It Began Abroad

Fifteen to Sixteen: The Party

Is it normal? Does this happen to everyone at sixteen? Why am I so lost if I'm supposed to be incredibly happy right now? Here I am, at my Sweet 16 party. Considering that I'm Mexican, I should've celebrated my quinceañera, but I just think that it's really stupid to spend so much money on a party. All I really wanted for my 15th birthday was to travel, to get the fuck away from here, and here I am now, turning 16. Fake smiling, pretending that I'm happy at my own party.

Well, I definitely didn't invite him, nor her, nor half of the people who are in line to wish me well. I guess it's midnight already. And oh, shit, Lenny. Yeah, that proves everything. Something is wrong, something is really wrong with me. I should be excited when I see my boyfriend coming with a bouquet of roses and a big box that's obviously going to be my present, but I don't feel anything. God, when did I become this negative? I was a happy kid! I'm grateful, of course I am. I care a lot about him; I appreciate everything he does. He treats me like a princess, although I do feel like he tries to buy me sometimes. I'd rather be in love with him than to have expensive shit all over my room. So, why am I with him again?

"Happy birthday, Mia," Lenny says as he hugs me.

"Hey, thanks! What's in this? It looks beautiful."

Yeah, just as I thought: a pair of shoes, a blouse, candy, roses. Damn, I should feel appreciated right now.

"You shouldn't have bothered that much. Thank you. I love everything," I try to say without sounding apathetic, but it's kind of hard. I just don't know why.

"Yeah, no problem, you okay though?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A bit worried about my house though-lots of people here."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Finally, people worth living for. What would I do without these three girls?

"THANK YOU!!" This time I don't have to fake anything.

"We didn't buy you a whole new closet, but we hope you like it."

When I see what they have in their hands, I feel relieved and good for the first time tonight. It's a photo album with all of our pictures since the day we met. I'll have this forever.

"Oh, you know me so well! Thank you so much!"

Lenny has a confused look right now; I guess he expected this reaction over his gift. Should I have faked my reaction toward him? I mean, I'm sure his intentions were good. I might've just changed since we first started dating. I'm not the girl he fell in love with anymore. Maybe I'm just realizing that I have never been the girl whom I'm pretending to be right now.

I spend the rest of the night with the same four people: Evie, Aria, Soph and Garrett. I don't care much for the others, nor do they care for me. Except probably Lenny. I hope he doesn't give me a lot of trouble for spending a lot of time tonight with Garrett; he's already so jealous of him. Hopefully, he'll let it pass just for tonight.

It's 2 a.m., and everyone is finally gone. All of them except Aria and Evie, and it finally feels like my birthday.

* * *

The party last night drained my social energy. I've been lying on my bed all day watching Netflix. I should start getting ready-we are going on a double date. I like double dates. I even like them better than normal dates. Nobody expects you to make out this way. I guess that's another thing wrong with me. I don't like making out with my boyfriend.

I check the notifications on my phone and see a missed call from Lenny. I click at it and call him back.

"Hello?"