The Prince's Wish

Chapter Ten

TEN

I awoke on Monday morning, my eyes feeling like they'd been pried open with crowbars, feeling like it was just another normal day. I checked the clock on my bedside table. 8.34am.

Shit. I was going to be late for school. I reached for a pair of cameo-green knee-length shorts and a white shirt. My cupboard was a mess and I wasn't bothered searching through everything else to find something better.

Pulling the clothes on, I brushed my hair and raced into the kitchen. Dad was seated at the table reading his newspaper, lazy guy, and mum was hovering over the stove cooking up what looked like pancakes. There were bowls scattered over the benches, trays of strawberries surrounding them, and a few bottles of whipped cream there as well.

What the-?

"Oh, you're up, good morning sweet heart!" Mum called, rushing over to me from the counter-top and giving me a kiss on the forehead. "Sit down, dear."

"Uh," I started, "I can't, I'm already running really late." I said.

I eyed her suspiciously. What the hell was going on?

"Don't be ridiculous, sit down!" Dad added in. I didn't get to have breakfast with dad very much any more, so I obligingly sat down across from him.

Mum scampered over to me, a plate full of pancakes in hand. "Happy birthday, honey." She said. "Just let me grab you the strawberries and cream."

She reached back over to the counter and grabbed them both, placing them delicately in front of me.

Oh, of course. It was my birthday. How could I have forgotten? I was eager to eat my breakfast, but I waited until mum fixed dad some as well and we were all seated at the table.

"Here's your card," dad announced, handing me an envelope.

I opened the paper envelope, a glittery card falling out. On the front, it read "SWEET SIXTEEN". As I opened it to read the expected "happy birthday" note inside, a hundred-dollar bill fell out. "Aww, thanks guys!" I squealed enthusiastically.

"You're not going to school today," mum spoke, "or at least, you don't have to."

Talk about special treatment. I mean, sure, my parents were great to me on my birthday, but letting me have the day off school for it? That had never happened before. Score.

"You guys are the best." I announced gratefully, picking at my pancakes, slowly devouring them.

When we finished our breakfast, mum and dad washed up. I offered to help, but they brushed me off. I planted my hundred dollars in my back pant pocket before giving my parents a hug. "You haven't even seen your actual present yet." Mum said, obviously shocked by my hug.

"Huh?" I asked. I wasn't the kind of teenager who expected heaps for their birthday. Ever. I mean, sure, it was my sixteenth, but I still didn't expect a lot. Getting mum's amazing pancakes, a hundred dollars and the day off school seemed like I was spoilt enough, but apparently not.

"Come outside, honey." Dad instructed.

I followed him out the front door and out onto the front porch. Everything looked normal, so I wondered what the heck my present could have been.

"Since you're sixteen and can now legally get your learner's permit," he began, talking very slowly, almost insecurely, "your mother and I decided to give you the car." He added, gesturing towards the car that, only weeks ago, I had crashed.