Short stories by a Teen Shadow

Anniversarys are better than Birthdays

We were lying on the warm beach sand listening to the waves. Cathy and I, we do this all the time. Be it winter or summer. We come here, to this part of the beach which many people don't even know exists. We come, we listen, we talk and go just to come back the next day and repeat it again.

We were lying on our backs with our shades on to protect our eyes from the glaring sun when the sudden realization hit me,

"Oh no! God, how can I forget?!" I say sitting upright.

Cathy turned to face me. She removed her shade exposing her beautiful green eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"I almost forgot." I mumble.

"What?" she asks sitting up next to me.

"It's my parents' wedding anniversary." I saw a spark in her eyes and a huge smile spread on her face showing her perfect set of white teeth.
"How dare you even try and forget such a day." She says

"Oh yeah! I did it on purpose you know." I say rolling my eyes.

She starts laughing and I join her.

"But seriously, anniversaries are my favorite days to celebrate." She says.

"And when did that happen? You are betraying birthdays!" and we start laughing again.

Cathy had always enjoyed celebrating birthdays. 'Birthdays mark your growth, it marks your progress.' She once said when I asked her why she loves birthdays.

"Well, I love birthdays, but over that I love anniversaries." She says
"Birthday marks your growth, it marks your progress and anniversary on the other hand, marks your growth with someone else. Your progress with someone else. It's double the joy!" she says clasping her hands together and flashing a grin at me.

Cathy is a beautiful person. The way she interprets things is totally different. I can't do that. I don't think anyone except her can. This is what I love about her. Her uniqueness, the way she thinks, and the way she talks to me. I love all that.

Now she is staring at the sand, her smile has faded.
"I wish I could celebrate this day for my parents too." She says in a small whisper.
I see her eyes pool with tears as she wears her shades back no doubt to conceal her tears from me and lies down again.