The Boy with the Blind Eyes

THIRTY SIX - PART ONE

'Happy birthday, Tamsin!'

Tamsin groaned before she opened her eyes. Damn. How'd Lina find out?

'I stalked you on Google when we first met and found out that your birthday is today – September 6. Don't even try to deny it!' Lina's words rang in the air, and Tamsin felt sleep slip further and further out of her reach. Sighing, she rolled over and opened her eyes—only, Lina wasn't alone. She was going to die of embarrassment. Not only had Lina disrupted her precious sleep, but she had invited every. Single. One. Of their friends. Into the dorm. In the morning. To see her. Oh, God. Angus was there, too. If she wasn't mortified then, she most definitely was now.

Tamsin threw a pillow over her head as everybody awaited her reaction. And then she screamed into it with frustration and embarrassment.

Before she knew what was happening, the pillow was thrown away from her face, and there was a spraying noise. Suddenly, she found herself doused in whipped cream. 'Oh!' She shrieked, sitting upright in her bed immediately. Wiping the cream from her eyes, she managed to say in a deceptively calm voice, 'Do you know what this means, Lina? Hmm?' She jumped out of the bed and before Lina knew what was happening, she'd grabbed the can out of her hand and sprayed her back with it, cracking up laughing. 'WAR!' She answered, chasing a squealing Lina around the room. The others chortled and laughed, Ali videoing the entire thing on her phone.

'Alright, you two, break it up,' Ali rolled her eyes, snapping her phone closed. 'I think we'll leave you to it—happy birthday, Tamsin! We'll see you at breakfast,' she winked, and the others followed suit, wishing her a happy birthday as they left. Angus was the last to leave. Lina pretended to fluff a pillow as he tenderly kissed Tamsin's forehead, then laughed and licked his lips when they came away with whipped cream.

'Well, don't you taste good,' he laughed. 'Happy birthday, Shortie.' He ran his hand through her hair, pecked her lips, and promised to see her at breakfast. Once the door closed behind him, she fell back onto her bed, already at the peak of happiness, her ribs sore from laughter. And she'd barely been awake five minutes.

---

'Wasn't exactly the wake-up I was expecting, but thank you,' Tamsin beamed as they headed into the cafeteria for breakfast. She'd cleaned herself up—washed her hair, shoved it back into a wet bun, tugged on fresh clothes and dabbed on some light concealer and mascara.

Lina giggled. 'Hey, why didn't you tell me your birthday was today?' She frowned, considering.

'I just don't like to celebrate my birthday. I never did as a kid.'

'Does that include parties? That better not include parties.'

'Sorry.'

'You're telling me you've never had a party?' Lina was aghast. Her face actually turned ashen.

'Nope.'

She was quiet for a moment. Tamsin took the opportunity to say, 'And I'm not looking to change that fact this year. Don't even think about— '

'Oh, relax, you.'

'I'm serious. Don't get any ideas.'

'Me?' She asked innocently, grabbing a piece of buttered toast. She filled the rest of her plate with mangoes and strawberries. 'Now, why would I do something like that.'

'Mm, let me think...uh, because you're you.'

Lina tapped her chin deviously. 'This is true. Don't worry, sweetie. I'll make sure your birthday doesn't suck this year.' She waggled her eyebrows and they joined the others at the table, who were reliving this morning's 6 a.m. 'happy birthday' slash cream fest.