Callie and Lexi's Kiss List | ✓

33: Lexi

Resting in bed today because I've overworked myself and my body has finally caught up to say 'hey not cool dude' D: 

So figured I'd do something fun and upload a chapter

Thanks as always to jueka1, brightyeolie, and amiva0402

Er... enjoy?

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I'm not going to lie... having all seven of us at the dinner table created an extremely awkward atmosphere. Nonetheless, it did warm my heart to all be together again for mine and Callie's birthday. Even if Jessica was no longer here to see me go on another year.

As Sara secretly held my hand under the table, and dad kept giving us curious stares in between shooting Flynn wary glares, mum and Jojo sat there oblivious to everything. Meanwhile, Flynn and Callie sat side by side, evidently avoiding looking at each other, instead intently focussed on cutting the food on their plates and bringing it to their mouths.

Interesting, I thought. Why are they being so awkward? Did Callie already tell him?

But as curious as their behaviour was, the reminder that there was still one person missing from this table overwhelmed me once more. So as mum and Jojo filled the silence, asking Flynn and Sara all sorts of questions, I pulled my hand out of Sara's and excused myself to go to the bathroom.

I didn't need to use any of the facilities in there. But I did flush the toilet and turn the tap on to build the facade, all the while I sat on the toilet seat, taking deep breaths as I tried to quell the sting in my eyes while the image of my last birthday raced through my mind.

***

"Happy birthday!" a voice shouted, pulling me from my slumber moments before a body crashed into me on my bed.

Groggily opening an eye, I was met by a warm green gaze and short copper hair that used to cascade in locks down her shoulders. "It's too early," I grumbled, a little peeved at her that she was waking me up before 11am on my birthday.

It was before we knew she was terminal. Having just finished a round of chemo, we were still awaiting the date of the final test to see it had worked. Hope was high in me. Because death was a thing that only occured in movies and to people around me... or in distant great uncles of mum and dad's that I had never met before.

"It's never too early to celebrate. Get up. You and I are going somewhere. Just us girls before your dad is back with all your party decor," Jess said.

A party—my request for my 16th as the way I wanted to celebrate my birthday. Mia helped me plan it and we had invited almost half our year level.

Jess, while a little wary of the idea at first, eventually went along with it. And while dad's tone was questioning when I asked if I could have a party, his eyes were lit up as though his past was flickering in his mind.

"I don't want to get up," I groaned, trying to grab my blanket to pull it over my head. There was not even any light in the room.

But Jess wasn't having it.

As I tugged at my blanket to pull it up, Jess grabbed the other end and yanked it off me. "Get up sleepy head or else we will miss it. You can go back to sleep when we return."

"Miss what?" I whined, reluctantly sitting up and throwing my legs over the bed.

"You'll see. Put on something warm and meet me at the car."