Typical.

Chapter 2: Reunion

Days passed. Sometimes my mom just would ignore me. Sometimes we would fight. I woke up on my birthday sizzling in the summer heat, with no plans, no expectations, and no motivation to get out of bed. My sunset painting still stood untouched on my easel. I didn’t have enough in me to finish it. I guess I was emotionally spent. Noah and Kate, of course, were no help. Kate had been distant lately. Noah never knew how to react. He should’ve. He knew everything about me.

My phone buzzed and lazily, I reached for it.

“Good morning, birthday girl.” Read the text from Liam.

I smiled.

Suddenly, that text reminded me how lonely I was. Ever since Liam went away, I’d been subconsciously lonely. I mean, I had a great boyfriend and a great friend, but I lost my best friend. I was always quiet. Making friends wasn’t too easy for me. Like I said, typical misunderstood artist. The only one who really understood me wasn’t here. And I wanted him to be. I really did.

We would always spend my birthday at this little pasta place down the road from his house and we’d just talk forever and eat too much ice cream from the convenient store and laugh and give gifts. Other friends would be there, too, of course. Noah would be there. Kate would be there. Other friends would be there. But Liam was always there. Metaphorically and physically. I just missed him. He took a whole piece of me when he left. I mean, I was happy for him and I loved his music. But selfishly, I didn’t want to share my best friend with the world. He was always too busy for me. He apparently got his hair cut since last time I saw him. Short.

Yes, I twitter stalk him and look at magazines and watch interviews on the television when he came on. We would talk, but not as much as either of us would like to. I’d met all of the band once. I fell absolutely head over heels for Niall and we kind of hungrily made out for what seemed like forever. It was the highlight of my life. That boy was a great kisser. Liam never let me forget it. Not that I wanted to, of course.

Fuck.

I’m such a loser.

I have nothing to do on my goddamn birthday. Hell, my mom doesn’t give a shit. I’m grounded, I can’t see my boyfriend or my friends. I don’t even care about presents. I never cared that much about material things. I just wanted someone to think of me, to want me to be happy, to care enough about me that they would want to see me smile. The one person like that wasn’t here.

Fuck.

I have to go see him.

Fuck whatever my mom says. I’m going to London. I’m going to celebrate. I’m going to go see my best friend. And I’m going to get so shitfaced drunk I won’t be able to remember it the next day. I don’t give two shits that I’m grounded and that my mom hates me. I’m going to go to the one person who cares on the one day that’s supposed to be about me. Hopping out of bed, I walked to my closet. Digging through it for something to wear, I came across something so old, dust was collecting on its shoulders.

I grabbed it by the hanger and took it out, lying it across my bed. Kate had given it to me for Christmas. I chewed on the inside of my lip. It was a little black dress, and when I say little black dress, I mean little black dress. It had quarter length sleeves and a circle skirt that barely covered my ass and certainly wouldn’t when I was dancing. In the front, it had a long, transparent V-neck. I’d never worn it before. Well, there were first times for everything. I threw it in a suitcase and added PJ’s, toiletries, makeup, my sketchbook and pencils, an outfit for the next day, a hair curler, etc. Closing the bag, I walked off to the shower.

Undressing myself, I ran my hands over my imperfect body. The water was so hot it scalded my skin and made it sting but I didn’t care. I scrubbed the day off my body, along with all my worries, concerns, and problems. As they washed down the drain, I hopped out of the shower and into a towel. I decided to do my hair before I went to save time. I lightly curled it and then looked at the time. 9:29. Shit, I should go. I called a taxi and waited until it was outside to go down.