breathe.

20

PAST

Today was the day a girl could never forget. Her 18th birthday.

That's right, folks. It just so happens to be my birthday today. And Grace had planned a party to which I wasn't supposed to know about but she told me anyways because she can't keep a secret to save her life.

Just a month ago, it was her birthday and I had gotten her one of those corny best friend matching rings from a little girls shop.

Grace Taylor was always one for puns and jokes.

"Happy 17th birthday, daughter!" Mom said happily as she entered my room. "You look beautiful."

She gushed over the rosy pink dress I wore. It was a long sleeve, rosy pink dress that came down to just right above the knee. The waist was bunched up, making me look incredibly tiny. The neckline was in a sweetheart outline, making my chest looking bustier. I looked older, much older.

My dark brown hair was curled into a mop of shiny waves, looking like I had just came from the beach. My skin was radiant, glowing more than usual.

I kept makeup to a minimal, only rocking mascara and pink tinted lip gloss.

"I have something for you." Mom said. Our eyes met on the mirror.

I turned around, being met with a gorgeous charm bracelet. "It only has one charm. I figured you could add a charm on each birthday." She explained.

The chain was silver and the one dangling charm was of a music note. A black music note.

She fit it around my wrist and clipped it. I fidgeted with it, gazing at the beautiful charm.

"It's beautiful." I said, looking up. "I love it, thanks momma."

She pulled me into a tight hug, running her skinny and delicate fingers through my beachy waves.

"Have fun, Venus." She whispers in my ear. I nodded, pulling away.

"Happy birthday, Venus!!" They shouted as I walked through the door of the abandoned garage site.

I laughed as I thanked each one of them personally.

Nate said he had a special song written just for me. It wasn't about me, but he decided to save it for my special day.

As each day passed by, I had gotten more in tune with his music. I realized how good it was. It was full of this energy that made you go buck wild.

Like a trance. You can't help but dance and scream and just let it out. I embraced being me. I embraced loving every bit of my life. I embraced every part of me and my unpopularity.

"Happy birthday, Miller." Aiden said behind me. He engulfed me in a hug the way mom had done earlier. "My girl is growing up so quickly."

I blushed lightly at the sound of being called his girl. Laughing it off, I smacked his chest playfully. "Me? I think you're starting to grow a beard, Grey."

He jokingly glared at me. "Shut up, Miller. At least I look older and not younger." He smirked.

I gaped and flipped him off. Then his smirk turned devious and evil. "You're going to regret that." He said.

With a quick move, he caught my waits in between his hands and poking harshly at my sides. It was impossible to contain my laughter when his sausage fingers dove deep into my flesh like so.

"Stop!" I shouted.

After a few more seconds of giggling torture, he finally stopped and stared at me.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked with are confused smile.

"Because you don't know how beautiful you really are." And that's all it took for me to start melting at his fingertips again.