Before I Go

Chapter 4

Past

     I heard the doorbell ring and I sprinted to grab the door. My parents were sleeping and the last thing I wanted was for my dad to wake up. He was grumpy when he woke up and the last thing I wanted was to face his wrath.

     When I reached the door, I took a deep breath in and opened the door slowly, and my heart jolted when I saw Shane standing in front of me, holding a cake lit up with sixteen candles. It lit up his face in the night sky and I stared at him, stunned. I hadn't even realized it was twelve and officially, my sixteenth birthday.

     "Happy birthday Mia," Shane said, smiling.

     "You shouldn't have," I said, staring at the cake he held. "Oh my god did you bake it? I didn't know you could bake."

     "I can't." Shane laughed. "But, I tried."

     I smiled widely, touched by the effort Shane made. No one in my life ever cared about my birthday. I doubted my parents even remembered it was my birthday, but Shane had went out of his way to come over at midnight with a cake he made. Shane was too good to be true, I realized.

     "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you," Shane sang. "Happy birthday dear Mia. Happy birthday to you."

     Glancing behind me, I remembered my dad was sleeping and I began to grow anxious. He wouldn't be happy that I was out talking to a boy at midnight and I knew I'd be punished for my actions. So closing the door slightly, I wondered what to say to Shane.

     "This is where you blow the candles out and make a wish," Shane said, giving me a look. "I know you hate birthdays, but it's a tradition. We have to follow it."

     Unable to help it, I shook my head and smiled. Stepping outside and closing the door behind me, I leaned forward and blew out the candles, and made a wish that I meant with all my heart. Lifting my head up after I blew the candles, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Shane staring at me with a look of utter adoration.

     "Can we go to the park?" I asked. "Just for a little bit. I want to just spend time with you for a bit."

     "Of course," Shane said. "I'll do whatever you want."

*****

     Shane and I were sitting on the playground slide with the cake in between us. We were pigging out with the forks Shane brought and in silence, I thought about how happy I was that I evaded my dad. Even if my dad would be mad at me for leaving my house at midnight, I was thankful that Shane avoided his wrath. I didn't care what happened to me, but I would never let my dad lay a hand on Shane.

     "Crazy how we met at this park when we were six," Shane said. "We're neighbours, but we officially met here."

     "Right," I said. "This is what started it all."

     "What did you think about me when you first met me?"

     Shane was staring at me with his eyes full of curiosity. I stared at him, wondering what kind of response he wanted.

     "I thought you were a loser," I said, fighting back the smile the threatened to spill onto my face. "A big, fat loser."

     "You suck," Shane said, rolling his eyes. He then lowered your voice. "Feeling's mutual anyways."

     I laughed at his response, knowing how bitter he was. Shane groaned as I died of laughter.

     "I was kidding," I said, once I recomposed myself. "I thought you were really cool to be honest. I was kind of scared to talk to you, but my mom forced me to because she said we had to be friendly with the neighbours. I was so mad at her back then, but it turned out to be the best thing I've ever done."