Love Explosion [3]

Chapter 16 - Sienna's Birthday

Italics is thoughts

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TW: Mentions of sexual activity

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Chapter 16

November 29, Monday

Sienna's POV

I grew up loving celebrations. I found it to be one of the most important ways to maintain joy, because to find it in yourself to want to celebrate means at least a part of you appreciates life. Christmas, Halloween, New years, all of the sorts.

But my ultimate favourite time of the year was November 28, my birthday. I love life, and I enjoy living, so what better than celebrating the day of my birth— where I began to exist, the day where I was determined to be Sienna Winnie Miller.

Since I turned eight, I would have these huge parties, with decorations deemed as embarrassing, but I never minded. I would eat as many snacks and slices of cake as I'd like, wear the most elaborate outfits I might not be able to in general (my favourite being my pink birthday-dress). And I'd allow the bliss to flow within— a day where nothing less than happiness bothers my mind; no stress, no sorrow, none of it.

But then last year happened. It was the first birthday of mine, that I remember of, where Kathrin wasn't at. She's always been by my side, no matter what, for as long as I could remember. And yet she wasn't there.

Despite having made up, and despite becoming friends again, it seemed to be one of those lingering memories, with lasting emotions that are just etched upon my brain, and amid my heart. So my birthday doesn't really feel like that super- exciting best-time-of-the-year day anymore, but rather just... another day.

It came as a shock to Maeva when she noticed I had nothing prepared. She still insisted that we do some sort of celebrating, even if it's small. And now it's the day after, but it felt as though I didn't turn nineteen at all; just flashing by with a hidden blur. How is life passing by so suddenly, so fast?

Now I'm alone again. Both figuratively, and literally. Even with my friends and family, it felt as though I had no one— no one at all. And so I laid in my dorm room, as though my phone would be able to make up a new life for me.

Clara walked in at some point, but I didn't seem to notice until she said, "Happy belated birthday."

I looked up from the miniature screen, eyes widening slightly as I took her presence by surprise. Even though we shared a room, I didn't seem to bump into her that often. I sleep really early, while she comes in really late. And during the day, I seemed to always be out, always with something to do; distract myself with others so as to not wallow in my isolation— or to drown within the sounds of my Airpods, so I wouldn't drown amid my mind.

How'd she know it was my birthday? I thought in question, sitting up to come off as more presentable. "I was speaking to your friend, Kathrin, who told me." She replied, almost as if she read my mind. Wait— what was she doing with Kathrin?

"Why are you ignoring me, Sienna?" Clara asked all of a sudden, snapping me out of my seconds-worth trance, pronouncing my name so smoothly, as though there were no syllables. There's just something in the way she says my name, so endearing that it almost feels like she's pulling me towards her.