Love Rage

Chapter 8: Best friends forever? Don't think so

Finally. I woke up to a sunny day that was welcoming my birthday. I was just turning 13, but even so, I was still thrilled about what adolescence would bring for me. But not exactly all the new things it would bring along, but also all the things I would need to let go of. As I forced my eyes open, pushing away the heavy sleep that clung determined to my eyelids, I stared at the rack of dolls that I had collected from long years of happy childhoods.

It was time to let go.

Pushing away the covers that had colorful rainbows depicted on them, I stood up, still barefooted, and took ambitious steps, deciding what I would do with them.

My mom and dad walked in at the exact same instant, carrying a small cupcake with an improvised candle dug into its center. Both of them were still in their pajamas, clearly hoping to give me a surprise. But there was something different this year (other than the fact that my Dad had managed to make it, back from military training) something had shifted in my emotions once I saw them enter my room.

I didn't feel excitement. Instead, I felt an unusual sense of maturity and responsibility.

"Happy birthday to you..." they both sang in unison, as they sat by my bed, their eyes sparkling, waiting for my reaction. But instead of squealing and jumping like a ping-pong ball in my bed, I just asked a simple question, that I knew would claim that I was becoming mature.

"Can I have a box?" I said in a monotone, just looking at them straight in the eyes.

They were the ones surprised this time. My dad was left with his mouth open, in confusion, because I knew that when he had entered my room, he was awaiting for his young daughter to get overly static and overwhelmed by the special ocasion. Mom was just trying to decipher if I truly meant what I just said.

"Wait, sweety, you want a box for your birthday?" she asked, both confusion and intrigue painted on her delicate, porcelain features.

I wanted to laugh right then, because for once, I knew something they didn't. They thought I wanted a box for my 13th birthday? As if.

"No, mom" I was at the verge of cracking up "It's just that, I would like to put my dolls away"

This time, my dolls would be put away, marking the end of a warm childhood, and the exciting and undiscovered beginning of adolescence and all its surprises. Tomorrow morning, I wouldn't wake up to greet them all and ask them how they had slept, and tomorrow night I wouldn't put them to sleep and say good night. Tomorrow, I would wake up to see all my books layering the rack, welcoming me with their wonderful content and all their admirable characters that would now inspire my everyday.

Two pairs of eyes were skeptically looking at me, questioning what was wrong with me. But there was nothing at all. On the opposite, everything was better than ever. I was now a teenager, ready to face the world. Well, not everything. If you ask me, I wasn't ready to grow up.

The idea of facing the world in your own mind and eyes, all by yourself, enhanced my soul and intrigued me, but based on all the episodes of Teen Wolf, and many teen novels, I wasn't ready to pop out of my shell, as some might say. What do I mean by this? One simple word: puberty.

Anyways, back to mom and dad, who were still staring at me as if I had grown a tail out of my butt.

"But, darling, you love your dolls" argued mom, as dad agreed with a slight nod. He put his arm around her, showing even more support for her statement.

I paused for a moment, thinking of something that would mange to convince them.

"I'm growing up, and you guys need to accept that. Today is my 13th birthday, and many things have changed and many more will. It's time to move on" I smiled at the last sentence.