I opened dad's bedroom door and jump onto his bed. He looks over at me, and smiled softly, "Are you excited about your birthday party?" I shrug. He wraps his arm around my shoulder, "I am sorry that I scared you last night."
"Don't worry, Dad," I promise, "Are you going to...get help for this?"
He nods, "A few weeks ago, I started to talk to a doctor who is going to help me with all of this," He turns to me, putting his hand on my shoulder, "I don't want you to worry about me, Mila. I've got it all under control, okay?"
"Okay."
Dad smiled at me. I stood up first and helped him onto his feet, "It's good that you're feeling better, now we can have a fun party." I pick up Lunch on our way up to the elevator.
Upstairs, the common room had been decorated with lights and balloons for my birthday. They always try to outdo my birthday, I think they're just trying to make up for the lack of fun I usually have in this tower. Natasha comes to me and hugged me tight.
"Happy Birthday, Milana. Hi, Lunch."
"Lunch doesn't speak English. She speaks Pig Latin and Russian."
Natasha smiles at me, hugging me again. There is a lot of people here. I'm sure only five of them actually know what's going on. Dad got a drink as I walked through the crowd of people.
"Milana, how are you?" I turn to the voice and smiled, "I haven't seen you in so long. You've grown up so much. Happy birthday!" She embraces me in a tight hug, then smiles at me.
I've always liked Pepper. She's so polite and well-mannered. Nothing like the creature she is dating.
"Thanks, Pepper."
She shows me a pink box wrapped with a large blue bow, "This is from Tony and I, I hope it fits." I take the box and rest it against the table as I opened it. Holy shit.
"Wow, thank you, this is beautiful," It was a long gold chain necklace with a rose pendant, "Pepper, wow...you guys didn't need to do this."
"Of course we did, it's your birthday." She hugs me again before disappearing into the crowd. I smile, looking at the rose before walking around to find my dad.
Instead, I found Peter. I look at him then touch his shoulder, "Are you crashing my party?"
"Accidentally, I came in looking for something to eat." That sounds like something I would do. I walk Peter to the small buffet table and look around at the crowd of people, "Is this your birthday party?" I nod.
"Yeah, but I'm not making a big deal out of it. My dad and Steve put this all together."
"You're very popular."
I shake my head, "These people don't know me," I shrug, "It's okay though, I'm doing it to make my dad happy, plus, they usually get me gifts, so that's a bonus."
Peter snickers, Lunch crawls up to his leg and looks up at us. I kneel down and pick her up. The music gets louder in the building and more people began to mosh together and start dancing.
Peter and I walk out to the balcony, leaning against the railing, watching the city. I peer down at the world below us, then Peter, "Sometimes I think about jumping from here with a sheet so I can get away from here."
"Why don't you just go out the front door?"
"Because my dad would kill me," I roll my eyes, "They don't want me to ever leave, they think I'm sick."
"Are you?"
"I don't know," I say honestly, "Whatever is wrong with me, I don't think me staying here for all of these years is going to do a lot. I know I have things going on, but I...I would rather die than be trapped here."
Peter listened to me with a soft smile, "I'm sorry you can't go anywhere."
"It's not your fault," I shrug, "I like you Peter, you're fun to be around. Do you want to be my only friend?"
He laughs as he nodded his head, "Sure we can be friends. I like spending time with you too."
"Of course you do, I'm amazing," I scoff. Peter pulls up a chair and we both sat outside on the balcony. Lunch curls up onto my lap, I pet her fur, looking at the dark sky.
I've been thinking about those photos that Fury showed the Avengers. Those girls who were fighting each other. They're like me, they were injected when they were younger.
Now they're trained to kill. I would've been like those kids if it wasn't for my dad. I wonder if they know they're supposed to be kids and not dangerous people.
I twirl my new necklace through my fingers, "I'm going to get something to eat, do you want something?" I shake my head. Peter closed the door behind him as he went inside.
When I knew he couldn't see, I peered down at my stomach to look at the scar on my waist. Bruce noticed it the other night, when he asked I said I didn't remember where it came from.
Now I feel bad for lying, I did this to myself, it's the only way I could stop myself from hurting my hands. I wish I could stop doing this but it makes me feel better. I'm a terrible person.
I went back inside and watched as they brought out the cake. The people inside were singing to me as my dad and Natasha carried in the cake Steve had baked for me.
Their voices go quiet as I look at the candles. I think about what I'll wish for every year, I never get what I want. The crowd waits for me, I look at my dad, then the cake. I want to get out of here. I blow out the candles and watch everyone cheer for me.
Dad hugs me tight as I cut open the cake. I pick up Lunch and slowly drift out of the party scene. I place Lunch onto the floor as I walk down the stairs. I shouldn't wish for something so wrong, my dad and the avengers have done a lot for me.
I was walking down the tower stairs for a while, I found a room that was usually locked and saw it wide open this time. What is this place? I've never seen it before. I walk down the hallway and saw a glass cage-like thing in the middle of the room.
What is this? "Happy birthday to you," A voice sings, "Happy birthday to Milana," I froze in my place, staring at the man in front of me, "Happy birthday to you."
The man slowly turns around, he smirked at me, pretending to blow out a candle in his hands. I shiver as he looked down at me, "Who are you?" I ask.
"No one to you anymore," He moves closer to the glass and chuckles, "You have grown up so much now. You look like your mother did," I cringe. He knew my mom? I glare at him, then step back, "child, come back to me. I want to talk to you."
"No," I shake my head, "No you're dangerous, I'm leaving."
"Right, enjoy your birthday, I'm sorry my gift is so late for you."
"Shut up, creep." I roll my eyes, picking up Lunch again, "Enjoy your jail time, don't drop the soap." He laughs at me again. I close the doors and shivered again. Why does he know me?
