Curiosity and the Remains of Us

Chapter Eight

The candles were tiny and colourful.

Just eight.

Eight candles surrounded the deliciously looking cake as the light above them danced with the breeze.

It was a beautiful evening.

Kiara helped bring the cake to the dining table. Priscilla sat in the middle as everyone cheered, her papa, Joe, cheering the loudest. He turned around and placed a wet kiss on his wife's cheek.

"Joe," she murmured and wiped her cheek dry.

Everyone laughed and clapped as Priscilla looked at her cake with a grin. It was boldly decorated with the number 25 on it. It was made by her sister. She closed her eyes like she did when she was a child, made a wish and blew hard on the candles.

She wished for happiness which didn't seem to take long to arrive.

Her fiancee, Cole, arrived with a bottle of wine and a large box of pizza with an overdose of cheese. It was her favourite treat.

"Hey, babe," he whispered before grabbing her and giving her a passionate kiss on the lips. "Sorry, I'm late."

"Not now," she breathed. Then she mumbled something forgiving and somewhat promising before disengaging herself. 

Cole chuckled lightly. "Well, then. I can't wait."

"Hey, everyone! Cole made it," Priscilla said as she held him by the arm and took him to the kitchen where her friends and family gathered.

"Oh, Cole," her mother, Sarah, cooed. "I'm glad you're here."

Priscilla left them together, pulling back to watch the celebration from a wider lens. Her twenty-fifth birthday party wasn't as grand as every other party of twenty-five-year-olds but it was magnificent. There were bright, colourful lights that hung from the ceiling, a beautiful cake, wine, a big box of pizza, sweet, pleasant gifts, family members that loved her and friends that cherished her. There was nothing more she could ask for.

She could count the number of people around her. Just ten people were present, making her circle small. Her mother, dad, sister, fiancee, and six other friends from both work and school. When there were a lot of people around, it made life harder to live. There would always be a consistent staring over your shoulders to avoid getting stabbed, or trying to figure why your name keeps getting in people's mouths. That wasn't the life for her. She craved peace.

As she stood at the corner smiling, Cole ran up to her, his blue eyes glittering. She knew what he wanted so she ran the other way.

Laughing, he grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around. "Dance with me."

Shy from everyone watching, she shook her head. "I can't."

"Come on, don't be shy!" A friend yelled.

"Yes!"

"Dance with him!"

Before the blink of an eye, the whole room broke into a salvo of persuasion, her younger sister cheering the wildest.

"Okay, fine!" Priscilla exclaimed, defeated.

Cole took her to the dance floor. They bowed dramatically before proceeding. They danced together in the kitchen. Arctic Monkeys played in the background, Alex Tunner's smooth voice propelling their tangled bodies in a slow waltz across the room. Every single person in the room watched them with happiness either in their smiles or eyes.

Priscilla's eyes were closed as she rested her head on Cole's shoulder, and she seemed happy – happier than she'd ever been in a long time. If she hadn't a ring on her finger, she'd think Cole was about to propose to her again.