"SURPRISE!!"

Ho-ly shit. A mass of people jump up from behind the booths and scare the living daylight out of me. More lights come up around the room illuminating a rose wall, several balloon decorations dotted around and birthday decorations that transform the venue. It honestly looks like some Kardashian party... and it's for me? I turn around to where Jacob and the girls are grinning at me,

"Don't look at us, we didn't do this..." Jacob says gesturing behind me. I swing round met with Colton rubbing the nape of his neck sheepishly, my feet move my body forwards and I throw my arms around his neck.

"You're such an idiot," I giggle into his neck inhaling his fresh citrusy cologne sent, god he smells good. The whole day he's been avoiding me but not for the reasons I thought. How long has he been planning this? 

"An idiot that did good?" His gravely voice low in my ear,

"Really good, unbelievably good, I... have no words. Thank you Shirt-boy," His arms tighten around my waist lifting me slightly off the ground caught up in our own little moment until it's broken apart by an abrupt spurt of coughing from behind us, Colton lowers me back to the ground where Anto is stood with Marsha on his arm,

"Buon compleanno Bambina!" He says never removing his narrowed eyes from Colton.

Happy birthday baby girl.

Marsha slaps him on the arm, signalling for him to stop staring CJ down, as she pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. Resting on her shoulder I look behind her to the crowd of people who are here, Nicki, Sammy with Lolly and Tasha, who also worked at Nicki's with me,  Frannie, Bleu and his family, Sofia's dad, Anto's kids, Will and the entire tour crew, Jayden and... two other guys. How has he done all of this? I just don't understand...

Everythings amazing... perfect even... except one thing...one major thing that's missing,

"Look behind you," Marsha whispers in my ear releasing me, I turn on my heels only to be tackled by small arms,

"Happy birthday Gigi!" Luca screams, "I've missed you so much."He says as I grip his small waist and lift him up in a suffocating hug. My heart swells bigger than ever, a few tears slip from my lashline, this is the best present anyone could have ever given me...

"I've missed you too baby, so so so so much!" I whisper back making him giggle, suddenly my legs are met with a few more pairs of clammy hands, 

"We want hugs too Auntie Gigi!" I look down to find Alessio and Zada pouting up at me, I giggle scooping all three children into my arms and peppering them all in kisses until they've had enough. I look back at Colton, still in awe, who's just grinning at me.

It was this moment she realised she was in trouble, as it was this moment she realised... she may have... may be... very possibly... be falling for Colton Jax.

Fuck.

"Can I steal the birthday girl for one second?" Colton asks putting an arm around my shoulders, Nicki nods and wanders off back to where Sammy is pouring cocktails down this throat. This night has like something out of a movie, between the out of tune renditions of some of the best karaoke songs and spending time with people who Colton managed to fly all the way here to see me, it's just been so amazing. 

"Hey, what's up?" I ask Colton as he lightly pulls me through a crowd of people watching Jacob singing Dancing Queen, it took a while to get him up there but once he's up he doesn't come down easily.

"Are you having a good time?" He asks almost sounding nervous, I place my hand on his back and rub lightly sending him some reassurance,

"The best!" I grin, "Thank you." I say sincerely.

"Stop saying thanks, it was my pleasure... and you're totally ruining my bad boy image." He winks causing me to roll my eyes, "Anyway I want you to meet my friends.. they're not as bad as Jayden, I promise." He frowns.

He wants me to meet his friends? Wait he invited his friends to my party, my stomach flutters. He brings me to a table where Will's laughing with Jayden and two other guys, he stands up when he sees us nearing the table,

"Gigi! Happy birthday my superstar!" He shouts enclosing me in a hug, as he pulls away Jayden pulls me into his chest,

"Happy Birthday babe," He winks at me then Colton whos arm is now back, firmly, around my waist.

"Thank you, guys!" I blush.

"This is Lucas and Max," Colton says gesturing to the two guys who are sat on the other side,

"Gigi!" I say shaking their hands, I then turn to Lucas, "I'm kinda fangirling right now, this is kinda crazy, I'm a big fan," He chuckles," I was the same when I met Jayden a second time round... don't tell him though I did a pretty good job of hiding that one, don't need to boost his ego anymore." I whisper making him laugh heartily, 

"I won't, don't worry but actually I'm a big fan of yours too," He says, my mouth drops open and I'm unable to form words... he... Lucas Laynee... one of the best generational actors... likes my music... The fuck.

"Alright, that's so unfair, how the fuck did you know who everyone else was and not me!" Colton pouts angrily, stomping his foot like a child.

"I did know who you were, sort of, I just didn't put two and two together... it had been a long week okay! Stop being stroppy!" I scold him, he slumps down into the booth, pulling me down with him. 

"I'm not stroppy!" He says taking a gulp of whiskey, the whole table glares at him.

"I'm not!" He protests, "You wanna talk about stroppy... how about I tell them about when I took a slice of your toast!" He raises his eyebrows, he did not bring up the bloody toast card.

