The New Normal

Chapter Forty Nine

"So, explain what exactly we are doing?" Kim asked, not out of displeasure, but genuine curiosity.

I held the firework in my hand. Waving it around while I spoke. "For mine and Tristan's thirteenth birthday, we stole the fireworks my dad was saving for the fourth of July and we decided to try lighting them ourselves. But when Tris and I lit them, we were too close to the firework and it burned our face."

Kimberly suddenly looked inclined to ditch her firework, but luckily, she kept it in her hand. "And that was your favourite birthday? Burning your face on fireworks?"

"No, the best part was when Tris and I went to the ER," I mused. "We get a ton of food from the vending machine and that was our birthday dinner because we had to stay overnight waiting for a doctor. My dad was livid, but after a while, he thought it was amusing. Tristan lost his eyebrows, which caused one of them to scar slightly once the hair grew back. I got this." I pulled back my hair, exposing the scar on my temple.

Before Kimberly could respond, Tyler began pulling an absurd amount of food from his duffle bag. "I went to the hospital and took it upon myself to basically clear out the vending machine."

Once the food was in a pile on the ground, he came up beside me and threw an arm around my shoulders. "How about Seth and I help light the fireworks?"

I nodded my head. Soon, Tyler, Seth, Kimberly, Colson, Ryan, Stella, and me lined up a stupid amount of fireworks in front of us on the lacrosse field at our school. When it was finished, I stood, inspecting our work.

"Tristan would have liked you guys," I looked to my new group of friends, the ones who, despite knowing me for a short period of time, helped me more than I could have ever imagined, more than Ariel and Chad ever had. They all smiled solemnly,  knowing how hard it was for me to speak about him. I turned to Tyler, touching his hand. "And he would have been proud of you. Of everything you have overcome."

Although it was dark, I could see Tyler's eyes were glassy with budding tears. He took my hand and handed me his lighter with the other. "Want to do the honors of lighting the first one?"

I nodded my head, flicking the lighter on and holding it to the tip of the firework in the center. Once I heard it begin to sizzle, I stepped back into Tyler's arms. He wrapped them around me, holding me tight. The firework shot into the air, whistling as it ascended. With a loud crack, blue sparks filled the sky.

Colson, Seth, and Ryan continued to light the rest, while they joked and laughed. Stella and Kimberly sang Happy Birthday on the top of their lungs, swaying as they did.

I arched my neck upwards, touching Tyler's cheek, feeling the tears that escaped him run down them. I faced him fully, forcing him to look me in the eyes and I finally uttered the words I've been wanting to say since Christmas. "I love you."

Tyler's eyes lit up, due not only to the fireworks bursting in the sky, but happiness. He pulled me close, resting his forehead on mine. "I love you too, sweetness." He kissed me hard on the lips, the kiss filled all the love he had for me, which I reciprocated back to him, hoping he knew I felt just as much love for him as he did for me. After a moment, he pulled back, grinning. "Happy Birthday."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR TRISTAN-AND-JULIET," Stella and Kimberly sang loudly, and fairly rushed as they tried to get both of our names in quickly. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

Once they were finished their song, I burst out laughing, with a mixture of crying. It may have not been the birthday I had anticipated having my final year of high school. I may have missed Tristan, but I was here, my friends were here, and so was Tyler.

I didn't know how long this grief would last, if the pain would ever truly subside, but at least I knew that I wasn't alone.