The Happy Birthday Song ✓

Chapter Five

Junie frowned. She realised that she needed to take the shortcut if she wanted to finish early so she could go to Dylan's. She liked his house, she loved being with him. He made her forget all the troubles she was having at home, he made her feel like she was still a child, not somebody who needed to chip in for the household bills if they didn't want the electricity to be cut off again.

Junie hated taken the shortcut, if wasn't for rabid and bloodthirsty dogs she would have quite enjoyed it. But these dogs loved to chase and torment her every time. She turned a corner and cautiously began walking down the narrow and sunless path.

Maybe you'll be lucky this time and they won't even be there.

As soon as that thought came to mind, Junie saw them and as soon she saw the dogs, Junie picked up her skateboard and ran for her life. The usual hunger for her flesh was evident in those dark beady eyes. She spotted the fence overhead and pumped her spindly legs forward. She chucked her skateboard over and with a grunt quickly hopped over it herself. Junie collapsed and crashed onto the patch of dandelions. She ignored the sharp pain in her knee and pushing herself up, she scrambled away from the fence.

The dogs couldn't get past the fence and she thanked the heavens or whoever was sitting on a cloud up there. They bared their teeth as they growled and snarled viciously at her. Feeling rather triumphant, Junie stuck out her tongue and laughed.

With one last glance at the dogs, she picked up her skateboard and stepped out onto to the street lined with bungalows.

Junie finished ten minutes earlier than she had expected. It took her a few seconds to realise she was on the highest point of the hilly street. Below the road was lined with vehicles, it was steep with thrilling sharp twists and turns. Junie grinned, she positioned the skateboard in the middle of the road and hopping on, she pushed herself forward.

The cool wind whipped her flaming hair back as the skateboard sped down the steep hill. She easily tackled the abrupt turns of the road, she bobbed and weaved past several pedestrians and even managed to perform the new trick she had learnt. Junie finally came to a slow stop at the bottom of the hill. Her heart was racing and she grinned from the thrill of such an intense ride. She glanced up at the hill, laughed and decided to do it again.

3:59 PM

Bethany Mercer opened the door for her. She smiled and stepped aside. Junie eagerly entered the house. In comparison, Bethany was a lot kinder than her older twin. Lena was easily riled, she had a short temper and ninety percent of the time she was sarcastic. Bethany did have her sarcastic moments but she was easier to talk to, more relaxed.

"Dylan's in the kitchen," she said.

"Thanks," Junie smiled return. She dropped her skateboard in its usual place by the door and walking down the hallway, she opened the second door to the right.

As she expected, Dylan was sat on one of the stools that surrounded the island counter, lazily munching on a sandwich.

"Hey, New Zealand," Junie said.

He looked up at the sound of his nickname and grinned widely at her, "Oh hey, Junebug."

Junie's stomach twisted in a thousand knots at the sight of his grin. "Stop me calling me that," she frowned.

"Stop calling me New Zealand." He said.

Dylan glanced at his plate of sandwiches and flashed another smile, "Want a sandwich?"

"What it's in it?"

"Chicken, bacon and mayonnaise," he answered, "I made it myself."

Junie picked up a sandwich and tentatively bit into it. Dylan's cooking was always disastrous, so you had to forgive her if she expected it to taste like dead horse. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find it didn't taste like a dead horse but rather...pleasant.