t w e n t y o n e

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WITH ALL THE rage of a toddler, my feet heavily pound against the sleek surface of the staircase as I slowly but surely make my way up to the third floor of Elwood

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WITH ALL THE rage of a toddler, my feet heavily pound against the sleek surface of the staircase as I slowly but surely make my way up to the third floor of Elwood. Slowly, I glance over my shoulder, noticing I had only climbed eight steps and I was already about to pass out. 

My entire body was aching as if I was eighty years old and had severe arthritis. Mr Matthews, our coach who also doubles as a junior Physics teacher, wanted to kill us this afternoon. If there's one thing about Mr Matthews that I've learned, is that he loves that damn stop watch. 

He's a good coach in the sense that he wants to push us and achieve great things, but did he really have to do it on my birthday? Training also ran over time, so I couldn't meet up with Penn and Vera for my birthday dinner in the dining hall. By the time I stumbled out of the gymnasium doors, the sun had already set and a harsh chill had swept over the campus. 

The sharp wind seeped through the material of my grey sweatpants as I quickly made my way across campus. I wanted to wait for everyone else to finish getting ready but all I wanted to do was crawl into my warm bed and sleep. 

And lo and behold, when I arrived at Elwood the elevator was yet to be fixed. It was also eerily silent which was weird because it was only a few minutes past eight and lights out aren't until ten. 

My suspicions were furthered as I finally made my way to the second floor, heaving heavily and puffed as fuck. I stepped up onto the next staircase, continuing my journey to the third level when the common room at the end of the hall  caught my attention. The doors were shut and no light was shining through the stained glass windows on each wooden slab. 

They must've been playing a movie. There was a small crappy projector in there and some guys hung up a white sheet. Movie nights are very common in Elwood. I walk forward, changing my route. I wasn't going to stay long I just wanted to see if Noah or Levi were watching the movie too. 

But when I quietly open one of the double doors, there wasn't a movie playing. There was no light at all in the common room, only that of the hallway lights flooding in behind me. I roll my eyes and my shoulders droop. Did some guys break the lights in here? The stupidity in Elwood has no limits. 

Suddenly, the lights flick on and I'm temporarily blinded as a chorus of simultaneous shouts explode throughout the room. 

"Happy birthday Hayden!" 

I'm startled slightly and stumble back but soon a large smile spreads across my lips as I recognises the many faces crowding the common room. Tacky rainbow banners had been hung around the room and some multicoloured string lights were placed throughout the space. 

A small fire catches my eye and I watch as two guys carefully carry a massive cake with blue and pink frosting towards me. I glance at the candles that were orange and read 48. Not exactly my age but close enough. 

"The store didn't have any other numbers." Vera explains as she slides up towards me. I glance at her before wrap our arms around each other laughing, "Blow out your candles, Hay." 

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