The Light of Dawn (Second book in His Light series)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Dawn's POV

I smile as I sign the papers. I bought this wonderful building with lots of windows and in the perfect spot. It was perfect for foot traffic, just a couple blocks from the first houses, and the perfect spot as drove to work or came home from work.

I spin around in the large space, my siblings laughing at my on top of the world expression. I own this place! "Let's go out for ice cream and you can help me pick out a name for my bakery." I giggle, picking Emmie up. She laughs, letting me carry her out as my new keys jingled in my purse. I set Emmie in the car, shutting the door as she began to get buckled.

As I drove to the ice cream shop, we bounced ideas off each other.

"What about, Dawn's Place?" Kieran asks, I shake my head.

"No."

"Sunnyside Smiles?" Emmie.

"No."

"Sweet spot?" Emmie again.

"That's already a place."

"Sunny View?" Kieran.

"Nope." I laugh. We go quiet, thinking. "The Sweet View?" I ask quietly, Emmie begins to agree and Kieran nods.

"Perfect!" Emmie squeals, going on and on about how excited she was. The place was also close to the schools, so they could walk over after school and help with my business.

"Alright, let's go. And yes, Emmie, you can go to the park." I roll my eyes as she jumps out and races to go get the ice creams, so she can head to the park. I stroll after her lazily, standing behind her as she babbles to the overwhelmed man.

"I'm sorry. She'll have the rocky road ice cream in a bowl. I'll have the caramel pretzel on a cone, and he'll have the cookie dough on a cone." I tell him apologetically.

"No, no. It's fine!" He smiles, quickly handing us our ice cream. I pay him, taking my siblings over to the park and watching as Emmie races away and pulls Kieran along with her to push her on the swings. I laugh, shaking my head as I sit down and lean against a tree and beginning to eat my ice cream.

I was proud of myself. It's been three months since I've tried to starve myself. I was still shaky, but I make myself have a really fatty dinner once a week and a sugary dessert once week.

I sigh and finish my cone, letting Silver eat the cone.

"DAWN! Oh my gosh! Is that you?" I hear my friends scream. I blush, looking up and waving awkwardly as they race over and plop down next to me. They begin to chatter a mile a minute, but my mind finally catches onto the topic and question. Am I going to the Prom?

"Oh, um, no." I shake my head, my eyes darting away uneasily. They sigh.

"Girl, you need to get over him." Ava exclaims, I shake my head.

"It's not that easy, Ava. He... helped me through tough times. He made me happy, feel safe and protected and comfortable! He did everything he could to treat me like a Queen, but then he just left. It doesn't make any sense." I sigh, she nods.

"I know what you mean, but those kinds of boys are the most dangerous. They make you think they love you, and then they leave. Acting as if nothing ever happened." Sophia bitterly shares, I sigh and shrug.

"Maybe. Just give me some time." I sigh, looking up at the tree branches as they change the subject and begin to chatter away.

I go home late, sending my siblings up to bed. No one remembered.

I take out the cake I baked for myself, lighting the candles. Singing the happy birthday song to myself. They forgot. I was another year older. Another year closer to be a full adult.

I'm eighteen. Finally. But despite how I tried to make it positive, I still felt the choking tears come on. They forgot my birthday. I wipe my tears, "Happy birthday to me." I whisper painfully, glancing at a picture of me and Jay. One from when we were happy.

I sigh, blowing out the candles and cut myself a piece of cake. "Maybe next year." I sigh, walking upstairs to celebrate my birthday by myself. Just like last year.