WOVEN

Happy Birthday?

Sleep has to be one of the best things ever. You can escape and block out the world without physically having to go anywhere.
The ringing phone on the bedside table is getting on my nerves. I don't want to wake up.
I'm try my level best to ignore it and continue sleeping. I thought I won when it stopped ringing for a second there. But I guess not. I consider throwing the phone away but it's really not the most brilliant idea. Ignoring a mobile phone sitting right beside you when you are half asleep and half cranky is not a
good idea, it makes you crankier.
I disconnect the phone thrice before finally picking it up.
“Screw you!” I mumble into my phone.
“Ooooohh friendly!” a voice beamed from the other end. I can tell this particular
voice apart from any other.
“Oh! How rude of me! Hello inconsiderate sleep....ruiner!” I sit up and
rub my eyes as a yawn escapes my mouth. I can hear him chuckle.
“So, what is it? Haven't I asked you to try and avoid getting in trouble at night? What time is it...?” I look at the screen squinting at the light coming out of it.
"Chris! It's midnight! I really hope it’s something important or if I were you I would consider my life in grave danger.” I hope that I sound mad and not sleepy.
"It being midnight is kinda the whole point of being the first” He said, “ Juliet come out to the balcony for I wish to see you.”
“Oh lord. Can you get any cheesier?” I missed the part about being the first. First for what?
“Did you win something or something?”
“Ummm no?”
“You said you came first.”
“No. I spoke of being the first. Can you just come out the balcony please?”
“Know what? I really hate you for making me do this.”
I finally get out of bed, out to  balcony and glance down. There he is, wearing ripped jeans  topped with a grey tee and his signature messy hair . He has blue helium balloons in his hand which he let go when
he saw me. I marvel as all the balloons escape into the sky. He steps closer to my balcony, picks up a bigger black balloon and fidgets with it before looking up,
“Okay now it’s really important that you catch this one.”
The balloon floats close to the balcony and at the end of the string is tied a box. I grab hold of the sting and remove the box from it. Inside there is a small pendant shaped like a spider. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“A spider?” I smile wide at him.
“Happy birthday Kee.” he shrugs smiling wider than me.
“Well, if it isn’t the time of the year I hate the most” I smiled.
“It most certainly is.” He says flashing his teeth. “So, are you coming down or what?”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” I trying to go back in.
Even though I hate birthdays, every year I am forced comply with Chris's constant demands to celebrate it anyways.
I wash my face and brush my teeth as quickly as I can and scurry down the stairs after changing
into jeans and a white tee and tying my hair up in a bun. Chris pulls me into a hug
soon as I get out of my house. He’s pretty strong for his lean framework for he manages to hold me in a hug for longer than five seconds.
“Happy birthday Kiara.” He whispers in my ear.
“Yeah got the message like five minutes ago.” I say trying to free myself from his bear grasp.
Everyone knows that I ‘m all good with the idea of birthdays until it’s not mine. I can’t really put my finger down on one particular reason as to answer the often asked, ‘Why’. I think it’s only the whole idea of birthdays. I think making a big deal out of it is pointless.
When I say everyone though, it excludes Chris who is adamant on giving me a reason some day, a reason why birthdays are a big deal.
Chris is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I first met Chris when we were five. Since the day we met we have been really great friends (Anyone who knows us will agree that it is quite the understatement. We spend almost all day with each other, do everything together. Even our parents are well acquainted, now that we have been friends for twelve years.)
“Hop in.” He says opening the door of his car for me, “It’s a surprise.”
“There’s that word again” I say making a face.
“No complaining. We have a deal. So suck it up and smile.”
Chris and I have a pact according to which I have to deal with whatever Chris has in mind for my birthday and I am not allowed to whine.
“Smile Kiara!” he coaxed. “Look, you know what I do to make you smile”
I try hard to keep a straight face and raise one eyebrow at Chris as a challenge. He steps towards me and I start running away from him but since he’s much taller than I am he catches up with me with a second and starts ticking me. I try to tickle him in vain all while not being able to control my laughter.
Before I know it, I slip. The ground shifts from below me and I feel Chris’s lean muscular arms catch me. He’s always there to help neutralize my clumsiness. I get back on my feet and look at Chris. His eyes look dark grey in the dark, almost black.
“Your eyes almost match mine right now.” I say looking right into them.
“Yeah?”
I nod and we walk towards his car.
“Chrissie?”
“Kee?”
“I love the pendant.”
I see him smirk as he gets in the car.