Welcome to the Jungle

Part 5: The Birthday

Alex woke up. The sun came through his bedroom window as he stretched his arms from a good night's sleep. Today was no ordinary day. It was his birthday! He knew his birthday only came once a year, so he was determined to make sure it was the best day ever!
"I'm so ready for this."
He walked up the stairs to...WHAT?!? A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST!!??
His parents were waiting there with smiles on their faces.
"Wow!! I was not expecting this" Alex said
"Happy Birthday to our beloved son!" Alex's parents said in unison.
Alex sat down and began to dig into what he thought was the best breakfast he had ever seen. French toast, waffles, fruits of every kind, muffins, biscuits, smoothies of three flavors.
"Gee I'm full. That was delicious." Alex said with a smile on his face.
Alex glances at the clock on the wall. It was 7:15.
"Well looks like I gotta run! Thank you so much"
Alex grabbed his blue razor scooter and rode quickly down van winkle in the bike lane, making sure to watch for cars. He finally got to the school and locked up his precious scooter in the bike rack with the fanciest of locks.
Today he had Biology, and was looking forward to sitting at his table with all of his friends. He stepped into the school, smelling the delicious school air and briskly walked toward his first class. As he walked in, a friendly face greeted him at the door.
"Happy Birthday Alexander!!!!!" Ms. Spencer shouted in his face, her party hat and confetti adding bright colors to her classroom.
"Cmon get up everybody let's do the Meiosis square dance, it's Alex's favorite!"
Alex shouted for joy as spoons were passed around the room. He could not be happier.
"NOW GRAB YOUR PARTNERS CHROMATID CROSS YOUR ARMS YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID" Ms. Spencer  screeched.
As the dance finished the students sat down out of breath.
"This is the best birthday ever" Alex said to himself, grinning ear to ear.
"Can your birthday be every day!?" ___ said
"Ok students it's present time. Gather round!!" Spencer said.
She gave Alex a medium-sized gift wrapped in blue and green wrapping paper. He was so excited to see what his favorite teacher had in store. He tore off each piece, one by one until he found a black box. He began to smell a familiar, unmistakable scent. He delicately opened the box and a dead fetus pig appeared along with dissecting tools.
"To dissect for later" Spencer said with a wink.
"How did you know?! This is exactly what I wanted!!!" Alex said in surprise
"Ugh you're so lucky" ___ started.
Spencer gave him a heart warming smile.
"Ok class, that's all of the celebrating we will do today, let's get on with class..." Spencer went on explaining what the rest of the first period would hold.
Alex looked around his table, smiling and talking to everyone. He glanced at Abbie. For some reason she seemed sad.
"Hey Abbie are you ok?" Alex said with concern
"Yeah I'm fine." Abbie said with a smile Alex knew was fake.
Abbie has talked to Robert the day before after he had hugged Hannah who was actually his cousin. He was nice, but ever since then, she believed that every girl was out for him, and that she didn't have a chance. Even today she noticed several girls staring and giggling as he walked by. She knew he was too good for her, and she shouldn't even try.
"Wasn't that meiosis square dance AMAZING?" Alex asked at his table.
"Yessss it was the best thing I have ever done" ___ said
"I wish we could keep the spoons. They are the perfect dog toy for me" Ivy said as she gazed at the bucket of spoons.
"Wood is a grate teething toy for dawgs." Robert said laughing at Ivy as she barked at the spoons.
Abbie didn't say a word. She just looked down at the table. Alex decided that he had to find out what Abbie was sad about, and he knew she wasn't going to just tell him. As he thought about how he was going to find out this information, he concluded that tonight, he was going to spy on Abbie at her house.
"This is the only way. It's what friends do" Alex thought.

