THE BRIGHTSIDE, robby keene

010 - birthday boy

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CHAPTER TEN
BIRTHDAY BOY
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YES, SHE FEELS STUPID BALANCING THE GIANT CAKE ON HER ARMS WHILE NAVIGATING THROUGH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

There's no need to remind her of that. But what else should she do? It's his birthday today and as the good fake girlfriend that she is, she made him a cake.

(Maybe her dad helped her, but whatever).

Finally reaching the door to his home, she sighs. There is no way she can knock right now, she needs both of her hands to stabilize the cake.

It's not elegant, but she kicks the door softly, not too loud, but still loud enough for everyone in the apartment to hear.

Just a few seconds later, a blonde woman opens the door and her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of the girl in front of her door.

Right, Mercy thinks. That Robby's mom got out of rehab (which he told her a few days ago) obviously means that she's home now.

"Uh, hello, Ms. Keene, I just came by to give Robby this," she stammers while holding the box with the cake up a little higher.

"Well, that's nice of you." The woman smiles and opens the door a little wider so that Mercy can step into the apartment.

"And you are?" She adds after closing the door again.

Mercy turns around to her again, her eyes barely noticing the happy birthday banner on the wall.

She feels the panic rising inside of her, she gets all hot from that. It's one thing to turn her parents into pieces of her game, but also lying to Robby's mom?

She doesn't know what to answer and the longer it takes her to reply, the weirder his mother must think she is.

Mercy shouldn't have come to North Hills in the first place. What did she even think she was doing? Celebrating his birthday like they're the best of friends?

"That's Mercy, mom. My girlfriend." Robby suddenly stands next to her, his headphones hung around his neck, he's nodding to the cake, his arms outstretched.

Luckily, his mother is too perplexed to notice the surprise on Mercy's face. She hands him the box in which the cake is and he puts it on the kitchen counter.

"Happy birthday," she says, more or less cheerfully, now fumbling with the gift bag that dangles at her wrist.

She's thought a long time about what to get him, but then she remembered something he told her after training not long ago.

She finally manages to get it off her wrist (really, the cords got all twisted from the bag swinging around during her way to the apartment) and holds it towards him.

"Thank you," he replies with a smile. He doesn't look into the bag, he's still looking at her.

Mercy leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek, quickly, so that she doesn't get to think about it. What kind of girlfriend would just coldly hand her boyfriend his gift?

God, it's ten times more awkward than when he met her parents.

But Robby doesn't seem to mind it. At least he doesn't shudder or try to rub his cheek to get the reminder of her lips off it.

"So," Ms. Keene starts. She looks from her son to Mercy, whose cheeks feel so hot she's sure you could fry an egg on them.

"We wanted to order pizza, but we can start with the cake if you kids want to." She points to the kitchen table and only now does Mercy get the chance to look around.