking goes to this fucking school.

And the rest of her friends start showing up.

And the rest of Soo and Anais' friends seem to really have something seriously against him and his friends.

It's 7:53 when Lucky Blue Smith shows up at the flat and actually enters his house. Like, Lucky is inside the place he lives.

What's worse, is that Lucky gets there with his gift for Soo and hugs all the girls and sees Zayn and gives him that stupid smirk and a head-nod and walks through his house.

Cue the return of this headache.

By 7:55, Cara notices this exchange and texts Anais. By 8:00, she's keeping an eye on Lucky and making her way to Zayn.

She takes his arm and drags him to the couch and sits beside him.

"Ignore him," is what she says.

Zayn frowns because why the hell is Cara dragging him around like a child. This is his fucking house, dammit.

He scoffs. "Like, chill, Mom."

"Seriously, Zayn," Cara says, just as his phone buzzes. "Please, do it for Anais. Do it for Soo," she says.

It's 8:03.

"C'mon, mate," she continues. "You've got," she peers at the clock. 8:04. "You literally have less than thirty minutes to go before we can surprise Soo and cut the cake and play with some puppies. Think about the puppies. Do it for the puppies."

"Fuck you," he says. "M'not gonna do anything to him, okay?"

Cara lifts two fingers to her eyes, swinging them back and forth between them.

"I'm watching you, Zayn," she says. "Got my eye on you."

"Sure," he nods, folding his arms. "Whatever," and he rises to his feet. "Good talk. We done, here?"

"For now," Cara replies. "I will mother the fuck out of you if I have to, Zayn. Don't let Lucky get to you, alright?"

"I'm not," he snaps. "Shit, I'm like, I'm good, Cara. M'fine."

He's not fine.

Anais can tell.

She can tell because at 8:20, she calls him as she finally steps from of the restaurant and into the cold and trails behind Louis and Soo so they don't hear her conversation once they finally leave the thai place on 6th.

"Hey, babe. How's it going?"

"You're coming back now, yeah?"

"Yeah," Anais nods, answering slowly. "What's up? What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he lies. "Just like, get here."

"Literally, we're on our way."

"Good."

And Zayn hangs up the call.

"Why the fuck do they keep staring?" Jesse asks as Zayn pockets his cell and Jesse waves his beer, motioning over to the group of guys from Design all standing around, laughing with other girls from Design.

"Ignore 'em," says Zach,  because yeah, they get on his fucking nerves, and he hates that they intentionally broke up the only good relationship Jesse's been in since he's been in school, but he at least understands that he can't do anything about the things (good or bad) that people say about him.

And Zayn and Liam are both a part of this conversation, too.

Jesse sniffs. "You're not bothered by that?" He exclaims, because he and Zayn are more similar in voicing their frustration and emotion.

"Bothered by what?"

The boys look up because Jourdan's standing there with a soda.

Liam motions towards Lucky and Adonis and the others.

"What've your friends got against us, huh?"

"Well..." Jourdan sips at her Ginger Ale, "I think it's a mix of just...Design and a little bit of jealousy."

Liam laughs. "Jealousy?"

"Well, yeah," she shrugs, because that was Jourdan. There's no beating around the bush with her. "I mean, first of all, they're in Design. It's just cliquey. It's like how Dance and Theatre Majors hang out all the time 'cause they're always in rehearsal?"

The boys nod.

"That's how it is in Design. Once we're out of our Gen Ed. classes, we've only got class with each other. We put on shows and model for each other...Out of the two-hundred or something kids that get accepted into our program, we pretty much end up getting to know all of them. We have to. Business and Arts and Sciences; those are all way bigger programs. Then, there's us. We're like dogs that don't get socialized well," she laughs.

Zach chokes. "What?"

"Yeah, but really," she nods. "Most Design Majors don't interact with anyone outside of the program. They don't know what it's like to make friends with real people."

She nods. "And you know how sensitive guys are. You are guys."

"S'cuse me?" Jesse exclaims.

"Don't lie, Jesse," Jourdan laughs, rolling her eyes. "You've been a whiny bitch over Magdalena."

"And," she continues, quickly as the boys all raise their voices to interrupt. "Most guys who aren't like, multitalented like Diego or super outgoing like Francisco, can only do two things: Look pretty and draw. You guys are all super amazing artists and musicians and athletes and you know more than ten people on campus. Arts is a way more socialized major, y'see? You're not restricted to your program like they are. So, imagine them when guys outside of Design start liking the handful of girls in Design," she lifts her cup to her lips. "It's like, taking what's theirs," she shrugs. "That's their insecurity, not yours."

Jesse starts up a slow clap.

Zayn laughs.

"Sew that on a pillow, why don't you?"

"Piss off, Jesse," Zach chuckles. "She's just trying to help."

"Thank you, Zach," Jourdan replies, elbowing Jesse lightly. "Since your friend's a douche."

"Takes one to know one."

Jourdan rolls her eyes.

