Neptune

Chapter 29 | The Tears

It's almost midnight when Luke and I exit Aiden's room. Luke leads me as we walk along the hallway, and it seems like we're heading to the living room.

When we step into it, I'm greeted with loud voices.

"Happy birthday, Cassie!"

My eyes widen in surprise. My jaw drops as I stare at my team gathered in the living room. Oscar, Peter, Paul and Mike are all here, wearing colorful party hats.

Even Paul and Mike have their blow ticklers. Oscar is holding a bottle of wine, and more bottles lie on the bar counter.

"Guys," I echo, dumbfounded. "You're here!" I exclaim, having not expected that they would fly all the way from LA to New York for this surprise.

"Yes, we are, honey." Paul winks, totters toward me and pulls me into a hug. "It's all for you. Gosh, I missed you." He pulls away and studies me. "Damn. You're glowing. You look happy living here."

I blush. After that little celebration with Aiden just now, how could I not beam with happiness? Moreover, the birthday presents from Aiden and Luke have a very special place in my heart.

"I'm doing good." I smile, while the rest of them walk closer to me.

"Happy birthday, Cassie." Mike offers me a fist bump, which I gladly accept. He gives me a hug too.

"It's good to see you again, Cassie. Happiest birthday to you." Peter hugs me, and I hug him too, patting his back in a sisterly manner.

"Happy birthday, my dear star." Oscar spreads his arms before pulling me into a hug. After we pull away, I can see that there's relief in his eyes, as if he's been wondering whether I've been doing okay or not. "We've been anticipating this day and this kind of surprise. Luckily, Luke called us a few days ago. It turned out that we were on the same frequency."

I snap my head toward Luke and find him smiling. So, Luke has invited all of them here to surprise me. I feel like the ice in my heart is slowly melting.

Geez. If only he was like this every single day, I wouldn't have to think much about choking him to death.

Wait, maybe this is just a one-time thing. Maybe the devil edges away only for today and will be back once my birthday is over.

Oh, no. What if it's like that?

I stare at my team again, feeling grateful that today, on my birthday, I'm surrounded by love. But then something bothers my mind.

"Where's Morgan?" I blurt out.

Immediately, I regret voicing that question. I know that it will ruin everything. But I just can't help it.

Oscar sighs, guilt and sympathy on his face. "I'm sorry, Cassie. We did try to talk to her and tell her to come with us, but you know her, she wouldn't budge."

I should have expected that answer. Still, my heart sinks, and disappointment washes over me.

"But that's not the point, right?" Paul's voice snaps me out of my trance. He has a sad smile on his face. "The point is that we're all here for you, and you don't need to think about something that will only make you sad. Come on, Cassie, you deserve better."

The rest of the team nod in agreement, and I sigh. Little do they know that I'm feeling a hole in my chest from Morgan's absence. Morgan has never missed my birthday before.

When I was younger, Morgan never forgot my birthday because she would always promise me sweet things for my birthday present if I did what she wanted me to do.

Even when she gave me a dress that was too small for my body on my thirteenth birthday and I ended up grounded in my room because she thought that I was too fat, she didn't miss my birthday.