Ace's POV:
3 months later:
August 2020,
Florida
Ace: 11 years old
"Wake up, Young Master"
"I don't want to wake up" I whine, further snuggling into the sheets.
"Young Master, you have to understand. Your parents didn't forget your birthday. They just didn't want to wake you up at midnight. Cause it's stupid." Ms. Nelly responded.
"Is it?" I questioned, looking up.
"Not to me....but to some people. And that's fine."
Why does she always try to justify them?
She works for them.
Exactly, that's why. But Ms. Nelly is the nicest person to me in this house. I see more of her than I get to see my mother. She's been there with me ever since I was born. She was there with me when I took my first steps, when I spoke my first words and when I broke that vase... That was not an episode I want a repeat of. I shudder at the memory. Ms. Nelly can be really scary when she wants to be. But the thing I remember the most is how she always wished me at midnight on my birthday, how she cooked me yummy food, and how she stayed late at night with me when my tummy wasn't feeling well.
I huffed as Ms. Nelly snatched the covers from me and glared at me. I folded my arms and sat upon the bed that was too large for my small body.
We stared at each other for a while until I started making faces. Ms. Nelly laughed and I smiled at her. She opened her arms wide for me and I jump into her.
"Happy Birthday, Ace" She whispered into my ear as she hugged me tightly.
"Thank you, Ms. Nelly"
"You still have to take a shower, you know."
I pouted as I looked at her. She gave a look that told me I'm not getting out of this room until I take a shower. I gave up and stomped towards the bathroom.
Why do I have to shower everyday?
"Young Master" The workers greeted and bowed their heads as I walked down the stairs.
"Happy Birthday, lil' boy," Mr. Harris, the head chef greeted in his country accent.
"I am not a boy, I am a man now. I am ten years old now!!, " I replied, holding out ten fingers and showing them to him.
"Ok. Ok. What would the Master like to eat on their birthday?" He asked with a playful smile.
"I would like to eat chocolate almond truffle tart, vienesse sachertorte, fondue au chocolat..oh oh and chocolat marquise."
"That is a whole lot of chocolate. " He chuckled.
"But it's my birthday...so I get to eat everything I want, right? " I fluttered my lashes at him.
"Yes, you do." He smiled at me, ruffling my hair.
Mom and dad finally decided to make an appearance. Mom with lots and lots of white stuff on her face and dad, with his face buried inside the tablet.
Mom turned towards me and said, "Happy Birthday Ace, we need you to come home right after your playdate with Arthur so that we can get you ready for the party. "
Yes, I go on playdates decided by my parents at the age of 10.
Plus I don't like that obnoxious boy. He always mocks me.
"Ok mommy," I said as I gave her my megawatt smile but she didn't see it as she was too busy in the book which has lots of women with half-cut clothes and lots of powdery stuff on their face.
Maybe we should donate some of our clothes to those women.
I will have to talk to mom and dad about this later.
I nodded in approval of my thoughts as I looked at my dad who was still busy with the tablet, "Don't stare, it's rude. And sit straighter. Never slouch."
I sat up straighter and looked at dad who finally turned towards me and said, "Happy Birthday. Now listen to me, behave well tonight. There are going to be a lot of important people coming here tonight, so no funny business. And I heard you are slacking in maths. I can't believe you got only a B. You are such a disappointment. Study harder. You need to start your language tuition from tomorrow. How are you going to do all that when you can't ace a simple math test."
I sniffed as tears welled behind my eyes but mom and dad didn't seem to notice. Mr. Harris gave me a sympathetic smile and I looked down.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
I quietly ate my breakfast, not even tasting what was going inside my mouth. I finished and made my way towards the car as the chauffeur opened the door for me.
I looked out the window as the car drove by the streets. The streets of Florida were beautiful. It was the first time I was visiting this place. We had to fly out of New York for my birthday because Dad thought that it would be a golden chance to socialise. Plus he had some work in Florida. So he had been in and out of the house for the past week. It was planned out to be a lavish event as there were a lot of important people coming for the occasion. But I was thankful that we'd be back in New York tomorrow.
