MELODY (Book 1) ✓

Chapter 27 (Heavy Birthday)

I'm officially nineteen and I'm acting like a two year old. How melodramatic!

My eyes leaked like a broken faucet. Shock still dominated my feelings, along with another crawling feeling that I didn't deserve any of this.

This is not my birthday! I don't have one!

August the fifth was just the day I was found. The date that the state of New York decided should be in my birth certificate.

Asha's grin wound down into a small sympathetic smile as she got up from her chair. She rolled around the table and squeezed her petite body next to me. " You really forgot your birthday?"

Wiping my tears with the palms of my hand, I turned to give her a faded smile. " Yeah. I don't really celebrate it since...."

Since I was ten? Since I've finally got to live with a nice foster family who let me go in less than a year, because I was too much of a burden? No, I'm sorry, Ash. You don't need to know this. The dead parents trick sounds better.

"Oh! Sorry. So you're gonna smack me now?" She chewed her bottom lip.

"How did you know? " I asked, my voice squeaky.

" Your file. You forgot I was the one who accepted your papers?" She nudged me gently with her shoulder.

I sniffled and gave her an awkward sideways hug. "Thank you... It's too much. I don't even need all of this stuff."

"No problemo. Plus, I can borrow them when I want to. It's a win-win situation! " She patted my back with the firmness of a feather.

"They're going to drown you." I chuckled, playing along and trying to lighten up the mood.

"Ok then, I'll borrow them when I'm married and six months pregnant. Is that better?" She made a face, twisting her lips.

"Ha ha!" I mocked an offended frown. "But how did you know my size?"

"Well, I have eyes. They're gorgeous and naturally defined, but I also have six over six vision," Asha teased.

"That's not even convincing." I narrowed my eyes.

"That's right, it isn't. You forgot we went shopping before, nitwit?" She stuck her tongue at me.

The corners of my lips curved up. Only Asha's name-calling  could make me smile. "Thanks, Ash. You're an amazing friend. "

"Yeah, sure. Now let's eat, the pizza is getting cold." She snatched a slice of pizza, her hand floating to my mouth. " Who's the good girl? I am!" Her hand swerved to her mouth and she snapped a little bite, giggling childishly.

I couldn't eat much this time, I felt stuffed after two slices. It must've been the exhausting day taking effect. Asha was so generous today, but I couldn't help worrying about how I was going to trawl all these shopping bags to the shelter.

"There's a problem. How am I going to carry all of this?" I pointed to the jammed bags under our table.

"Worry not, my dear." Asha told me, while rummaging around inside her purse. "Accio magic sack!"

My brows furrowed when she recited the magic spell from Harry Potter and pulled a folded piece of blue fabric from her bag.

"This is the answer to your problems." She offered me the small square of waterproof material on her open palm.

" Um!...What's this?" I asked.

"This is my shopping companion; The Magic Sack. All rights reserved," she said, a playful look in her eyes.