Heartless

59

The next two weeks I spent working, spending time with everyone, and avoiding my problems. My birthday came before I knew it. As I opened my eyes, Colby hovered over the bed, "good morning birthday girl!" I smiled softly. "Thanks baby." He pulled me up out of the bed carrying me bridal style out of the room, "Colby!!! What are you doing??" He laughed as we went downstairs. Everyone stood around the kitchen, surrounded by balloons and streamers. On the table was a huge stack of pancakes. "Happy birthday Cora!" Everyone yelled as Colby set me on my feet. My hands shot to my mouth, as tears spilled onto my cheeks. "Thank you" I said in between sobs as Colby rubbed my back, laughing.

"Happy birthday best friend!" Kat said and hugged me tightly. "Thank you" I was still blubbering like a baby as everyone came over taking turns hugging me. "This is....so nice" I said as I cried into my hands. They all irrupted into laughter as I wiped my eyes. "We made your favorite, I think you're going to turn into a pancake but here you goooo" Sam said and pointed to the pile of pancakes on the table. "Thank you guys" I pouted my lip out and Colby wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to him. "Anything for you baby, now come on let's eat." We sat down at a long folded table that was set up in the other room. We all ate, laughed, and talked the whole time. It was already the best birthday I had ever had.

"Go upstairs and change I have a suprise for you." Colby said and kissed my temple before gently nudging me to the way of the stairs. I laughed and walked up the stairs to his room. He had told me the night before to bring casual clothes to wear before the birthday events. I slipped them on and he came in, "you ready?" I turned and smiled at him, "I'm ready." He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room. We got into his car and he started to drive, holding my hand the entire way. "You guys are crazy nice for doing this." I still couldn't believe took the time to do all of this for me. "It's what you deserve baby, and it's only the beginning." I sighed as he pulled in a dirt parking lot,

"Where are we?" I looked around, "you'll see, come on." We got out of the car and he grabbed my hand. We walked down a dirt road for a couple minutes, and when we turned a corner I saw a mountain, it wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. "It's not McMillan..but it's the closest I could find in LA." Tears welled up in my eyes and I turned to him, grabbing his face. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." He smiled widely. "I love you so much." His voice oozed admiration."I love you more." He pulled me close to him and kissed me.

As we walked up the mountain I felt so at peace, it felt like we were the only people in the world. When we got to the top of the mountain we sat on the edge, looking out at the view. I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thank you for this." I said quietly.  He laughed and pulled me closer, "you're welcome baby." He paused for a second  "do you want your present now or later?" I gasped and sat up, "now please" he smiled and pulled out a box from his pocket. "Your wish is my command." He said and handed me the box, I opened it to reveal a necklace in the shape of a heart, it was opal and on the back was a date. "Is that?" I said with tears brimming my eyes. "The day we met? Yeah." I burst into tears. "Colbyyyyy" I whined and wiped my eyes.

"Let me put it on you." He said softly and pushed my hair away from my neck, clasping the necklace onto it. "It's beautiful Colby...thank you so much" I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck, tackling him to the side. "You're welcome baby. You deserve all of this and more. I want you to know that you are my everything. I love you with my whole being, and you're never going to have to face anything alone again." He wiped my tears and cupped my face. "I love you" I said as I cried.

We sat there for about an hour, just talking about life, and anything that came to mind. It was the happiest I had been in long time.

"We should get going, we have to get ready for the haunted house." Colby said as he stood up, reaching for my hand. "I forgot about about that! Let's go."

I wasn't the biggest fan of haunted houses, but for some reason I was really excited to go to this one. It might have been because Colby was so excited to take me to one. We made our way down the mountain. The silence was so comforting, only the birds filling it. Colby grabbed my hand and pulled me to him once we got to the car. "Are you happy?" He mumbled as he hugged me. I smiled and nuzzled my head into his neck. "Very happy" I said then kissed his cheek,

We drove back to the house and went up to Colby's room. I threw myself in the bed, "I want to take a nap" I said and Colby laughed, "no way! We have to go to the haunted house get upppp" he said and pulled my arms up, lifting my back up from the bed. "Cora!!!" I heard Kat yell from the other room. "What!!!" I yelled back. "Come here its an emergency!!" I groaned and sat up fully, "I'll be back." I said walking out of the room.

"Kat??" I said and softly knocked on Sam's door, she ripped it open and pulled me into the room. "Help me" she whined and pointed to her face. She and Sam were dressing as Victor and Emily from The Corpse Bride, she had one eyebrow painted on and her makeup was slightly smudged, "alright, sit down" I grabbed the makeup brushes she was using and started to fix her makeup.

Sam walked in just as I was finishing up, "that looks so good Cora!" He was wearing a full face of makeup as well, "thank you, you guys look great!" They weren't even in their full costumes yet but they looked like the characters already.

"Well I'm going to go get ready, I'll see you guys in a few??" They waved as I left the room.

When I opened the door Colby was wearing an orange onesie that looked like the ones from prison, I let out a laugh, "that's perfect!" I said as he held up the one I was supposed to wear. I grabbed it and got changed, looking at us both in the mirror, "we are idiots." He laughed and pulled his phone out, snapping a mirror picture. "Shit shit shit!" I said and looked around frantically. "What?" Colby said with a worried tone. "I haven't even looked at my phone today...my dad is probably trying to get a hold of me." I found my phone sitting next to the bed.

When I looked at my phone there were 3 missed calls from him. Shit.