What Happened That Summer

Chapter Nine

Darcy woke up to Ares gone.

Not that on any other day she would have cared, but it was today. The most dreaded day of any year.

Friday, September thirteenth.

When unlucky things happened to everyone everywhere. A day so feared, there was even a horror movie about it.

In other words, it was Darcy's birthday.

And to her horror when she went into her kitchen, she saw a cup of coffee with her name engraved on it. Under her name, the words 'Get up sunshine' was printed in bright gold.

"Oh, he did not." Darcy muttered to herself. It wasn't in her plans to celebrate her birthday. She only celebrated when she was with Melody.

She took a sip of it, gingerly testing the brew.

Cheesecake flavored. Her favorite after almost ten years.

Ares still remembered.

"This is hell." Darcy gulped down the sweet, energizing drink. Then she looked at the bottom of the cup. In the same bright gold, the words 'You're a thirsty hoe' glimmered back at her.

Well, that should've been expected.

Things only got worse when she went to Melody's. Selena stood at the counter, hands-on hips.

"You didn't tell me it was your birthday!" She whisper-shouted.

"Oops?" She offered meekly.

'This is not an 'oops'. This is hearsay, travesty, not good." Selena fumed.

"There's a reason I'm not usually here this time of year. Who told you?"

"I've only worked for you for a year." Selena pointed out. "You would not believe how much I learn from listening to customers, but I expected you to tell me."

"Ares doesn't count as a customer. He's a pain in the ass."

"The hot dude? No, he's not here. It was the other one. Table nine." Selena gestured with her chin.

She glanced over and groaned when she saw who it was. He waved at her, but she didn't even bother waving back.

Detective Carter Revon, in all his douchey glory, was sitting in her diner, on her birthday that was turning out to be one of the worst she'd ever had.

"He doesn't count either."

"Well, he called Kai a gentleman, complimented my nails and drank the dark roast." Selena informed her. Darcy looked down at the seventeen year olds nails; they were a shade of eye melting magenta.

"Well, if he drank the dark roast, he must be good." Darcy grumbled. "Now, scooch. I have pastries to bake."

"Aren't you going to say hello?"

"No."

"How anti social. You must be more polite to the customers, Darcy." Selena reprimed jokingly.

"Am I your boss, or are you mine?"

"Power dynamic."

"That's not what that means." Darcy informed her,wincing at the misuse of the word. Selena shrugged, greeting the next customer.

***

Devorah didn't come by that afternoon, and Darcy was almost glad. She didn't need anyone else telling her happy birthday.

Her main focus were these pastries. And only these pastries.

The pastries were the only things that existed other than her. Just her and pastries, pastries and her.