Two years ago
"Happy birthday, Matilda!" They cheered, smiling and giggling around the table. The gold on the walls was glittering from the candlelight in the most peculiar way. It was dark outside but i knew the night wasn't over yet; I was still to go out.
"Eighteen." I grinned. "I can finally drink legally!"
"As if you haven't been doing it before." Edward teased, winking cheekily at me.
"Eddie, don't be so crude. I am an angel." I jested. Father shot a glare at him before turning to me.
"Happy birthday, darling." He spoke, handing me a present. I thanked him and unwrapped it quickly, revealing a small box. I glanced at him with a questionable look before it revealed a small, black box. It contained a small necklace, the silver locket containing a picture holder but no picture. I look at him, puzzled, prompting him to speak once more. "For when you find a man you love."
"Thank you, Father, though I think it will be a while before that occurs." I smiled, giving him a light peck on the cheek. "Now, I have a party to go to."
"Your friend Lily organised it, didn't she?" Edward probed, leaning forward a little.
"Yes. I don't know who she has invited but I'm sure Smithers approved the list, so it can't be as wild as I would like."
"Smithers doesn't like fun." Edward rolled his eyes, earning yet another glare from Father.
"Smithers is in charge of your security." Mother scolded him. "It is how we must live. If we had no security I doubt we would be living in as great a house as this."
"It's not a house. It's a Palace." I scoffed. The Grandfather clock rang seven times, indicating that it was time for me to go. "I must go or I'll be late." I stood and gave Father and Mother a peck on the cheek before walking towards the doors; I heard Edward making another cheeky comment as I left.
"You'll be lucky if she makes it back before seven tomorrow morning."
And he was entirely right. I intended to spend the first night of my legal drinking wildly and unforgettably, even if it did create a few tabloid stories to follow me round for the next few months. I may be a Princess but that was in name only -- I certainly didn't act like it.
By the time I arrived at the party, the music was already blaring and people were in every corner of the club. The lights flashed wildly and I could see Lily in the distance, waiting for me. I exited the black car and tottered onto the pavement, heels clicking at every movement. I was thankful there was no photographers; I, likely, would've fallen over given the height of my heels.
"Happy birthday!" The blonde squealed as I approached, going to give me a tight hug. "It feels like yesterday you were turning sixteen."
"Don't remind me." I cringed, the memories of my sixteenth birthday floating around my brain.
"I'll have to introduce you to everyone!" She exclaimed, as bubbly as ever. It was a little ironic that there were strangers at my own eighteenth birthday but that seemed to be the way of things. Lily took my hand and guided me around, bringing me to a group sitting in the corner.
"Matilda!" Matt greeted me, a beaming smile across his face. "Happy birthday!" He clapped his hands together eagerly. Matt was an extremely bubbly and enthusiastic man, well suited to Lily, but where he got his energy from was another question all together.
"Thank you, Matt." I spoke, nodding to him gratefully. I turned to the men with him, eyeing them a little. One was a tall, blonde man whose bone structure could cut a bitch. His eyebrows were barely visible and his lips a plump pink. His eyes were a bright blue, comparable to that of a newborn baby. As I studied his face, my head tilting slightly, Lily pointed to him and spoke,
