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Chapter 36

A month had passed by, and July came around.

I had gotten my very first paycheck, and I has very happy that I had made all this money on my own. Unfortunately, July also meant that my eighteenth birthday was coming in about two weeks. My eighteenth birthday coming meant that Andrew was going to kick me out of the house, and I had nowhere to stay. I highly doubt I'd get my own apartment as a birthday present. Then again, I didn't want anything for my birthday.

"So," Liz said with a smile on her face, "I have a little something for you."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You said you already had my birthday present since two months ago," I told her. "You've been bugging me about it since the first. And if you want to wish me a 'Happy Independence Day', it's best you don't, because I already ran up and down the block waving the flag in my underwear." That was one hundred percent true.

"You're going to love your birthday present," Liz gushed.

"I don't want anything," I said monotonously.

"That's different," Liz said. "You usually want something."

I shook my head. "I haven't wanted to celebrate my birthday since I was ten-years-old."

"And why is that?" Liz asked confusedly.

"I finally realized that birthdays have no point whatsoever."

"It's the day when you were born!" Liz argued defiantly.

I shook my head. "The day that a person is born is the day that they are born. The definition of a birthday—or, at least, how you use the word—is simply an anniversary of the day that said person was born, and therefore not the actual day, and therefore has no meaning whatsoever."

"It means a lot to me," Liz said through clenched teeth.

"Then you celebrate it," I said nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders. "But leave me out of it."

"But it's your birthday!" she said angrily. I glared at her.

"The day of my birth was almost eighteen years ago, and it's never happening again. July 16th will never have meaning again, so make like Elsa and let it go."

Liz snarled. "I'll throw you a huge birthday party!" she bellowed. "I'll throw you an eighteenth birthday bash, just you watch!"

I scoffed. "And where are you going to find the money?"

That seemed to shut her up.

"Just take this stupid letter," Liz muttered under her breath. She flicked her wrist and threw an envelope on the table, which just so happened to me addressed to me. Strange.

"Was that my 'little something' you had for me?" I asked as she walked away. Liz didn't answer.

I picked up the envelope and walked to my room. I closed the door behind me, collapsed on my bed, and gingerly started to pry open the envelope. The slip ended up torn all over the place, but at least I didn't rip the actual letter.

I grabbed the paper from inside the envelope. "What are you contained with?" I asked. It was supposed to be directed to the paper, but of course it wouldn't respond since it was an abiotic object. I unfolded the paper (which was folded in thirds) and I started to read it.

LUCAS HEMMINGS:

We are glad to inform you that you have been accepted—

I screamed.

✘✘✘

HEY FRAND IT'S YOUR FRAND MICHAEL