Fix Me

Chapter 14.

*****

"Hannah!" My eyes widened as I turned to face Natalie.

"Natalie... What are you doing here?" I asked.

I had just gotten to school; it was still empty, about an hour before school started.

"Happy birthday, honey!" I tried not to groan as she hugged me. She pulled away making my hood fall from my head in the process and smiled.

"Uhm... Thank you?" I mumbled still wondering why she was there.

"Oh, right, come," she grabbed my hand and dragged me through the hall, towards Mr Creed's class.

"What are you -" I froze as we stopped just outside his door, which was wide open.

He was seated on his desk with his legs hanging over the side smiling at us widely, there was a blue wrapped box beside him and a cake... with candles that formed a seventeen on it. I felt my heart clench painfully in my chest. Why?

"Happy birthday, Hannah." I didn't reply. I was still too shocked. "We know you probably already got one, but you can't have too much cake on your birthday." He said.

I hadn't gotten a cake before. Ever. My parents never celebrated my birthday and I hadn't had many friends, those that I had had when I was younger only stuck around for a couple of months.

"Blow the candles out before they completely melt onto your cake," Natalie said. I walked in slowly, well, Natalie pushed me in and steered me towards the cake, "Make a wish." She smiled.

I bit my lip trying to push back my tears as I leaned forward. I didn't feel like I deserved a cake, but I shut my eyes as I blew all of the candles out and stood back up.

"What'd you wish for?" I looked at Mr Creed and almost laughed, he looked like an excited five-year-old.

"She's not gonna tell you! Don't tell him." I laughed when she said that to me, "I have to get to work, but here's your present from me, Hannah." I looked at Natalie as she put a small box into my hand.

"Present? No, I can't -" I was saying.

"You can't? Why not?" She raised her brows before she sighed, "Hannah, it's okay, we're family and you can't deny a gift on your birthday anyway." I smiled as she pointed at me. "Maybe we can hang out tomorrow."

She kissed my cheek, hugged me again before giving Mr Creed a kiss on the lips and leaving.

I looked at him as he smiled.

"I was gonna give you something for every year we didn't know each other but I only had a day to get something..." He said with a frown like he was disappointed in what he got. I shook my head.