ETHEREAL

CHAPTER 26

I'm excited for how my 21st birthday is today, and I'm happier lately now that I spend my time working or swimming. My mom hands me a Tiffany blue box, and I feel slightly guilty like I don't deserve this after everything that has happened this year. I unravel the white ribbon and lift the lid. "OMG! I always wanted a Tiffany keychain, I love how it is of the world..."

My dad says, "The world is yours," to quote Scarface, our favorite movie to watch together, and my eyes well up. My mom smiles, despite hating that movie, and agrees. "We want you to know that the sky is the limit, Skye," and she laughs at the joke. "We will always believe in you, even when you don't believe in yourself. You will make it and go as far as you like in life."  I smile despite my eyes tearing up, and hug both of them. "Thank you so much, I love both of you," I choke out. Inquisitively, my mom asks, "What will you do tonight with your friends?"

I mull this over, as I wonder, "What friends?" Do I have any real friends, or does everyone just like me around for entertainment? "I might be seeing a movie with Damien," I suggest to my parents, and I doubt that he even remembered that my birthday is today, as I haven't received one text from him. I feel pathetic for continually giving him and other people that don't deserve any more chances from me. My parents warn me to be safe and have fun.

My phone vibrates and I have one unread text. Justin texted me about ten minutes ago, "HAPPYYYY BIRTHDAYYYY!!!" and I smile. "What did you get?!" I always feel weird and awkward telling others what my parents gave to me. It seems like it is too personal or special, plus I don't want them to think that I'm bragging or showing off, especially when I'm a broke college student. "A Tiffany keychain... it's really cool, it's like a sterling silver world, with accurate details and everything. Like an atlas."

"You're so fucking privileged and selfish, Skye."

Why is Justin so obnoxiously malevolent?! I wonder how he judges Jace, his boyfriend that receives a $10,000 a month "allowance" from his wealthy grandmother, and this is only a $200 keychain that I've always wanted. We didn't even have a large Christmas celebration as usual, because of how our finances are incredibly stretched. I only received a simple, velvet robe from Target, which I love for how soft it is. I don't bother replying. His extreme jealousy has made him cruelly snide, and it is exhausting. I don't feel like I should always have to defend myself against my faux friends.

"What are you doing?" I text Damien, because I want to go out to celebrate for my birthday, and I hope that this night is better than all of the rest ill-fated nights. Plus, I don't want to be here in case Justin comes back.

"Nothing really... you?" He texts back languidly.

"Let's go to the movies! Do you wanna see The Devil's Double?"

"Sure... can you pick me up?"

I sigh.  It is immensely disappointing that it seems that he has completely forgot about my birthday.

"I'll pick you up at 7."

I start getting ready, and I decide that I'm going to wear my favorite navy and black smoky eyes with pale pink lipgloss. I think that I will wear my olive green Miss Sixty drape dress with the overlapping gold chains, with black buckle wedges and my favorite short, black military jacket with the slightly padded shoulders. Already, it is nearly seven, so I get into my Scion and hope that tonight is better.

I pull up outside of his apartment at 7:10 PM, and I call him to let him know that I'm here. The phone rings and rings, but he doesn't pick up. I text him, "Heyy! I'm here," but he doesn't text me back. Fifteen minutes pass, and I wonder if he is just asleep, or rather, if he is just passed out from his overenthusiastic consumption of alcohol and drugs. It is now 7:45 PM, and I think that I will just go home. "UGHHHHHHH," I groan to myself, and I haven't felt this alone or abandoned in a long time. It feels like a long past memory of when I would wait outside of my school for two or three hours for my mom to pick me up, while she lost track of time at the grocery store, but she would always insist that I couldn't walk home. At first, I would be hopeful that this time would be different, and she would be there on time. Later, after waiting for over an hour, I would accept my fate, and just throw my backpack on the curb to sit on it. Blankly staring at the asphalt and concrete for hours.