Life Has To Go On (On Hold)

Chapter One: Birthday

The picture above is 5 year old Autumn and 5 year old Mason.

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"Mom!" I yelled sitting up. The nightmare, the nightmare happened again.

I heard Mason getting out of his bed and then him walking towards me. I could barley see his silhouette in the dark.

"Autumn? Are you okay?" Mason asked.

Mason hugged me and I cried on his shoulder. "Why? Why always on this day?" I ask.

He rubbed my back and said, "I don't know, just try to sleep. Mom and dad want to talk to us tomorrow."

"W-will you be here Mason?" I ask through my crying.

"Of course. I always will be," Mason replies.

I nod and lay back down on my bed. Mason sits on the edge of the bed. I wipe the tears away and close my eyes.

I start to fall asleep when I feel the weight being lifted from the bed. My eyes snap open. I look around the room and see Mason leaving.

"Mason," I whisper.

He slowly turns around.

"Liar!" I whisper shout.

Mason sighs and walks back to me. But this time he gets in bed with me. "Better?" He asks.

I nod and close my eyes. And this time I don't hear Mason get up, but I do hear his slow breathing. I sleep too.

***

"Autumn."

I open my eyes slowly. Mason is standing there with his normal clothes on.

I sit up and yawn. "What?" I ask rubbing my eyes.

"Happy birthday!" He says.

"You're five!" My mom, Hope, says.

"Oh my little girl," My dad, Ben, says.

I smile and get up. I'm finally five! I get off the bed and walk to my small closet.

"Here let me help," My mom says.

My mom has always been pretty, maybe that's why my dad married her. I always hear them say I love you to each other. Yuck.

And don't get me started on the kisses they give each other. Mason says it's because they want to share germs.

My mom pulls out a sky blue dress. My favorite. She shoos out my dad and brother and helps me get changed.

When I'm done, she brushes my hair and I put on my shoes. While she's strapping on the shoes, I remember what I was going to ask before.

"Mom," I ask.

She looks up. "Yes sweetie?"

"Will Jessica, Emily, Daisy, Maddy, Nancy, Cindy, Kemberly, Mike, Dante, Alex-" I say counting off with my fingers before my mom stops me.

"Everyone will be there. It's your birthday and they will be there like they were for Mason's birthday," She said.

I hug her and remember Lucas. I pull away from the hug. "Mommy," I begin.

"Yes," She replies.

"Lucas gave me a big fat kiss yesterday when you left me outside," I said crossing my arms and trying to look angry like how my mom looks with my dad sometimes.

Lucas was the son of Auntie Jasmine. He is older than me and Mason, but Mason is better than him.

Mother looks worried. "Where?"