"What have we learned from last night?"
From under my pillow, I stuck up my middle finger in her general direction.
"Elsie, that's no way to talk to the person brewing you coffee."
I lobbed the pillow at her, grumbling under my breath.
"She isn't a morning person, is she, Noah?"
He yapped once, making my head throb.
"I will eviscerate you."
"Have some breakfast first, then we'll see about disembowelment."
When I finally willed my eyes open, I was met with a plate of scrambled eggs and rashers.
Athena steadily held it over my lap, Noah on the bed beside her. "I know you're starved."
I gave in, popping a rasher in my mouth.
"You're welcome," Athena giggled, rubbing Noah's head. "I already fed Noah and took him out, and cleaned up the kitchen."
"You shouldn't have—"
Athena shoved another rasher in my face. "Yes, I did. I couldn't find the right gift in time, so I hope this makes up for it."
A small cupcake with sprinkles and colored frosting replaced my breakfast, complete with a single candle in the middle.
"Happy birthday, Elsie!" she cheered, Noah barking along.
I held a hand over one ear, fighting off the hangover migraine. "Thanks. I, uh, don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything then!" Athena lit the candle then clung onto Noah. "Blow it out, silly!"
I smiled at the tiny, flickering flame. The last time I blew out a candle on my birthday, I had just turned nineteen. My brother managed to convince everyone, including our father, to surprise me in the Great Hall.
That same day, everything in my life came crashing down.
I blew out the candle, faking a smile for my overly excited best friend.
"What did you wish for?" She had her head in her hands, elbows propped on her knees.
I thought quickly, narrowing my eyes at her with a sly grin. "That's supposed to be a secret, yeah? Or it won't come true?"
Athena pouted, burrowing into Noah's fur. When I didn't budge, she came up for air and was back to her smiley self. "You're right, I guess."
I laughed airily.
Truth was, I didn't make a wish at all. The one thing I wanted wasn't possible.
"Finish your breakfast," Athena ordered, sliding off the bed. "There's one more thing before you get to disappear on me."
I cleaned off the plate with Noah's head on my feet. He knew better than to beg, but that didn't stop him from hinting at it. Months of intense training couldn't best a hungry pup.
"Thought you fed him," I mumbled between bites of the last rasher.
"I did!" Athena glared at the side of Noah's head. "He's just faking to get people food."
I tapped his nose, moving before he could lick the rasher grease from my fingers. "What's this other thing?"
"You're not done yet."
"Crumbs!"
Athena stroked an imaginary beard. "Fine, fine. Give me the plate and when I come back, I'll tell you what the other thing is."
Whilst I was waiting, I looked through my phone notifications. Some memes from Athena, some mobile game tips, and one message from an unknown number.
Noah hopped onto my lap despite being too big for it, forcing my hand to hit the message.
"Thanks," I grunted, patting his bum.
"How cute!" Athena popped back into the room, arms behind her back. "See? He is a puppy."
"Don't," I threatened, pointing a finger at her. "Tell me what the thing is already. I need to get going."
Athena stuck her tongue out. "Stop ruining the special moment!"
I leaned back against my pillows. "Continue."
She smiled. "Why, thank you. I know it's not nice, but I lied about not finding anything. I've had this prepped for weeks!"
A box with a pink bow was pressed into my palm. It weighed almost nothing, so I lifted an eyebrow at her.
"It's not a bomb, weirdo." She lifted the lid to reveal a dainty silver bracelet.
"It's . . . nice," I said, poking at the three charms hanging from it. "What are these?"
"Read them."
I turned over the closest one, reading the small word engraved in the back: brave.
"Next one!"
Strong.
"Athena—"
"The last one was the hardest until the other day at work. Remember the morning rush?"
I nodded.
"That's when I knew that word was perfect."
My heart stopped in my chest, my entire body freezing.
Leader.
"Do you like it?" Her eyes twinkled with pure joy, and I knew I couldn't ruin this for her.
If only she knew.
"Definitely."
Athena threw her arms around me, giggling. "I'm so glad you do!" When she retracted, she fastened the chain around my wrist.
I lifted my arm for her to see, letting the charms dangle and clank against one another. I wasn't one for accessories for the sake of accessorizing. Typically, I only used them to hide. It had been years since I wore a bracelet, and now I had one that I couldn't refuse.
Athena waved her hand in front of my face, brows knitted. "Everything okay up there?"
"Hangover headache in full swing," I said, offering her a strained smile.
She pursed her lips, then hopped to her feet, making the mattress creak. "Well, I'll be taking Noah for the afternoon. Happy birthday, Elsie."
"Thanks," I whispered as she closed the door behind her, leaving me with my thoughts in a lifeless room.
As I slowly stood, feeling the morning nausea come on, I noticed my phone sticking out from under the mess of pillows and blankets on the bed. I remembered the unknown number and unread message, but before I could reach for it, my stomach growled and carried me to the washroom.
*****
The nausea lingered long after the headache lifted and fatigue faded. The anticipation of my birthday location only worsened it. Anxiety bubbled in my stomach the entire way.
