The Only Exception

Eight

~Spencer~ 

How the fuck do you forget about your daughter or little sister's birthday for 6 fucking years in a row? 6 FUCKING YEARS? Are they JOKING?  One year. I could wrap my head around it. Her mother didn't even think to remind her dad at one of their undoubtedly expensive dinners? Hey husband, the last child we had together turns 22 today we should drop her a fucking phone call? Three of them. 3 of the most important people in her life have literally just wiped the biggest day of the year for her off the map. And I know Lainey. 

I remember how huge birthdays are for her. I remember her making it a whole week affair. For the week leading up to her birthday she made sure everyone she spoke to knew it was her birthday. She used to get so excited about them. I remember watching that huge smile and every year she somehow made me feel like birthday's were more than just a day you were born on. But then last night she literally said it was nothing? Her birthday wasn't important. It had set a rock in the middle of my spine and I was beyond furious.  

She'd been out all day with Chelsea and had plans tonight. I could hear the 2 of them talking and laughing down the hall in her room but there wasn't a chance she was leaving this apartment without feeling like someone cared about it. Chelsea can do whatever she fucking pleases. But I had to make sure she left here tonight knowing I cared about her birthday even if her family didn't. 

I lit the candles when I could hear her turn the music off, her bedroom door cracking open. Chelsea was the first to emerge and I slapped a finger over my lips from out of the way. She narrowed her eyes at me but did as she was told, acting normal as she moved out of the way. 

"Why's it so freaking dar-" She stopped, staring at the layout on the counter I'd set up. Never mind the piles of generic roses her family had sent I'd got her my own, ordered things online the second she'd gone to her room last night so she'd have something. Her throat tightened followed by her eyes coming back to me. "What?" 

"Happy Birthday. Blow your candles out before the wax ruins your cake." She was slow in her movements, as if one wrong move would make me yank it all away and I can't think of anything worse than ruining this for her right now. I don't know why I feel this bad about them all skipping her birthday but it's just biting into me. How does someone so obsessed with her birthday turn into someone who doesn't give a fuck about it? It isn't sitting right with me and when I told Noah at 2am when I called him furious about it all he couldn't even give me an answer. 

Lainey stared at the cake like it wanted to eat her, pressing her lips tight together before blowing the candles out, immediately turning her head back to me like she had no clue what to do now. God. She turned to Chelsea who held her hands up then back to me. 

"You did this?" 

"No I just came out and it was all here. Some ghost must have set it up whilst you were getting ready." She smiled. For a second. Just a second. But it's the most genuine smile I've seen on her face in the 3 weeks I've been living with her. "Have you got plans tomorrow?" 

"Me?" 

"No the wall. Yes. You Lainey." 

"Uh. No. I don't- no." 

"Good. We're going out for the day. Reckon you can be ready by 11?" She nods. "Perfect." 

"We should go Lanes. Don't wanna be late do you?" 

"Shit. No. Are you okay here? I mean-" 

"Go. I'll sort these out. I'll see you later on. Call me if you need me to come get you." 

"Will do."  Lainey looked back over her shoulder before closing the door, mouthing the words 'Thank You' at me and the look on her face almost convinced me that Lainey from 6 years ago was in there somewhere. 

I don't know who had been in her place the past few weeks but it wasn't her. She was either giving me a full blown attitude or sat in an uncomfortable silence looking like she was going to collapse under a pressure you couldn't physically see. Her shoulder's were either pulled back to allude she was confident or slumped forward and don't even get me started on the dead end answers she gave me on everything. 

I'm hoping is a comfortability thing. That after a little while she'll get used to me being here and it won't be as awkward, that things will return to some kind of normalcy. As much as I hated having Lainey around constantly when I was younger, I couldn't say I hadn't missed her presence. 

Wherever Lainey went, she was the most positive person in the room and I've needed that the past few years. I could have done with her stupid jokes and unwavering smile when it felt like everything was crumbling. When Noah asked me to come down here, that was one of the things I couldn't pretend I was wanting. Just to soak in her sunshine and let it gather in my bones. 

I was yet to see it. I'd had a glimpse of playful Lainey the day I moved in but ever since? Ever since she's just kind of existed in the corner of rooms. Barely talking, barely lifting her head from her phone or her laptop or whatever else she was keeping herself busy with. She wasn't home that often but when she was, it wasn't like she was warming the place up. She was just kind of there. I don't know what it was. Something just isn't right with her and I think everyone forgetting her birthday is just the tip of an iceberg that goes a hell of a lot deeper.