CHAPTER FOUR; Candles and wishes
808 Words
"Some birthdays are counted by candles. Others are remembered by the people who stood beside you."
The first sound Davi heard that morning wasn't her alarm.
It was someone pounding on her bedroom door.
"Davi!"
She pulled the blanket over her head.
"...Go away."
"No."
"It's too early."
"It's our birthday!"
She sighed into her pillow.
"It's six o'clock, Henry."
"I know!"
"Normal people are asleep."
"We're not normal people."
"We could try."
Another knock.
Louder this time.
"C'mon! You're officially seventeen!"
Davi sat up, her hair a mess and her eyes barely open.
"You've been seventeen for exactly... what... six minutes?"
Henry's grin widened.
"Best six minutes of my life."
She walked over and opened the door just enough to look at him.
He was already dressed in a hoodie and jeans.
"Why are you ready?"
"I was excited."
"You need hobbies."
"This is my hobby."
She stared at him.
"I regret being born on the same day as you."
Henry gasped dramatically.
"Take it back."
"No."
"You wounded me."
"You'll recover."
"I won't."
"You always do."
He folded his arms.
"...Mom made pancakes."
Davi blinked.
"You should've started with that."
"I knew food would work."
She laughed despite herself.
"You know me too well."
"I've had seventeen years of practice."
The smell of butter and maple syrup filled the kitchen downstairs.
Their mother, Olivia, stood by the stove flipping pancakes while Daniel arranged plates on the table.
"Happy birthday," Olivia said with a smile as the twins walked in.
Daniel looked up from the coffee maker.
"Seventeen already."
Henry spread his arms.
"I know. I barely look a day over sixteen."
Daniel chuckled.
"You barely looked awake ten minutes ago."
"I've grown since then."
Olivia slid another pancake onto his plate.
"I can see that."
Davi smiled as she sat down.
These mornings were her favorite.
No decorations.
No visitors.
Just the four of them.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Exactly the way she liked it.
Henry poured too much syrup on his pancakes.
Olivia raised an eyebrow.
"Planning to eat the bottle too?"
"I'm celebrating."
"Your stomach might not."
Daniel took a sip of coffee.
"I'll keep the antacids nearby."
Henry looked betrayed.
"No faith in me."
"Seventeen years of experience," Daniel replied.
Even Davi laughed.
After breakfast, Olivia handed each twin a neatly wrapped box.
"No peeking before we say the birthday song tonight," she warned.
Henry looked horrified.
"We have to wait?"
"You'll survive."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Davi smiled knowingly.
"I've been telling you that for years."
Henry pointed at her.
"You're supposed to support me."
"I support Mom."
"Traitor."
School buzzed with its usual energy, but somehow everything felt lighter.
Students called out birthday wishes as the twins walked through the gates.
Henry answered every single one.
Davi smiled politely, quietly thanking each person before continuing toward her locker.
"You've said 'thank you' at least twenty times," Aya said, appearing beside her.
"I've counted."
"You counted?"
"I got bored waiting for first period."
Davi shook her head.
"You really need better hobbies."
"Says the girl who alphabetized her bookshelf."
"I was organizing."
"You organized by author's middle initial."
"...It made sense."
Aya stared at her for a long second.
"I love you."
"I know."
"But you're weird."
"I've accepted that."
Across the hallway, Henry was already surrounded by classmates.
Ethan leaned against the lockers beside him, watching Henry tell another animated story with exaggerated hand gestures.
"He does know this isn't an election campaign, right?" Aya whispered.
Davi smiled.
"I don't think he cares."
As if hearing his name, Henry looked over.
"There you are!"
He waved dramatically.
"Birthday people should stand together!"
"We are standing," Davi replied.
"No, together!"
Aya leaned toward Davi.
"He says things with so much confidence that people forget they don't make sense."
"I've noticed."
Henry finally reached them, Ethan following a step behind.
"There," Henry declared proudly.
"The birthday twins."
"You say that like there are others," Ethan said.
"There could be."
"There aren't."
"Details."
Davi laughed.
Henry pointed triumphantly at Ethan.
"See? I made her laugh before first period."
"You made everyone laugh," Aya replied.
"Mostly at you."
Henry placed a hand over his heart.
"I choose to hear only the first part."
The first bell rang through the building.
Students began making their way toward class.
Henry adjusted the strap of his backpack.
"Come on," he said. "Let's not be late on our birthday."
As they started walking, Ethan slowed for just a second until he was beside Davi.
Without making a big deal of it, he said quietly,
"Happy birthday, Davi."
She looked at him and smiled.
"Thank you."
It was simple.
Just two words.
Yet somehow...
They felt different from all the others she'd heard that morning.
Not louder.
Not grander.
Just... sincere.
She wasn't sure why she noticed.
She only knew she did.
- Writer
