July 27th,
2022
It was July already. The soft breeze of autumn brushes over. Her long, silky brown hair flows as if it were part of the wind.
Framton was home on Zayn’s birthday. He promised to keep his schedule cleared and attend his ‘favorite’ son’s birthday for the whole day.
“Papa! Let’s go to the movies! I wanna see it!” Yells Cassandra. However, the day was Zayn’s as he made several, undecided plans for the whole day. It was a Saturday anyway.
“It’s your brother’s birthday today, Cassandra. Don’t argue what’s coming first. Let’s leave it to him, hmm?” Holding her chin and kissing her softly. She was wearing a sweet pink dress, almost pastel but stopping at the perfect hue. Zayn walks out of his room looking dashing in a tuxedo, like his brothers.
Cassandra watches him in awe. Never has she ever seen him with his grown long hair that touched his eyebrows slicked back with oily gel. He looked more like a prince than a gangster, but she loved both the vibes. He looked stunning, more stunning than the short haired 35 year old man she fell in love with.
He jumps his eyebrows, pointing to his attire.
When no one was looking, Cassandra lifts her hand to say, “Superb.”
The family goes out to make news again. But not just some small news that would dissipate in a few weeks.
Louis had planned an outing to visit the Aurora Borealis and come back to New York.
Louis wishes for Zayn to perform a family tradition of the Johnsons there. When Louis was 20 two years ago, he had done the same as well.
It was about respecting their father’s traditions which seemed pure, like a prayer to the world.
Talk about asking for a wish over a cake candle.
“We’re here.” Louis announces, unstrapping his safety belt first, followed by the others on their private jet. They reach the place which seemed booked for the day. Louis did it again.
When he was 20 two years ago, there were many people clicking pictures and interrupting his wishes. He didn’t want Zayn to face the same.
“Oh my God…” Zayn wafts in subtle surprise. The green, almost moss like structure floating against the sky bewitched his senses. In fact for everyone. It was illegal to land on the snowy suburb of Alaska, especially on the site where the Borealis took its form. But it was the Johnsons and being rich has its perks.
“Here,” Cassandra holds a candle out, Dan lights it up as she holds it below the candle skirt.
“Thank you.” He softly utters before taking the candle from her. For a brief moment, both of their eyes meet and the world seemed to have paused. She looked beautiful and stunning on most days, but today, she was breathtakingly stunning with the colors reflecting on her skin.
“Whoa there, the candle’s gonna burn his hand.” As Nick says, Zayn quickly trips out of his thoughts and turns to face one of the beautiful things of the world. All after Cassandra’s beauty, of course.
When he closes his eyes, his mind was chanting about just one thing, ‘Let us get back to our own timeline where I can love Cassandra Sympsons dearly. Oh god, please let me love her till the end of time.’
And, he blows the candle.
The boys and her cheer when he concludes his wish. Sporting a giant smile, he places the candle back into the black velvet box and sighs heavily.
“We don’t say our wishes out loud, right?” Before Dan could ask, Zayn discourages him. Chuckling, he spreads his arms as all rush to fill his arms. Framton kisses Alex and Zayn who were near to his kiss range.
“Come on, I’ve got another surprise for you.” Saying, Louis rushes them all back.
However, Zayn chose to walk slower than the rest. As soon as the others have taken a turn and exit the walking space up the small hilltop, he catches ahold of Cassandra’s fabric draped arm.
“Where are you going, sweetheart?” He pulls her back towards the top. Cassandra widens her eyes, it was too risky for them.
“Happy-” before she could complete her wish for him, Zayn places his lips on her soft, warm ones.
“Belated birthday…” She adds later.
“Thank you, baby girl. Yesterday was quite fun.” He says, watching the pink shade on her cheeks somehow match with her dress even under the unusual wavelength of the green light.
He watches her turn back around as she shudders against the cold breeze. Breathing deeply, he looks at the green chemical wonder in the sky, “Don’t you cheat on my wish, God.”
And back they were, back at New York where Louis gifts him articles made of silver and gold.
“Louis! Oh my God, I can’t accept this.” Louis pushes the blade further towards him.
“It’s Enma! The sword you always wanted!” Says Louis.
“But it’s in Silver and Platinum, dammit! And what- oh Jeez…” suddenly, he hugs the older male who chuckles deeply before hugging his brother back.
Dropping the youngest one back home- the one who hasn’t turned 20 yet, the older men, quite literally everyone else crash at a bar.
The one who was left back home was Cassandra, who grew bored out of her mind really quick.
She wickedly thought after spending quite literally the whole day with her family on the Saturday night- why can’t girls have fun as well?
Hence, turning her bedroom into a disco room, pushing the bed to the side, she invites the two girls Ravine and Georgina to live a fully enjoyable Saturday night.
After 3 am, the disco at the house was still on when the Johnson boys come back home. Framton went home from there, Louis drives them all back home as the sounds from outside alerts the girls within.
Clothing themselves back in decent pajamas, they rush outside to wish the belated birthday boy.
“Wait… who are you?”
‘Oh shit…’ moment.