Song: Lifeline by Thousand Foot Krutch
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"Table for two, please." Owen says kindly to the waitress standing by the door of the restaurant to greet us.
She smiles brightly. "Follow me, please."
We follow her to our table, and we take our seats. We order some drinks and appetizers, and then Owen and I discuss the future.
"So, Owen. I know you're not a fan of kids but...can we at least compromise? It's just that I really want kids and I....I would be happy if you let me have at least one."
Owen pops an edamame in his mouth. "Let's not discuss this right now, please? I don't want it to ruin the night."
I drum my fingers nervously against the table. "Oh....yeah, sure. I understand." I mutter quietly, feeling a bit down about that. I suck in my bottom lip.
I love Owen, and I won't let this tear us apart. If he doesn't want to have kids, then I won't push him. I don't want us breaking up because of an issue we can go around.
Wanting to lighten the mood, I bring the party up. "So, are you coming with me to the party tomorrow? You know you have to, babe." I say, smiling.
He nods. "Yes, of course I am. I couldn't miss on my love's birthday. Plus....I got you a surprise." He says, winking.
"A surprise?" I ask, my eyes widening.
"Yes. But it will have to wait till tomorrow."
My shoulders slump.
I hate surprises.
"Can you give me a hint?"
"Hmmm....let me think about that."
Yessss.
"No. I cannot."
Noooo.
I glare at him.
"I'm sorry, it will just have to wait till tomorrow. You will love it, trust me."
"Alright, alright. I except my defeat. But if this surprise is another pair of green crocs again, you're going to be getting socks for Christmas." I say, laughing.
He holds his hands up in surrender. "Hey, it wasn't my idea, it was your mom's. She said you loved those types of shoes as a kid, so I figured why not try it again." He smiles at me.
I laugh. "Well never take advice from my mom. I've learned that from a young age."
And it was true.
When kids bullied me at school, she didn't suggest to call the school. She didn't suggest to ignore them, or be strong. She didn't encourage me and lift me up. She simply looked me up and down and said, "Oh dear. It's no wonder why they tease you. You're not wearing enough make-up. Come now, mommy will show you how it's done."
I was seven.
Seven years old when she started coating my face in make-up.
I remember her saying "Women need a face. And in order to achieve this presentable face, we need make-up. Only make-up can make a girl beautiful."
Her words affected me from a very young age.
I grew up with a distorted view of what true beauty is.
And I was confused, but I didn't question it, because she's my mother, and I trusted and believed her every word when I was seven years old
I trusted and believed her because I thought she was perfect. I thought those she associated herself with was perfect, too. Everyone was beautiful, and everyone always smiled and talked happily with her.
I only realized it was all fake when I grew older and my mind matured. My neighborhood was visually appealing and alluring to the eye. On the outside, everything looked normal and beautiful. All the homes with their sparkling swimming pools certainly looked gorgeous.
But on the inside, suffering lived.
It was the land of insecurity on the inside.
It was a world full of pain in the form of gorgeous landscaping.
But everyone was too blind to see that.
"Yeah...she's a little....well she seems to lack morals and common sense at times."
Owen waves it off. "Eh, she's just looking out for you. Let her do her job."
Is even my boyfriend so damn blind? I think to myself as I inwardly facepalm myself. You would think other rich people, such as Owen, who grew up with the same kind of parents I did would understand where I'm coming from and what I mean.
But nope.
Because he's blind in some areas, too.
Also, I'm almost twenty-one. I'm an independent woman who doesn't need her mother toddling around everywhere she goes. I don't need a babysitter nor a dictator in my life. I'm an adult who can think on her own, I don't need my mother to "do her job" anymore.
I'm not a child.
I just shrug it off, though. No use in trying to explain to him. "Yeah, whatever."
So, the night goes on. Owen and I do end up having a good time, though, despite some of our disagreements about the future. This is nothing new, though, because very relationship has their issues.
We will just have to work through them.
The night comes to an end, and I once again find myself lying in Owen's arms that night. I look out the window which bares the moon high in the sky, and for the first time in a long time, I look forward to what tomorrow and my party beholds.
But little did I know this would the last time I fall asleep in a comfortable bed such as this. Little did I know this would be the last night I would be sleeping in my lover's arms.
* * *
The next morning, I awake in bed alone. The smell of pancakes and bacon permeates my senses and I smile widely when I see Owen carrying a tray of breakfast foods to me.
