𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐨, 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝟒: 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲

"Elizabeth?"

Alex's voice pierced through Elizabeth's ears, drawing her attention away from the history class window she had been gazing out of for what felt like an eternity.

"Huh?" Elizabeth responded, snapping back to the present. "The teacher asked you a question," Alex reminded her. "He did?" Elizabeth thought, realizing she hadn't heard him.

"Um, sorry, could you repeat the question?" Elizabeth asked, turning her focus to the teacher, who sighed in mild exasperation. "What was the first country to be invaded in World War II?" he repeated.

"Poland," Elizabeth answered, her mind sharpening momentarily to provide the correct response. The teacher nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you," he said, before returning to his lesson.

"Are you okay?" Jackie asked, noticing Elizabeth's appearance. Elizabeth turned to her friend and managed a small nod. "I'm fine, just a headache," she reassured Jackie, though she knew it was far from the truth.

Elizabeth wasn't okay. She was never okay on this particular day. Even after five years, the pain lingered just as raw as it had been the year before. She understood that time would eventually ease the ache, but today was not that day.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Elizabeth hurried into the hallway toward her locker, where Grace and Skylar awaited her.

"Hey, girly," Grace greeted warmly. "Hey," Elizabeth replied, opening her locker. A silent exchange passed between Grace and Skylar before he reached into his bag.

"We got you something," he announced, causing Elizabeth to turn her attention toward him. From his bag, Skylar held a cupcake, likely from the cafeteria. "We know today's tough for you," Grace began sympathetically.

"So, we got you this," Skylar added, offering the sweet treat with a hopeful smile. Elizabeth sighed but accepted the gesture, taking the chocolate cupcake from Skylar's outstretched hand.

"Thanks, guys, but I'm fine, I promise," she assured her friends, though her words were lies. Just then, her phone began to buzz insistently. Elizabeth glanced at the screen and recognized the caller.

"I'll be back," she announced urgently, closing her locker and quickly walking away, leaving her friends behind.

Outside the building, she found a spot in the shade, leaning against the cool brick building as she answered the call. Her screen illuminated with the familiar face of the one person she could always rely on.

"Hey, Uncle Mike," she greeted with a smile.

He appeared to be in his office, judging by the bookcase and big window behind him. Michael, her uncle, was a writer who lived in New York City. The plan was for Elizabeth to stay with him once she enrolled in NYU.

"Hey, Lizzie. How are you?" he asked, his familiarity with her evident in his tone. He understood all too well how much this day affected on her. Elizabeth sighed before responding, "I'm getting through today, as best I can anyways."

He nodded sympathetically through the camera. "Did your dad talk to you at all today? Mention your mom at all?" Mike asked, acknowledging the significance of the day.

Because that's what today was all about. Today marked Elizabeth's mother, Beatrice Young's, birthday. Every year since her passing, Elizabeth and her uncle would video chat and reminisce. Mike and Beatrice had been best friends, and through him, Elizabeth learned about her mother's life before her.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, he didn't. No surprise there though," she scoffed, a hint of bitterness creeping into her tone. "Don't let him or Kassidy get to you today. Especially Kassidy," Mike advised, causing Elizabeth to giggle. She appreciated how Mike shared her feelings about Kassidy; who even liked that woman?