Hooray! It's Adam's birthday today!
Jessy was carrying the little birthday cake she baked herself with Nanny Aida's help. She's heading into the celebrant's room, wearing a bright smile on her face.
She knocked at the door excitedly, calling his name. "Adam-open the door! I just bake the cutest birthday cake ever!" she shouted merrily.
"Get lost!" the voice inside shouted back.
She smiled a little. "I'm going in anyway."
She pushed the door open with her free hand. She found him sitting on the edge of the bed, he was staring outside the window, looking miserable.
She steps forward. "Come on! Let's celebrate your birthday!"
"Shut up and go away!" Adam dismissed her, not even looking at the cute little cake she proudly held in her hands.
She walks slowly toward him. She's very well prepared for his outburst.
"Happy Birthday to my dearest best friend. Please blow your candle and make a wish!" she said cheerfully, maintaining her composure, she chose to ignore his foul mood.
Adam raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you become my best friend? As far as I know, you have been bullying and insulting me for a very long time. You're so mean!" He can no longer hide the sarcasm in his voice.
With heavy guilt plastered on her face, she can only bite her lower lip. Her smile was long gone, she sighed. Admitting her guilt and apologizing to him is the best thing she can do at this point.
Jessy tilted her head and cleared her throat. Adam suffers so much already, it has to end now. "Adam, I'm so sorry for bullying and insulting you all these years. I apologize for all the insults I made to you. Please give me another chance to be your good friend. I...Jessy Evans...starting today, will no longer call you an ugly vampire. From now on I will be your best friend. Hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," she said, sincerely.
Adam stared at her dumbfounded. He's been waiting for this to happen for a very long time. It's just hard to believe that it's happening now. "Wow-i-is this for real?"
She nodded, smiling at him. "I'm getting older...and I did realize my mistakes...hmmm...so yeah...hope you can forgive me and let's start all over again, okay?"
Upon seeing the sincerity in her face, he feels elated, a dazzling smile broke from his lips, it spreads wider within the four corners of his room.
It also reaches Jessy's heart and it makes her feel good all over. His dazzling smile was the best smile she has ever seen from him. Yaay! She must have done something really good today, she congratulated herself.
Somehow, she felt guilty all over again. Why does she fail to see Adam's sadness and loneliness that mirrored her own in so many ways? They were both abandoned child, the same fate should have brought them closer, not tear them apart. The anger she felt towards her parents for abandoning her was redirected to Adam all these years, he's the innocent one! It's not fair at all that she subjected him to all those bullyings! Oh, how much she regretted being cruel to him all these years. She was thoroughly ashamed of her past actions. Bullying him almost every day was the worst thing she ever did to him. She promised herself that from now on she will only be kind to him.
Due to all the pent-up emotions, she kept inside, the tears start to gather in her eyes. She's getting emotional and she can't help it. She can't hold it anymore...the tears were falling...trickling down on the surface of her face.
Adam hasn't seen her cry this bad, but the sight of her tear stricken face makes his heart-ache. For some unknown reason, he wanted to comfort her, hold her and just be there for her. He slowly pries away the cake from her hands and put it down on the bed. Then he enveloped her in a hug. He rubbed her back gently while she continues crying.
"Lol, stop crying, Jess...Nana might scold me thinking I started an epic fight with you on the day of my birthday," he said smiling.
She's crying even more...greatly touched by his profound understanding...tears were now soaking his shirt. He seemed not bothered by all of it.
Then he planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Y-you had forgiven me already?" she asked between sobs.
"Of course I do," he answered softly. "One thing for sure, you make this particular birthday of mine my happiest birthday ever!" Adam uttered those words happily, they come from the bottom of his heart. He always felt an intense feeling towards her that he can't quite well decipher. "Cry some more if you want...don't hold back." He murmured and held her just like that, the pain and grievances he felt towards her starts to evaporate into thin air.
It's the best feeling ever! He likes holding her up close especially like this, it feels so right. He doesn't want this moment to end.
After sometimes the tears subsided. Jessy was able to regain back her composure and slowly disengage from his embrace. After wiping the remaining tears away from her face, she picked up the little cake from the bed and smiled brightly at him. "Blow the candle now and make a wish!" she said, excitedly.
"About time," he said cheekily, then, he closed his eyes and make a wish.
"What did you wish for-?" she asked curiously.
"Secret," he winked at her.
She returned his smile. "So, what birthday gift do you want, Adam? I'm sorry... I haven't prepared anything yet because I don't know what you like. Tell me what you like so that I can order it online."
Adam shrugged. "Nothing. I don't need anything at this moment, because I already have you," he said meaningfully.
"Aww-funny, stop joking alright? Tell me what you want, come on!" she persisted. She wants to give him something. Something valuable...
Adam shook his head. "Your apology is the best birthday gift I ever received. It's more than enough for me, Jess," he meant it.
"Okay fine. Let's keep going, we can't keep Nana waiting for too long! There's lots of food waiting for us downstairs. Let's go!" She tugged at his hands and they run downstairs towards the dining room area, their merry laughter filled the entire hallway.
Nana Aida was sitting idle on one of the three seats surrounding the dining table, the table was laden with a variety of foods that she cooked herself a while ago. Her face twinkled brightly upon seeing Adam and Jessy entering the dining room, holding each other's hands, wearing a cheery smile on their faces.
"What take you so long, guys?" she asked them in a gentle tone.
Adam and Jessy looked at each other, they both grinned, they hurriedly sat down on the vacant chairs with jubilant enthusiasm displayed on their faces.
A one layered fondant cake was displayed deliciously at the center of the table. It was designed into his favorite anime character, Naruto! OMG! Adam's face broke into a wide smile. "Awesome cake, Nana! Thank you very much!" he stood up and envelopes the older woman in a bear hug as a sign of his gratitude.
"Let's start the celebration now! This is fantastic! Another cake, this one is much bigger!" Adam exclaimed in a joyous tone. He lighted the candle and blew it right away. Then he playfully swipes his finger on the icing of the cake, and with lightning speed smeared some good portion of it on Nanny Aida and Jessy's face, in turn, produces scream from the two unsuspecting ladies. Soon enough, the table exploded with their loud shrieked and high spirited laughter.
And the party has just begun...
What a happy day!