Take Me Home

Chapter 32 Birthday (part 1)

Kirstie's POV

Tomorrow is Mitch's birthday. I know he doesn't like when people make a big deal out of his birthday, but how can I not. I do it every year. Yeah, he hates it, but it's so much better than not having any celebration at all. Mitch and I have never really been friends, well that isn't exactly true. Our parents have been friends for a while and when we were little we had been pretty close. I became friends with the wrong girls, they threatened me about hanging out with him and made me delete his number. I felt so bad doing it, he didn't really have any friends. It's amazing how much I risked for popularity in 7th grade, I really misses him. I never got to tell him why I just stopped hanging out with him and since then we've drifted.

One moment I will never forget was my 10th birthday. I was really sick and had to cancel my birthday party. Mitch came over the day of my party and surprised me with a cake and the most beautiful charm bracelet. I would wear it everywhere. When I became friends with those girls, I put it away in a safe place so they wouldn't do anything to it. I brought it to camp, thinking I might wear it. Mitch's birthday was the best time. I wanted to throw him a surprise party. I made a group chat with everyone in the bunk besides Mitch to make it possible.

Kirstie: Hi guys! So Mitch's birthday is tomorrow and I really want to throw him a surprise party but I need some help

Esther: Kirstie, tell all of us what we need to do, and we will do it

Kirstie: Ok. Esther I will need you to get decorations, Kevin and Avi I need you to help me set up, and Scott I need you to distract him

Esther: When will this party be?

Kirstie: After/ during the last half of canteen. Esther can you also get a cake for him?

Esther: Yeah

Kirstie: Scott you can NOT tell him about this

Scott: I promise I won't

Scott's POV

I searched frantically underneath my bed. When we were at the beach I said I had to go to the bathroom, but was really looking at what all the beach vendors had and found a gorgeous ring for Mitch. It was a promise ring, also the perfect birthday present.

Mitch's POV

I woke up ecstatic. I mean, how can you not be happy when it's your birthday. I'm normally not a big fan of my birthday, I'm just another year older. I try to not make a big deal out of it, but somehow people know and it's not the greatest.

"Morning babe" Scott said "Happy birthday"

"How'd you know today is my birthday?"

"A little birdie told me"

"Kirstie!!" I yelled

"What?"

"How many people did you tell?"

"Tell what?"

"That it's my birthday"

"Just the bunk"

"Ok" I looked down at her wrist and saw the charm bracelet I gave her for her 10th birthday, the one she hadn't worn in six years. I started crying as soon as I saw she was wearing it "T-the bracelet. You're wearing it" was all I could say.

"Just for you. That's a birthday I'll never forget"

"Why is that?" I asked even though I already knew the answer

"It was my 10th birthday and I was really sick and had to cancel my party. I was devastated, but then you came over with a cake and the most beautiful bracelet. I wore it everyday, until 7th grade"

"Kirst, why did you take it off?"

"I guess I should really tell you what happened. I became friends with the wrong girls, I never meant to be friends with the girls that would bully you. They said if I would be friends with them I could be popular, but I couldn't be friends with you. I thought it would be great to be popular. I thought I could still hang out with you outside of school, but they made me delete your number. I put the bracelet away in a safe place so they wouldn't do anything to it. I traded my most valuable friendship for popularity and should've never done that. I'm really sorry. If I hadn't left you, Travis might not have been a problem. I promise to never take off this bracelet again. I don't know if our friendship will ever be the same, but maybe one day we can get back to the way we were" She started crying

"Kirstie, I think we can do it. Remember how strong we were, we can get there again, I promise we have the power"

Kirstie's POV

Hearing Mitch say that he thinks we can be as strong as we used to be. I know it has only been three years since I left him and the friendship we had been creating and nourishing for so long. How is he so forgiving? I abandoned him then out of the blue just come back on his 16th birthday begging him for forgiveness and he so easily forgave.

"Happy birthday" I whispered trying so hard not to cry

"Thank you" He replied "You always found some way to make my birthday extra special, no matter how much I wanted to hide and ignore it. I can't wait to see what you've come up with this year"