Under Ontario Skies

17. Ring-a-round the rosie

Deon

I barely hear the clapping and the whistling around me as I blow out the candles. I stare at the very expensive-looking cake for a moment in awe. It looks amazing and heavenly. It has Toblerone, KitKat, Lindt, Maltesers and so many other different types of chocolates placed around it with a few on carefully rested on top. The cake is made up of two massive circular layers of cake and is about ten inches tall. When I cut into it with the knife, creamy liquid chocolate oozes out of it and into the huge white bowl kind of thing the cake stands on.

God. This is the most amazing cake I've ever had for my birthday in the history of birthdays, and I'm pretty sure it was made by the person who hates me the most in the world right now. Genevieve doesn't count.

"I don't take orders, but I'll think about it." I remember her saying.

At this moment I very much regret kissing Gen back. I really don't know what took over me, because I wouldn't, in a million years, have done that. I of course didn't kiss her back, but letting her put her lips on me for more than a sec counts for kissing, right? I guess I was too stunned to push her away immediately.

After everyone goes back to mingling, drinking and whatever they were doing, and the party's back in full swing, I scan the living room and the kitchen for Pres, but come up empty. I try the bathroom downstairs where there's a guy I don't even know, knocking on the door. I walk towards it and knock hard on the door a couple times, but there's no response, just weird noises coming from inside. Weird kissing noises, to be specific. I try the handle and it opens inward to reveal a very drunk looking Maddy and Tyler, who are trying to swallow each other's faces up.

"Jesus, you guys. What the actual fuck? Can you two take this into one of the guest rooms upstairs? There's a guy outside waiting to use the fucking bathroom." At the sound of my demanding voice they break away from each other, looking confused, before following me out of the bathroom. "You two really need to get a fucking handle on each other's libidos," I tell them once the guy who was outside raises two middle fingers at them and shoves his way inside the bathroom. "Also, can one of you please tell me where Presley is?"

"Uh...she's upstairs I think," Tyler slurs.

What?! "Why? With whom?" I ask, gaping.

"Calm down, you control freak." Maddy giggles. "I saw her fucking this guy upstairs, and I was very happy for her, since you obviously made her think you like her but then pussytracked, I mean, backtracked. Wait, what was his name again? Tristan?"

My blood starts to boil as I take in what Maddy just said. My face feels all warm and flushed, and my fists clench and unclench at my sides.

"Maddy." I try to sound as calm as possible as my breath comes out in short puffs. "Please tell me you're joking."

She's silent for a few moments before she starts laughing her ass off. "I am."

"You think this is funny?" I growl, on the verge of losing my self-control.

"Calm down, dude." I hear Ty's voice behind me, and I back away slowly. He doesn't seem as drunk as he looks. "I'm sure she's just upstairs with your little sis. Go check on her."

I nod. Spinning around, I walk towards the staircase and away from them as Eminem's 'Fack' starts playing. I feel terrible for almost yelling at Maddy. I make a mental note to apologize to her tomorrow before hurrying upstairs, taking two steps at a time.

I check all five guest rooms first, for my own sanity, and in case Maddy wasn't joking, but only to see a guy and a girl from school making out. Then I check my room to find it thankfully spotless and empty. The last time I checked my room like this back at our old house in Nashville, I found Kay on my bed on all fours, and right below him was some girl from our old school who was three or four years older than him. He was grunting while he screwed her brains out from behind and the girl was screaming. She at least had the decency to blush, apologize and grab her shit and leave after I yelled at my fucking brother and shoved him off my bed. I really wish I could unsee that very disturbing visual even though it's near impossible. Fucking Kay.