Zayn laughs beside Liam, and as he lifts his gaze from the cup in his hand he locks eyes with Lucky, who sniffs disdainfully before turning back to his conversation.

Zayn is ready to say something.

Because he's really just not going to take this shit tonight.

His irritation with Lucky has gone from a simmer to a low boil, and the only thing that keeps him from making it across the room is Cara.

Again.

"Guys, guys!" She exclaims, gaining control of the room.

Conversations fall to silence.

She's got her phone in her hand, messages open. "Okay, so apparently they're like, almost here. Turn out the lights," she exclaims. "Shut the fuck up and hide!"

And Zayn's like, finally, because it's about time.

"Zayn."

He turns, because Niall's motioning for him to follow him into the kitchen. Lights are being flipped off. Everyone's getting excited, and a hushed murmur grows louder as Cara and the rest of the girls attempt to get everyone to "Shut the fuck up," because do they "want to ruin the surprise?"

"You guys are so cool to do this," whispers Sophia against Liam as Zayn crowds with his friends in the darkness of the kitchen. "Like, you guys are really good friends."

Chanel opens her mouth to respond.

"Chanel."

"What?"

Cara and Jourdan are both shaking their heads.

"Just, no."

"For fuck's sake. Between you and Zayn," Cara whispers, "I'm like a real mom, tonight."

Zayn and Chanel both scowl.

"Shut up, Cara."

Chanel folds her arms. "I'm nice, okay?"

Liam chuckles, licking the corner of his lips. "Usted no es pero está bien."

That actually kind of gets Chanel to smile.

Niall groans. "No. No español, por favor?"

"Exactly," Jesse hisses. "None of that Spanish shit, today. Thanks, guys. You both ought to be failing that shit, anyway."

Niall laughs, "Right."

Magdalena chokes on a laugh as she squeezes beside Jesse in the small space. "You're only mad 'cause you don't understand what they're saying."

He laughs; that catches him off guard. "Whatever."

She punches him lightly. "Don't pretend like I'm not hilarious."

"Just 'cause you make me laugh doesn't make you're funny, Mags."

"I think everyone in this kitchen would beg to differ."

"O-kay," Cara snaps, barely above a whisper. "Anais says they're coming up the elevator, so could you shut the fuck up with all the flirting? Thanks, loves. You're the best."

And while Zayn has been thoroughly amused by the conversations in the kitchen, he's more than ready for Ana and Lou to get to their place with Soo so this party can officially get started so ultimately, it can end and leave him with the people that matter without the rest of the guests all up in his place who don't.

The only light comes from Cara's phone. It illuminates her face and Niall's, who is leaning at her side against the counter, peering over her shoulder.

"They're in the hall!" She exclaims after a while, and she rushes to alert everyone else. "They're in the fucking hall so everyone shut the fuck up and get ready!"

And everyone is holding their breath, excitement building as they wait.

Everyone stops.

Everyone waits.

And they listen.

They listen as the voices in the hall grow louder; the distinct voices of Louis and Anais rising before there's the faint jingle of keys - keys turning in the door and in the lock and finally, the front door is pushed open and Louis leads the girls inside.

Soo speaks first.

"Why's it so dark in here?"

Louis scoffs. "Electricity is expensive, love," he replies, and as Soo laughs he nods to Ana. "Anais, can you get the light."

"Oui," she replies, and she flicks on the first light in the living room and Soo takes in an eyeful of her friends and streamers and balloons and cake and champagne because people are also screaming, "Happy birthday, Soo!" and she is shocked. She's visible shocked, like, mind-blown as she sees all of her friends from Design but also Jesse and Magdalena and Zayn and Niall and Cara and Jourdan and the people who really really matter, and Soo, as she looks between Anais and Louis, cannot form the words to describe just how happy she really is.

"Are you excited?"

"Say something, Soo."

She shakes her head, hand over her mouth as she laughs. She starts laughing as tears bristle in the corner of her eyes and she shakes and screams, "I fucking love you guys," and that give everyone there to see her the green light to rush her and pull her into lots of hugs and kisses and affection and birthday love before Louis puts icing on the cake.

"And puppies are coming," he says.

"What?"

He throws his arms around her. "Night's not over yet," he tries again, "because this's a puppy party as well."

Soo doesn't believe this. She grabs his coat and kisses the life out of him, he thinks, but Louis isn't going to complain about kisses.

The Slip N' Slide gets pushed further back in her memory, almost like it didn't happen.

Almost.

"Best birthday ever."

___

When the puppy people arrive, the space has cleared out some since not everyone is able to stay the entire time, and it is a Saturday night, but the place is still pretty full and there's music playing as the guys from the company set up the space in the living room that they'll release the puppies.

And never, have thirty-something twenty, and twenty-one-year-olds been so excited to play with a bunch of puppies.

That's fun shit at any age.

So the guests all stand around and laugh and converse amongst themselves in the apartment.

Because they're waiting for the real fun to start. 

