Cursed

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I twisted the top off the beer and took a swig. Next, to me, Addie fumbled with her own beer cap. Eventually, she got it, but she winced looking down at her hand. 

"Oh, let me help!" Mir exclaimed, reaching for Addie's hand. We were in a terribly crowded place, but Mir's powers weren't so obvious as the others. Still, it did make me nervous. I took a step closer, creating a wall from other people seeing. Erik did the same.

"Thanks," Addie smiled at Mir. 

I did a double take. 

Before, Addie's hand had been red with a tiny cut from the metal cap. Now, there was no cut and the redness had completely disappeared. What the Hell?

"Wait, look!" I pointed at her hand. I flipped it over in my hand, trying to find the cut.

"What?" Addie asked, trying to take back her hand.

"There was a mark and now it's gone. Mir, did your powers grow again?" I didn't really know how powers worked and if it was common for powers to grow so much. If Mir's powers had grown to be able to heal physical wounds, that was amazing. It was actually incredibly helpful. And to think Ivelyn had thought Mir's powers weren't "active" whatever that meant.

"Maybe a crowded party isn't the best place to discuss this," Erik commented, looking around. He was right, there were too many people here.

"Congratulations," I grabbed Mir in a hug. I really wasn't the hugging type of person, but I knew Mir was. That and the alcohol was still in my system. Speaking of, I took another chug from my beer. The bubbles stirred in my stomach. 

"Thank you, I'm-- I'm in shock. I didn't know that could happen." She was looking around, trying not to say too much. We would definitely have to talk about this late when there were fewer witnesses. 

I open my mouth to say something, but a chorus of singing starts. 

"Happy Birthday to you," Ivelyn starts the singing, then everyone joins in. She's holding a large three-tiered cake. It was all black and at the very top was a guy wearing a black leather jacket. It was supposed to represent Erik. 

He was scarlet red by the time Ivelyn reached him. 

I joined in the singing. 

"Happy Birthday Erik," we ended the song, waiting for Erik to blow out the candles. There was exactly seventeen and with one breath Erik blew them out. Everyone started cheering and then Ivelyn set the cake down. People crowded around, waiting for a slice. Everyone was focussed on the cake, but I was still watching Erik.

He was hurting. I was ninety percent sure it wasn't me hurting him. I touched his forearm, trying to comfort him. He started to pull away, but then he took my hand and squeezed it. I wanted to take the pain away, but there wasn't anything I could do. I didn't know what it was like not having your parents around on your birthday. 

Sure, my parents usually just handed me a check and let me hang out with my friends. Still, that was a lot different than them not being alive. I could still call my parents up and see them. Even if I didn't want to see Chad again. I still had the option. That was something Erik didn't have. 

"Do you want me to get you a slice?" I offered. It wasn't much, but the way people were scarfing it down, there wasn't going to be any left for long. He looked away, towards the window. 

"No, I'm good." He cleared his throat and finished his beer. "I'm uh gonna get another one." He left me standing there alone. It wasn't intentional. Sometimes, people needed to be alone. That was how it went -- I had been there before.