In a Split Second || BTS

Chapter 15

--Flashback--

"Cherisse! Wake up, my love." A warm hand shook my petite shoulder gently, startling me from my deep sleep. As soon as my vision cleared, my eyes focused on the woman in front of me, and my heart palpitated with love.

"Good morning, Mum," I said, a smile spreading across my lips and pulling at my cheeks. The dim window to my left displayed a bright sunrise, casting pink and golden hues across the clear sky. My gaze fell to the box she held patiently in her hands, covered with red wrapping paper and tied with a silky green ribbon. Leaning against the doorway, my father held a similarly wrapped object, only his was much larger and more rectangular.

My face lit up with an excited gasp. "It is my birthday! Happy birthday, me!"

Mum's beautiful smile dazzled her face, and she tucked her short dark hair behind her ear. "Happy birthday, you!" she agreed teasingly.

"Four years old now, are you?" Daddy asked, his lilting British accent warming my heart. "You're practically a woman."

I giggled, leaning forward excitedly. "Fourteen more years and I'm going to college!"

Daddy grabbed at his chest and groaned dramatically. "Don't say that, my love – I miss you already."

"You two are ridiculous," Mum laughed. "Don't you want to open your presents now, darling?"

"Yes!"

Her blue eyes sparkled as she passed the red box to me. I tore the wrapping paper eagerly to reach the object inside but was unsurprised to find another box greeting me underneath this one. A small giggle pushed from my throat. "Mommy!" She shrugged innocently at me as I continued to rip through the second box. She did this every time I received a gift – she would place a small gift into multiple boxes to make it appear larger. Even if the present was little, I cherished this tradition every time.

Finally, my small fingers reached the box situated at the bottom of the present. It was not as large as I initially expected, given Mum's clever trick with the boxes, but it was no less stunning than a large gift. From the outside, it appeared to be a simple box, but the painting was exquisite. Light pink hues blended into a trail of pine green vines wrapping around the box in such a realistic manner that I tried to brush them off. The sides of the box depicted a beautiful summer's day with the same pink sky but an open prairie with sparkling grass. A golden key had already been placed in the built-in lock, and I twisted it cautiously, only to have the box pop open immediately.

The inside was just as spectacular. Pink folds of velvety material offered space to hold any jewelry I might obtain, and a painted ballerina was poised to spin elegantly and gracefully. I mimicked her perfect posture with my torso and peered into the mirror behind her. Her reflection concealed a section of my face, but my smile was hardly dampened.

"It's so beautiful," I murmured, marveling over the intricate box.

Mum smiled and reached over to twist a knob on the bottom of it for a few moments. When she sat back, gently lilting music began to play from within the box. The tune was enchanting and romantic, something that sounded familiar. 

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Do I know this song, Mommy?"

"Of course, you do," she beamed. "It is La Vie En Rose."

"La Vie En Rose?"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"