Gabriella woke up to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the window, casting warm rays across her bedroom. It was quiet, peaceful. The usual noise of the city outside felt distant today, almost as if the world was giving her space to breathe.
Today was her birthday, and for the first time in her life, she wasn't heading to work. She had taken the day off, telling her manager it was for personal reasons but not really explaining why. After everything she had been through—after all the years of moving from place to place, never having the chance to celebrate anything—she realized she needed a day just for herself.
She hadn't expected anything special, especially after all the years of her birthday passing unnoticed. But that wasn't the case this year.
By noon, Gabriella was still lounging on the couch in her oversized sweater, her hair a messy bun as she sipped on some tea. She was flipping through a magazine when she heard a knock on her door.
She stood, surprised—she wasn't expecting anyone. When she opened it, her breath caught.
Zay was standing there, a big grin on his face, holding a bouquet of balloons that floated around him in colorful bursts of red, gold, and blue. In his other hand, he held a box of cupcakes, their frosting thick and creamy, topped with sprinkles.
"Happy birthday, Gabby!" Zay said, his voice light with excitement. "I know you didn't expect anything, but I had to do something special for you."
Gabriella's eyes widened. "Zay, I—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Zay stepped inside, handing her the balloons and cupcakes. He glanced around the apartment, the modest space that had become her sanctuary, and his smile softened. "I know this isn't much, but I wanted to make sure you had a day to remember."
Gabriella was speechless for a moment, looking down at the balloons in her hand and then at him. This was the last thing she expected. She had never had a birthday celebration like this before.
"You didn't have to," she said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "You really didn't."
Zay's eyes softened. "I wanted to, Gabby. You deserve to be celebrated. Let me do this for you, okay?"
She nodded, her heart swelling as she stepped aside to let him in. "Thank you, Zay. You really didn't have to go all out, but this... this means a lot to me."
For the rest of the day, Zay made her laugh like she hadn't in years. They sat together on the couch, eating the cupcakes (which were surprisingly delicious), and talking about everything and nothing. Zay shared stories from his childhood, stories she had never heard before. His childhood was far from perfect, but hearing him laugh about it made her realize how much he had changed.
"Man, I remember one birthday when I was a kid," Zay started, laughing as he recounted the story. "I was so broke, I couldn't afford cake, so I bought some store-bought cookies and called them 'birthday treats.' I swear, the look on my little sister's face when she bit into that cookie... she still talks about it to this day."
Gabriella chuckled, her heart warming at the sound of Zay's laughter. It was different from the guarded, serious man she had met. The more she got to know him, the more layers she uncovered.
"Your sister must've been mad," she said, grinning.
"Oh, she was! She threw the cookie right at me." He paused, then turned to her with a mock-serious expression. "I'm not gonna lie, I would've thrown it at me too."
Gabriella laughed so hard, she nearly snorted. It was the first time in years that she had felt this lighthearted, and she never wanted the moment to end.
Later, they ordered in Uber Eats, choosing a mix of comfort food they both liked—fried chicken, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. They ate in front of the TV, the soft glow of the screen flickering as they watched old movies.
Gabriella couldn't remember the last time she'd spent an entire day doing nothing but enjoying herself. She had spent her birthday over the years alone, thinking it wasn't worth celebrating. But with Zay by her side, the day felt different. It felt like everything she had missed in her life—joy, laughter, connection—was finally coming together.
Zay pulled up the game console, and they spent hours playing video games together, teasing each other with every win and every loss. The competition was light-hearted, but the chemistry between them was undeniable. There was something in the way Zay looked at her when she won a round, something that made her heart race despite herself.
As the evening wound down, Gabriella found herself leaning against him, the weight of the day settling into her bones.
"Thank you, Zay," she murmured, her voice sleepy. "This... this is the best birthday I've ever had."
Zay looked down at her, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. "I'm glad, Gabby. You deserve it. You deserve all the good things."
She lifted her head, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, everything felt right. There were still challenges ahead, and Zay's past might not be as far behind him as she wanted it to be, but in this moment, she wasn't worried about any of that.
She was exactly where she needed to be.
To Be Continued...
