All Grown Up (Sequel To WDE)

5.

Zeus' Pov

Today is the day, the day I turn eighteen. I wake up, take a shower, and play Call of Duty. I don't feel like being around my family until later on.

But of course, you can't get what you want.

"Good morning!" Amber hugs me as Aj walks in.

I roll my eyes.

"Happy birthday!" Aj says.

"Thanks, " I mutter.

They leave. I go back to my online game.

"It's your birthday man?" Some guy from Bronx says. I call him Que.

"That's what's up," my friend from Vancouver says. He's Danny.

"Happy birthday bro," C says.

"Old ass, " Xavier laughs.

I laugh. "Screw you."

We continue to play until I get hungry. I go downstairs to see Adonis.
"Hi, good morning. Happy birthday!" She beams.

"Hi. Thanks." I grab the rest of my sub and a Gatorade.

"Are you excited?"

I swallow my drink. "Somewhat."

She nodded and walked to the fridge. She was once secure with her size, and every now and then she gets upset at her thighs. In a flash, I miss our old relationship. I toss it away quickly. I bite my sub and leave.

-

At the party, I notice lame stuff like balloons and streamers, party hats, cakes, etc. Most of this doesn't seem like it's for me. It seems like it's for the twins. I sigh and their friends arrive. C and Xavier show up and give me a handshake.

"We came to support you, Z," C says.

"Always, man," Xavier says. He spots someone and winks.

"I appreciate it. This party is so lame. I don't know why they think I would like it." I play in my hair.

"They just love you," C smiles.

I pretend not to notice Xavier looking at Ambrosia. He's so obvious. I find it a little odd, but I would probably care more if those twins didn't get on my last nerve. He's also younger than me, so I'll allow it. He's a good guy.

C rolls his eyes and chases food. I sigh , looking for Jayla. No sight of her.

Thirty minutes goes by, and they're playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey and hitting a piñata. I groan. My boys are having a good time but I'm not. No sign of Jayla.

An hour passes. I look at Xavier and Amber talking, Aj doing magic tricks, and C enjoying talking to my dad. I nearly fall asleep. No Jayla.

I sit in my birthday hat at a picnic table. I scowl and Jayla finally arrives. Two hours late. She's with her friends and they look for me.

"Everyone, we're going to sing happy birthday to Zeussss!" Amber says.

I stand up to reach Jayla.

As they sing, Jayla smiles at me.

Adonis is on my dad's arm. Amber sings as Xavier stares at her beauty.

I try to reach Jayla as Aj brings the cake. He trips and hits me with the cake. I sputter and wipe cake off the outfit I nearly spent half my check on. I pat the candle fires out.

"That's it! I'm so fucking done with this facade!"

"I'm sorry," Aj says. "I got you a gift..." he hands me an envelope.

"Man, fuck all this! Fuck this lame ass party! I'm not five, you dumb asses. I'm eight-motherfucking-teen. When will you treat me like an adult?"

"That's enough, " my dad says.

"Oh, so now you actually acknowledge me at my own birthday party? You give them the birthday they want eons ahead of their birthday! You don't give a fuck about me, Ares. Stop flexing like you're a good father. You stopped caring about me when they came and you know it."

"Zeus," Adonis says.

"You're not even my real mother! Shut your ass up! Always ass kissing. Dad...Pops...Ares. You don't give a shit about me. You've never been at my games, you don't know my favorite color, you don't know what I'm good at, you've never seen me play, it's like you don't know a thing about me past four years old! You obviously don't know what I like! Look around. You know what, you won't have to worry about me when I'm gone. I'm out. I could never have my cake and eat it too," I lick the icing from my shirt. "You don't even bother with me and you guys are too stupid to understand why I'm hurting. In your eyes I'm ungrateful, but you don't take the time to realize I could have taken my own life by now. I'm done, but it's not like you care ... You're just like my real mother." I turn. "Whoever the fuck she is. Party's over. Everybody get the fuck out."

I leave into the house. I hear someone coming. "Man, dad. I ain't trying to hear that shit tonight. I'll be gone by the morning."

The person slams my head down and I turn to fight. They blindfold me but I swing back. They shank me and drag me. I hear my dad scuffling with someone and a body dropping. I fade to black.