It was a cold, rainy evening in Wiltshire, Swindon to be specific. A younger Uno sat alone at the kitchen table, staring at a small, store-bought birthday cake with a single candle lit in the center. The apartment was eerily quiet, save for the distant sound of raindrops tapping against the window.
He had turned twelve that day, and the absence of his parents weighed heavily on him. His mother and father, both successful corporate executives, had sent a generic birthday card with a pre-printed message and their signatures scrawled at the bottom. No personal note, no heartfelt message-just the same sterile, obligatory gesture they gave every year.
Uno stared at the card, feeling a pang of loneliness. "Happy Birthday, Uno. We hope you have a great day. Love, Mom and Dad," it read. He sighed, blowing out the candle and cutting himself a slice of cake. The sweetness did little to lift his spirits.
Hours later, his parents arrived home, drenched from the rain but carrying on their conversation about a recent business deal as if nothing else mattered. They barely glanced at the cake, still half-eaten on the table.
"Happy birthday, Uno," his father said absentmindedly, ruffling his hair before heading to his study.
"Yes, happy birthday," his mother echoed, already pulling out her laptop to continue working.
Uno forced a smile, knowing better than to expect more. "Thanks," he said quietly, retreating to his room.
As he sat on his bed, the weight of his parents' indifference finally broke through his facade. He curled up on his bed, tears streaming down his face as he clutched the card to his chest. "Why don't they care?" he whispered to himself, the loneliness engulfing him.
Just then, there was a knock at his window. Wiping his tears, Uno got up and opened it, revealing Lance and Lorenzo standing there, soaked from the rain but holding a small present wrapped in colorful paper.
"Hey, Uno!" Lance said, his voice muffled by the rain but carrying a note of excitement. "We didn't forget your birthday!"
"Yeah, we wouldn't miss it for the world," Lorenzo added, a wide smile on his face. "We knew today would be hard, so we wanted to make sure you had something special."
Uno's tears turned to ones of gratitude as he helped his friends climb through the window. "You guys," he said, his voice breaking. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Lance shrugged off his wet jacket, shaking his head like a dog to get rid of the excess water. "Hey, what are friends for?"
Lorenzo nodded, handing over the gift. "Open it, Uno. We picked it out just for you."
Uno carefully unwrapped the present, revealing a small, hand-painted model railway kit. His eyes lit up with genuine joy for the first time that day. "This is amazing! How did you know?"
"We remembered you talking about how much you love railways," Lance said, grinning. "Thought it might cheer you up."
Uno hugged his friends tightly, feeling a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold indifference of his parents. "You guys are the best. I can't believe you did this for me."
"We're like brothers, Uno," Lorenzo said, giving him a playful nudge. "We always look out for each other."
The three of them sat on the floor of Uno's room, chatting and laughing as they worked together to assemble the model railway. The room was filled with a sense of camaraderie and belonging, a stark contrast to the earlier loneliness Uno had felt.
As the evening wore on, they shared stories and dreams, losing track of time. Eventually, the rain stopped, leaving behind a quiet, peaceful night.
"We should probably get going before our parents freak out," Lance said reluctantly, glancing at the clock.
