His game (being rewritten)

Happy Birthday

It was a sunny day at the end of July. It was hot, the sun shining bright on the people that were gathered at a birthday party. It was her 18th birthday, and she was for sure excited as anyone would be. Her parents organized the party to be in the Hamptons, at their beach house, and she was okay with that, though there were no family members from her mother's side attending, in fact, they never were. But she didn't complain. Her parents always did tell her, that the family dynamics have always been a bit off and that her mother's side of the family never approved of her decision to marry Frances Cruger. They always told her that that was also the reason they left Italy when she was six years old, though she didn't remember her childhood at all, which she sometimes wondered about. She did hear that a lot of people don't have their early memories, but the fact, that this could be associated with traumatic experiences was making a weird feeling surge through her body; it made her head and her heart ache. 

It was already late in the afternoon, she was talking to her aunt Abby, Frances' sister, that was way more of a free spirit than her brother. She came home maybe twice a year from her travels, never forgetting to send a postcard to her favorite niece; not as if she had more than one. But it was that day when it was already 4 p.m. when her mother called her, saying there was someone she wanted to introduce. As she made her way to her parents, who were standing on the veranda, talking and laughing, she felt a bit lost. As if everything was just a blur. Like a film being played before her eyes, as if she wasn't part of this world. Shaking her head, she walked a bit faster while looking down at her feet, hoping she won't stumble and fall like the clutz she normally was; a smile formed on her lips at that thought. "Flame honey, this is Mr. and Mrs. Walker. They are our family friends." her mother said with a sweet smile, her hand hugging her across her shoulders. "And hopefully future business partners." said her dad, clinking his glass of beer with Mr. Walker. She extended her hand, greeting them both before Mr. Walker and her father want away to talk about their partnership. "My son had to go back to the car to get his phone, I swear these children nowadays are addicted to these things." Valeria, as she got to know was Mrs. Walker's first name, said while shaking her head with a smile. "I think you two will get along just fine, though he is a year older." 

*** 1st pers. pov.

I stood beside my mother for a minute more or so, until I decided that I was bored and remembered that I do have a lot of people here that I can talk to. I walked back down to the garden, trying to look for aunt Abby. I wouldn't lie if I said that I adored this woman. She was adventurous, mysterious, down to earth, funny, smart and all of that was mixed into an I don't give a f**k attitude. I idolized her. Maybe a bit too much, as I would soon realize. She had those few quirks about her, like taking any man to bed that she found just a bit good looking or who were giving her enough attention. I don't know what it was that made her do things like that, though she seemed to enjoy herself, I was always sure that there was something dark inside of her that made her seek reassurance in the beds of strangers. 

Just as I spotted her, mingling with a woman that looked a few years older than her, a warm hand on my shoulder startled me, making me turn around.

Emeralds. Emeralds, that's what they were. Those deep green eyes of his, so warm, so green, as if I was looking at the forest after a summer storm. I could have gotten lost in the... no, I did get lost in them. They were sparkling underneath the few strands of fawn hair that were falling across his face. "Since there aren't many teenagers present... actually, non," he smiled, and I looked at his full pink lips, that were hiding perfect white and straight teeth, "well, I thought you must be the birthday girl." he squinted his eye looking down at me while extending his hand. "You've probably already met my parents, but I'm Grant." I put my hand into his one and he squeezed it gently. "I'm Flame, nice to meet you." I smiled up at him, the warm wind blowing my hair around my face. "Nice to meet you too," he said with a smirk.