Octavia Blake sat at the dining table staring at her cake. It was her 10th birthday and she had invited all her classmates. She wrote 2 pm on all 50 invitations. It was now 6pm. No one had showed up. Did my invitations disappear? Octavia mentally cringed. Why'd I put my heart on every cursive letter? At 2 Aurora had reassured Octavia that no one came at the exact time. They're going to be fashionably late she said. So she waited. At 4 it was Bellamy's turn. I'm sure they'll come he said. They didn't. At 5 Octavia's resolution was gone. She had sat by the door for 3 hours. Tell me why the hell is no one here?
Her stomach ached. Her chest burned. She had a lump it her throat. Tears were threatening to spill. She looked at Bellamy for help. Tell me what to do to make it all feel better. Why hadn't anyone come? She thought they like her. Maybe it's a joke. A good joke. They're all going to jump out and surprise her. Maybe it's a cruel joke on me? Whatever, Whatever.
Aurora and Bellamy started cleaning up the dining table. No one had eaten anything. Octavia insisted it was for the guests. For her guests. The chips and dip would be wrapped in foil and saved for later. They couldn't afford to just throw food out. They left the cake at the center of the table. It had been made at an expensive bakery all away across town. They very best for Octavia and her guests. Just means there's way more cake for me. Forever, Forever.
Bellamy lit the candles. Octavia let her tears fall. She had been holding them back for too long. It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. Once she started she couldn't stop. The events of the day had finally hit her without any barrier to hold in the emotions. I'll cry until the candles burn down this place. I'll cry until my pity party's in flames. Octavia started laughing. It would be a total riot if the house of the girl whose party no one went to burned down on her birthday. I'm laughing, I'm crying. It feels like I'm dying.
Octavia Blake sat at the dining table staring at her cake. It was her 10th birthday and she had invited all her classmates. She was simultaneously laughing and crying.
