“Happy birthday Rei-Rei~” squealed my overexcited ‘mother’.
“Haha… Thanks Nicole.” I simply replied.
Right now you’re probably wondering why I call my ‘mother’ Nicole, and why I’m using quotes when addressing her… Well, the truth is that she isn’t my real mother. She was actually just an average 15 year old girl when we met, now she is 22 years old. She adopted me right after my parent’s abandoned me in an alley covered in blood and bruises.
She could’ve left me to die there that day, but instead she chose to help me. She chose to give up her childhood for me.
If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here right now; I owe her my whole life.
“Rei? Rei? Are you okay?” she asked. But I didn’t snap out of my thoughts until she placed her hand gently on my shoulder.
SHOCK!
Electricity, that was what I felt when she touched me. I immediately snapped out of my thoughts and pushed her hand away. I could feel my face heat up as she stared at me with a cute confused expression.
“Is something wrong?”
“N-No… I’m fine, really I am.” I replied, a little too quickly. She looked at me like I had just kicked a puppy for a moment, before returning to her happy attitude.
“Alright then! Let’s go downstairs, I made country fried steak and chocolate pancakes. Your favorite, Rei~” she said in a cheery voice.
“Hell yeah!” I shouted in excitement, running down the stairs toward the kitchen. I really loved Nicole’s cooking, but not as much as I love her….
You’re probably thinking that I love her as my mother, but you’re wrong. I love her as a woman. In my eyes; she is a kind, smart, talented and beautiful young woman. She is the love of my life.
However, Nicole doesn’t know about these feelings. If she found out that I’m in love with her, she would hate me, and our relationship would completely shatter.
As much as I want her to know how I truly feel, to hold her in my arms, to kiss her… I can’t tell her. I would rather suffer in silence having her in my life, then suffer not having her in my life.
Although I still long for her to say that she feels the same, I already know how she feels about me.
"Here you go Rei," Nicole said, smiling, as she handed me my food. "Eat up~"
"Hehe, thanks again Nicole. This all looks delicious~" I said, before stuffing my face. This caused Nicole to giggle in delight. I blushed a little, before going back to eating.
While I was eating, I looked back to the first day we met.
I was only nine years old when she found me...
I was abandoned my parent's in an alleyway, and in my young, childish mind, I assumed they would come back for me. But after the first three days, the realization hit me like a hundred bullets...
They weren't coming back.
I felt broken, like a ragdoll with a tear where the heart should be. I never moved from my spot, I hardly ate anything, and all I did was watch the people walk down the streets. They never spoke to me, they would spare a few glances, but they never helped me. They just watched me as I slowly died there.
I thought that I would never be saved, that I would die right then and there...
I thought I was alone...
That was, until she came. Nicole was only 15 when she found me. Her hair was childishly put up in a ponytail, she was wearing a T-Shirt and short shorts. It was odd, considering it was close to raining. She was looking down at me, concern and curiosity written all over her face.
"Hey, are you alright?" she asked, her voice was so high... but it was also cute and sweet sounding, it fit perfectly with her... girlyness.
She noticed my injuries and tattered clothes, and immediately knew who- or, what I was.
At first she was shocked, then she smiled, held out her hand to me...
And led me away from the cold, wet alleyway I thought would become my grave.
"Hey Rei! You're spacing out again! Rei!" I snapped out of my trance, and looked up to see a concerned looking Nicole. "Are you okay Rei?"
I blushed in embarrassment, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine! I was... Just thinking."
"Oh? Um, alright then... Well, I gotta go to work, bills don't pay themselves you know~" she proclaimed, grabbing her jacket.
"Kay. Oh, and Nicole?"
"Hmm? Yes?"
"It okay if I have some friends over today? You know, since its my birthday?"
She just giggled, hugged me and said, "Of course, hun. Anything for my precious baby boy~"
"N-Nicole! I'm not 12 anymore! Stop calling me a baby!"
"Hehe, of course. It's just..." she started *fake* crying, "You're growing up so fast!"
"Jeez... Don't cry Nicole, it's embarrassing..."
She pouted a little before replying, "R-Right... Anyways, off to work~ See you when I get back, Rei!" And with that, she grabbed her car keys and left.
Sighing, I grabbed my backpack, headed out the door and toward the bus stop.