~later that night~

Alex rode his razor scooter to Abbie's house at 9:00pm. He put on his black burglar mask just in case Abbie spotted him. Alex scaled the walls until he reached an air vent at the top. He used his tool keychain to unscrew each corner, careful not to permanently damage the vent or make any noticeable noise.
"Alright here goes nothin" Alex whispered
He carefully climbed through, scanning his surroundings. It was cold, dark, and there was a metallic scent blowing through. He got to a split in the airways. Left or Right?
"Choose the right, when a choice is placed before you" He remembered.
He shifted to the path to the right, and as he continued toward the end, he knew he had chosen the right way when he heard Twenty One Pilots playing. He knew she was not like other girls. He climbed until he stopped at the end of the tunnel.
"Yes! I made it!" Alex whispered as quietly as possible.
He looked down through the vent and saw Abbie sitting on her bed with her diary, pen in hand.
"Dear diary..." she said out loud.
"Today was different. It wasn't the same. Me and Robert are friends but I want so much more. All of the other girls want that too though. He is literally perfect and I'm afraid another girl will beat me to it. I don't know what to do."
This is exactly what Alex wanted to hear. Now he knows the problem and he can try to help her with it! Abbie continued writing in her journal.
"The first day we met I really thought he liked me. Those eyes, that hair, it's irresistible. Honestly, I don't even know if I have a chance anymore. He probably likes ___ for all I know. Well, until next time. Signed, Abbie Tuckness"
Alex felt bad he didn't notice this before! Of course she liked Robert! It was obvious. He was determined to help her work this out. He looked down again and saw Abbie walked out of her bed and to her window. As she looked out at the sky she said, " starlight star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight. I wish Robert will love me, like I love him".
"That's so sweet" Alex whispered.
But suddenly, everything wasn't so sweet. Alex felt air on his neck. But this was not from the vents. This was warm air, a breath. Alex panicked and looked behind him. He saw a figure dressed in black, with a mask much like his. Alex was not about to be trapped in an air vent with a random scary person. But his only choice was to drop. He didn't have to make that choice as the person pounced onto Alex making them drop through the vent onto Abbie's bed with a crash. Abbie screamed.
"MOOOOOOOM THERE ARE BURGLARS IN OUR HOUSE CALL 911"
Alex continued to freak out. But he decided not to speak with the fear that Abbie might recognize his voice.
The other figure didn't back down continuing to fight Alex. Alex had never fought anyone before but he had to do so now. His life was on the line.
"Get out of my house!!!" Abbie yelled
Alex managed to run to the hall before the stairs, his attacker still pursuing him. If he could manage to push them down the stairs he would have enough time to run past and out the front door before the police arrived. The attacker went for a punch near Alex's face. Alex ducked in perfect timing, and pushed their legs towards the stairs.
"Ooooooouch!!!" The attacker screamed
"Haha gotcha" Alex said with a peace sign
Alex ran down the stairs trying to avoid the person on the floor but they grabbed his ankle. They now wrestled on the ground, punching each other. Alex finally dominated, and got the person in a headlock. He tore off the mask to reveal Tony Hernandez.
"Well you got me... who even are you anyways and why were you spying on my girl?" Tony strained.
"I'm not telling you who I am or explaining myself. I ask the questions here." Alex boldly stated
"First question, why do you think it's ok to spy on Abbie." Alex interrogated
"Well it must be ok if you were doing the same thing." Tony said sarcastically
"I was helping her! You are obviously not. What is your purpose here? You barely even know her!" Alex defended
"I'm protecting her. I needed to find out what guy she thinks she is in love with." Tony explained.
"Why would you need to know that information. You have no place to spy on her to find out her secrets." Alex snapped back
"To kill him.... to kill Robert.... she can't love anyone but me. If that takes killing my competition, so be it" Tony threateningly said
Alex was shocked, off guard. This gave Tony the chance to topple over him, now dominating the fight. Alex didn't know what to do. He was stuck and he could slightly hear the police sirens in the distance. Alex looked to his left while trapped onto the floor, and saw one of Abbie's dogs, no... a raccoon. Alex grabbed the raccoon by the tail and threw it at Tony's face. It scratched and scratched, forcing Tony to give way to Alex's strength. Alex went for the front door, opened it, ran outside to his razor scooter, and scooted away. He looked back and realized Tony was running into the trees next to her house. He got away, and there was no stopping him. Robert was on Tony's hit list, and there was nothing Alex could do.