Rose Thorns & Love Letters

39 ➪ Love, Mabel

•Camilla•

13/07/1881
Robert dearest,
Pray tell, before your eyes grow heavy and you fall into the deepest of slumbers, is it I who occupies your thoughts? I must say, the only being that consumes my thoughts minutes before I drift away is yours.
Love, Mabel

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" A small shriek slips past my lips and echoes the halls as the overwhelmingly loud birthday wishes strike my ears. Though before I am able to fully react, the sight of shimmery golden pieces floating onto the floor catches my eye.

Stunned, I slowly bring my gaze back up to see both Joel and Harper frozen in time and holding party poppers with party hats plopped onto their heads. While huge smiles occupy Aisha and Melanie's faces, a small cupcake with a candle injected inside of it occupies Aisha's hands and a few gift bags occupy Melanie's.

I look in between each of their smiling faces and I cannot help but allow the infectious grin reach mine. Heat rushes up my neck and tears well up in my eyes as the thought of a group of people I have met merely three months ago deem me worthy enough for such a pleasant surprise.

"Guys.." I sniffle. Melanie drops the gift bags at my feet and throws her arms around me in a tight embrace. She gently rubs my back and only then does it occur to me that I must already be crying.

I'm not that emotional, I swear.

"She's so cute. Don't you think she's so cute guys?" Harper smiles as she rests her elbow on Joel's shoulder. The group breaks out into a small laughter and Melanie pulls away.

"It's not a trip to Bora Bora, but it's something." Aisha says as she extends the candle-lit cupcake in my direction. The reflection of the fire brightens her usually dark brown eyes and it only enhances the lowing kindness that radiates from her pools.

I'm feeling a fresh wave of emotion already.

"No, but it is perfect. Truly. Thank you guys." My lips quiver as I fight to keep the flood of emotion at bay. From an outside perspective, it may seem as though I owe my tears to being overly emotional. But in reality, my tears root from nothing but pure bliss and a tinge of disbelief.

I cannot remember the last time I honestly had an amazing birthday. Sure, it is only 9 in the morning but my joy began from the moment the big hand hit 12.

Phoenix made me feel appreciated and cared for in the early hours of this morning. We still have a lot to talk about, but today is not the day to do that. Today is the day that I usually drown in my own pity. Luckily enough for me, the age of 20 has a lot more to offer.

"Alright, pretty girl. Enough of the sappiness. Blow out your candle!" Joel urges. My brows furrow and my gaze flickers to Aisha. She rolls her eyes and lifts the cupcake so that it is inches away from my lips.

Harper stifles a laugh and Melanie looks amused as ever. Confused, I ask, "Pretty girl? Don't tell me you guys—"

In unison, Joel and Aisha both cut me off. "We broke up." I let out a dramatic huff and the orange flame dances dangerously close to Aisha's thick hair. Joel quickly gathers her hair behind her back but flinches at his own actions and loses touch of her hair as soon as he makes the contact.