"Happy birthday." He says, delivering the tray to me.
I smile at him. "You made all of this for me?"
He nods. "Of course I did." He kisses my cheek and sits down into bed next to me.
"Thank you so much, babe. This was so kind of you." I say, cutting into my pancake and relishing in the fluffiness and perfect flavor.
"Anything for you." He chirps.
Yeah, anything except for one child that I want. I think bitterly, but quickly wash that thought away. I don't want to ruin the mood or today.
I let Owen have some of my bacon because I couldn't finish it all. He's a very good cook and I know that will be beneficial for our future.
Once breakfast is finished, he takes my tray back to the kitchen and washes it for me. Then, he urges me to follow him.
It's surprise time.
He leads me outside and stops when he gets to the garage door. "Are you ready?" He asks.
I nod eagerly. "You bet I am."
He smirks, and slowly opens the garage door, revealing a brand new 2019 white Porshe.
And being the enthusiastic person I am, I scream and jump up and down. I throw myself into Owen's arms, and we nearly fall over when I do so.
"Thank you! Thank you! You really didn't have to do this, thank you-"
"Are you going to keep this rambling up or are you going to check it out?" Owen says, laughing.
"Oh...yes, of course!" I exclaim, running to the new vehicle that has made its new home in my garage.
I swing open the car door, and instantly, new car smell overwhelms my nose. I check out all he cool features of the brand new vehicle. The inside of it is not too small or too large, it's perfect.
Owen hops in the car with me and I drive it around. It feels much smoother than my older car and the bass is amazing.
"I'm going to drive this to my party tonight." I say excitedly.
Owen chuckles. "That's great, babe."
"Thank you so much again." I tell him. I seriously did not deserve this and this must have costed a fortune. I am grateful.
"Really, it was no problem. It was worth seeing your face light up brighter than a thousand suns."
* * *
So the party rolls around that night. I make sure to grab all the snacks I've made as well as the ten pounds of guacamole. Owen hopes in the new car with me, and we drive to our destination.
My friends are going to freak when they see the new car.
Wanda only lives about twenty minutes from me, so luckily that's not far at all. I'm dressed in plain skinny jeans and a tight, blue crop top. Tina had bought me the outfit at the mall once, saying "I should show my body off more."
Owen likes the outfit too, so I guess she was right.
Pulling into Wanda's driveway, I'm immediately trampled by my girlfriends as well as random guests I've never met before. I guess my friends told their friends and their friends told their friends and so forth.
So, there was a lot more people than I thought there would be.
Tina hugs me and hugs Owen. I feel a tinge of irritation when her hand lingers on Owen's back longer than needed.
Calm down, Addy. You're over thinking it you drama queen.
"Oh. My. God! No way, did Owen buy you this?" Tina exclaims and runs up to my new car. Wanda as well as my other girlfriends follow her to inspect the new vehicle.
I nod. "Yes, wasn't that sweet of him?"
"He must really love you." Tina says, winking at me and going back to examining the new car.
"Yeah," I laugh uncomfortably, "He does, for sure."
After everyone got a good look of the car, we head inside. Wanda takes the food I made from me and sets it on a huge table full of snacks and various other treats.
A pile of gifts sit in one corner. Above it, a sign written in fancy letters reads "birthday girl."
The music is loud in my ears, and everyone's buzzing. People dance together, others stand in the corners and drink and chat with one another. There's a bald DJ wearing shades and he cranks he music up.
I join in on the fun, and help myself to the sweets on the food table. My friends wander up to me, already drinking with a glass of strawberry daiquiri in their hands.
"As your first alcoholic drink, let's celebrate with something sweet!" Tina exclaims, and I hesitantly take the glass from her hands.
They guzzle theirs and giggle. "What are you waiting for?"
Eh, I'm basically twenty-one any way. No harm done.
With those thoughts, I follow their lead. Okay, wow that was actually pretty good. "Hey, do you know where I can get another?" I ask them.
They laugh, already sounding like they're half drunk. "Of course! We are the masters, follow us!" Wanda exclaims, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the crowd of sweaty, dancing people.
"This is where the magic happens." She says, doing jazz hands and pointing to the bar, "You just ask for any drink you want and viola! It is yours. I suggest you go for something sweeter, unless you're one of those hard liquor types." She chuckles.
