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fifty eight | birthday sex

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUU—" Jamie screams at the top of his lungs, before getting hit with a pillow. Hard. Luckily I chose to hold the cupcake instead of Jamie. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR—OW!" A shoe hits Jamie right in the face.

"See, at least when you woke me up you only got a threat," I point out.

"Thank you for threatening to skin me. You're so kind." He shakes his head. "You two, such a violent couple."

I lean down by the bed and gently shake Elijah awake. He groans and turns over. "Later."

"We made cupcakes," I sing.

"Wake up, fucker. It's eleven. Get your lazy ass out of bed." I glare at Jamie and he shrugs. "Fine, call me when he's up." He walks out the room.

Elijah turns and stretches. His arms reaching over his head, biceps flexing. "You made this for me?" He slowly sits up against the headboard and blows out the small candle that has started to melt, the wax nearly touching the icing.

"Happy birthday." I kiss his temple. "I can't take credit for it. It was Jamie's idea."

He puts the cupcake on the bedside table and pulls me onto his lap. My thighs spread to each side of his lap. "I must be dreaming, to be lucky enough to wake up to a beauty like you."

I grin and hold his face, leaning down to kiss him. He quickly turns his head away. "What?"

"Morning breath. Let me brush my teeth first. I'd like to remain the flawless, sexy hunk I know you see me as."

I trail my fingers gently across his cheek; along his jaw. My lips leave a trail of kisses where my fingers were. I moan in his ear as I go.

"Bree, what are you doing?" His voice is rough; restrained. He grips onto me tightly—unsure of whether to pull me close or push me away.

The song Birthday Sex begins to play from outside my bedroom door. I pull away to glare at the closed door.

Elijah chuckles. "We will finish this later."

"I'm going out today." To train until I can't feel my arms. "But meet me tonight, okay? I'll send you the location."

•<•>•

I step out of the gym. As per my plan, I can no longer feel my arms. Or my legs, my core—I am basically a blob of jelly at this point. But it's good. Because the stronger I am, the sooner I can kill Antonio.

"Hey," Sienna jogs up to me. She wipes a towel over her face. "I saw you going ham on that boxing bag. You alright?"

I still don't trust her, but I want to. I need to have people I can trust, if I want any chance of becoming a normal person. A good person. "Coffee?"

She grins. "Absolutely. Let me just grab my stuff inside and I'll meet you there?" She runs back into the gym and I start to walk down the road, towards the coffee shop that is only a block or two down the street.

I don't want to be around people. Not when my adrenaline is so high. Not when I'm so focused on killing. But, I have to think about the long run. Having friends—being better at being humane—is part of the plan.

I take a seat at an empty table, after ordering my coffee. Folding my arms onto the table, I drop my head. I'm exhausted. I could happily stuff myself with food and hibernate for a few months now.

The chair scrapes and for a heartbeat, I think it might be Antonio, coming to remind me that he is watching. But it's Sienna. She has changed into a cute summer dress and sandals, her thin brown hair is plaited.

"Hey," she beams.

I smile. "Tell me about your day." I'd like the distraction.

She looks towards the roof as she recalls, "It was pretty average. I taught my taekwondo classes in the morning. Then I spent some time with loved ones. Ate some cake—which was so good. Then hit the gym to work it off. And here I am." She grins and makes jazz hands.

"I actually ate cake—Well, cupcakes, too."

Her eyes light up. "What was the occasion?"

The conversation would end up steering towards Elijah. Which is something I want to avoid. For a while, I want to stop thinking about him, and Antonio and the world. "Celebrating life."

She leans her chin on her hand. "A life worth celebrating?"

Not yet, but . . . "I'm working on it."

"What are you going to work on? Do you want to travel?"

I want to. With Elijah. But how would I explain where I got all the money? "When I can afford it, yes." By making it the right way, through a real job. "And I want to help people."

She nods and pulls out a pen to write on a napkin. Underlining the word 'goals'. "I love setting goals. It's a bit of a weird thing I have. Do you have any plans for how you want to help people? Be specific." She holds her pen at the ready.

I ring my fingers. "Donating, volunteering, anything that I can."

She nods and jots it down. "Maybe you can do it while travelling. There are lots of countries that need help. Lots who need simple things like shelter or food." She plays with some stray strands of hair. "By when would you want to do this?"

"In a year, once I've finished my degree." She continues asking me specific questions, about whether the goals are realistic and within reach. It motivates me to get it done, which makes me like her more.

My phone buzzes, pulling me out of our conversation.

See you soon ;)

Elijah. I realise we have been talking for longer than planned and quickly push myself out of my seat. "I'm sorry. I need to get going." I don't bother to hug her, not feeling close enough to do so yet.

"Sure, I'll see you soon."

•<•>•

I'm trying to learn Spanish. It's going well so far.

What would you guys say is the best way to learn a new language? Tv shows? Books? Speaking to others?

T w i t t e r : xPineappleGirlx
I n s t a g r a m : laylaawrites
Y o u t u b e : xThePineappleGirlx

Lots of love and jelly tots - xThePineappleGirlx