FROZEN IN BETWEEN

BIRTHDAY

JUSTINE'S P.O.V

So then I left. Yes I left and this is a final decision. Not gonna look back. Because Toby never wants me to be his. It's still about that girl, Sheryl, who won his heart. I've never been anybody else but a good supporter. So I left.

Pittsburgh today was a bit cold. Sun didn't shine too bright. I walked through the pedestrian path to my campus. Happy 19th birthday to me.

"Morning, June!" One of my college classmates waved from the distance.

"Hey Clara." I waved back.

"Happy birthday." She pinched my cheek.

"Ah don't do that." I stepped back. She knows I don't like celebration.

"Heeeey so since you're at the same age as I am, we should celebrate!" Clara had her arm around my shoulders along the way.

"Like how?"

"Going to a concert!"

"Not again. Last time was Maroon5 and I lost my voice. No." I ran away playfully.

"Oh cmon cmon pleaseeeee this time let me buy it for you. My treat. I pick you up, I drive you back. All posters are on me." She begged like a little puppy.

"Okaaay but I need to know who we're gonna watch!"

"Give it to me." She smirked. "You're going to love it!"

"I'm not sure." I played with her hair. "Duh alright Clareeeee alright."

"Yeah? Yasssssss! It's gonna be tomorrow night! Thank you for not wasting my second tix!" Clara danced along.

"Wait what? You've bought?" I grinded my teeth awkwardly.

"Uhm...it's VIP that I don't want to wait." She giggled. "Just chill. All is well with the world."

I chuckled seeing this little girl jumped around happily literally all day long since I told her I'm going to her dream concert. A little bit worry inside. What band it will be. But Clara has the same music taste as mine. So she would never pick the lame one.

"Dress shoppppping!" She dragged me to her car after our first class.

"Hey hey I didn't say I agree for a shopping!" I pulled my body back.

"Naaaaah just trust me." Clara locked me in the car with her. "Shush."

"Supposed to be a better birthday." I breathed out.

"I'm tying to save your life. Being 19 and never escape any class? Gal, you should get a life." She laughed so loudly. "We'll come back before you know it."

"We'll come back before professor knows it." I corrected her.

"Blah." She turned the wheels faster so it only reached us 5 minutes to the closest mall. "See? I'm fast."

"And I'm gonna die young." I held my breath.

"Let's go!"

She started to drag me here and here from the pricey stuff to the not bad ones. Clara's very good at shopping. Too good, sometimes. She picked an all black formal dress and a pair of shoes for the concert. Meanwhile she got crop-top and jeans. We paid it all in less than 2 hours. And ended up gasping for air in Starbucks. Definitely.

"It was like crazy shopping time." I sipped half of my cup.

"Hahaha. You finally did it my way." She smirked. "Is your uncle home? Can I sleepover?"

"You want to sleepover? Well of course they're fine with that. Since when you ask for a permission." I answered her sassily.

"Alright! Calling my Mom, telling I'll be home in 2 days."

"Ouch." I laughed. I miss my parents too.

Thanks to Clara, she asked me not to go back to the college. We finished sight-seeing the whole mall and at the very 5 pm, we drove back home. Uncle Rayvon just chuckled at me as he found out. Hey my uncle was once a bad boy too. He used to be. He's the one who taught me not to obey too many rules. Lol.

"Wow..." Clara walked up to my room and found my masterpiece wall. I used to hide it from everybody.

"Hmm?" I tossed my body to the bed.

"So you're really..."

"Really what." I chuckled. "Desperate?"

"No. Really deal with the pain." Clara turned around. "I would never be able to handle that. Seriously."

I was in a complete silence. Swallowed my words back again. Toby was still here. On my bedside wall. Smiled unintendedly, some of them have guitars in his hands. Some others were his candid moments that were taken by our school journalist. The thing is, he's still there.

"Have you called him?" She sat by my side.

"Been 3 years and no sound." I shook my head. "His second Europe and Pacific tour have locked him down. Busy man."

"Or you hide yourself from him."

"Clare." I chuckled in awkwardness. "Not all stories have its happy ending."

"Wow I never understand." She walked to my bathroom.

"Neither do I."

I whispered to myself. It hurts. It's been 3 years and I missed him so much. No calls, no texts. The only people I keep talking to are my parents. The neighbors were long gone. The lover was all disappeared. Maybe, or maybe not, he's still with Sheryl. Just anything that makes him happy.

Happy birthday to you as well, Thing One.