Amber Silverblood: Silverpack

Chapter Forty Two

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me," I sang under my breath. Moonlight shone through the open blinds of my bedroom window, and I eagerly sucked it up, letting it recharge me after the long, boring day of school. I slipped a pair of jeans on, and then plucked two shirts out of my closet and held them up. "What do you think? Play it safe, or try to look somewhat attractive?"

One of the shirts was pure white, with lace around the collar and cuffs, and absolutely nowhere a pizza stain wouldn't be noticeable. The other one used to be white, but after years of being dubbed my "yuck shirt" and being used for yard work and gym class, it was covered in so many different colored stains it practically looked tie-dyed. Rebecca lounged on my bed, her head hanging upside down off the edge.

"What do I care?" she asked. "It's not like I'm invited."

"Yeah, sorry," I said, lowering the shirts and looking away awkwardly. "I asked if you could come, but Mom and Stark both said no."

"Meh," she said, shrugging as best she could upside down. "Any party without booze and ice skating ain't a party."

Looking at both the shirts again, I finally settled on the disgusting one, hanging the lacey thing back up in my closet. "Ice skating actually sounds kinda fun," I said, slipping it on. "Maybe I'll ask Stark if we can—"

"Do yourself a favor, Amber, and don't."

"Oh." I picked out a pair of shoes from my closet and put them on. "Okay."

Truth be told, I wasn't all that disappointed that Rebecca wasn't coming. I'd only asked out of common courtesy, and I'd actually been relieved when they told me no. Tonight was special. It wasn't just my birthday, I was becoming an adult.

Well, I thought, it's been my birthday all day, so I guess I'm already any adult.

I didn't feel like a grownup, though. I felt exactly the same as I did yesterday: nervous, paranoid, and afraid. It was the party, I decided. It didn't feel like my birthday because I hadn't had my party yet. I'd had a birthday party every year. Once me, Mom, Stark, and Kimberly went out for pizza, that would, I dunno, be like my birthday confirmation. I'd grow up, leave my childhood behind, and... and...

What came after that?

I shook my head, ridding it of those depressing thoughts. Nothing was going to change. Anyway, this was supposed to be a happy night. Rebecca liked to piss people off, so she got to stay home.

A few seconds later, a knock came from my door.

"Amber?" Mom asked from the other side. "Can I come in?"

"Sure."

The door opened slowly, like Mom was afraid she'd wake me up or something, and she peeked her head in. "Oh my God," she breathed. "Look at you! My little girl's all grown up!"

I wasn't sure what she was looking at, with me wearing old jeans and the nastiest shirt I owned, but I didn't bring it up when I saw her lips pinched together in a tight smile, and her eyes starting to water.

"Come here," she told me, pushing the door open all the way. "Let me get a good look—"

"Mommy, Mommy!" Rebecca interrupted her in a high pitched voice from my bed. "I'm all gwowed up now!"

Mom gave her a sharp look, and then took me by the shoulder. "Let me get a good look at you in the hallway."

"Don't worry about me," Rebecca said as we left. "I think I'll spend the night looking for where Stark hid my fix!"

"If we come home and find you high," Mom snapped, "we're throwing you out! Understand?"

"How dangerous could it be if you're all going out for—"