Shred of Glass

27 | Elvira

They did all this, for me?

"This is amazing. Thank you," I take few steps forward and instantly get wrapped up in a hug.

"Happy birthday,"

"You doofus, you told me you had work to do," I laugh out as Kade chuckles as well. He moves away shrugging making me smile.

Once he moves out the way, Hazel comes forward with a huge smile on her face and a soft look she always gives me that tells me she is here for me no matter what.

"Happy birthday," she squeezes me a little making me choke a little.

"I want to live please and thank you," she slaps me lightly and frowning playfully.

After all the hugs, we move walk towards the cake in the middle. We all sit down as it's probably after midnight now so I know we should cut the cake.

"Shush everyone," Kade shouts over the chatter and they instantly all get quiet. I watch eagerly as Hazel lights up the candles on the cake from next to me.

I am happy right now. And here right now, there is everything I wanted. I get slightly sad over my parents' death and yes, the nightmares haunt me around this time so I keep myself in the company of my friends, away from all the work trying to distract myself.

Last few years, I was busy with building my career that we couldn't really celebrate it, I was getting deals and I just couldn't let that pass up but I did take these days off yet I would work at home which means there was no point. We would get small cakes and just cut them in my apartment. This year, I am at the highest of my career and had managed to get these days off. And am not working.

Now all I want to do is just move on from my parents' death, it's been ten long years. Each year feeling the same thing. I told Kade about wanting to move on and I think it probably was his idea to get this done anyway.

To give me fresh, new memories. To say that I had done it but it will take time. It's a part of me, their death is a part of my past. Mostly, their murder is a part of me that doesn't want to let go of me.

Everyone has got to accept me this way too.

I watch as they all look at me eagerly. Kade in the middle with Nikolai on one side while having Hazel on the other who has Arya next to her. They are all sitting in front of me, so I have this other side to myself.

Kade shoves Nikolai which makes him frown but when he glares at Kade, he starts to look the other way. Nikolai's lips quirk up in a faint smile at Kade's reaction. No matter what, I know Nikolai doesn't find him annoying, they just like bickering and it makes me happy that Nikolai doesn't pulls the cold shoulder card on him.

"Alright guys. Ready?" Kade questions and we all nod in agreement. Excitement rushes through me as I wait for them.

"Happy birthday to you," they all start singing as I awkwardly wait for them to finish. Kade sings the loudest out of all them which is making everyone else annoyed but he doesn't give a care.

I had been so stuck with the past in my mind that I forgot what I have right now in the present. Where I have come and how much I changed my life. Having this moment, it marks ten years since the naïve girl that had got herself in trouble, has had her brain filled such dark thoughts that no one around her could do anything to stop her.

Now her being grown, she is starting to realise that it is time to move on. Yet her past not wanting her to do, shows itself again.

That girl being me. That girl stuck in her past being me. That girl wanting to move on being me.