Life as I Know It

Chapter 22

Previously...

"So, tomorrow?" He smiled.

"Yeah." I bit my lip as he came closer to kiss me goodbye. "Tell Jazz I said bye, okay?"

"Sure." He nodded as he held me closer to him. I really didn't want to leave, but I knew I couldn't stay without it getting weird, what with Jazz being home. He couldn't hear anything but it would still be very awkward with us downstairs.

I finally let go and left, feeling his stare on the back of my head.

~oOo~

September 13, 2015

It was my 23rd birthday today. My mom was more excited for it more than I was. Not that I wasn't excited, but after my 21st, a birthday was just another decent day. It was getting a bit colder outside, but it was still nice enough to go out. I didn't really plan anything special for it this year. Alice wanted me to come visit, but since she lived farther out than me, it would be harder for either one of us to just simply drop everything and go out for my birthday. And hers was the day after mine, which was also pretty crazy.

I'd wanted to go out this weekend, but with working at the mall and my classes, My dad called too, and my sister, wishing me happy birthday. My dad even surprised me with a full DVD set of Harry Potter, which I'd thought was very kind. It looked like his eBay entrepreneur business was going well, so that made me happy for him.

The best part of today, however, was the thousands upon thousands of messages from my Twitter and Facebook accounts. Also, every time I went on my Twitter profile, balloons would float across, as if it was cheering my aging. It was so sweet that all my social media friends wished me a happy birthday, and my mom's friends on Facebook posted their best wishes too.

1,028 Twitter followers and no one in the real life to share this special day with.

And maybe it was my own fault for isolating myself so much. I spent so much time online, with my face hiding behind a screen, that I had forgotten what it was like to live in the real world. Not like the real world was any better, but I'd come to realize how dirty and vile it was. It just circles and swims all around us, and there's no one to help with anything. The world is just nasty, and there's no silver lining.

But, back to my birthday. I was cleaning my room in my pajamas, dirty hair in a dirty knot on top of my head, a cotton headband across my forehead to keep the frays out of my face, when I heard my phone ring. My sister's fake smiley face popped up, and my heart jumped into my throat before answering.

"Hi," I said quietly.

"Hi, honey! Happy birthday!" Rosalie's girly voice aired into my ear.

"Thanks." I smiled, but really counting down the minutes until the conversation was over.

"What'cha doing?"

"Nothing much. Just cleaning my room."

"Oh yeah? You're not doing anything special for your 23rd?"

"Um...no, not really. I didn't really plan anything. Alice wanted me to come into the city this weekend, since her birthday is tomorrow, but I have work and school, so...maybe I'll do something with Mom later or something."

She hummed as if she was critiquing me again. "Mmkay. That's cool, too. How's school going?"

"Good. I'm in the middle of a new class now. It's a lot of work, but it's still going good." I smiled briefly. Still counting down the minutes.