"I'm not saying that I have a bad life, but if you were to write a story with me in the lead role, it would certainly be a tragedy."
When I said that there was no way that my life could possibly get any worse, I was kidding. I didn't actually expect...
"Words are everything. Words give wings even to those who have been stamped upon, broken beyond all hope and repair."
—Samantha Shannon, The Mime Order
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"Big plans for your birthday, huh?" Jamie asked, sitting beside me on the ratty sofa in the employee lounge of the bookstore.
I flipped the page of the magazine that I was unenthusiastically reading and shrugged as I looked at him. "I haven't really thought about it." He raised his brow and I rolled my eyes. It was uncanny how even after all those years of absence, he still knew me better than most. "Okay, fine. I've been avoiding having to think about it. Happy?"
"I got an evite to the party," he said, frowning when I lowered the magazine. "Don't worry, I'm not going. I'd rather eat my feelings with you any day than spend even a minute at Katie's thing."
I released a breath that I didn't even realize I'd been holding. "I wasn't worried," I said pretending that it didn't bother me that my parents were throwing Katie a birthday/engagement party even with all the controversy surrounding said engagement. Not to mention the fact that their other kid was also celebrating her birthday on that day.
"Tay," he said squeezing my knee. "It's me that you're talking to. You can drop the act."
I dropped the magazine in my lap and leaned back, sinking into the sofa. "You want me to say that I'm pissed? C'mon, Jamie, you already know that I am."
"I was hoping that you'd consider going to dinner with me and Connie if you're not too busy crying," he said with an encouraging smile.
I wriggled my brows. "Connie, huh? You two have gotten pretty close this last month. Is there something that I should know?"
He shrugged but the smile that played on his lips gave him away. "No. Just think about it, alright?"
I nodded but we both knew that I wouldn't. I wasn't up for celebrating my birthday and that meant no fancy dinner either. Besides, I'd already rejected the idea when Nathan had suggested it, so I couldn't say no to him and then yes to Jamie. I'd already planned the perfect way to spend my birthday weekend and it did not involve anyone else's company. I was going to stay at home, watch sad movies and marinate in my sadness. What was so wrong with that?
"Hey, girl," Connie said poking her head into the lounge. "Someone's asking for you."
I grabbed my phone from beside me and made my way to the front of the bookstore where I found Kelly browsing the comic book section. "Hey," she said when she saw me, her smile bright. "Nate told me where to find you, I hope that's okay."
