Through My Eyes

Chapter 21

"Change. Now", my mom orders me as I lay upside down on my bed.

"Why can't I just wear pajamas?" I ask.

"Because it's your birthday", is my mom's genius response.

"And hence I should be allowed to wear whatever I want", I point out.

I would have never celebrated my 18th birthday if it had been up to me but my mom had decided to throw me a party so I wouldn't go into depression and Cami had betrayed me by inviting everyone so now I was forced to go to my own party against my will.

"You're not wearing pants", my mom points out, which is true because my pajamas consist of oversized t-shirts, which due to my pathetic height of 5'2", almost touch my knees.

"So? Everybody at the party is going to be blind, except for Mere and I don't think she'll mind", I say.

"Are you going to change or should I make you?" my mom threatens and I groan.

"Fine", I give in.

"Alright, everyone will be here in half an hour, so hurry", my mom says giddily. "I'll make sure the pizza order comes in time."

When she closes my door, I walk to my wardrobe and grope around till I a romper that I don't remember the print of and pull it on. I comb my hair and put on some lip gloss and head downstairs. It literally took me two minutes.

It smells like food mania downstairs. Cheese and popcorn and cake and so much goodness that my nose can't handle it.

"Right, so the nacho cheese is ready so I just have to find the chips which I bought last week- I think they're in the basement and Paul went to get ice cream- oh, I should call and tell him not to buy any flavors with nuts. What if someone's allergic?" she says to herself, not even noticing me.

I decide that the wisest move here would be retreat to my room and pretending that I had taken half an hour to get ready like my mom suspected I would.

Half an hour the doorbell rings and I reluctantly cut a BTS song short. I hurry down the stairs just as my mom opens the door. I hear a chorus of 'Happy Birthday Addie' as people start trooping through the door.

"Umm, thanks", I say awkwardly.

Someone throws themself at me. "Happy Birthday", Cami squeals and pushes a box into my hands.

"I told you not to get me any presents", I scold.

"Yeah but everyone says that just to be polite."

"I meant it", I scowl.

"Oh well. Not like I'm the only one."

"You guys too?" I ask towards the rest of the crowd and silence is my answer.

"Happy Birthday, Addie", a shy voice says as Pamela gives me a gentle hug unlike Cami's bone crushing one and hands me a package too.

Jackson grunts out his greetings and gives me a half hug that lasts two milliseconds. Guess he wasn't much of a hugger.

"Who wants nachos?" my mom interrupts and everyone heads her way.

Ross hugs me last. "Happy Birthday", he whispers and hands me a slim, hard package.

"You too?" I reprimand.

"It's a mix tape. I thought I'd educate you in good music. And throw in a song I wrote for you too", he adds shyly and I grin.

"Thanks", I tell him and give him a kiss on the lips.

"I'm also taking you out tonight. Be ready at six."