I look up meeting Rory’s widened stare as an oversized cake is set before me. My name along with happy birthday scrawled across the top in a metallic frosting.
Her expression telling me what I’d already known. Princess had no idea what today was—she’s the only one.
Not a streamer, a banner, or any form of decoration in sight signifying otherwise. Telling Finn and Eli, my foot would be so far up their asses they wouldn’t be able to shit straight for weeks if I saw anything theme related.
They obliged. Seems Madison never got the memo.
“Make a wish,” Madison purrs at my feet.
Leaning down, I blow out the candles, not making a wish. Like dreams, those belonged only in fairy tales.
Reality—the cold, heartless bitch she was—the only aspiration I believed in.
“Happy birthday, Cole.”
Yeah, happy fucking birthday to me.
thirty-nine
Rory
“You’resure,like,sure,sure you want to do this?” Hailey asks me again for like the thousandth time.
She’d been up here with me for the last hour for moral support. Sitting on my bed flicking through shows trying to find something on TV.
Hailey was the best person I knew to ask when it came to fashion advice, but I wanted to try and do this myself tonight.
“I wouldn’t be going on a date with him if I wasn’t sure.” I express from inside my bathroom.
“I dunno, am I the only one in this room that remembers what happened Monday at school?” she drawls out.
Of course, I remembered. How could anyone forget the way Cole waltzed into school with a large purple hickey on the side of his neck. Intentionally undoing the top few buttons so the collar hung loosely.
Any guesses on who gave it to him? I was looking at her straight in the mirror finishing up my eyeliner.
Whatever Cole was trying to say with his impromptu mission it worked. Whispers wandered around the halls at who the mystery person was that’d given them to him for days.
Hailey had once told me, that it was rare when someone got the chance to be with Cole. So, when they did, they bragged about it. Yet here I was saying nothing. Iceman was the one paroling the hallways, displaying himself.
“So what,” I say, shrugging my shoulders as if she could actually see me through the cracked door. “We had some fun on his birthday.”
“Yeah, and then he got drunk and exposed who you were to the entire student body.” She expresses, voice raising in octave.
I wince, cursing as I wipe away my mess up, starting over.
“You okay in there?” Hailey asks hearing me.
I let her know I’m fine and finish up. Putting all my things away before stepping out. Her whistle as I twirl in place all the satisfaction I need.
She starts chewing on her bottom lip and I put my hand on my hip. “Spill it, Williams.”
“I just, I don’t know… are you sure this is a good idea?”
I roll my eyes. For Christ’s sake, this girl was worse than a broken record stuck on repeat.
“Why wouldn’t it be a good idea,” I ask, humoring her.
… “You’re new-ish,”—adding the ish part when I scowl. “In all my years attending KPA, Cole has never done something so publicly like with a girl.”