Left Behind (Completed) *editing*

Chapter Sixteen

We were all gathered around the table after eating pizza when Debbie set down a vanilla frosted cake with a candle in the number 17. Around the table I had Mark to my left and Dylan on the right. Debbie stood across from me. Colin was in between Mark and Debbie. Debbie leaned over the table, lighting the candles. She stuck one single candle behind the other two, lighting that one. "For good luck," she explained with a smile.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Valerie. Happy birthday to you!" They all sung in unison.

"Make a wish," Dylan reminded me. I smiled, sucking in a huge breath of air.

I just want to stay happy. That's my wish. I huffed and blew out the candles.

"What did you wish?" Dylan whispered in my ear, nuzzling his face against me.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I retorted with a sly smile.

"Get a room," I heard Colin mutter. Mark and Colin exchanged a look. Debbie nudged Colin and cut a slice of cake, sliding it to me. The inside of the cake was sprinkled with colors of the rainbow. I hadn't had anyone bother to make a birthday cake for me since my mother left. It was a simple gesture that somehow meant more than Debbie even knew. I felt like I was a part of something, like a family that I longed to have again. I took a bite feeling nostalgic about the whole ordeal. I finished my delicious slice of cake quickly. I excused myself from the table and snuck outside to the back of the house.

I recalled my 8th birthday. It wasn't long before my Mom disappeared from my life. Memories flicked through my head of that day. The morning of that day I recalled my parents arguing. I don't know what they were fighting about. I sort of wish I did. The image of my Mom walking in that day looking distraught with watery eyes was still engraved in my head. That was the day I sensed something was wrong. She had got me dressed and brushed my hair as she did every morning and we left. I spent that day with her. She took me to a diner for breakfast, to the park, to get ice cream, to a Chinese buffet for lunch and finally before going home we went to the arcade. It was the last time I spent a significant amount of time with her.

It wasn't long before Colin found me.

"Hey," he said simply. He stood next to me, shifting as if he was uncomfortable.

"Hi," I replied.

"Did you have a good birthday... so far?" He asked softly. I nodded and threaded my hand through my hair, pulling it through. There was a great amount awkwardness radiating between us, mostly coming from Colin. My arms criss crossed, folding tightly against my chest. I needed his acceptance on this. I would never be completely happy if Colin wasn't too. Colin leaned forward, gripping the rails along the patio. I studied him as he gazed blankly into the yard. I spun around, facing the opposite direction of Colin. My eyes were attracted to Dylan. I viewed him smile from the kitchen window at me. I found a meek smile to send back in his direction.

I rotated back to Colin. I set my hand onto his shoulder, hoping to break away some of the tension. His body only seemed to stiffen under my touch so I pulled away.

"Colin," I whined. He turned to me with his forehead wrinkled distressingly. I observed that the skin around his brown eyes was red and puffy. I hadn't noticed earlier because I hadn't taken the time to really look at him. He had been crying. This revelation made my lips quiver in sadness. "I'm going to take a walk. Do you want to come?" I asked him. His head hung downward as he seemed to pause while he thought it over.

"Yeah. Let me go talk to Mark for a second," he agreed. I pulled my phone out to text Dylan.

'Going to take a walk with Colin. Is that ok?' I wrote. My phone indicated immediately that he read the text and was typing back.