[𝟏] 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 | 𝐟𝐤&𝐜

Chapter 8: The Best Day ★

Ronnie's POV:

I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on

I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you, I run and run

Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides

Look now, the sky is gold

I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I had always loved my birthday. It was the one day of the year when I felt special and appreciated by everyone. I loved the cake, the presents, the balloons, and the hugs from my parents. But this year, something was different.  I didn't feel the same joy and excitement as before. I felt sad and lonely, even though I had many friends and a loving family.

I didn't know why exactly I felt this way. Yes, I had problems going on with John, but I always thought that my birthday would be the one day I wouldn't worry about him.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was the fact that I started hurting myself. Maybe it was the fact that I've never felt farther away from Joel. And now, on our birthday, it was impossible to not miss him more.

I'm 13 now

And don't know how my friends could be so mean

I come home crying, and you hold me tight and grab the keys

And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away

And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names

I don't know who I'm going to talk to now at school

But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you

Don't know how long it's going to take to feel okay

But I know I had the best day with you today

My parents noticed that I wasn't as happy as always. I'm pretty sure Joel had talked to them, and they grew just as concerned. So, the day after my birthday, they tried to cheer me up by taking me out to my favorite places: the park, the zoo, the ice cream shop, and the movie theater. 

They bought me a new dress, a necklace, and a teddy bear. They told me how much they loved me and how proud they were of me. They did everything they could to make me smile.

And I did smile. I smiled because I loved my parents, and I didn't want to disappoint them. I smiled because I enjoyed spending time with them and having fun. I smiled because I was grateful for everything, they did for me. But deep down, I still felt sad and lonely.

I wished I could tell them. I wished I could tell them how I really felt, but I didn't know how to put it into words. I didn't want to worry them or make them think that something was wrong with me. 

So, I didn't. I didn't want to ruin their day or their mood. So, I kept smiling and pretending that everything was fine. We were driving back home after a long day of fun and adventure. I was sitting in the back seat, holding my teddy bear and looking out the window. I saw the sun setting behind the trees, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. I saw the stars twinkling in the darkening sky, like little diamonds on a velvet cloth.