*time-skip 6 years*
Loud music comes out of the speaker of my Samsung Omnia HD, bringing me out of the depths of Sleep. Groaning, I roll over and pick it up to turn off the alarm. It reads 6:30AM. The scent of frying bacon, mingling with early-morning coffee, wafts up to my room from the kitchen, just down the stairs. The calendar on my phone reads 11.6.2009. It's my birthday. And it's just going to go unnoticed. Just like every other year. My phone chimes with a Twitter notification. It's a message. I smile because, sure enough, it's my friend Phil.
AmazingPhil: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAN!! YOU'RE 18!!
I smile and type back. Receiving a message from Phil is the best way to start my birthday, hands-down.
DannyFire: Thanks, Man! :-)
AmazingPhil: So how are you gonna spend your special day?
DannyFire: I have school soon, but otherwise, I'm not really doing anything.
AmazingPhil: We're still calling at 5:30, right?
DannyFire: Of course! I'm so excited!
AmazingPhil: Great! I'm gonna go get ready for work, but I'll see you later :-D Happy birthday, Danny
AmazingPhil logged off
I turn my screen off, get dressed, and go down to the kitchen. On the table is a plate of bacon and a cup of coffee. I sigh and purse my lips. Alone. There's a note in front of the plate.
We're going out after work. We won't be back until late. Dinner is on you. There's £20 for you for dinner. Happy Birthday
~ Mum
Alone on my birthday. Again. I pick a piece of bacon off the plate and bite into it, frowning. My smile quickly returns, though, when I remember that Phil and I are Skyping tonight. Maybe today won't be so bad. I take another bite of the bacon and down my coffee, which has grown cold since it was made, grabbing my bag and headed for the door.
It's warm this morning. The sun is already shining, and there are birds chirping as I make my way down the road to the bus stop. I lean against the pole of the stop, crowded with students on their way to their last day of the school year, and close my eyes, shoving my hands into my pants pockets. It's the last day I have to wear this dreaded uniform. Ever. Thank God. It's a bit humid. The air sits heavy in my lungs, but I know that it's going to dry out later on. I'm going on a run after school before Phil is able to call. No less than ten minutes later, the city bus pulls up, opening its doors to let in the onslaught of teenagers buzzing excitedly about summer plans. I tap my pass card on the machine and take a seat at the back of the bus, resting my head against the cool glass and shutting my eyes, only to open them to watch the trees fly past in a blur of green. I reach into my blazer pocket to make sure that my Polaroid photo is still there. I sigh in relief when my fingers brush it. My eyes never leave the woods. I smile.
"I'm going to return soon. I promise."
