*I think I'm rooting for Cream now, idk idk*
*
Vanilla (Happy birthday Nilla!)
It's been three days since Ber slammed me into the wall and after Mistress rocked me to sleep, found myself changed out of my uniform into my pyjamas.
Three days since Ari and I had become really close, since we had nearly all our classes together.
He had told me later that he was a scholarship student since this school was only for rich kids but he couldn't afford it and they usually bullied him, until me of course.
The bullying went on anyway, but it wasn't so.... Bad.
There was the usual snickers, or shove, or whispers.
But apart from that, no one did anything and I was okay.
Mel was not still talking to me, always trying to avoid me, and Cream always seemed to look through me and Ber.....
He just ignored me.
Coco on the other hand always took me to school and came back with me on his bike, walking with them because I had insisted.
Because I didn't want Ber more mad at me for stealing his friend.
But Coco being my only friend had asked, not very politely anyway, that after school, I should say my goodbyes to Ari and make sure he's five feet away from me when he comes or he'd get expelled.
Not that I'm sure he was serious but I didn't risk it.
Within those three days, I keep slipping notes under Ber's room door.
The first time I slipped the note, he had come out, asking Coco if he was the one and when Coco said no, he faced me with a blank expression and tore it to pieces.
But I didn't stop.
Until today.
And today, is Friday.
I had not been able to sleep anyway.
My birthdays were never something to celebrate.
They once were, when Dad was here.....
Until he left on the last one.
'I have to go on our music tour Bessie's
'Can I come along?'
'You're too little lovely, but I can bring something back for you, what do you want Honey?'
'Um.... A crucifix!'
'Princess? Why?'
'Just like yours, so we'd have matching ones!'
He had laughed...
'Here. Have mine instead, its more of a family heirloom anyway. When I get back, I'm sure I'd get you something way more sensible than a crucifix, yeah?'
'Yay!'
'Happy birthday princess'
He never came back.
Mother said he didn't have any tour, that Dad and band disbanded a long time ago, and that he had a new family somewhere far away.
I didn't believe her and I still do not.
If he had a new family, he would have come back for me.
He knew what Mother did to me so he would have definitely come back.
I had once told her he died that's why he didn't come back and she had beaten me.
But I didn't care.
The crucifix was the only thing I had of him and it was my source of peace and safety.
Just like how he always saved me when Mother tried hitting me.
He ALWAYS saved me.
So he had to have....
And the other birthdays.
Mum had tried throwing me out on my fifth.
I moved around orphanages on all my birthdays, everytime, cause no one wanted a mute that actually had a choice to talk but did not want to.
And when I had finally found somewhere I felt safe....
'Happy birthday Nessie. I love you'
.... It was all in my imagination.
When it was three am, and I was still awake, clutching unto my crucifix and wishing that the day would just pass quickly.
Someone crawled into my bed.
I thought it was Coco at first, but the scent....
I suddenly freeze, unable to move.
He wraps his hand around my body, pulling me in closer and letting out a grunt "Relax"
I do so.
He sighs "I'm sorry V, I don't know what came over me"
His breath feels hot on my neck and I tense again, but he doesn't seem to notice as he says "Happy birthday"
He.... He remembered?
"Go to sleep"
And when I do, he's still there.
*
I wake up with someone struggling go crawl under my blanket and when I finally manage to sit, begins to lick me.
I do not need a fortune teller to tell me who it is.
Chocolate....
"Happy birthday babe!"
Babe?
I open my eyes and he is in front of me, on all fours and I can swear if he has a tail, he'd be wagging it.
I groan, and try to go under the bedsheet but he hurriedly follows, licking my face again.
I push him off the bed and hear him make an 'oof' before I hear someone begin to whimper at my ears.
I hiss, sitting up as his sad puppy face goes and he smiles "I have a surprise for you! Hurry up and dress for school so you see it!"
I grumble, sliding out of the bed and staring at him, as I have done for the past three days, hoping he'd get the message and leave.
But as usual, he doesn't move.
Instead, he crawls into the bed, sniffing "Ah, you always smell so nice when you wake up"
I blush, ignoring him and standing up before I hear him say "Is that.... Is that strawberry I'm smelling?"
I deadpan.
"It is"
Suddenly, I'm grabbed and pulled back into the bed as he stares at me, his face in a snarl "Did he touch you?"
He looks like a dog at the moment trying to protect his owner....
So cute.
I slowly shake my head as his wild eyes dilate and he suddenly begins to rub his head on my body.
