"Happy Birthday!!!"
I woke up to my mom and dad's screaming.
"It's not a happy birthday. It hasn't been for the last 10 years. I mean look at the fact that we haven't even been able to leave this house without being worried about being shot."
My parents look tired. Yep, they've heard this speech basically every birthday I've had since the war started.
"Come on Julia. Today will be special. I mean we haven't gotten anyone bombed or shot in our area. We figured it's officially safe and we will take you for an outing!" My mom smiles.
"Mom, it's not that simple," I say while getting up from bed and walking into the bathroom.
I get ready for the day and walk down to the table.
"Happy birthday Julia!" I look at my brother and sister and smile. My babies are cuties. My brother is 6, and my sister is 8. They aren't that exposed to the world so they don't really know that its not a "Happy Birthday."
I mean I wouldn't blame them. I would blame their homeschooling tutor for sure though. I mean my tutor even tried to hide the world from me, until she knew that I found out about the random bombings going on in the neighborhoods and shootings hurting innocent people in shops and schools. I also figured about the war the day I heard my dad crying and telling my mom that my grandparents and his brothers died in their homes from a vampire bombing. That's why my dad rarely lets me and my siblings leave the house. We are the only family he has right now.
"Hey Julia, what do you want for breakfast?" My dad's voice brings me out from past memories.
"Umm, anything other then the cereal we've been eating since ages."
"Pancakes it is!" I hear my dad open up cupboards and the fridge.
"Dad, if you can't see any pancake batter there probably isn't any," I say.
"Okay, then that means, another rare shopping trip!."
"Dad, you sure? I'll just eat cereal!" I pick up a box and smile.
"Julia, its your 16th birthday. You haven't been happy for ages. The stores only ten blocks away. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN." He continues. "We've been going to the store once a year every year. Nothing has happened. And its not even a money issue. The government keeps giving everyone money since the war. So don't worry honey, okay. We will be okay!"
My dad smiles and leaves to change his clothes. Soon I hear the front door close and I sigh. Parents will always be parents. Never worrying about what kids worry about but always worrying about making kids happy.
