Dark Little Secrets

Chapter 2: The Year My Life Became Hell

Finally it was October 24th, Cassie's birthday.

"Before we eat, can I throw cake in her face?" I smile slyly at my mom when Cassie isn't around.

    "Honey...no, you cannot throw cake at your sister's face!" She tilted her head at me.

    "But she did it on my 16th birthday!" I complained.

    "Athena. I said no." She said in a stern tone.

    We gathered at the table for cake shortly after. Her cake was a strawberry cake decorated with flowers. Her favorite flower is a Lily, which was in the center of the cake with sunflowers, my favorite flower, and roses, my mom's favorite flower, surrounding it.

    We sing happy birthday as she blows out the candles. We each took a slice of cake.

    "Present time?" She smiled after we finished our cake.

    "Sure sweetie." My mom smiled at her. Cassie opened the first present, which was mine. She grabbed the small box and opened it. Inside was a pair of earrings with a matching necklace. The earrings were of a crescent moon with little stars dangling beneath. The necklace was a crescent moon with stars going up the silver necklace.

    "I love it!" She smiled hugging me, both of us are obsessed with astrology so I knew it would be the perfect gift.

    "Next present!" Cassie smiled. She gasped as she reached into the bag that Caleb got her.

    "Oh. My. Gosh! It's so cute!" She squealed. She pulled out a light pink bow that complemented her light strawberry blond hair. Cassie opened the second bag, which was from our dad. Inside was a blue tapestry with white star chart.

    "I love it!" Cassie gasped, pulling the tapestry out of the bag, stretching it out. She grabbed the last bag, from our mom, and pulled out a painting kit that consisted of water colors, acrylics, paint brushes, paint palette, five differently sized canvases, and a watercolor book.

    "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She smiled widely. Then came time for the joint gift. I brought out a medium box that had small holes all along the top.

    "Open this one!" I said with a smile, handing Cassie the box. She opened it up and out popped a little gray cat head.

    "Oh! My! Gosh!" Cassie squealed, picking up the small kitten.

    "It's so cute!" She continued.

    "What are you going to name her?" Caleb asked.

    "Stormy!" She smiled, taking the cat to the living room.

    "I think she liked it." I smiled, walking into the living room.

    "Nah really!" My brother sarcastically raised his voice. I scrunched my nose at him and sat on the couch with my school computer.

    "Whatcha doing?" He asked cleaning his round glasses.

    "Working on school work, why?" I asked.

    "Can we take Stormy on a walk?" Cassie asked, poking her head out from behind Caleb.

    "Sure, let me change out of my pajamas." I replied, walking up the stairs to my room. I got changed into a white halter cropped tank top and gray sweatpants.

    I put a collar on Stormy and handed the leash to Cassie and we walked out the door. As we walked we saw Mary walking out of her house,

    "Sup Thena, Happy birthday Cassie! How old are you now? six?" Mary smiled as she walked over to us.