Dreamland Dimensions

Chapter Twenty-One: Sparks Fly

My birthday crept up, before I knew it summer had come to an end and school had begun. It was hard to believe all the events happened in such short time, Dudley's passing was still fresh in my mind along with what happened at Anastasia's house. We never spoke about it, not even the times I walked into the bathroom to see her crying in the shower. I felt like she never wanted to address it, her eyes pleaded for me not to ask anymore than I already knew and I didn't.

There was nothing special about my birthday, at least there hasn't been anything special about it since my grandmother passed away.

I grew to hate my birthday since the first time I celebrated my 6th birthday with my mother and grandmother. My mother locked herself in the bathroom, it was the only place she could get away from him when she was little and her only sanctuary. I kneeled outside the door with my ear pressed against it, listening to her cry and I cried with her. She never saw that part of me though, the part of me that wished I could dry her tears and make her smile. No, he died that night Troy beat him unconscious and put him into the hospital. The night he looked at her face and called her name just like I called her name that night in the park.

She didn't come but I had grown accustomed to her not coming. I knew better than to wait for her to rescue me because she was still drowning herself.

My mother couldn't swim on her own so she couldn't teach me how to swim. It was a harsh reality but it was the truth, at least that what my Government teacher Mr.Ford says and I believe him. "Happy birthday Quinton~" sang Anastasia, carrying a cake with numeral candles on top. The bedroom was dark except for the candles on the cake, casting a dim light on her face and making her look like a painting. Her smile was warm but still empty, unlike the little girl all those years ago in elementary school whom I miss but I'd take this Anastasia as well. As long as it was her, I didn't care what state of mind or turmoil she was in because it would always be Anastasia.

"Blow out your candles, Quinton" She giggled, standing in front of me as she looked up with shining eyes.

Maybe it was the candles on the cake shining in her eyes that I mistaked but it was beautiful there and I wanted to kept it there forever. Anastasia pouted her lips, stepping back and holding the cake up, "Come on birthday boy, so we can see what I got you". "What did you get?" I queried, smirking. "Blow out the candles so you can see then" She countered, sticking her tongue at me. I blew out the candles, wishing for time to stop and just let us have this forever but it didn't. Anastasia led me into the livingroom, pointing at the couch as she walked into the kitchen still holding the cake. I walked over to the couch, sitting down slowly and leaning back, sinking into it. "What are you doing?" I called, grabbing the remote and turning the television on. "Turn it off, you inconsiderate bastard and let me swoon you?" Hissed Anastasia, her voice high pitched and stressed. I laughed, turning it off and sitting back, "Then hurry up". I could hear her giggle from the kitchen, it made me smile even more to hear her laugh.

She walked out of the kitchen, holding two sparklers lit and dazzling, "Hurry outside". Anastasia opened the front door, going outside as I got off the couch.

I joined her outside, the stars were bright in the sky and twinkling. Anastasia smiled back at me, holding a sparkler out to me, "Isn't it beautiful?". I took the sparkler, my eyes glued on her and hers on me. "It is" I replied. She held the sparkler up, waving at the sky with a big goofy smile. A smile I thought I would never see again, I laughed watching her as I imitated her. "What are we doing?" I asked, looking up at the sky. She stopped waving, tossing the sparkler in the street and stared at it, "For your grandma to see". The answer shocked me, I didn't expect her to say that but I appreciated it. I tossed the sparkler into the street with her's, Anastasia stepped behind me and wrapped her arms around me. She rested her head against my back, her arms tight around my waist as she clutched my shirt in her little hands. "What's wrong?" I asked, placing my hands on her's. Everything went silent, she didn't respond and the sparklers burned out. "I love you" She blurted, her voice shaky.

Anastasia was crying against my back, the tears wetting my shirt and started to soak through. "Why are you crying?" I questioned, confused, "I love you too".

"I think I love you more than that" Muttered Anastasia, her hands trembling, "Like I want to be with you forever". I wanted to be with her forever too because this was my sanctuary, like the bathroom was my mother's safe place. "I want to be with you forever too" I Retorted, loosening her hands from my shirt as I turned around, "Will we be together forever?". Anastasia looked up at me, her eyes said she wasn't sure but her mouth said something else, "We will". She was the sweetest thing in my life, reminding me that people like my grandmother might exist or perhaps I'm looking at the last one in existence. I cherished Anastasia more than my own life, I had become dreary and tired of living even before I ever breathed. But she was something different, like a breath of fresh air in my lungs and showed me that I had been holding my breath this whole time. "Your eyes" She stated, placing her hand on my cheek. My mother hated my eyes, she said I got them from my father and sometimes when I looked at her, she'd hit me in the face. Saying I looked just like he did, I was hurting her and I never meant to. "I love them" Added Anastasia, interrupting my thoughts, "They're beautiful".

I would believe any lie Anastasia told me.