finn's pov:
eighteen years old. i had finally made it to be eighteen. to my family, it was a miracle. to me, it was the most horrible feeling in the world. it was the age that i was definitely going to die. there was no doubt about it. i wouldn't make it to nineteen years old, i wouldn't make it to be a full adult. i wouldn't ever make it to twenty one to get my ID, or make it to my thirties to finally have children. i wouldn't get to do any of that.
i asked everybody personally not to get me anything, because nothing would be used up to full use. everyone accepted that, they all just gave me birthday cards. i was thankful that they actually listened to me. the greatest gift i could possibly have on my birthday was to be with all my friends and family, and i had gotten that.
we were all in my house, and my whole family were over, along with all of my friends. we were all in the house though, due to the snow outside–the downside of having a birthday in december.
"finn, hello!" my strange uncle brett said as he walked over to me.
"hey." i replied.
"happy eighteenth. where is your dad?" he asked.
"uhh...i'm not sure." i answered, "oh, is that my friend? i have to go. by uncle brett."
i couldn't see my friend at all, i just wanted to get away from him. my uncle brett wasn't the normal uncle, not like uncles were normal anyways, but brett wasn't even your average weird uncle—he was your WEIRD uncle. he always had theories in his head that our world was under attack by russians. my grandma wanted to get him tested for schizophrenia, but he refused.
as i walked into the living room, i saw millie. she was sat speaking to my aunt cara. i tried to walk away without any of them noticing me, but my aunt cara quickly noticed me and shouted me over.
"happy birthday!" my aunt cara said, smiling at me whilst giving me a hug.
"thanks." i replied.
although this was supposed to be a birthday party, i couldn't help but think that it was just a family gathering for everybody to see me again before i passed away. they were disguising it as a birthday party, and i knew that. i was thankful to see all of my family, but i wished that it was in better circumstance.
the next to walk over was my cousin, francesca. we never got along, she was popular and bitchy. she always called me the 'posh private school cousin.' i hated her. she was the girl who would sleep with any guy that she laid her eyes on.
"finally, not a posh weirdo you have as a girlfriend." she smugly smiled.
"finally, i can see you without a new boyfriend at your side." i rolled my eyes.
"now now, guys. it's a birthday party, let's not argue." cara said.
i rolled my eyes once again, walking out of the room. as i walked out, i felt my legs give way, and i fell to the floor in front of everybody. my body came crashing down, and my vision became blurry. black was surrounding the corners of my eyes, it felt like i was dying.
i saw my dad rush over, grabbing my face as everyone watched, distraught. my eyes felt like they were closing, no matter how hard i tried to keep them open.
"finn, come on. keep your eyes open, you can do it. do not shut them." my dad told my sternly with tears welling up in the brim of his own.
"dad i-i can't." i said.
"you can finn-"
those were the last words i heard before my eyes closed, and i shut down.
*****
it felt like forever until i woke up. i thought it truly was the day of my death. i woke up in a hospital bed, and i could barely move. i sat myself up with great struggle, my arms were shaky. i noticed a gift on the bed with me. it was wrapped in red with a little silver bow at the top. i furrowed my eyebrows, and read the label.
to finn, i know you told me not to get you a gift...but i hope you can accept this one. -mills x
i opened the gift, and it looked like a little scrap book. ok the front of it were little stickers that she had stuck on it. i shakily turned over the page, and there was a little polaroid picture of the night sky. the stars were very clear, and so was the moon. it was on top of the seven eleven roof top. there was writing next to it, in black marker pen.
this is the day that we first met. the sky was pretty, the prettiest i had ever seen. it was like the gates of heaven opened, and they sent me you. i met you, my soulmate.
the next picture was me, stood on the rooftop, pretending to hold the moon. i let out a little painful laugh at it. my hands were nowhere near the moon, but i never knew that. i thought it would of been a good photograph.
this was the night that you told me about your cancer. the night that i decided that i would make your time here worthwhile. i'm still working on that.
i was surprised to see the next polaroid, it was an off guard picture of me. i was drinking a cherry slushie whilst looking up at the stars. i smiled.
cherry slushies...our thing.
as i flicked through pages, looking at different photos, i felt tears falling down my face. there were pictures of us at my house, dying our hair, pictures of our tattoos, pictures of the time we ate a bunch of pizza. pictures at every single one of our sleepovers, every night sky that we watched, pictures of our hands intertwined. there were pictures of everything.
memories, all documented in one little book. she had written something about every single one of them, in scribbled black marker.
what i'm trying to say is thank you. although all of this was for you, to make you feel like you lived your life the way you wanted to—i have also lived my life the best i could too. although i still have many years to go, these will always be my special days that i remember forever. i will constantly cherish these days for as long as i live.
you showed me things that i never thought i would see, like fireflies, true love, everything. i can't thank you enough.
i heard the door open, so i looked up to see who it was. it was her, the angel herself. she stood with a small smile on her face. my face had tear marks down it, and they still wouldn't stop falling. she walked over to me, hugging me tightly. i slowly moved my arms up to hug her back. for me, i was going as fast as i could go, but it wasn't much. i was weak. i couldn't move a lot at all.
the next line was written in blue crayon, with a little polaroid of me. i was smiling with my bright blue hair, and a slice of pizza in my hand.
i love you, blueberry.
