Page 154 of Collided

I quickly shut off my phone.

“It’s your birthday?”

“Tomorrow.”

I don’t like my birthday anymore. It was the one day Emery made a big deal out of. From decorating the living room with a horrendous rainbow of balloons to getting a custom-made cake. She went all out like it was a carnival. She was annoying and unbearable most of the year, but on my birthday she tried hard to make it the absolute best for me. We were the only family for each other, and we were happy. We were enough for each other.

“You should’ve told me,” Hope says in a feeble voice.

“It’s not my birthday yet. And it doesn’t matter. I don’t celebrate my birthday since…”

“Since Emery’s death.”

“Yes," I rasp out.

Hope stares at me like she can see right through me. All that I hide from the world because I can’t bear their sympathy and pity, but it’s there, all of it. Grief, anger, guilt, regret, love, sadness, emptiness and so many other fucking emotions.

“It’s like any other day. Forget about it,” I gruff out roughly, and look out on the street that’s lit with a few houses where people are moving around casting shadows on the curtains.

“I can’t just forget it. You’re my friend. It’s your special day, so it’s a special day for me, too.”

Friend.I needed this reminder afterhowI’ve been thinking about her lately.

“You should go. It’s almost eight.”

“I should.” But she doesn’t make a move to leave.

I look over and find her staring at me with a tiny smile. “Meet me at the library tomorrow morning.”

My eyebrows furrow. “Why?”

“You’ll see.” She shrugs with a smile.

“I told you I don’t celebrate my birthday.”

“I never said a thing about celebrating your birthday.”She’s good.

“If you want me to read books with you at the library then don’t bother. They bore me.”

Hope gasps but a shadow of a smile dances on her lips. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. And no, we won’t be reading books or doing anything book related.”

“Then?”

“It’s a surprise.”

I roll my eyes. “Blondie is rubbing off on you.”

“I love Marie.”

“Clearly.”

“I gotta go now. See you tomorrow.”

Just like that, she’s out of my car.

31

Hope

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