#seventeen

i. the failed surprise

And so the day begins with me standing upright on my bed, my hair resembling a bird's nest, and desperately trying to reach my iPhone on my faraway bedside table, still charged, and a message popped up.

My best guy friend, Allan, sent me a brief text message: happy birthday, claudia ;)

And that's when everything starts to make sense: Today's my seventeenth birthday. That means this is my seventeenth year of existence in Earth, really.

I sent a short reply back to Allan: thanks, buddy ;) see you at school in a few.

I finally got out of bed then head over to my vanity to look at my pale face in the mirror. I tie my long hair up in a simple bun, put a little bit of face moisturizer cream, and did my makeup excluding the lip part because I still have to eat breakfast downstairs. I know my morning routine looks kind of weird for most people, but I don't seem to get too bothered by someone's opinion about me.

I changed into my comfortable long sleeve dress and Chuck Taylors before finally heading downstairs for a short meal.

When I set foot downstairs, no one's around, so I decided to explore the living room only to find out that my mom tried to surprise me. If only dad were were around to surprise me as well.

"Mom, you scared me," I faked being so shocked when mom popped up from underneath our floor carpet. Yes, fellas. She's a very weird mom to begin with. I have no clue as to why she decided to come up with a (lame) birthday surprise hiding underneath the goddamn dirty floor carpet.

"Happy Birthday, Claudia," my mom greeted as she came near me and kissed me on the cheek, it's clear that she haven't had much sleep last night because she works the night shift at the hospital. Yes, she's a nurse. Case you didn't know. "You're seventeen already. Goodness, time flies by way too fast."

"I know." I turned around to face our kitchen. "So, where's my birthday cake, mom?"

"I thought you don't like eating sweets since you're having a diet, and apparently, birthday cakes are one of them," my mom said innocently, tapping me on the shoulder. Mother knows what's best, after all.

"Oh, yeah," said me sheepishly. "I literally forgot. Thanks a lot, mom."

"You're welcome, sweetie. Care to have some breakfast? I cooked some bacon and eggs for you." She went over our kitchen area.

"Yeah, I'm famished."

And so that just happened. Shocker there.