The Perks of Being a Freak (Editing)

53. Happy Birthday To Me

I have never really been a big fan of my birthday. The day itself just served as a painful reminder of my tenth birthday. 

But I guess this wasn’t so bad.

My alarm wasn’t what woke me up the day I turned seventeen. Instead, it was the sound of my two youngest brothers and my baby sister singing at the top of their lungs right next to my ear. I yelped and shot up to see Seth and Cody standing next to me, and Lucy bouncing on top of the covers.

“Get up! Get up! Get up!” She squealed, jumping up and down. I laughed and ruffled her hair.

“Alright, Luce,” I slide from under the covers, and immediately found myself facing two boxes, wrapped in brightly colored paper. I narrowed my eyes at my brothers, who grinned.

“Lucy wrapped them,” Seth said. I turned to look at the six-year-old, who beamed and nodded.

“Can I open them now?” I asked her. She nodded again.

The first box, which was smaller, revealed a charm necklace. I studied the charms intently. There was a flower, a small bird, a drop of water, and what looked like a paintbrush.

“The charms are symbolic of the four of us, right Lu?” Cody said.

“Yeah!” She yelled. “I’m the flower, and Cody is the paintbrush ‘cause he likes to paint. Seth is the water because he swims, and you’re the birdie because you’re always on the roof!”

“Aw, Lucy, guys,” I grinned. “I love it. Could you help me put it on?”

After Lucy failed to close the clasp several times, I was forced to help her. But that’s okay. It’s what big sisters are supposed to do.

The bigger box was from Seth and Cody, who looked excited for me to open it. Inside was absolute heaven.

There’s a bakery downtown that sells the most incredible cupcakes. They have red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and chocolate ganache, and buttercream frosting so thick you’d think that it was the cake part.

Two dozen assorted cupcakes.

I nearly fainted right then and there.

“I love you three,” I told them, trying not to inhale the pastries right then and there. “This is the best birthday ever.”

“We’re glad you like it, Lia,” Seth said, putting a hand on my shoulder and smiling.

“I am going to gain so much weight,” I shook my head, closed the box, and slid it under my bed.

For later.

“Good,” Cody said, crossing his arms. “You’re so skinny. We hardly ever see you eat anymore.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I waved my hand and lifted Lucy into the air. She squealed happily. “I eat a ton after practice.”

“You better,” Seth threatened. “If you become anorexic…” 

“I won’t, worrywart,” I told him. “Now scram, I gotta get dressed.”

“Are you going to dress up for your boyfriend?” Cody teased. I growled and shooed them down the ladder. Lucy was the last to go down.

“Lia?” Her head was the only thing that could be seen above the trapdoor.

“What’s up, sweetie?” I asked, pulling out a plain black sports bra and a T-shirt.

“I don’t think you need to dress up for your boyfriend,” she beamed once again. “You always look pretty.”

I couldn’t stop myself from grinning back.

“Thank you, Lucy,” I replied. “And thank you for the bracelet. I love it.” My sister smiled sweetly and disappeared down the ladder. A second later I heard the closet door shut.

He wasn’t my boyfriend, and there was no way in hell that I was going to dress up for him.

Twenty minutes later, and I was on my way to school.

The first Freak to find me was Benny, who somehow managed to sneak up behind me, hug me, and wish me a happy birthday. All before I could punch him.

Oh, well.

Besides people wishing me a happy birthday at every turn, and some of my classes singing to me, it was an ordinary day. Simon pulled on my braid, and I ignored him. Jaeb glared at me in the hall, and I ignored her as well. 

It was my birthday, and I had a great time.

After school, Emily kidnapped me and brought me to her house, where Benny and Tony were waiting. We ate cake, watched a couple movies, and played video games for a few hours until we all had to go home. Each of them pressed a present into my hands before ushering me out the door.

Emily had gotten me a blank, leather-bound journal. On the front, a pair of angel wings were engraved. From Benny I got hair dye, and a bottle of salt scrub from my favorite cosmetic store. It was Tony’s present, however, that made me smile.

In the smallest box, there was a clay tile, something that a young kid might make. Two small handprints splayed outward from the center, opposite of each other. It looked like a pair of wings. Small, brightly colored beads were pressed into the fingertips of each handprint.

Written in red in the handprint on the left was “Eve O’Neil, 2014.” On the right was “Kevin O’Neil, 2014.” Tony’s little siblings.

And, in an even smaller box in the corner of the bigger box was a glass figurine the size of my thumb. It was an angel with blond hair and dark wings.

I was so happy I almost cried.

I put the presents down on my desk gently, and withdrew my treasure box from underneath my bed. Holding it under one arm, I climbed up onto the roof.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t alone.