Shattered~ BroKen Book 2

Roman (Ch.14)

"Happy birthday Roman!" Emma bounded around the corner launching herself into a hug. I smiled and set her back down as she handed me a present.

"Well thank you. Have you heard from Deceit? I would love to wish him a happy birthday as well." Her face dimmed and I nodded. We all miss him too. He's been gone for so long... And I was actually kind of looking forward to sharing a party. We never did it in the past and I want to make up for lost time.

"Kiddo, can you come here for a minute?" I heard Patton's voice coming from the house. I walked back with Emma in tow. I walked into the living room to see it decked out with streamers and party supplies. There was even a cake in the corner of the room waiting for its candles to be lit.

"What's all this?"

"Well, it is your birthday kiddo. We have to celebrate it somehow." There was a big pile of presents in the middle of the room and when I went to look, I noticed there were some for Deceit as well. Yeah, He deserves gifts on his birthday. I just wish he was here to open them.

"You guys didn't have to..."

"Falsehood!" I looked over at Logan who had just walked in. He looked a bit disheveled but I don't mind it, Logan always was way too neat. He needs to cut himself some slack every once in awhile. "With everything that's going on, you deserve a day to be happy."

"Thanks Lo..." I started to think about my birthdays over the five years Virgil was gone. It just wasn't the same without him. He made it tradition to destroy something of mine. Whether it was the party room, my toy room, my bedroom. It didn't matter.  He made it a complete mess. But he would always put up this big sign saying happy birthday loser right in the middle of it. With a gift right below it. When he was gone, it just wasn't the same. I missed those messes, even if they bothered me before they were his way of showing he cared. Even after he came back he didn't do it.

The last time he did it was the year I got knighted. I had woke up Patton, who had fallen asleep in Virgil's room, and went straight to mine. I was feeling down the entire day, but when I opened my bedroom door, Things were upside down, the paint was splattered everywhere, clothes were thrown across my floor. I was about to freak out when I noticed on the floor a little piece of paper that said happy birthday loser. I literally spent the next hour crying.

"I'm sure Virgil would be here if he could be." I look up to see Patton sadly smiling at me. 

"What are you talking about?"

"Kiddo, I know you miss him, but thinking about him so sadly won't make you feel any better."

"Why would I be thinking about Virgil? He's off with Marcos, and today is my birthday." Everyone was staring at me. I was starting to feel a bit lightheaded.

"You were crying... Kiddo, we know how your feeling it's ok to miss him."

"He's not here, is he? Why should I let him spoil my day huh?" I glance out the window to see a figure backing away but the fog of night clouded it. It was probably one of the neighbors coming to complain... He would have.

"Kiddo you don't have to hide it. It's ok to be sad."

"NO ITS NOT!" I lost it. tears started falling and I cursed each one that fell. "You all worked your ass off doing all this for me and I fell like I'm letting you down."

"Letting us down?" I looked up at Patton to see his own tears forming.

"Nothing I'm doing is working. We are still no closer to getting Virgil back. I am a complete mess. I'm just not happy without him." 

"Awe, Kiddo We all miss him."

"Patton, I love him... To think, he's in the hollow with that freak, and I still can't do anything to help him. I keep imagining him walking through the door. This stupid grin on his face and he does something completely ridiculous, and possibly destructive."

"Oh, like we did that one year?" Wait, what? I look over to see Deceit walking in the door. Emma immediately gets up and runs to him for a hug. 

"What do you mean like that one year?" Deceit walked over, grabbed a chair, and sat down.

"Virgil and I went to the mind palace before. It was on our way here actually. I can't tell you much though I was in the kitchen helping Logan."

"You were the other person with Virgil."

"Wait you knew about this Patton." We all just stared at him. While Logan was confused. 

"I have a question for you all." Deceit said raising his hand like a toddler in kindergarten. "Did anyone else see that random person outside the window? I tried to offer my help but they ran away."

"Yeah, I thought they were one of our neighbors."

"No, they aren't from around here. Of course, I couldn't see their face much, though. They did look like they were crying. What were you talking about before?" 

"Shit! VIRGIL!" I jumped up so fast the world couldn't keep up. I ran out of the house and followed where Deceit had seen him run off to. Next thing I know I looking at fresh tracks heading north. 

"Roman, what's going on?" I whipped around and had Deceit by his collar pinning him up against the house.

"Kiddo, What are you doing?"

"Was there anyone else with him?" Deceit honestly looked frightened. I pulled harder on his collar and pushed him farther against the wall." Was there anyone else with him?"

"No, it was just the one. Why?" I let Deceit go and he fell down coughing. I didn't mean anything I said but he heard it. He heard it and he ran away. I don't know how but he got out and now... Because of me, he's going to go right back... to him.

"I have royally fucked up."