"Mate, you do not take someone's toast... that's just rude..." Max says taking a swig of his beer, he looks slightly less put together than the other two, not in a bad way... in more of a rustic way. He's wearing a flannel shirt and a pair of timberlands... not exactly Gucci, like Jaydens dressed head to toe in, but it's not scruffy... just different for a night out, I like it.

"Thank you!" I say raising my hands to the heavens, the men chuckle once again making Colton stroppy.

"Oh suck it up CJ." I roll my eyes, sipping on a diet coke that's just been bought over, Max starts chuckling,

"You know what...CJ... I think me and Gigi are going to be good friends," Max says grinning at me, I nod at him feeling slightly more eased between the table of men.

Gigi looks fucking stunning, she always looks gorgeous but tonight... in that dress and with her hair like that, that pop of eyeliner that makes her blue eyes sparkle like the stars. She is stunning on so many levels. Every time I see her tonight my pants get tighter and tighter, fuck. It's so noticeable too. She looks like she's having fun though, I hope she's having fun, she deserves it, lord knows she does. Her smile when she walked in and saw everyone here for her, that's a sight that will be with me for... well for a normal amount of time, obviously.

I'd begged Lucas and Max to fly out so they could meet her for her birthday, they kept asking about her and I wanted her to meet more of the people that matter to me... since she does too now. She fits in so perfectly chatting and laughing away with Jayden, Will, Lucas and Max. After a while, a small figure comes up to the table were sat at and shakes Gigi's arm,

"You okay baby?" She asks placing him onto her lap, he nods and rests his head against her torso.

"Can we sing a song later Gigi?" He asks,

"Of course!" She says running a hand through his hair,

"I want to sing with her too Luca!" Another figure comes barreling towards us, clinging onto her stomach, she looks like a mini Sofia.

"I can sing with both of you! How about you guys go pick a song and we'll do it later?" She asks as they nod and scuttle away into the crowd of partially drunk guests. 

"Hold on, I want to sing with Gigi!" Jayden mocks with a pout causing her to giggle, "I'm not joking babe, we can smoke it up on that stage," He winks before swallowing his whisky.

"I actually haven't seen you up there yet," She gestures towards the stage where two of the lighting crew are belting Taking Chances by Celine Dion.

"Uh-uh but I haven't seen you sing yet either," He counters,

"Well I'm about to change that," Jacob says holding out his hand for Gigi,

"Will you Giovanna Lastra do me the honours of being... my Kiki Dee?" She groans inwardly and tries to reason with him but he's already dragging her out of the booth and towards the stage.

"Kiki Dee?" Max asks frowning, I just shrug and turn to watch her tottle onto the stage.

The music starts through the speakers and there's a collective cheer from the crowd...

"Don't go breaking my heart," Jacob sings dramatically, clutching his heart.

"I couldn't if I tried" Gigi sings back- being his Kiki Dee. Will chuckles from the end of the table then starts joining in with Jacobs parts. Soon the whole bar's up and singing with them and by the end of the song Jacobs's arms are wrapped around her waist swaying them about. I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the fact he's touching her... fucking jealousy... what is wrong with me? Does she like him...? No their just friends right?

"Hey, why haven't you two lovebirds sung together?" Max slaps me from across the table, pulling me back to present time.

"What? Shut up you prick."

"Come on bro, you can't deny you like her," Lucas adds, frowning at me.

"Of course I don't. We're good friends, that's all," Am I lying? I don't know...

"Bullshit, we've all seen the way you look at her, you even planned her a party Colt," Will smirks catching me off guard... it's never good when these four are together, I swear they are a bad influence on Will!

"I don't date. I don't do relationships." I say into a glass of whisky that's conveniently on the table, the booth overcome with an uncomfortable silence until Jayden tries his luck,

"I know she hurt you Colt but maybe its-" I stand up abruptly, I'm not in the mood to hear it again, nope I don't want to think about her right now- shes irrelevant. Besides I'd be an awful boyfriend, I'm obnoxious and selfish, pretty unworthy of love to be honest.

"Where are you going?" Will asks cautiously,

"To sing," I shout over my shoulder, gently brushing past Gigi as she rejoins the table.

"Come on," I say to her handing her a mic, she furrows her brows,

"Huh?"

"We're singing." I gently drag her up onto the stage as the music starts, her face is a picture from scared to ecstatic in point five of a second. The intro to Burning up comes through the speakers and the next three minutes is a blur. We're both belting the highest notes, some in tune some out of tune but all the while trying to hold back our giggling. I stare into her sparkly eyes and for the first time I can see past the fogginess, I can see clearly everything, the hint of pain that sits behind the happiness, it may be small at the moment but it's still there, its always there. Her smile, however, shines brighter than ever before, it curls beautifully at the conners and here in this moment, I find myself forgetting about everything else, getting lost in her eyes and smile, I find myself feeling truly happy watching her laugh and sing. She does something to me, I have no idea what it or how she does it but I don't want to be without it again.

The song comes to an end quicker than I would have hoped but Gigi pulls me into a hug, I pick her up with a squeal and carry her down off the stage.

"Well, I think that was the best rendition of it I've ever heard," She exclaims placing her hand on her hip, I just smile at her before Sofia drags her back on stage. They start bang bang as I go and sit down with the boys again.

