Torma..
I got home late that night, the encounter with the old lady left me paranoid and I drove home slower than a slug on a hot Sunday.
That tree ruined the shopping for me.
But that was days ago, today was different. Nothing was going to go wrong, I didn't tell Danielle nor Levi about that encounter and nothing has happened ever since.
I slid down the stairs rails.
'Guess who is of age!' I yelled, Danielle came running out the kitchen with a cake and candles.
'Guess who is older!' She yelled too. Holding out the cake, I blew my candle and she blew hers.
'Happy birthday!' We both yelled at each other before pinching part of the cake and smearing it on each other's face.
I let her put the cake down as I went and poured out two glasses of grape juice. Not wine, grape juice.
Handing her one, we both clinged the glasses and each took a sip out of them.
We both fell onto the couch with a huff.
'It's exhausting growing up!' I sighed. Danielle laughed rolling her eyes. 'What? it's true!'
She pushed herself up. 'Honey believe me I know..I've been there!' She pointed between us.
'I am the mom here!'
I laughed and got up just in time for the oven to ding. 'The cookies are done!' I ran to the kitchen.
The door bell rang and Danielle went to get it.
I knew who it was by the way she laughed happily. I wanted her to be happy but Levi didn't make me happy.
'Come on in!' She welcomed him.
'Or you could just drop off what you brought!' I mumbled setting the cookies on the table.
'Samuelle!' Danielle scolded, I bit my lip. Perhaps I mumbled a little too loud.
'I am joking mom!' I joined them in the living room. 'Levi knows that right?' I patted his arm.
He wiped it disgustedly as I did to my hand. 'Wasn't too excited to touch you either!' I grumbled reaching for the tray and holding it out for him. 'Cookie?'
He shook his head following my mom to the kitchen. She'd gone to place her gifts on the table. In case you asked, the answer is no. I don't have a gift.
'So.. Danielle? Any plans for today?' Levi rubbed his palms nervously.
'Yeah..we are going to hung out!' I butted in pointedly.
'Samuelle don't talk to Levi like that!' Danielle scolded, I folded my arms across my chest waiting for them to talk. 'What were you suggesting?'
I scoffed walking to the sitting room. Did she just want to explore her birthday options.
'Yeah..I do.' He smiled. 'Remember Matt, Chris and Helen?' He asked her and she beamed.
'Oh my God..you guys are in touch!' She laughed, probably her friends. I watched them through squinted eyes.
I knew she wasn't going to abandon me for them. It was birthday for us to hang. We even chased dad for sometime for us to have the girl time.
'Yes..we planned a birthday reunion type of thing for you!' He suggested excitedly.
'Well sorry but..mom won't be attending, she has plans!' I butted in again. I hated Levi.
'Samuelle!' She warned before returning her attention to Levi. 'I'd love to come for it!'
'What?' I walked back to them. 'We have girl time!' I reminded gesturing at all the stuff I'd bought for us.
'Samuelle..we got a lot of time to do that..we literally live in the same house!' She waved me off.
'But it's tradition!' I reminded.
'You heard your mom!' Levi spoke.
'I wasn't speaking to you!' I said pointedly. 'Mom?'
'You don't have to be so disrespectful..' Danielle scolded. 'Girl time is not tradition..my friends are inviting me for a hang out and I just understand why it's something bad.'
'Girl time is tradition!' I said firmly. She invented it when dad couldn't make it for our birthday and it eventually became tradition.
'I am going for the hang out..I don't care what you have to say about it! You go out when you want and I don't get a say about it!' She rubbed her temples and walked away.
I tried to follow her but Levi grabbed my arm. I yanked it out of his hand. 'Get your fπcking hand off me!'
I turned to a smack on my face by my mom. I looked at her in shock, she seemed equally shocked. Levi walked to her as she walked off.
I stayed their in shock.
***
I remained in my room waiting for her to come by but she didn't. I walked out and downstairs but the place was dark and cold.
Looking out the window, I noticed that there was no car. She had gone!
I smacked the tray of cookies off the table and ran out the door in bare feet. The place was dark and silent, walking back to my room, I pulled out a photo frame.
Danielle back when I wholeheartedly called her mom, Dad and me all covered in flour with wide spread smiles on our faces.
'Took me a while to realize but I have now..' I whispered to the photo.
Œtre œ Œtre! A whisper came from the corner of my room.
I stared at the dark corner in fear holding the photo close to my chest. A man stepped out of the corner looking pale and with a bone poking out of the side of his neck.
I stared at him. He didn't do anything, he just walked away after that.
I followed him downstairs and watched him go out the door, there he dispersed into vines that slithered to the grass.
I wasn't scared but shocked.
I looked up at the tree far from the house. I walked back into the house immediately after.
I got out my phone and turned on the flashlight. Making my way to all the flips, I turned on the lights.
The cupboard in the kitchen was directly in front of me, maybe turning eighteen comes with its own advantages.
I walked to it and got a bottle of rye whiskey. Not bothering to get a glass, I walked to my room.
I returned to the door dressed for an eighteenth birthday, not forgetting my rye whiskey.
I plugged in my headphones and stepped out the house. I was going to the kiosk nearest to home.