Hiraeth: Belonging (II)

Chapter Sixteen

"HAPPY BIRTH-DAY!!!" everyone cheered.

Mike held his chest, panting with shock. "W-W-What?!"

My friends, family, teachers, and acquaintances clapped as Mike smiled and ran down the stairs from Adrean, Liz, and Quinn's house.

Everyone (and by everyone I mean everyone) had worked together very early that morning to decorate the Obsidian City town square with magenta streamers, balloons, and flowers. Kat and Liana hung paper-mâché stars from the trees. Serenity got the huge fountain (the very center of the city) to dance and shapeshift. The shadows were convinced by Vincent to be gathered in the crowd, too, shaped like various animals. Derek had tables set up with mounds of gifts, a buffet provided by Aunt Rebeccah, and a huge black-and-magenta cake. The twins had butterflies fluttering over the city.

Mike spun around, taking it all in. Beings ran up to hug and congratulate him. He was like a rain-kissed daisy, with sleep still in his perfect eyes and beauty in every movement he made. Even though he only had on pyjama shorts and a baggy black shirt, he looked more like a prince than ever.

We made a path for Mike to get to his presents. Professor Indigo (who was the designated gift-hander-outer since he was so big) first gave my boyfriend his many many cards. He read them all aloud, tearing up as usual. Then he ripped into gift after gift. He got everything, from music equipment to new clothes to candy. The Packwoods gave him the most out of everyone, no surprise there. Every time he opened something significantly big, he would shake his head and mutter, "I don't deserve this," to which everyone would shout in disagreement.

After that, Mike was ushered to the buffet. There were pancakes, waffles, toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, etcetera. Most of the kids had already started eating, but now everyone else dug in, too. Mike tried everything graciously, and then he blew out his sixteen candles and we dined on cake.

It was nearly noon when beings began to leave. Most of my friends and I stayed behind to help clean up.

"Hey, R-Roxie!" Mike called. With all the commotion, he and I hadn't talked all morning. I dropped my crutches, hopping to meet him. He jumped into my arms and I spun him around again, like at the airport. "I missed you!!!"

"I missed you, too!" I squealed.

"This was amazing! D-D-Did you plan it?"

How did I know he was going to ask me that? "No."

I put Mike down and he helped me get my crutches. We walked together, towards the park. "Then who did?"

I grinned. "We all did!"

We looked for somewhere to sit.

"Y-You know something, Roxie?"

"What?"

"I'm not gonna have to b-b-buy anything new."

We settled on a bench and I felt my smile fade a little.

"I-I-I have new guitars with new equipment, I've got new clothes, and I even have a bunch of pencils from Troy a-and his dad."

There was pain behind Mike's perfect voice. His eyes looked into the distance. "I... I still have my friends. It's gonna b-b-be f-fine..."

He leaned into my shoulder and I felt my sleeve become wet. He didn't make any noise, though, mourning what was lost in the fire silently.

Dennis emerged from behind my boyfriend and gave me a look of understanding. We both patted Mike's back.

"MICHAEL!!!" a familiar little voice suddenly screamed. "HIDE ME!!!"

We shot up and Mike wiped his face quickly. Before either of us could think, Liz came bursting through the brush and crawled under our bench.