"Be right back," Anais sings, shaking her empty cup.

Zayn laughs. "Where're you off to?"

"Kitchen," she shrugs cutely. "Don't miss me too much."

Before Zayn can respond, Zach calls from the couch, "Ana! Need a bartender?"

She laughs. "I think I'm good," she smiles. "I'll be boring and get water, alright?"

"What?" He exclaims. "This is a party," he says, and Zayn laughs because he knows Anais isn't a huge drinker. "You've gotta at least let me mix you one."

"Deal," Anais nods. "Just, don't get me drunk."

"No promises," Zach replies.

She pulls a face and he laughs. "I'm kidding. It'll be good, promise. Zayn's the one you don't wanna mix for you."

Anais laughs, poking him lightly. "I know. He always shows up to my place after getting drunk with you."

"He's the one getting us drunk!"

"Sure," Anais nods, and Zayn laughs silently beside her. "Says the bartender."

"Yeah," Zayn nods, pulling a face. "Shut up, bartender."

"Fuck you, Zayn."

Anais giggles, shaking her head. "I'll be back, guys," she says, and everyone nods around her as she excuses herself to the kitchen.

She's thirsty.

Tonight was a lot, actually.

She's ready for the people to finish setting up the living room so they can finally bring in the puppies.

And Anais finds the kitchen empty, thankfully. It's so crowded in the other room that she's suffocating, but it's so cold outside she can't quite go out there, either.

At least there's water.

And she reaches for a bottle from the fridge and has just cracked the top when there's an, "Ana."

She turns, lifting the bottle to her lips.

"Hey, Lucky."

He stands across the kitchen, eyes roaming her face as she sips from her water.

She frowns, releasing the bottle from her lips. "What's up?"

He snorts. "What's up? You never have time for me, anymore. That's what's up."

"Okay, that's not true."

"Really?" He asks. "Honestly? Don't lie to me, Ana."

"I'm not lying, Lucky. I don't lie to you."

"That's what I thought," he replies. "So why'd you tell me you could get dinner with me when you were just gonna cancel? And for that Arts' Gallery, too?" He exclaims. "It's a fucking three-day event, Anais. It'll run 'til May. Why d'you keep pretending like you haven't devoted every second of your time to-"

"My boyfriend?" She replies, eyebrow raised. "First of all, I don't, and secondly," she scoffs, "don't stand here and try to make me feel bad about wanting to support him on his opening night, when you'd have done the same shit for Alli."

Lucky turns away, rolling his eyes. "Here we go with this Alli shit..."

Anais staggers backwards. "'Alli shit?' Since when is your girlfriend 'Alli shit,' Lucky?"

"She's not my-" His jaw clenches. "Why d'you always do this, Ana? You're always bringing her up."

"Because she's your girlfriend. Friends support each other when they're in relationships, I thought."

Lucky closes the distance between them, placing his hands on her arms in one fluid motion. "She's not my girlfriend, Anais! Okay?" He exclaims, "Alright?"

His hands fall from her arms and Anais stares at him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean...?"

"I mean, she's not my girlfriend," Lucky replies, laughing as he runs his hand through his hair. "Jesus, Ana. She's not my girl and she never was, okay?"

"But...?" Anais doesn't believe this. "But, the show...? At that show, at the beginning of the semester, you said...And the picture! The Instagram-"

"I lied, okay?"

"But..." Anais doesn't understand. Anais doesn't understand lying very well, anymore. "But, why?"

He snorts. "Doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Lucky, just tell me the truth."

"So, what? What's that gonna do now, Ana? You're fucking happy with that fucking prick-"

"Leave Zayn out of this," she snaps. "Why'd you," she pokes him sharply in the chest, "lie to me?"

"To make you jealous!"

"What?"

___

"Is Ana still in the kitchen?" Soo asks, as she bounces excitedly between Louis and Chanel - the play pen's been set up. "She's gonna miss the puppies!"

Zayn chuckles at Soo's excitement. It's both hilarious and adorable.

"I'll check on her, yeah?"

And his friends all nod, watching as he turns and heads towards his kitchen, even though the man who brought the puppies has just started going over rules for play and all that other stuff.

However...

It is the sound of a very harsh slap, a gasp and an exclamation - a 'Lucky!' that all filters from the kitchen that has Zayn quickening his pace. It's got him setting his drink upon a table as he hurries to the kitchen to see Lucky's lips on Anais' - Lucky's lips on his girlfriend's lips - that's got him flipping all kinds of shits.

And hell breaks loose in Soo's puppy party.

Sorry, Soo.

__

Puppy parties are  supposed to be fun guys, wtf.  Lol.

Also yes yes yes I know Anais has a ton of friends, but that was done purposefully bc as you can see 1. Zayn definitely does not and 2. her being surrounded by everyone all the time is putting a strain on their relationship...

WELP.

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THIS???

I cannot lie to you, I f*cking love Chanel and Liam. Last chapter them was my favorite.

xx