I stay still as he continues before saying "I guess he dropped a present"
Present?
I turn to my bedside and see it.
There's a small velvet box on it.
I slowly pick it, opening it and gasping
It's a ring....
With five stones on it.
"Topaz, sapphire, ruby, amethyst and Emerald" He murmurs, still running his head all over me "That's our favourite stones. Do you like it?"
Like it....
It looks expensive!
I can't....
"You'd like mine too!" He suddenly says, jerking up happily "Go bath! Please!"
I shut the box back and set it inside my closet then bath.
Later he's pulling me down the stairs, ignoring the fact I'm still tired and pulls me to the dining table, setting me down then hurries off again.
When he comes back, he's pulling Mel along who still has that same face of not wanting to see me.
Or being too shy to.
I'm still staring at him as Coco pulls him along with a bowl in his hand before he drops it and says "Hap.... Happy birthday"
I stare inside it and my heart swells.
"Chocolate pudding, you still like it?" Coco says "He only makes it Sundays but you decided to do it for you! Actually, we decided to"
"You didn't do anything" Mel grumbles.
"You said I shouldn't because I'd break something so I just stared!" Coco says back with his tongue out at him before facing him as he takes a spoon and raises it to my mouth "Taste it"
I open it and he puts it in, smiling.
When I lick my lips and smile, he brightens up again "You like it!"
Why....
Why does it make me happy to see him happy?
Mel on the other hand is still standing there, blushing immensely and trying not to look at us when I raise a spoon to his mouth.
He stares, shocked, before he opens his mouth and takes it.
I smile at him too.
And then he smiles back.
Cream had handed his own gift to me in school with a kiss on the back of my hand.
A collar.
A diamond collar.
At school, was something more different.
"Happy birthday Nessa!"
I turn, meeting Ari smiling at me with a wrapped box in his hand.
Another gift?
But I didn't....
"I hacked into the schools computer and found out" He blurted out "I'm so sorry, but when I asked you, you wouldn't tell me"
I sigh.
He makes a face "So... So you won't take it?"
I write on my palm and show it to him.
'During lunch, I will'
He brightens up "Okie!"
Why did I not take it?
Because a feeling had come....
A feeling I only felt when I knew my birthday wasn't going to be okay.
And it happened.
At lunch, Ari hurries over to me as I wait for him since we didn't have any class together before someone pushes me.
I nearly fall over until Ari holds me as the person says "You're awfully comfortable now aren't you? Smiling like you belong here"
Ari grits his teeth at him "Leave her alone"
Court pushes him into a locker "Or what? Just shut up, you got no right to even say anything, faker" Then he faces me "No one even knows how you came about. Tell me, are you some illegitimate child, hmmm? What's your last name?"
I don't answer.
"Leave her...."
I see it, because years with living with Mother and other people had taught me how to see punches or slaps coming before they did.
I am already in front of Ari when the punch slams into my stomach as I let out a gasp, blood spluttering out as Ari holds unto me "Vanessa!"
The pain doesn't register at first, cause I don't feel anything.
I only hear.
'He left me because of you!'
'You are the most repulsive thing!'
The hall is quiet as Ari talks around me, but I don't hear it...
He's voice is drowning out until I see it....
Ber has rage written all over his face, and there's blood on his hand as he keeps punching Court into the lockers.
Blood all over it....
He should stop....
He'd kill him.
God, he'd kill him.
Cream suddenly carries me bridal style away from Ari, staring at me, an emotion on his face.
Pain.
There are veins twitching on him as he stares down at me and I feel tears come out of my eyes.
Coco is now in front of Court, a crazy grin on his face before I see it.
A bat swinging and hitting Court's leg.
I hear the scream and crunch, trying to come out of Cream's grasp but he's holding me down... And I'm weak.
Let me go....
He'd kill him...
I look up at Cream, tears in my eyes as I pound weakly on his chest.
He stares at me for a while, conflicted before he drops me down.
I feel my legs on the ground but I don't at the same time as I hold my weak stomach before Mel is holding me.
He has tears in his eyes but I smile at him, pushing myself out of his grasp and keep moving towards Ber who is now grabbing unto Court who has blood written all over his face.
Coco is staring at me, his crazed look gone but I ignore him.
I'm still limping towards Ber.
When I reach him, I wrap my hands around his back.
I feel him tense, and begin to breathe hard.
I squeeze hard.
Talk....
Talk please....
"Le...t hi.. him go.... Ple.... Please"