𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 {𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘪}

• 𝟏𝟖 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 •

𝑫𝒂𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒉'𝒔 𝑷𝑶𝑽:
Waking up on your birthday really is a weird thing. You know it's an important day, but it doesn't necessarily feel like it.

I got up, checked my phone to see a lot of Insta stories, wishing me a happy birthday and whatnot. I liked them all and sent a thank you message to all of them, trying not to have a go at them because of the pictures they chose of me.

I quickly got changed into casual clothes and packed my gi and other gym stuff in my bag. I have a session with Silver this morning and I'm excited, as per usual.

I walk out the door and the second my foot touches the floor the kitchen, my mother yells out; "SURPRISE!"

I flinched backwards at the loud shout, stumbling into the wall as I cower. I look to see my mother with a huge smile and breakfast made on the kitchen table.

I awkwardly smile as my mum walks over to engulf me in a smiley hug. I tensed up a bit, not fully adjusted to this proximity as we have been distanced these past few weeks.

"Happy birthday, Dolly! Here, I've made breakfast for us. Waffles, your favourite." She grins as she leads me to the table.

My lips forcefully quirked into a smile as I sat down at the table and looked at the waffles compiled on my plate.

"I can't believe you're 18. It feels like yesterday when you were born, with your little rolls and chub." Mum gushed as she reminisces of baby me.

"And my baby acne." I add on, teasing my younger self as I took a bite of my waffles.

Mum laughed loudly at my comment. "It is not acne, Dahliah." She retorted.

I shrug my shoulders. "Sure as hell looked like it." I commented as I dug into my meal again, dropping absurd amounts of berries onto my food.

Suddenly, my mother passed me a small, rectangular cardboard box with two cards. I looked up to the anticipation in her smile as she motions for me to open my gift.

I start politely and open up my card and read the contents. My mum has horrible handwriting that I'm glad wasn't passed onto me, but with practise I learned how to read the scramble of scribbly letters.

Dear Dahliah,

Happy Birthday!!
I love you so so much, you are my light and my life. Thank you for being the kind, graceful, selfless and big-hearted woman you've grown up to be. You are my best friend, always.

Love from Mum xx

I smiled at the small paragraph. "Thank you, Mum." I thanked wholeheartedly.

My Mum smiled and rolled her eyes. "Stop being so polite and open the present, I know you want to." She urged playfully.

With a roll of my eyes, my fingers unlaced the bow on the box and open it up to see a gold-chained bracelet laying in the cushioned box.

I gape at the sight of its beauty as the gold chain, filled with an array of subtle but chic gemstones of all different colours.