After a train ride, two separate ubers, and a fifteen minute walk brought me to an abandoned house on the outskirts of my hometown.
I stared at the one-story building in disbelief; time did a number on my childhood home. From the outside, it looked the same as it did when I was a child, only rundown and worn—peeling red brick walls, spotted paneled windows, brush and vines wrapped around it all.
As I walk through the rotting double doors, memories flooded my mind. I watched my brother and I chase each other around, see-through and ghostlike, but glowing with joy. Our father watched from the top of the stairs, shaking his head, but smiling.
I wandered around, at least four other memories playing out in front of me at once. The two of us lived here as kids, but we were raised on the base from the moment we were old enough. Yet returning to this place, this empty, forgotten stack of bricks and cement, hurt more than I thought it would.
Especially when her voice danced through my mind, light and airy.
Inhaling sharply, I sunk to my knees, surrounded by the remains of our once beautiful kitchen. Tears blurred my vision, burning hot as they spilled down my cheeks.
Every year, I reminded myself of what happens when you place your trust in the wrong person.
The tears eventually slowed, allowing my mind to clear. The clouds lifted and I could see the light again. I left the foreclosed house with my head held high, despite the heaviness in my heart.
I trudged along the bank of the small creek behind the house, headed for the petrol station up the road. I thought about my brother as I basked in the afternoon sun, his last words and their bitterness. I thought about the kid with the toothy grin and mismatched socks, his naive wonder and optimism. I wished I could see him again.
But all that was left was a man who wanted nothing to do with me.
I considered calling him from the uber back to London. His number wasn't hard to find with the right knowledge, but it still sat untouched in my phone for months.
Instead, I checked the message from the unknown number.
hey! think i can run into you tonight?
there's this great pizza place downtown i've been dying to try
this is simon btw
Though I'd never tell Athena, the awkwardness that seeped through made me smile. I didn't know how to respond, or if it was even a good idea, so I reluctantly asked her when she dropped off Noah a few hours later.
"My little girl has a date!" Athena squealed, bouncing around her flat.
"I'm older than you," I grumbled, rubbing Noah's belly.
Her grin didn't falter. "What are you wearing?"
"If I say a jumper and joggers, that's the wrong answer, huh?"
She glared. "I know you have something better."
Without any warning, Athena pushed past me into the bedroom, heading straight for my closet. She rummaged through it for what felt like hours, pushing my clothes on hangers back and forth, until she let out a shrill cry.
"You still have it!" From the back of my closet emerged a red, strapless dress.
"Last year's birthday present," I recalled, nodding. "Why would I get rid of it?"
"You're not exactly known for being girly." Athena shoved the dress into my arms, pointing to the bathroom. "Change."
Sighing, I did as she ordered. I didn't have it in me to fight her.
Athena's jaw dropped to the floor when I opened the door.
"Elsie! You . . . You're absolutely gorgeous!"
I ran a hand through my hair. "Thanks?"
She clapped her hands together. "Time for shoes!"
Despite my best efforts, Athena managed to wrangle me into a pair of black pumps I kept for formal events. Somehow, she thought a non-date was classified as a formal event.
"Have fun, sweetie!" she cooed as she shoved me out the front door. "If I see you a minute before eleven, I will lock you out."
"I have keys," I groaned, dangling them in front of her.
"Let me have my fun!" she pouted. "I've never seen you go out with a guy before."
"Thanks."
"You know what I mean."
I hummed in response, checking my phone for the time. "I'll text you when I'm heading back."
"Bye! Use protection!"
My ears burned as she slammed the door in my face.
Though I knew it was a joke, I thought about it on the way to the restaurant. Simon didn't strike me as the type of guy to expect something off the bat, but the concern lingered in the back of my head. With Athena around, I couldn't bring along the weapons I wanted to. Pepper spray rolled around at the bottom of my purse, and a single knife sat snugly against my thigh. Though, the knife was all I truly needed if things went south.
My heels clicked against the pavement as I stepped out of the uber. A cold breeze brought light goosebumps on my arms, and I instantly wished I had brought a jacket.
But my entire body warmed at the sight of Simon rocking on his heels outside the restaurant. He looked completely out of his element, nervous before the night even began. Interestingly, my nerves seemed to settle.
His eyes lit up when he saw me, lingering on the dress a second too long.
"Hi," he whispered, taken aback.
"Hi," I drawled, feeling slightly embarrassed for letting Athena rope me into dressing up. Simon wore a button-up and light washed jeans, hardly the suit Athena apparently pictured when she chose the dress.
"You look . . ."
"Ridiculous, I know."
The smile on his face disappeared, and he all but shouted, "No!" His eyes widened slightly, confused by his own reaction. His cheeks flushed a deep red as he scratched the back of his neck. "I mean—You look great."
"It wasn't voluntary . . ." I mumbled. "Can we go inside? It's not exactly warm out here."
His smile returning, Simon offered me his arm.
When I took it, a new feeling washed over me. For once, I let hope drown out the worry.