Karma

THIRTY-NINE ♖

—CATALINA—

"Here."

I look down at my lap where a small wrapped box has landed, and look back up to a satisfied Dhalia who's busy petting a sleepy Luna lounging in her arms.

"What's this?" I ask, setting my book face down so I don't lose the page, before lifting up the box and examining it.

She shrugs, bits her lip to try and hide her smile but ultimately fails as she sits on the seat opposite of me bouncing excitedly.

"Open it. Open it!"

I'm confused but I do it anyway, carefully picking at the tape and peeling back the paper from the box. It's brown, of course, and I open it revealing a ring nestled between the soft cushion-like material.

I delicately pull the ring out of its place, admiring its beauty. It's a gold band, an oval red stone set in the centre delicately and I feel almost breathless.

"I love it," I tell her sincerely and she smiles, setting aside the cat and reaching over to give me a hug.

"I'm glad." She mumbles to me softly, kissing my cheek and getting back in her seat.

"Why did you get me a ring though?"

Now she's the one who shares my confusion, tilting her head at me.

"Catalina...are you being serious?"

"Yes."

"You really don't know?"

I look back down at the gift, feeling the sudden urge to scratch my head.

"No. Should I?"

Dhalia looks away for a moment, as if she's collecting her thoughts before staring at me once again.

"It's your birthday."

Oh. The sudden feeling of my heart dropping to my stomach fills me, and I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I try and lighten the situation, laughing awkwardly.

"Oh, right. I guess I forgot."

But Dhalia doesn't believe it and simply stands up with the cat in her arms, walking over to me and sitting down beside me. She lets go of the cat, twisting her body and engulfing me in her arms, her chin resting on my shoulder.

I feel awkward, patting her back in a mismatched rhythm and waits until she pulls back and stares into my eyes.

"Happy twenty-fifth birthday," she tells me again, softly, and then slips the ring on my finger. I press my lips together, realizing shes placing it in the same spot I did on her years ago. She still wears that ring to this day and my eyes go misty, blinking away the moisture.

"Thank you." I tell her honestly.

I forgot it was my birthday. It was never a day to celebrate after my mother died, my father using that day as an excuse to cause torment to me.

Other teens were gifted cars and dinners, I was gifted a pistol and a threat to carry out orders for my father.

We rest there like that, watching whatever's on the television. It's a Korean drama, something Dhalia has been obsessed with lately, and I watch mindlessly while my thoughts are still focused on the girl beside me and the date that determines I am a year older.