Dear Corona, Sincerely Us

Chapter 3

I came home and I dropped my cake down.

Worst. Birthday. Ever.

I thought to myself. I had managed to gather my friends from school, but surely enough, the policeman decided it was best to stop the party. However, yeah, I knew I was wrong. I was not supposed to do that, but I had been in my room for what felt like months. I had not had any human contact for so long. I missed it. I missed my friends. I missed socializing. Mostly on the day that I am turning 18.

Argh!

I plopped down on the couch in front of the big TV in the living room and turned it on, switching between channels out of frustration. Every single channel was just another news about this stupid virus. And I was sure that I had watched every good thing on Netflix. What else could I possibly even do?

My phone rang from across the couch and I pulled it forward with my foot. I could not be bothered anymore. I was pissed out of my head.

"Hello," I said quickly as I picked up the phone, seeing that it was my dad calling.

"Sour, aren't you?" I rolled my eyes at his remarks. I don't need this phone call. I thought to myself. "Hey, I just called to wish you a happy birthday. I'm sorry I can't be home right now. The virus really has stopped me from coming home, but once it's over, we'll have dinner out, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks, dad."

The thing is, it would be just another silly promise he made every year. The same as how that was just another birthday he missed like the years before. I was sure he was glad he at least had an excuse this year. He worked as the CFO of a multinational company that required him to travel almost every week. This time, he got asked to stay, for the sake of the company, far from home and keep the economy of the company running.

Way to go, Corona. Thanks for making it easy for my dad.

Maybe I was not being fair to my old man. After all, he was just trying to provide the family with wealth and bigger TVs. I just wished he knew I would not need that TV had he been home to blow candles with me on my birthdays.

What about my mom, you wonder? Well, that's a different story. She wished me a happy birthday earlier today before he left for work. She worked as a head nurse in a hospital in the city. Despite my dad telling her to quit, she refused to because she had a passion for helping others. And that was something I could not argue with. She did not come home that much either. At least not around this pandemic. And that scared me. She was risking her life for the sake of the world. Yet here I was, throwing a party in the city park. This apple sure had fallen far from the trees.

I made my way to the kitchen to seek for something to eat. Another scrambled egg perhaps? Or should I go fancy and add some more ingredients to my egg? That was the question I always seemed to ask myself repeatedly the past few weeks.

So I started making my food and once I was done, I sat back on the couch to eat, while watching yet another news about this monster of a virus. I was already losing my mind. I needed a time out of this world.

After I finished my 16th scrambled eggs of the week, I went back to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As I did that, I took a glance at my still whole birthday cake. I was turning 18 and no one even touched my cake.

I grabbed my cake and my car key before walking out of my house once again. I got into the car, secured the cake on the passenger's seat, and drove off to see the only person I could think of to share this cake with.

...

"Kid, what are you doing here?" Said the familiar man in the uniform, looking as calm as ever. It was the officer who stopped me from having my birthday party and I could not tell you the reason why, but my feeling brought me and my cake back to him. As if it was obvious, I drove to the station and there he was.

"I'm so sorry," I said, stepping closer to him, only to have him step back in defense. Of course, I understood. So I continued to explain myself, "Listen to me first. I got the cake. I'm home alone so no one will ever eat it. I just really want to share it with you." His eyes widened slightly in bewilderment and frankly, I did not blame him. I surprised myself.

He shook his head after a while and finally said, "Okay, you cannot be here to socialize. Do you understand how serious this is?" I bit my lip and stared down as I listened to him talk. I understood completely. I just could not be alone at that time. "You need to be at home. I understand this is a stressful time, but there are people out there dying from this virus and a lot more who are at risk." The disappointment in his voice was palpable and I found my heart aching from causing it. It was truly odd. I did not know the guy, yet there I was, taking every bit of his words down.

I glanced at him for a split second and looked down on the cake on my hands. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Well, can you just keep the cake?" My days were going to waste but at least my cake should not. I could only wish I could stay strong enough for myself.

A few more days, buddy. You got this. I thought, reassuring myself.

He put his hand on the box of the cake and said, "Come have a slice with us." I looked up at him and smiled gratefully. And really, genuinely.

...

"Why wouldn't you want to be a policeman? This is the best job anyone could ever have! Saving people's lives, arresting criminals, what else could you hope for?" Officer Smith said to me, taking another slice of the cake.

I took a bite of my slice of cake and answered, "No offense, officer, but people don't really see policemen to be...gracious. Some people even make fun of you." I shrugged as that seemed to be the case in the town I lived in. Or at least within my group of friends.

"Yeah, but the others are bringing you cake?" I  chuckled at one of the police officers' remarks. "Besides, you don't see us stopping from helping people and doing our jobs despite the hates we get." I guess he got a point. They are police officers at hearts and not for others' praises.

"Well, I'm graduating this year," I answered with a grin on my face.

"I'll put good words for you." Officer Smith gave me a genuine smile that got me all warm inside. And as bad as it sounds, I enjoyed the feeling of finally having a father figure.

That had to be the best birthday I ever had. The laughs, the smiles, the words I said, all were genuine. And even though I could not give these heroes my biggest hugs that day, I hoped they knew that they had saved yet another life.

Corona, you are not stopping me from being happy.

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