sex, love or friendship

Happy Birthday 🥳🎂

Beep beep beep beep—the sharp, rapid sound of the alarm clock filled the room, piercing through the peaceful silence of dawn. I reached out with a sleep-numbed hand and silenced it with a sigh. The world around me slowly began to awaken as I got up and trudged heavily toward the kitchen.

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, faintly illuminating the room. I opened a cupboard, grabbed a mug, and made myself some coffee. As the dark liquid poured, releasing its comforting aroma, I lost myself in thought.

I sat down at the kitchen table, my bowl of cereal and coffee in front of me, but I had no appetite. Instead of eating, images of the previous day played before my eyes like a film I couldn't stop watching. The argument with Maya, the hurt in her eyes, the sharp words we exchanged... Everything still felt so vivid, so painful.

But it was Alex's declaration that occupied all my thoughts. "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Those words echoed in my head just as they had the day before, troubling me deeply. I recalled his face, that expression full of hope mixed with palpable nervousness. I had been left speechless, unable to react in the moment, and in my silence, he had taken it as a "yes."

He had been so excited, his smile so wide and his eyes so bright that I hadn't had the heart to contradict him. But that wasn't what I wanted. I had let myself get swept up in the situation, in the fear of hurting him. Was it a mistake?

The now-lukewarm coffee offered little comfort as I got lost in these thoughts. I knew I had to talk to him, to clear things up when he returned. Alex is a dear friend, and the idea of losing him weighed heavily on me. But he needed to understand: for me, our relationship had never been more than a beautiful friendship. I prayed that the upcoming conversation wouldn't break his heart or damage the bond we had built.

I finished my breakfast, though without appetite, and sat there for a moment, staring at my empty cup. The morning light grew brighter, flooding the kitchen with a golden glow, but I felt strangely alone. The day had just begun, but already, it felt heavy with the weight of emotions and consequences to come.

***
It was four o'clock when I finally left my empty room to sit in a small park near campus. Today was my birthday, a day that was supposed to be filled with joy, and yet, here I was, alone, lost in my thoughts. I had called Maya several times, but she never answered. Maybe she was still upset...

The park was deserted in the mid-afternoon, the summer heat giving way to an unexpected chill. The trees offered uncertain shelter from the heavy clouds gathering overhead. I sat on a bench, feeling the cold wood beneath my legs, and let out a sigh.
Ring ring ring.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, breaking the heavy silence. I wasn't expecting any calls today, having resigned myself to spending this birthday without any special attention. But my face lit up when I saw the call was from my parents.

"Hello—" I didn't even have time to finish my greeting before a familiar melody rang out through the receiver. My parents were singing "Happy Birthday," and their voices, full of warmth and love, touched me deeply, bringing tears to my eyes.

"Happy Birthday, Margo!" they exclaimed in unison once the song ended.

"Thank you so much," I said, trying to hide the emotion in my voice.

"So, my dear, how are you going to spend your birthday in your new city?" my mother asked with her usual maternal curiosity. "Are you going to spend it with Maya?"

"Don't bother her, dear," my father chimed in with a small laugh. "She's at university now; they've probably planned a big party with other student friends."

How could I explain to them that not only was there no big party in my honor, but that I didn't have other student friends, and that Maya, my only friend here, had refused to answer any of my calls? Yes, I was going to spend my birthday alone, but I didn't want to worry them or make them feel sad. Their presence on the phone warmed my heart, and I preferred to change the subject.