Kaleidoscope Heart

Chapter One

        I was laying on my back, limbs and sheets in a tangled mess, as I looked up at the vaulted wooden ceiling above me with a blank stare. The bright, early spring sun poured through the dirty skylight as though it were liquid gold. Dust particles of varying sizes floated across the large beam of morning light. Some flitted down to my face and rested themselves inside of my nose, making me sniffle and sneeze. Sweat dotted across my brow as the heat from the sun licked my face and tickled my toes through the holes in my lightweight crocheted blanket. With my eyes half closed and my mind half awake, I sat up in my bed and held my dizzy head in my right hand. These late nights were starting to get to me.

        I carefully surveyed my surroundings, my mind still locked in an insomnious stupor. The small, 10x10 attic housed my bed and all of my belongings with very little room to spare. My bed took up about half of the space I had in the the tiny room and another fourth was taken up by my dresser and vanity mirror. There wasn't a closet to be had in these cramped quarters, if I could even call this box of a room my quarters, so the final fourth consisted of small chests and foot lockers that held my clothes and shoes. I would have had more room at my disposal if it weren't for the stairs and banister that lay to the immediate left of my bed. Above, behind, and around my head were shelves upon shelves of light reads and simple entertainment: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and the like.

        Slightly disoriented, my eyes sought for the calendar hanging next to the mirror. I couldn't recall what day of the week it was now that spring break was upon us. I looked at the series of purple X's that marked the previous days of the month. There was a large thick circle that surrounded tomorrow on the calendar. My vision was still a bit hindered due to the light above, so I groggily stood and lightly stepped toward my dresser, making sure to tiptoe so I wouldn't wake or disturb anyone downstairs. Reaching the mirror, I was able to get a much better look at my calendar. I let my fingers do the walking and traced through the X's as I counted the days that had passed, hesitating on the blank space that was today. My finger stopped on the circle and I read the date through the fairly translucent purple marker ink. The corners of my mouth twitched slightly.

        It was Monday, February 28th. That alone was enough to make me smirk. I had almost forgotten it was a leap year, as the 29th appeared right ahead. My smirk evolved into a small smile. Looking back at the skylight, I was glad that for once it wasn't snowing or raining on my birthday. It was uncommonly warm for a Northeastern February, but I wasn't about to start complaining. I breathed a silent prayer, hoping that the nice weather would continue on the morrow. That would be Mother Nature's gift to me, I determined.

        Most people say that they can feel the difference when they woke up on their birthday from when they went to sleep the previous night. I always thought the notion was utter hogwash and would have normally dismissed the thought of it, but for some reason, as my birthday grew nearer and nearer, I found myself agreeing with it. I couldn't tell what it was, but something was making me feel different, like I had passed some unspoken rite of passage. Before I knew it, I was thinking about how I could celebrate my fourth actual birthday as well as my sixteenth year of living. Then I remembered something. Something very important.

        It was also the twins' half-birthday tomorrow. The grin that was playing at the edges of my lips suddenly ceased when I realized what that meant. I wasn't going to get a birthday this year. My cousins always took priority over me in Aunt Mary's eyes, even with something as insignificant as a half-birthday. I didn't even bother with the idea of organizing a party for myself, I never did. It's proven rather difficult to throw a party without having anyone to put on the guest list. Regardless, there would still be planning going on in this house today. It just wouldn't be on my behalf. Checking the time on my old fashioned clock, I decided it was time to get ready for the grueling day that was sure to be awaiting my arrival. After all, there was a party to plan.