I shrug. "I don't know. I will have whatever you girls like. I'm new to this."
"I knew you'd say that! Us girls have good taste so don't you worry." Wanda says and leans over to the bartender, "My usual favorite." She winks at the older bartender and he nods and creepily smiles at her.
Okay, uhm....ew.
We talk while we wait for our drinks to be made, and when they're finally served, I don't hesitate to chug is down.
But I spit it back up when it burns going down. "I thought you said you have good taste!" I exclaim.
Tina shrugs. "We do. Keep drinking it, it'll get better, I promise."
I raise an eyebrow and hesitantly bring the glass back to my lips and take a sip. I guess they were right, it still burns but....you get used to it.
So the night passes. Darkness crawls across the land like an inky creature. The party carries on, and as the party carries on, I feel weird.
I feel giggly and childish. I feel light and airy. "Is this.....what.....heaven feels like.?" I ask my friends, my head is spinning.
They laugh. "No silly, it's what being drunk feels like."
Oh....pretty colors! I laugh and claw at the air. Pigs are pink! Cows are pink! Little doggies are pink!
I dance with other random drunk strangers without a care in the world. I open presents and down more alcohol as I do so.
Everything is blissss when you're with me misssss!
My mind is not with it, it feels as if I can hardly think for myself. I hiccup and dance with Owen, who is equally as drunk as I am. I curtsy and bow.
And then I throw up.
All over his shoes.
Owen laughs. "Oh! Avocado!" He exclaims, bending down to poke it. I grab his hands and laugh lazily.
"No no no! Don't do that it's....i-it's spoiled!" I exclaim.
He just smiles at me and we continue to dance like high people. I'm having so much fun and everything is spinning.
Wait....everything is spinning?
Everything is spinning.....
And I'm falling.
Falling.
Falling.
Falling.
The ground rushes up to meet me and I laugh when I hit the floor. "Owee! My head!" I groan, getting up on wobbly feet. I feel a bump forming and blood sticks to my face.
But I shrug it off.
The night grows later and soon, it's past midnight. I'm exhausted and nobody else seems to be tired like I am. Some of the alcohol had worn of by then, but I could still feel it in my system.
"Owen!" I call out as he stuffs his face with a red velvet cupcake.
"What?" He asks.
I yawn. "I'm really tired. I want to go home now."
His face falls. "Already? Can I hitch a ride with one of my friends? I will come home later." He insists.
I shrug. I don't want to cut his fun short just because I want to leave. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I will be at home then. Have a good rest of the night and be safe."
I should listen to my own advice.
I say goodbye to my friends and they drunkenly wave me off. I stumble out of the house, and looking back, I smile. It was a wonderful night for me, and I had more fun than I thought I would.
"Let's go home my baby." I speak to my car and pat the hood. Okay, I'm definitely not with it right now.
I start my car, and drive down the road. I tap my thumbs against my steering wheel as I drive and I whistle a tune.
But then I notice something scary.
All the headlights on the dark highway seem to blend into each other. I quickly become confused because I am unable to decipher which one's which and what lane I'm supposed to be driving on.
My heart pounds rapidly in my chest and my eyes move around quickly, trying to focus. I rub my eyes with one hand in hopes to fix it but it doesn't.
In an instant, I am struck with another car. I scream and my head slams painfully against the head rest. The sound of glass shattering fills my ears and a sharp pain spreads all over my body. I scream in terror when the car rolls and rolls, the sound is deafening.
I am thrown around the vehicle like a rag doll, and my head spins violently. I feel glass penetrating my body and I gasp for air when I land so painfully on my ribs I feel them crunch upon impact.
When the vehicle finally skids to a halt, I'm hanging upside down, the seat belt holds me securely in. The smell of gas is strong and I'm nearly smothered by all the white, puffy airbags.
My hands shakily reaches down to fumble with the seat belt, and when I finally do get it undone, I land in the sea of glass below me.
I scream in pure agony when I feel the shards slide deep into my back and abdomen.
The car could catch fire any minute judging by the gasoline smell in the air. Adrenaline urges me to use the little strength I have left, and with a cry, I drag myself out and over the shattered window.
The skin of my abdomen ripping in the process.
But outside of the vehicle isn't much better, because not too far from me, is the vehicle I had struck.
My eyes widen.
The damage has been done.