The Struggle of Ms. Carter (rewritten)

Chapter 29~

Payton's P. o. V.
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I hung back, packing up at my own pace and felt her tap my shoulder just as I was finishing up.

Turning to face her, she held her hands behind her back. With a smile wide enough to take over her whole face.

"What's up?" I asked amusingly.

"Well I didn't know whether you celebrated or not. So here's a very cautious happy birthday." She held out a bag in her small hands and I grinned as she handed it to me.

"You didn't have to get me anything, this is so sweet of you."

"Oh it's nothing special, just a thank you—for helping out." I opened the small box and pulled out the thin, metal, bookmark. Engraved with my initials.
A small smile crept up on my face as I pulled it out and went in to hug her. She hugged me back and I pulled away, still looking at the bookmark.

"Thank you so much. This is actually really sweet." She gave me a sheepish grin and nodded.

"I'm glad you like it, I just didn't really know what to give you."

"Still you didn't have to think of me but you did. Thank you, I mean it." Her eyes looked me over a little longer and she nodded again backing up.

"Well I should uh let you go. It's your birthday. You probably have a party to go to." Bent over now she leaned with her hands on the desk, still standing up, looking down at some paper. Then up at me.

I could have stayed for two more hours if she wanted, after that.
Instead, I said—

"Uh yeah. Yeah, a little, get together." and backed through the door reluctantly.

Was that— flirting ?

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Bailey and I got to his parents' for my birthday dinner and his mom hugged me on the way in, giving me a kiss on the cheek as she took my coat. His dad was sat on the couch and turned toward me to flash a proud smile.

"Hey kid, happy birthday. You look sharp."

"You'd think we lived in the middle of the city the way she dresses." Bailey chimed in and I rolled my eyes.

"Just say you're jealous you wanna dress like me." I joked and took off my shoes, going over to the couch to watch what's on with 'the dad'.

Bailey scoffed and went into the kitchen with his mom to help her out.
I sat down just as they both called us for dinner. He was watching football and we both groaned now having to stand up.

Sat at the table we said grace.

"Payton what are your plans after school?"

"Well I'm not too sure honestly. I'm gonna apply to colleges in February and I'm sure I'll get into one of them. Either way I'm hoping to be online and to travel until my next book is finished."

"Oh I loved your last one. Is it a sequel?" His mom chimed in.

"Yeah it is, this one doesn't have as much psychological horror."

"Good. I feel like I was up all night jumping at nothing for weeks." Dad said. We all laughed and continued to eat and talk. It was the perfect birthday.

Later on I called my family. When I rang on FaceTime my mother answered on the second set of beeps. And as all of my family appeared they sang me happy birthday in Italian.

"We miss you P!" My sister sang out in the background.

"I miss you too B. I wish I could be there with you all." I was back home now and sat on my couch.
I heard the door open and close, then lock.

"What was that?" My brother asked.

"Oh just Bailey coming in, we had birthday dinner at his parent's house. He was still in the car talking to his boyfriend."

"Sure was!!" He yelled from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes while my mother was pushing through my family to get back to the phone. Anthony, my brother, shot me a knowing look. The look that said moms been getting on him all day and he mouth 'save me' before he went out of frame.

"Bailey ? Is that my Bailey over there, let me see. Let me see it. Bianca give me the phone honey let me see." I was laughing so hard at her head slowly coming into frame as my sister got so fed up, I didn't notice Bailey come in.

"Here ma." I saw B give her the phone in defeat and my mother yelled out as she saw him on the couch next to me.

"Oh is that my Bailey. Look at you. Oh you've gotten so tall!"

"Ma how can you even tell through the phone?"
She peered over her glasses at me all serious.

"A motha knows." We were both pissing ourselves laughing as she froze like that for a second.

"What is this thing doing? Bianca fix it!"

"Omg I love you all, we'll talk soon. Bye!" I heard them all half say goodbye before my mother ended it.

"I love your family."

"So do I, but I'm kind of glad not to be with all of them around this time." I got up and stretched.

"Why's that?"

"Because I'd come back here 35 pounds heavier." Patting my stomach I walked upstairs and turned on the shower. I heard B coming in so I yelled out to him.

"Pick a movie and grab the snacks!"
We stopped by the store on our way back here because I wanted something sweet and I heard him go back downstairs to get it.

As I let the water replenish my achy bones I thought about how lucky I was to have family like that, and to have Bailey, and my books, and my brownstone, and Sydn—

Oh right.