My eyes caught sight of a family. They looked happy. The couple walked down the street with their child walking in the middle. The kid stopped and raised his hands for his father to pick up. He held the child in his arms as the woman gazed at them both with so much love. I looked away from them, not able to take it all anymore.
Arthur was a pain in the butt as usual. Going on and on about how many toys he had and how he was richer than me. All bluff. If there was one thing I knew, that's how rich our family is. And that's not something I can deny. No matter how badly I wanted to.
I returned back home to be met with the sight of people running around in a hurry. Some panicky, some sweaty and some horrified. I knew exactly what it was. They were preparing for the big party tonight. I resumed walking until I reached my room.
Night dawned upon the sky and it was finally time for the big party. I stood in the middle of the hall as everyone sang happy birthday. My parents put on their fake smiles and greeted everyone.
I sat in the corner of the room after we cut the cake.
An old man sat in the chair beside me while I munched on my chocolate bar. As I was reaching for another one, the old man said," That is not good for your health," he looked pointedly at the chocolate in my hand, " Do you know how much damage it'll cause to your teeth?"
I looked up at him," Do you know my great-grandpa is 102 and still alive."
He gave me a shocked look," Was it because of eating chocolate?"
"No, he always minded his own business," I gave him a crooked smile.
"But it seems like he is starting to meddle in other people's business. Old age does that to you."
"You little brat!" Grandpa wrapped me in his arms and started tickling me. I laughed so loud for the first time today.
My great grandpa and I have always been really close. He is a great man and I look up to him. He was the one who started the company and turned it into an empire. He loves to brag about it and the only other thing I've heard him talking about is my great grandma. She was a beautiful woman even when she lied on her death bed. I remember talking to her once but that was the only time I actually saw her. Grandpa was really sad after her death.
"You're growing to be a wonderful young man. Now it's my time for my dinner," Grandpa patted my back and moved towards the food. Always hungry.
My smile dropped as I saw Arthur and his friends giving me vicious glares on the sidelines. I knew exactly why but I chose to ignore them all. They were jealous. They were jealous of how my dad spent so much money on a party. They envied me because of the life I led.
If they only knew.
I walked towards the door as I saw Ms. Nelly standing in the middle of the hall but one of the boys from earlier stuck his leg out and I tripped. I rammed face-first into the dessert table. Everything fell on the ground and created a huge mess. Everyone turned to look at the commotion and I saw the horrid look on their faces.
Dad started walking towards me with a look on his face that scared the heck out of me.
"Go to your room." He said in a low voice that sent chills down my spine.
I looked at him teary-eyed but he just glared at me.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
Dad grabbed my hand and pulled me up to my room.
"You are a disgrace to this family! You always mess everything up, don't you?"
"I-"
"Shut up and listen to me!! " I jumped back as dad shouted at me.
"I didn't-"
"I told you to behave, didn't I?"
I kept quiet.
"I asked you a question and I expect an answer!!" He yelled at me.
I closed my eyes and screamed, "I didn't do anything!"
Before I knew what happened, I felt a sting on my cheek and I looked up to see dad with his hand raised in mid-air.
The waterworks almost started flowing but I stopped them. It was getting harder to breathe. So I did the only thing I could think of doing. I ran out of the room, out the back door and towards the beach.
I ran and ran till I couldn't. It was getting harder to breathe with each step and I collapsed on the cold sand. I found a mini cave-like shelter and decided to sit there for a while. I stared into the sea as I remembered all the times my parents weren't there for me when they should have been.
"Mommy!! Mommy!! I am playing Peter Pan in the school play. You have to come. " I screamed as I reached home. I was so excited to tell Mom and Dad about this that I didn't even wait for the driver. I ran straight home.
"I'm sorry, honey. I have a party I need to attend." She replied, still putting on the white stuff on her face as she walked down the stairs in death traps.
"But-" I started only to see she was already gone.
"Daddy!! Daddy!! Let's go on a trip....a fishing trip on a boat!! " I asked my dad. Yesterday Mike was talking about how his dad took him on a fishing trip where they caught big fishes and then his mom cooked it for them.
