Shattered Memories

Chapter Thirteen: Sudden Holiday

“Happy birthday!” Mandy and I greeted Summer happily.

She blinked her eyes sleepily, rubbed her eyes once then blinked again. With that, she broke out into a grin and laughed. “You remembered!”

I rolled my eyes. “No, we forgot,” I said sarcastically.

She laughed again. Then she turned serious. “Oh my God. I'm twenty-six.”

“And still single,” Mandy pointed out.

Summer scowled. “Don't worry I'll find someone.”

“When would that be?”

“Soon,” she replied dismissively. “Anyway, let's go downstairs. I want to eat the cake.” She started walking out of her room then stopped suddenly. She turned to us. “There is some cake... isn't there?”

I pasted a fake smile on my face. Crap. “Yes, there is.”

“There is?” Mandy echoed questioningly.

I stepped on her foot warningly. She gasped, wincing then clutched it with her hands. “Of course. Don't you remember?” I asked sharply, giving her the eye.

She glared up at me. “Yes,” she hissed.

“But it won't be here this morning,” I hurriedly replied to Summer. “Maybe tonight... We ordered.”

Summer shrugged. “Oh, well.”

I smiled at them awkwardly waved at them one last time. “Um... I'll be downstairs.”

“'Kay.”

I turned and walked away, a smile on my face. Yeah sure, Mandy and I might have forgotten about the cake, but I know that today would be awesome. At lunch, Olive will join us eating here and after, we'd go and watch movies, do some shopping then eat somewhere fancy for dinner. A contented sigh escaped my lips.

But everything changed when I heard that single doorbell.

That single doorbell that made my week a whole lot better.

Or worse.

Frowning, I walked to the door, hesitating whether to open it. Who might it be? I'm sure it's not Olive. I told her that she must come around eleven-thirty or twelve. But it's still ten! She couldn't be that early... 

A confused frown creased my face. What if it was Claire? I know somewhere she's plotting the revenge she wants to have because I ditched her and Kelly the week ago.

And ever since that happened, I felt myself changing. A lot of people stopped talking or whispering whenever I arrive. They stopped staring at me all the times. They also stopped flinching in fear whenever I call their names. But they didn't also ignore me -- like old times. Some of them greeted me as if I was their friend and I politely greeted them back. And I absolutely loved it.

But that didn't stopped me noticing Claire and Kelly giving me those death glares whenever I saw them. So what if they are plotting a revenge that would really make me crawl to them on my knees -- as if I ever do that?

“Oh, for goodness sake, open the door!”

I froze.

Was that the voice of my mother?

“I think no one's home, Lauren.”

This time, my eyes widened.

I'm positive it was the voice of my father.

“But -- but that can't be,” Mom argued. “Where would they stay?”

Dad sighed. “Maybe they went to somewhere for Summer's birthday? I told you that this is a bad idea.”