Oblivion

Chapter 40

Paxton Clark

~~~~~~~~~~~

I wake up to the bright sun shining into my eyes. I groan and roll over, I smell a familiar scent, making me smile. Ivy.

I open my eyes and see her sitting up against the headboard reading.

"Morning, birthday boy." She says, her eyes meeting mine.

"You know when my birthday is?" I ask her.

"I saw it written on one of your school forms." She explains as she closes her book and places it in her lap.

I smile up at her.

"Happy birthday, Paxton." She tells me.

"Thank you, tesorina." I reply

I sit up in the bed and I'm hit with pain in my head. I move my hand to my head and I feel a bandage on it and I remember everything that happened last night, with William and Ivy's scars.

"Be careful, your cut was deep, it's gonna take a while to heal." She explains.

I nod and sit up against the headboard.

"Here, I got you an ice pack just in case it swells." She says as she hands me an ice pack off the nightstand.

"Thanks." I respond as I take it from her.

I place the ice pack against my head and let it rest against the cut.

"So, you're turning 16 today. How do you feel?" She asks.

"Old." I tell her.

She laughs.

"You are old. I should call you grandpa from now on." She jokes.

"I hate you." I laugh.

"No you don't." She smiles.

I laugh at her.

"Oh! I got you something." She says as she leans over to the nightstand.

"Really?" I ask.

"Yup."

I watch her open the drawer up and pull out a small lighter. She hands it to me and smiles.

"It's lighter. No, it's not for you to smoke, it's to help you." She explains.

"Help me with what?" I ask as I look down at the cool designs on it.

"I want you to focus on nothing but the flame. It'll help you. When you're angry or scared, pull it out and stare at the flame, nothing else." She tells me.

I look at her and stare into her eyes.

"I love it." I tell her.

"Good. I even carved my name onto the bottom." She says.

I turn the lighter over and look at the bottom.

Ivy.

I smile.

"Beautiful." I whisper.

"Well, I better get to school, are you still coming? I can cover your cut." She announces as she gets out of the bed.

"I can't. I have my first mission today." I tell her.

"On your birthday?" She asks.

"Yup, my uncle's evil ways." I joke.

She smiles at me.

"Are you gonna be okay?" She asks.

"Yeah, are you gonna be okay?" I ask her.