" I can't, Ace. I have a very important meeting this afternoon." Dad said as he grabbed his suitcase and headed towards the huge black door. Why do we have such huge doors again.. Oh right. Momma said we are rich people so we should live lav... lavi..lavish?
"But I-" I looked at the door to see he was long gone.
"Mommy! Daddy! Look at this, I-"
"We would love to hear what you have to say...but right now, we have a gala to attend. Be good to Ms. Nelly. Bye," They said as they headed out...leaving me alone, once again.
"But I got an A+" I whispered to no one.
They are never there. Never. Ms. Nelly says that I wouldn't have been able to live in such a big house and have so many toys if mom and dad didn't go out to make money. I don't want a big house or toys. I want a small cozy house where I get to see my mommy and daddy. I don't want so many toys.
Do mommy and daddy not love me?
Am I bad?
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
A drop of water fell down on the ground.
Another one followed.
I looked up towards the sky but it wasn't raining. I realized it was me. I couldn't stop myself as more and more tears dropped down.
I gaze into the night sky to be met with the beautiful sight of the stars forming a heart. I smiled at the irony. Suddenly a shooting star shot right through the heart. I remember Ms Nelly told me that if you make a wish upon a shooting star, it comes true. I ran out of the shelter and clapped my hands together and closed my eyes.
I wish that I wouldn't be alone.
I wish that someone truly cared for me.
I wish for someone who truly loves me.
I opened my eyes to see that the star was gone. My eyes roamed towards the sea to see something shining on the other side. I walked slowly towards the other end of the shore to see it was a bottle, a very beautiful glass bottle. It was glowing, thanks to the beautiful fairy lights and glitter, lots and lots of glitter filled in the bottle. I opened the top to see a chocolate bar resting inside along with a mirror and a...letter? It was delicatety folded in a roll and held together by a thin, elegant string.
Is it for me?
Did God send it?
Should I read someone else's letter?
I took the string and pulled it slightly.
Maybe a little peek wouldn't hurt.
I unfolded the letter and started reading.
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I don't know who you are but you are beautiful. Inside and out. I want to tell you how special you are. How you deserve every bit of love the world has to offer. How you deserve every amazing thing. If it weren't for you, the world probably wouldn't be quite the same. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be as happy, knowing that this letter will never touch your hands the way they are touching it now. Dear, beautiful, admirable stranger. Do me a favour. Look around you. Look up, look down. Look at how beautiful the world around you is. Look at yourself in the mirror to see how beautiful you are. And if you still don't believe me, let me tell you something...
Today, I learnt that fairytales aren't real. That Cinderella wasn't real, she didn't get her Prince Charming. There was no ball. There was no beautiful dress...no glass slipper. And that snow white wasn't woken out of her sleep by true love's kiss. So should I still be believing that one day, maybe, just maybe I'll get my own Prince Charming, my own fairytale? Or should I give up on it? Should I wait for something that is unlikely to happen or should I give up on it? Should I wait for my fairytale or should I give up on it, only to regret for the rest of my life over something that could've been magical?
Let me tell you a secret... I believe, I believe that someday my prince charming is going to walk up to me, ask me for a dance and stay beside me for the rest of my life.
And I just want to tell you...do not lose faith in something you really want, for it could end up being the reason, you couldn't get what you want. I want to tell you that you aren't alone. Even if no one cares, I do. My mommy always says that good things happen to you when you least expect them.
Oh and I'm 8 years old. I live in California with my mommy and daddy. I have a best friend too...her name is Mia. Oh and I love chocolates...just so you know, you're very lucky to receive the chocolate because I don't usually share it with just anyone. Only really really special people.
Keep believing, keep dreaming.
With love,
Ms. Jane Doe
I smiled. I was happy for now.
My eyes caught something else written on the back of the paper and I turned it around.
I hope my letter made you smile. And if it did, write one for me too.💓Tell me about yourself.
There was an address written below and I knew exactly what I had to do.