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Bitter Sixteen

"Come on, honey. Just one more picture, then were done. Try to smile this time."

I force a smile onto my face, hoping my mom doesn't notice how fake it is.

"Perfect!" she says, while taking at least three more pictures, before she finally puts the camera away. "You look so beautiful."

"Thanks, Mom", I mumble. She pulls me into a hug before I can say anything else

"You grew up so fast." She sighs and brushes some stray hairs out of my face. Although she's smiling, I can see tears forming in her eyes. She quickly wipes them away. It almost makes me cry too.

"Now go enjoy your party. I'll be close by if you need anything." She gently pushes me towards the big open space where the guests are gathered and goes to join them herself, expecting me to do the same. I stay in the same place, fidgeting nervously with the ruffles on my dress. It's a beautiful dress, pink-colored, floor-length, with all kinds of complicated decorations, perfectly tailored to fit me. I picked it out myself. On any other day, I would be happy to wear a dress like this. Even though this is the day it was specifically made for, it just doesn't feel appropriate today.

I look around the room, trying to figure out the best next move. It looks as nice as the dress. Everything is decorated in a pink and gold color scheme, with pink roses and balloons everywhere, including the big balloon arch that just served as the backdrop for my pictures. Above it is a banner that reads 'ROSE 16' in bold letters.

I don't want to be ungrateful. Almost everything about this party is as perfect as it can be. All my friends and family came, I got a lot of presents and the cake is my favorite kind. All of that should be enough to make me happy. But I'm not. I just don't really feel like having a party right now.

Most of the guests are gathered on one side of the room, where a table filled with food is stalled out, including the big birthday cake in the middle. According to the schedule, now is the time for guest to come in, catch up together and eat some snacks. In half an hour, my mom will give a speech, I'll have to cut the cake, and we'll do some group photo's. I'm obviously expected to be present for all of that. I briefly consider grabbing some cupcakes and hiding in the bathroom until it's time to cut the cake, but I know that as soon as I get close to that table, I'll never get to leave. I'll have to hide in the bathroom without cupcakes.

Just as I try to leave, my friend Emma comes up to me, smiling wider than I thought was humanly possible. She's surprisingly fast, considering the heels she's wearing are taller than her dress is long.

"Rosie! What are you doing in this corner? Come on, you have to try those cupcakes. Did your mom make them? They're so good. I already ate three of them, I can't stop myself!" She grabs me by my wrist and almost drags me towards the table. There is nothing I can do to stop her without causing a scene, so I just let myself be taken. I'll have to accept that there's no way for me to escape, not only from Emma's powerful grip on my arm, but also from this whole day in general.

My entire friend group is standing as close to the cupcakes as possible. Even though I have all greeted them when they came in, they act like they haven't seen me in years.

"Rosie!"

"Happy birthday, girl!"

"You look so pretty!"

"Have a cupcake!"

Within ten minutes, I've been hugged at least seven times and have been given two cupcakes (which are really good, though). I try to match their enthusiasm, since I don't want to let it show to them that I'm not as excited for my own birthday as they are. Luckily, fake excitement is easy to turn real when there are multiple girls telling you how pretty you are every minute. The cupcakes also help.