The Industry

Twenty Four

What is so special about celebrating a twenty-fourth birthday, it's not a milestone, it's just a few years closer to being dead. That's such a gruesome thought but it's true. Once I reached 21, birthdays were no longer interesting to celebrate. Now at twenty-four, I'm still single with no kids. In high school, they asked us to predict where we would be in six years. I wrote down married and working at my dream job. I kind of accomplished one but the other is nowhere in sight. So my prediction basically sucks.

I'm twenty-four today. Bianca told me that she has somewhere special to take me today. She was being vague when I questioned her about where she was taking me. All she told me was to dress nice and go get my nails and hair done on her dime. I'm not that naive, I think she's throwing some sort of party and probably inviting her industry friends. I'm just going to act shocked like I wasn't expecting something like a surprise party.

I went to the salon first and asked for my hair to be straightened and to give me a middle part. Sticking to a simple look. My makeup I also decided to keep simple as well. For my outfit, I looked through my closet and found a dress that I borrowed from my mother. The dress is a knee length dress with sequins spread out along the chest area. Although the dress is a few decades old it somehow is still in with the times.

Celebrating my birthday is bittersweet because I haven't celebrated it with my mother since I was eighteen. It saddens me that my mother and I don't have the best relationship but I wish she could be here with me on my special day. As I get older I just want my mother to be around, especially in the future if I get married and have kids, those are moments I want my mother to be a part of. Wearing the dress I chose today will somewhat have a piece of her with me.

~

I stopped by Bianca' place completely ready to go. Still not knowing exactly where she was taking me. She was dressed simple in a cute beige sweater dress. Even in the simplest of outfits she elevates them.

"Valeria Garcia Armstrong, you look so stunning. My god you are glowing to the high heavens. Today is your day and I want you to have an amazing time."

"Thank you so much, I wanted to look good today. You just boosted my confidence."

I couldn't hold back my smile, Bianca just made my day.

"So are you finally going to tell me where you're taking me," I questioned her.

"Okay, well first we're going to dinner and then we're going to a lounge. I know you don't like celebrating your birthday, so I just wanted to do something small," Bianca smiled.

Well maybe I was wrong it sounds like it's only going to be her and I spending the rest of the day together.

It's around 6pm when we got to this Korean BQQ restaurant. The waiter escorted us to our reserved table. As we approached the table I got confused by how many seats were placed at the table.

"Sorry but I think you made a mistake, we only need a table for two not seven," I told the waiter.

The waiter looked at me in confusion, "Aren't you Valeria Armstrong, you made a reservation for seven?"

Bianca cut me off before I could even respond,

"Yes she is, this is our reservation. Thank you so much."

The waiter nodded and walked away. I grabbed a seat and sat down. Bianca sat down next to me.

"B what's going on?"

"Well I invited some of our friends, don't worry you know them. I just thought having more people here would be fun."

I stayed quiet until I turned around to a commotion coming towards. I recognized them instantly Colson, Slim, Rook and Baze. I got up to hug each one of them.

"I didn't know you guys were coming, Bianca' just full of surprises."

"Well, I didn't want to miss this. You look beautiful as always. Happy birthday Val," Colson said.

All the guys followed suit with saying happy birthday. I thanked them all.

"I got you something," Colson handed me a sweater with his face on it.

I laughed, "How'd you know I wanted your face on a sweater. This is so sweet of you."

"That's actually not the official gift." This time he handed me a rectangular shaped box.

I opened the box and saw that it contained a necklace. It's a music note, to most people they wouldn't care as much but to me this gift is special. I got butterflies in stomach and some goosebumps.

I got up and hugged him, it felt like time slowed down while I was in his embrace.

"Val there's one more surprise, see how there's one more seat open. I invited a special guest I think you might want to see," Bianca said.

From the corner of my I eye I saw a figure of a woman. Who could this be?

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

What the hell is going on?

To be continued

Unedited