His Weakness

Happy Birthday to Me II

My chest hurt throughout the day and the PDA in the hallways which normally didn't bother me too much, was impossible to simply ignore when it was at the locker right next to mine.

    Yep, and to think I'd considered myself lucky to have Ethan as my locker neighbor earlier this year.  He'd said hi once or twice and I'd stupidly thought that he'd noticed me.  That maybe I'd had a shot at winning over his affections.

    Stupid, stupid, stupid.

    I'd been so hearbroken I hadn't been able to focus on any of my classes, merely doodling int he margins of my notebooks like a loon. By the last bell, I was so thankful for the opportunity to leave that I'd rushed straight for the exit without bothering another locker stop.  I figured I'd get away scott free and maybe get to spend the evening alone in my bedroom among my books.  Sad as it was, I didn't actually have a lot of friends and since Charlotte seemed preoccupied, I had very little hopes for any birthday plans.

    As I was just a yard from the exit, I heard my name.  Frowning, I halted because she was my friend.  Despite the whole guy situation, Charlotte had been there for me when I'd had nobody.  She'd been the first to sit with me during lunch and the only person who purposely went out of her way to speak to me, the awkward shy girl.

    Damn.

    Turning back to her, I forced a small smile which faltered a bit when I saw she was making hher way toward me, hand in hand with none other than Ethan.  Lovely.

    "Theo said we should come over for your birthday dinner!" she beamed, swinging her hand which was tangled with his from side to side between them.

    "Uh," I started, racking my brains for an excuse, any excuse for them not to come.  "I don't think--"

    "I thought we were going to your place," Ethan to Charlotte muttered with a frown.

    "Oh, it'll just be a quick stop, baby.  She's my best friend."  She pouted her full pink lips at him, widening her eyes innocently.  "Please?"

    He licked his lips, his mind obviously going to the gutter.  "Okay, baby."

    Great.  Ethan was being dragged to my birthday dinner against his will.

    My head felt like it was pounding as Theo and Phil came upon us.  "Hey Ethan, you'll give us a ride, right?" he pushed, offering a wide grin.  No wonder he inviting my friends, he just didn't want to walk to school.  I gave him a dirty look which he brushed off easily.  Phil patted my back in an almost soothing manner as we headed toward Ethan's Mustang.

    Once inside, I avoided all the chatter around me, thankful that it was a short trip.

    "...Vi?"

    Blinking, I realized Charlotte was calling for me.  "Huh?" I muttered, refocusing on the conversation.

    "I was asking why you didn't throw a party or something for your birthday," Ethan said.

    "She's not into parties, right Vi?" Charlotte said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

    "That why she never came to mine?" Ethan asked.

    I blinked, shocked by that question.  I had never been invited to any of his parties.

    Charlotte glanced over at me and something told me that she had been at all of the parties.  She'd never once invited me along.  Betrayal filled my stomach with heat as she said, "Oh, I didn't think that was your scene.  It's not, right Vi?"

    Wow, I thought to myself.  You think you know a person.  "Right," my traitorous voice sounded strained even to my own ears and I forced my eyes back outside, wishing I could get the hell out of this small space full of backstabbing people.

    The car hadn't even stopped all the way when I opened the door and hopped out, making a bee-line for my house.  I needed water or something.  My throat was dry, my hands clammy.  My rollercoaster of emotions had me feeling physically sick.  Damn teenage hormones.

    I was chugging on water when the oven started beeping and my father rushed into the kitchen to take out meatloaf.  Meatloaf.  I stared at it for a moment, trying not to look completely horrified.  There was very little in this world that I hated more than meatloaf.  I found it almost ironic that my birthday meal would be the one thing I refused to eat.

    Just salt to the wound, I thought, trying to keep my head clear as Theo called me out to the living room for a "surprise".  I rolled my eyes but felt some relief.  Maybe, just maybe, he'd be forgiven if he got me a really nice present.  The box was a decent size and well decorated with a big ribbon.  Despite his terrible behavior earlier, I found myself smiling a little.  "For me?" I asked, grateful for finally recieving some good news.  Everybody was in the living room now, even my parents, to see what Theo had got me.

    Greedily taking my present, I undid the bow and unwrapped a plain white box.  When I opened the box, confetti flew up at me making me jump, the box slipping from my fingers, the contents spilling tot he floor.  A bra?  Not just a bra but a big one, one that definitely wouldn't fit my small chest.  Picking up the large bra, a note fell from the cup.  It said:  "Happy birthday, Vi.  If you pray hard enough maybe you'll eventually fill these out. Theo."  As if on cue, Theo howled with laughter and Charlotte asked what it was and I heard Ethan's rumbling laughter as they all looked on and, somehow, the pain from before just seemed heavier.  Giving a small, humorless giggle, I felt the tears that had been threatening to escape all day slip down my cheeks.

    "Very funny," I managed, hating how my own voice cracked.

    The laughter stopped then and I knew they must have realized my state.  "Aw c'mon Vi," Theo groaned from somewhere to my right as I stuffed the bra back into the box, "It was just a joke."

    I just smiled wider.  "I'm tired," I said quietly, not bothering with a goodbye as I jogged up to my room.  I thought I heard footsteps behind me and Charlotte calling my name but I didn't want to talk to anybody.  Didn't want to see anybody.  I wasn't interested in anything but climbing into bed and drowning in bedsheets.  When I got to my room, I locked the door, ignoring the scolding I could hear my parents giving to Theo and the sound of the front door as my "friends" left.

    Slipping into a more comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I submitted myself to self-pity and finally let myself cry.  I cried and cried, eventually falling into a fitful sleep.