Once Upon A Prostitute

CHAPTER 34 - BIRTHDAY GIRL!

Journal entry

If birthday wishes still come true, then Tet is alive. She is safe and happy. She still tells stupid jokes and laughs like a cricket.

Mina

I dreamed of Tetura last night. It was actually a memory but not the depressing one of us running down the alley way. This one was bittersweet.

"Mina" Tetura calls as she walks in. "Are you awake?"

I raise my head from the tear-soaked pillow. It's been four days since my initiation, and I am still sore. I still feel dirty, even though I have showered multiple times since then.

"You've been in here all day" she says softly. "The weather is beautiful today'

"I don't feel like seeing it" I respond through sniffles.

She nods solemnly and sits on the bed. beside me. "I have something for you. Guess"

"What is it?" I ask looking at her grimly. I notice her arm is behind her back.

"I said guess" she repeats with a smile on her face.

"I don't care" I huff and turn to stuff my face in the pillow. I don't care about anything. I just want to get out.

She sighs in defeat. "Okay here it is. Come on now, look" she coaxes.

I look and see that she is holding a cupcake. It has some frostings on it and a candle on top.

"Happy birthday Mina" she says in a singsong voice.

I laugh despite my sour mood. "You put a candle on a cupcake?"

"Ehen. Cake is cake" she says with a sassy attitude moving her head from side to side.

I am touched by her gesture, and it lightens up my mood a little bit. "How did you know today's my birthday?"

"You told me on your first day here when we were getting to know each other. Thought I forgot." And she pinches my nose playfully.

"Aww" I protest, holding my nose.

"Sparkle's shopping day was today so she helped me buy the cake" she continues, then shuffles through a bag at her feet and pulls out two bottles of coca cola. "This is not much, I know. But we are allowed to celebrate life, even though it's shitty right now."

I chuckle and sit up with my back to the wall. "You should have gotten a bigger cake though. How are we going to share this?"

"I bought a dozen actually. It's hidden somewhere in the freezer, for our mouths only" she whispers the last part and looks around guiltily.

I laugh but tears slip out. The fact that someone is thinking about me in this horror house is making me more emotional than I already am. The past few days have been dark. I could barely eat. I've been unable to sleep. The other girls have been either mean or indifferent, but not Tetura. She showed up for me.

"Make a wish before the candle goes out" she reminds me. I close my eyes for two seconds, make a wish, and blow out the candle.

Tetura hoots hurray and claps her hands like a child. I do not have her enthusiasm. I try to lie down again but she wouldn't let me. She drags me outside into the sun and I grudgingly admit that it feels better. I have not been outside in four days. The warmth of the sunrays on my skin, the brightness of the day, it chases some of the demons away.