𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋||𝐏. 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑 ||

𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊

ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───YEAH, VANCOUVER AND MAPLE SYRUP FOR THE WIN ───☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

"HAPPY birthday to you..."

I hear a faint, familiar tune as I stir awake from my sleep, making the mistake of opening my eyes immediately instead of rubbing them first. So now all I see are multiple blurry flames and a few people standing around my bed with flowers.

"Am I dead?" I ask groggily when I see Dad crying and I rub my eyes.

"Oh my God." Pepper chuckles, shaking her head. "It's your birthday, remember? You're not dead, sweetheart."

Shit, I totally forgot it was my birthday today. The very fact that I'm now eighteen scares the hell out of me. Not just because I'm old enough to be expected to do 'adult' stuff, but also because if Dad and his lawyers loose this case, which is highly unlikely, I'd be old enough for the tape to be distributed freely around the goddamn country.

"Make a wish!" Happy blows a party horn that makes me jump and brings the cake over towards me.

Closing my eyes shut, I think for a few seconds about what I'm going to wish for, before saying it in my head and blowing my candles out.

"Confetti!" Dad exclaims and Pepper's eyes widen.

"No, no, no, don't–" She starts.

But of course it's too late. Dad's pulled the trigger and it practically rains confetti all over me, my bedsheets and the floor.

"Yeah, I'm not cleaning this shit up." I announce, trying to comb out the plastic from my hair.

"I thought we agreed to do this at the party!" Pepper hisses. "Y'know when we're outside and can sweep it up?"

Dad winces. "We did agree. But I changed my mind last minute. Besides, look how cute she is with all the confetti on her!"

Trust me, I look anything but cute right now. My hair's a mess, I'm covered in plastic, I'm pretty sure I've got sleep in my eyes and drool on the side of my mouth.

"Say cheese!" Happy places a party hat on my head before bringing out his camera and snapping a picture of me with a tired smile, holding my cake.

"Okay honey, you need to open your presents, get dressed and then we can go pick up Peter in Queens and head to the party."

Despite me telling Peter that Dad's got something huge planned, I don't exactly know what he has planned.

"Dad, what's actually happening? You know, at the party?"

He blows air out of his mouth. "Let's see. We're gonna head down to Tennessee and follow around some hillbilly in his truck. We'll eat the birds he killed for dinner and have Happy play the accordion for entertainment."