She Said What?

Chapter 36: I Celebrate my Birthday

A/N: Well, at present, my life sucks. I'm not doing so hot in my classes grade-wise, and I've got too much work to do, and I am exhausted/stressed out of my mind. I can't even bring myself to talk to the people I care about. So it's kind of nice to escape into this world, where at the very least, I can control what's going on and things can still turn out all right. As for myself, I don't really know. We'll see.

But enough of my teenage-girl-angsting. This chapter is as fun as I am not and damn it, I dare you to smile at least once as you read through. People need to smile more. Who says ignorance can't be bliss?

Cheers, you lot.

January 30

Morning Check:

Today, I didn't actually need the alarm clock – because today, I woke up with a jolt at five o'clock in the morning, springing up like a jack in the box, realizing what day it was.

Today is my eighteenth birthday, finally here.

Fuck.

9:00 AM
Status: Suspicious

Right now, I am sitting in Charms first period. The bell has just rung. Flitwick is collecting our homework. Alice is sitting next to me on one side, Livvy on the other. They are quiet. Abnormally quiet.

This morning at breakfast, they smiled at me and wished me a happy birthday; but otherwise, that was it. We sat down together at the table and ate. As it's Friday, Livvy prattled on about how she wanted to spend the weekend with Russell, since she hasn't had the opportunity to be with him "properly" for a while. Alice tuned her out in favor of eggs and I kept nudging her.

It was a typical morning.

Too typical.

Almost every year on my birthday, as I've already said, things happen to me. There's some kind of fiasco because I've been blessed with friends who care too much. I was on my guard at breakfast to catch the first whiff of trouble, but so far there has been none.

I still don't trust them though, sitting so quietly beside me. Something is going to go down today. Will be on my guard for that.

Possible Ideas for Later Humiliation

1. Fireworks going off in the Great Hall. Easily supplied by Sirius Black.

2. The classic "ask-everyone-in-class-to-sing-happy-birthday-and-embarrass-the-hell-out-of-the-poor-girl" routine. James has used this before in the past and it's overt/hilarious enough for him to consider again.

3. A spontaneous game of Seven Minutes in Heaven after classes. Alice is a particularly enthusiastic supporter of this one – and, knowing her, everyone else would back out at the last minute in order to let me, the birthday girl, snog James Potter. This is – unfortunately – a distinct possibility.

4. Spin the Bottle. Livvy would love this one. Not only would she get an opportunity to watch me snog James by some "coincidence" or another, she would also get an easy shot at snogging Russell in public. She always complains about how she hates having to kiss him in private all the time.

But, then again, my brain doesn't really work well with the whole "evil plots to make other people miserable" train of thought. That's just not me. Still, though, these are plausible theories that I am going to keep in mind the rest of today, because the people I associate with are mad enough to try them out. And I'm sorry to say I'm not exaggerating.

I am so scared.

11:30 AM
Status: Slightly more suspicious

I am now in Transfiguration. Thus far, my day has been...normal. I walked with Alice and Livvy to and from class; I feverishly took notes on the day's lectures; I yawned a lot. All very ordinary. I am starting to freak out a little bit.