Inhale

12.

'After another moment's silence she mumbled that I was peculiar, that that was probably why she loved me but that one day I might disgust her for the very same reason." - Albert Camus, The Stranger.

(A/N: Julian does discuss death in this chapter. It is not of that nature but be safe reading anyways.)

Elizabeth Wright turned sixteen on the first day of October which consisted of incessant showers and a gloomy sky. All plans to celebrate outdoors in the courtyard were immediately dissolved and moved into our corner of the lounge. It was unanimously agreed that we should have made the plans for the lounge in the first place because it was far too cold to do anything lengthy anyway and besides, Ellie had absolutely no tolerance for the cold. So, as an entire crowd, we migrated to the plush armchairs and a crackling fire.

Drenched and dripping, we were met at the lounge doors by a disgruntled girl with bleach blonde hair styled in something halfway between a bob and a Hollywood wave. A tag was attached to her knit jumper, showing she was the lounge monitor for the week.

"If you think you're just going to charge in here covered in half of nature's water sources then you're severely mistaken." She snapped at us. Ellie was silent, as was Evette. Cyrus looked at Ellie who simply stared at the short girl in-front of her. Selene and I stood side by side beside them, equally speechless.

"Oh come on, Lia. Don't be like that." Josiah pushed his way forward from the back. I hadn't even noticed him arrive, but he was completely dry in his own fleece. "It's a celebration! You won't even know we're here."

"It's Cordelia, to begin with. Secondly, celebrations are not quiet in any way shape or form."

"This isn't the library, is it?" Evette interjected. Level with Cordelia, but wrapped in flames instead, I had to admit she made a worthy opponent.

Cordelia gave a not so discreet scoff. "You would know all about the library, bleeding Anorak..."

"And what's the problem with that!?—"

"—Okay! Listen, we'll be ever so respectful and we'll clean up afterwards." Josiah kept pleading, pulling Evette away. Cordelia did not seem convinced. He began to talk in a voice that none of us could overhear, with a winning smile that I was sure would win him a war one day.

Awkwardly, we stood waiting for the verdict. After five minutes or so Josiah gave us a thumbs up and we moved into our corner. Evette was besides herself (they could've taken our places during all that kerfuffle!) but was soon reminded it was Ellie's birthday and moved onto that topic, instead.

Gifts were a slow but pleasant affair. Ezekiel handed Ellie a new stand for her camera that shone in the light in a magnificent way that reflected it's price. Sliding her hands over the metal, she thanked him profusely. Her arms reached out from her awkward position in the armchair with Cyrus, and Ezekiel hugged her gingerly. He flushed rouge as she told him he was an angel, she had been looking for one everywhere.

Evette next, procured a glossy album of astronomers with high-definition photographs of constellations I wished I understood. Coos of approval all round from the rest of us as Ellie turned the album to show the ones she was particularly awed by. Cyrus pointed to something on one of the pages, causing Ellie to dissolve into a fit of giggles none of us could interpret. Her hand squeezed Evette's, with more profuse thanks.

Josiah surprised everybody by generating a truly thoughtful gift; a replacement for the bracelet she had broken at the time they were dating. A silver band with small amethysts encrusted around. Ellie had mourned that bracelet like a lover gone to war and refused to wear anything else on that wrist in it's place. She opened it in her lap with a dubious look. Josiah's face remained even, but I could feel his excitement radiating off him in waves.