"My Evie..." {A.P.}

°thirteen

꧁Eve꧂

Friday the thirteenth. It's weird to think that this day fell right on my birthday, again. I wasn't much of a fan of the day. Not necessarily my birthday, but the fact that it's a nightmare day.

No one knew about my birthday, and I was glad. Like Wednesday, I wasn't fond of it.  

Of course, by the afternoon, Wednesday was satisfied. She liked the feeling of bad luck and horror following everyone, especially since we're in a school of outcasts in the middle of woods. She was overjoyed, if one could describe her like that even. I'm just as surprised as you are. 

After school, I found myself with Enid's old over ear headphones on, watering the plants in the greenhouse. One plant nearly bit me, but miss Thornhill caught it before it could. Then she left with it. I was thankful. 

Students' thoughts were all over that day. Yelling in fear of what bad luck was around the corner or waiting for them in class. Of course, we had a quiz and given an essay to write. Perfect for the days' description. It'd keep many kids up until after midnight. Everyone would be spooked. It'd be more than amusing for Wednesday.

By the time it was five, I sat in the front of the class, music blasting in my ears, while I was writing my essay. The topic was on poisons and plants. I wasn't surprised, considering it was for Miss Thornhill's class. Five hundred words were a lot more than they sounded. You'd be surprised. 

I had missed breakfast, due to sleeping in late, and missed lunch, due to seeing the cafeteria over-crowded, and almost immediately did a 360. 

Suddenly someone placed a cupcake down in front of me, on a little plate. My eyes shot up to meet Ajax's. He came alone. 

"Sorry I'm late," he mouthed. 

I took off the headphones, still being able to hear the over-loud music. I looked from the cupcake to him in complete confusion. 

"What's this for?" I frowned softly. 

He smiled. "Your birthday."

I looked at him in surprise. "M- my birthday? How did you know?"

He pulled a chair closer for himself, after dropping his bag beside him on the floor. A sigh left his lips. 

"I went through your highlights on Instagram this morning. Saw a story about you saying how your birthday usually sucked. I think it was last year. Had today's date on it."

I looked at him with clear surprise on my face, then a small smile filled my lips. "You watched my highlights? You looked up my Instagram?"

Guiltiness filled his lips. "Well, I've been caught," he teased, making me laugh. 

I looked over at my phone, pausing my music. "Actually, you split on yourself."

He laughed. "Right, yeah. Bit dumb you know."

Laughing, I crossed my legs on my seat. "Thank you, Ajax. It means a lot that you care," I admitted, pushing some lose strands of hair behind my ear. "I didn't tell anyone actually. My mum sent me a text, as usual, and Aunt Penny called me this morning, but I didn't even tell Enid."

He grew sympathy in his eyes. "Why?"

Shrugging, I closed my book. "No reason. It's just a birthday anyways. People waste money on you, and many people end up not even using their gift."

A small smile filled Ajax's lips, before he reached down to his bag. "Right. Speaking of... The reason I'm so late, is because I caught the first bus to Jericho and back..."

He opened his bag, before pulling out a wrapped present. It looked like a box with something on top, but they were both wrapped together. My eyes looked at Ajax with surprise. 

No has gotten me a gift in six years. 

"You didn't have to," I said, but he just shook his head. 

"I wanted to." 

He pushed the present towards me, and part of me was way too excited than usual. It took me a couple of seconds to process, before I reached out, taking it. Slowly, and carefully, I undid the tape, before taking the paper off. 

At first, I saw a box. Then when I saw one word, my eyes lit up as I looked up at Ajax again. 

"You got me new headphones?" I asked, a bit more eager to open it up. When I flipped the box around, I read-

"Noise cancelling headphones," Ajax smiled. "I noticed you've been using Enid's old headphones, but you'll like those more."

A bright smile filled my lips as I looked at them. "But Ajax. How did you-"

"There's something else."

My eyes moved back down to the wrapping, seeing some material left inside. When I pulled it out, I almost immediately smiled wider. 

"A beanie?" I questioned, looking up at Ajax again.

"Turn it around."

I did so, and on the front were the words: 'Anti-social social club'. I almost immediately started laughing. It was a nice dark purple beanie, which meant I could wear it for school. 

"It was mine, but when I saw it before going to Jericho, I immediately thought of you. I could not- not give it to you."

He gave me his beanie? My heart had never beat as fast as it did in that moment. I was probably blushing more than ever. 

"Alright," he said, clearing his throat, before getting off his seat. "Pack up."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Come on. Just do it."

~

"Where are you taking me?" I laughed as he helped me up a staircase. 

He had me pull the beanie over my eyes, and despite it being thin, I couldn't see anything. It must have been dark. He just laughed beside me but didn't say anything. 

"Ajax," I giggled, before feeling his hand tighten in mine. 

"Almost there," he whispered, making me laugh again. 

He led me through a door, and across a floor, before letting go of my hand. I felt a cold breeze suddenly hit me, making me shiver.

"Okay, open."

I slipped the beanie off my head, and my eyes fell onto a small balcony. The woods were ahead, and the sky shimmered with stars. When I looked around, I saw a blanket and some pillows beside the door.

"What's this?" I asked, looking at Ajax.

He smiled a silly, shy smile. "I threw this together a couple of minutes before I went to find you. It's just a little birthday thing..."

Then a silly smile appeared on my lips. "You did all this for me?" I asked, looking down at the blanket and pillows again.

Sure, many people would think that this would be no effort, but this made my heart race. This was probably the most effort anyone had ever put in for me.

"It's not much, but considering we're in the middle of the woods, this could be-"

But I stopped him by crashing my lips into his. His eyes were too focused on the pillows to notice my sudden approach, and I knew I surprised him. Yet, he still kissed back.

When I pulled away, he grew a sweet smile.

"Right," he whispered shyly. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing down at the blanket.

I sat beside him as we looked at a meteor shower passing earth. It was beautiful. A nice way to end the day of bad luck, for many people. Even though I knew many weren't aware of it anyways.

We sat there for at least three hours. After about forty-five minutes he had given me his jacket, so I wasn't so cold by the time my eyes started drooping.

I just laid my head on his shoulder as we had a light conversation about Jericho and the people in it. But I didn't last long in that conversation.

I fell asleep on Ajax's shoulder...