"Of course I don't like her, I'm just utterly in love with her." Jayden mocks, I roll my eyes and punch him in the arm deciding he's not worth the energy and I'd rather just listen to Gigi belt all of Ariana Grande's notes perfectly. Bunch of pricks, I don't love, Colton Jax is incapable of being loved and loving someone.

By the end of the night, most of us are pissed or on our way to be so, we all end up in my suite after the elderly and kids have gone to bed for what Ruby calls 'The- After- Drinks', a chance for everyone to get paralytic and gather the substance for a killer hangover tomorrow morning.

"Let's play Jenga!" Sofia slurs catching onto the kitchen counter, fucking Jenga?

"Jenga... you do realise the kids have gone to bed..." Will says, he didn't want to be here, he said he'd rather just be In bed but Gigi convinced him to come if not for anything else other than cake... which he's now on his second slice of.

"No special Jenga, Jacob its in my case go get it!" She says shoving icing into her mouth, 

"Oh boy," Gigi clutches her head, we all stare at her puzzled, "She wants to play drunk Jenga, you know where each block has a dare or something on it and you have to do it or take three shots as a forfeit," We all nod, this is going to be... fun... considering everyone's already pretty sloshed.

After Jacob returns the game starts up quickly, everyone taking a go at sliding a block out from the wobbly tower, each wooden plank lowering the groups IQ dramatically.

"Alright," Ruby says taking a block from the dismantled tower, " Gender Bender...?" She reads confused, Jacob explains you have to swap a piece of clothing with someone from the opposite sex, Ruby starts to take her Top off leaving her in a bra and says, "Alright Will imma need your shirt," She winks at Will who looks absolutely mortified, he shakes his head profusely backing further into the counter but Jyadens already wrestling his shirt off him.

This is too good, I'm clutching my sides in pain.

Suddenly Gigi's phone rings, she leaves it on the kitchen island staring down at the caller ID, Mum, she doesn't move to answer it, just stares.

"You gonna answer that babe or let it ring all night?" Jayden asks throwing his arm around Sofia's shoulders.

"Uh.. yea... sorry," She mumbles removing the phone from the counter and heading out towards the balcony.

"Was it her mum?" Sofia slurs, I nod slowly.

"It was a... struggle... trying to get Luca out of the flat, she really wasn't very... happy..." Bleu says staring off to the balcony doors.

"If sshe says anything I'll wring her ffucking neck when I get home," Sofia leans across the counter, eyes narrowed, extremely scary. God save any man who hurts her. 

"She's probably just calling for money Sof, calm down." Jacob sighs pulling her back from the island, removing the bottle of beer from her hand. The air grows thick and an unsettling feeling fills the pit of my stomach. Max starts the game again and soon all the intoxicated minds have forgotten about anything else going on. I'm not really in the mood to play anymore and head out to the balcony to see if Gigis alright just as Sofias dared to kiss the person to her left for a minute, lucky for him that happens to be Jacob. 

I push the French doors open and see Gigi leaning on the railings, looking out over the clear sky, the stars twinkle brightly casting a glow over her dainty body,

"You okay?" I ask cautiously placing my hand on the small of her back,

"Yeah," She sighs but I can see the tear residue under her eyes, "She didn't even remember it was my birthday... just hurled abuse at me then asked for money," she scoffs trying to hold back more tears. I pull her into my chest stroking her back,

"I'm sorry doll, christ you deserve so much more," I whisper into her hair, she does deserve so much more than what she's had to deal with, it honestly shocks me how she's able to get out of bed somedays, but she does because she's strong and she's Gigi.

"I did get what I deserve though," She pulls away from me slightly so I can peer down at her face, I lower my brows at her, confused, " This has been the best birthday ever. And it's all because of you Colton. Tonight you made me forget about everything else and allowed me to have fun, I didn't have to pretend I was having a good time because I actually was." She looks out onto the city below, smiling, my fingers swirl little patens on the back of her silk dress, "Thank you," she says before doing the most unexpected thing. Her hands cup the side of my face and she gently pulls it down to meet hers, her eyes linger on mine pulling me closer to her blushed face then she places her lips gently on mine, the softness sending sparks through my own, I pull her closer but before I can deepen it she pulls back slightly and smiles, "For everything."

I can feel her pulling away but I'm not done, I drag her back into me and crash my lips onto hers, deepening every moment, savouring every motion. My stomach constricts and tingles with hunger, my lips feel like they're on fire as the need for more grows.

I've kissed loads of girls but never like this before, this is completely different. Raw, hot, deep... passionate.

After a few short but completely sweet moments she pulls away from my mouth but stays firmly in my arms, gazing into my eyes as she bites her lip. This feels... right. This feels so... perfect. This is more than lust... I think I like her... like really like her.

I really like Giovanna Lastra.

Hey guys!!!
Okay so the last part of this chapter 🥰 I've been waiting for this for so long and it just felt so right in this chapter, my babies finally get their moment ✨

Please let me know what you guys think! Your feedback is so important to me! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please please please vote and add too your reading lists! My socials are down below for spoilers! I've also added some news songs to the playlist!

As always thanks for reading!

Iz x