The Summer She Turned Pretty

Turning 17

Every birthday I've ever had has been here,  in this house. It's always the same. Mom makes us pancakes. Everyone gathers around and gives us presents. Most people hate having summer birthdays, but for me, it's a blessing. I don't know about Steven, but I bet he likes it too. His closest friends are Conrad and Jeremiah, even though we only see them in the summer. Yeah, he has friends at school, but not like Con and Jere. 

One year, we were all sitting down and mom gave us the pancakes. Conrad grabbed the syrup and drew a sideways 8 on mine. I remember looking up at him confused, I wasn't turning eight, and it was sideways. 

"What is that?" I ask him, he was smiling down at me. 

"Infinity. Do you know what that means?" I shook my head. "It's really cool. I learned it in math class. So you know how numbers keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger? A hundred, a thousand, a million. To get to the biggest number in the whole world, you'd have to keep counting because there's always a bigger number. It's boundless." His eyes lightnend up at the thought, I remember smiling at it. 

I looked at the syrup, "I don't get it." 

"Imagine that's a racetrack. Do you see how there are no starting or ending points? You could travel endlessly around those curves. Goes on forever. That's infinity." I put my finger over the line and went around and around and around, we both started laughing. 

I held up my favorite dress to my body, while I was looking in the mirror.  It's this one from Cider called Toile de Jouy Bow Mini Dress. I loved it so much, best purchase of my entire life. Once I got it on I put on some jewelry and basically tumbled down the stairs, ready for pancakes. When I walked into the kitchen everyone was there. Mom was making the pancakes, Jere was doing who knows what, Belly and Susannah were setting the table, and Conrad was eating cereal. Steven was... not there. 

"Morning everyone." Most people spinned to look at me, making me blush. 

"Happy Birthday!" They all said in unison, smiling at me. Except for Conrad, who barely even looked up from his bowl. "There's the birthday girl!" Susannah came in for a hug. "Looking like a vision in that dress! Happy birthday." I squeezed her right back, my God, I love her perfume. 

Then Jere. He swooped in for his amazing hugs. "Happy 17, May." He lifted me off the ground and spun me around. I had to slap him on the back about a million times before he put me down. 

"Bow down, peasants! It's our birthday!" I hear Steven, sprint through the house. Before I can turn around he was on my back, and we both fell to the floor in hysterics. Everyone then said Happy Birthday to Steven, and Belly then came to give me a hug, she didn't say a word. I guess we haven't talked much recently. Finally my mom. 

"Happy Birthday sweetheart." She rubbed my arm, not a hug but whatever. She did the same to Steven, and now we were both standing there. 

"Thanks, mom." 

"Your pancakes are ready." Thar's when I remembered presents, and I loved my presents. It's not what they are, it's just gifts are my love langugage, giving and recieving. It made me feel extra loved. I look at Steven, raising an eyebrow, he nods, understanding. 

"Oh, can we do that later? We're not hungry yet." I didn't want to seem greedy and ask for the presents so I was just going to have to wait for someone else to mention it. 

"Of course." My mom looked a little dissapointed, her smile faltered a little bit. Shit, well now I feel bad. 

"Shall we do presents?" Susannah asked. I perked up immeditley, nodding my head vigoursly. 

"Yes," I nearly ate up her words, she started laughing at my eagerness. 

"May your gonna love mine." Jere tells me, patting my shoulder while heading to the livingroom. Jeremiah always knew how to give gifts.