by Trudy Stiles
“Hey, there has to be an explanation for this.” He gets up and kneels next to me on the hot concrete.
“Everyone hates me!” I wail. “That’s the explanation.” My excitement from this morning has been replaced with self-loathing and despair. It all makes sense now. Not a single one of my friends and classmates from school mentioned that they were coming. Even though we haven’t seen each other since school let out, I do keep in touch with a few through email and texts. Not a single person said a word to me about the party. It’s official. They all hate me.
“That’s impossible,” Heath says and pulls my hands away from my face. “Completely impossible.” He takes a napkin from the table and softly dabs my cheeks.
“Then where is everyone?” I yelp. “You would think at least a few of them would have showed up?” I can’t control my tears as my sobbing continues. I’ve never felt so alone in my entire life. Realization sets in that I have no one. My father isn’t even here, called away on business about a half hour before the party was supposed to start. He kissed me on my forehead before he left, slipping a small wrapped box into the palm of my hand, promising me he’d be home as soon as he could. And Tonya is nowhere to be found.
“I’m so sorry, Noelle.” Heath pulls me against his chest and I throw my arms around his waist, holding tight.
“I just don’t understand,” I cry, snot dripping from my nose. “What did I do to them? Why does everyone hate me?”
“You don’t deserve this,” he whispers into my hair. “I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“God. No!” I exclaim. “I just want to forget this day ever happened. I want it to be over and done with. Maybe everyone is away on vacation?” I’m grasping at straws, trying to keep Heath from intervening.
He nods his head in agreement. “That must be it,” he says unconvincingly.
The music suddenly stops and I look up, the DJ begins packing up his equipment. “Is it okay if I leave?” he asks from the other side of the pool.
I wipe the tears from my face and nod.
“Okay, cool. Happy Birthday,” he announces awkwardly into the microphone before all sound is cut from the speakers.
I choke back more sobs as I push myself away from Heath. “You should go,” I object, weakly.
“I’m not going anywhere, slugger.” His hand drops to mine, and he begins to pull me through the fence that surrounds the pool and toward his yard where our Wiffle ball field is set up.
“I don’t want to play,” I snap, snatching my hand from his. “I’m sorry, but I just want to be alone.”
His face drops, his eyes falling to the ground. “I don’t want to leave you. It’s your birthday.”
“Please. Just go.”
He steps toward me, hugging me tightly. “Happy Birthday, Noelle.”
I turn and walk back to my house, leaving Heath standing alone in my yard. Once I’m inside, I kick my flip-flops off and head toward my room, nearly bumping into Tonya who’s blocking my way.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
“You should be,” she hisses. “After everything I did to make this day special for you and nobody shows up? This is an embarrassment. What are my friends going to think? You should be ashamed of yourself, young lady!”
“I don’t know what happened,” I sob. “I don’t understand why nobody came! You did send out the invitations, right?” My cheek stings as her cold hand slaps my face.
“What are you–”
“Shut the fuck up!” she yells. “Are you accusing me of not sending out your invitations, you stupid bitch?”
Thwap!
Her other hand stings my other cheek, and I fall back against the wall.
“I didn’t say that–” I cough, forcing the air to leave my lungs as she brings her knee into my gut, her hands grasping onto my shoulders, nails digging in.
“How dare you blame me for this unsuccessful party?! Your friends must really hate you for not showing up today.”
“I don’t understand,” I wail as her knee connects with my belly again. I nearly vomit as I try to wrangle myself from her grasp.
“What am I going to say to my friends? How am I going to explain that my daughter is a complete fucking loser who has no friends of her own? Except for that pathetic boy next door that only wants to get in your pants!”
Oh my God. What is she saying?
“Heath isn’t like that!” I snap back, trying to protect the one true friend I actually do have.
“He’s just like all men. He’s a sick, twisted, and perverted teenager. Don’t think I don’t know what he does after he leaves your room at night!”
“What?” I gasp. She’s never told me she’s seen him come up to my window. We’ve always been so quiet.
“When he leaves you, he pleasures himself outside before he goes home. He’s vile and disgusting and only talks to you because you can get his rocks off! What do you let him do to you?” she shrieks, punching my breast. Pain shoots across my chest as she punches my other one. “There’s nothing to see here! You’re not even developed yet. He must get off on your boyish chest. He’s probably gay!”
“Stop it!” I scream, flailing my arms in front of me. I scratch her cheek, tearing at her skin and drawing blood. Her eyes widen and she punches me again, this time on the side of my head.
“He’s only using you to get off! Don’t you see?”
I don’t even know what getting off is. She’s being so hateful and ugly in her descriptions of what Heath does to himself and I don’t understand any of it.
“He’ll never touch you the way you want. He saves that for the Haley Simon.” Haley is in our class and it’s no secret she has a crush on Heath, but he’s never said anything about her to me. “In fact, I saw him groping her the other night on the side of his house. I bet he did it so you could see that he doesn’t even want you.”
“No! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” I’m sobbing. Picturing Heath doing things with Haley makes me sick. I can’t listen to her anymore. I’m able to run down the hall and slam my bedroom door, locking it.
“You can’t lock me out, you slut!” she screams as her fists pound on the door. “I have a key, and I swear to God I’ll make you pay for scratching my face causing me to bleed!”
I cower into the corner, pulling my knees to my chest, preparing to defend myself against her blows.
“I’m coming back as soon as I pay the DJ and the caterer. You’re going to regret ever laying a hand on me.” Her heels click down the hallway, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
I try to remember the events leading up to today. She asked me to sign my name to the invitations a few weeks ago. Then I sealed them and watched her place stamps on each one, tucking the bundle into her purse. She told me she was going to the post office that afternoon and would monitor all of the RSVPs as they came in. I haven’t heard about a single RSVP, but assumed she was taking care of everything.
Could she have done this?
I know she hates me, but why would she jeopardize her own reputation? I pull my knees to my chest and notice something in my chair. The wrapped box, that my father placed in my hands earlier, still sits where I left it earlier. I crawl over to it, wincing in pain from the blows that I took to my chest and belly. I slowly unwrap it and find a note inside.
Noelle,
This was your mother’s and I know she would have wanted you to have it.
Please wear it every day, close to your heart.
Know that no one loves you more on Earth than I do.
And more in Heaven than she does.
I love you, Buddy.
Happy Birthday,
Dad
I lift the piece of cotton up and a beautiful necklace sits in the box, a large single diamond at the end of a long platinum chain. It’s so long, I don’t even need to undo the clasp, it fits over my head and drops down into my dress, settling right next to my heart. This is the most beautiful thing he’s ever given to me, and I reach do
wn to wrap my hand around the diamond. I smile through the pain that is shooting through my body, knowing this necklace used to sit next to my mother’s heart.
Suddenly, it seems so logical to me that Tonya would sabotage my birthday. She’s hated me for as long as I can remember. I must be a reminder of the perfect woman that my father loved for so long, before her. Tonya can never replace my mother in my or my father’s eyes. He loved my mother with everything he had, and it still surprises me that he would compromise who he is to be with a wretched woman like Tonya. She hides so much of her vileness from him.
Lately, her behavior toward me has been sweet, and I honestly thought she was moving past her hatred, finally accepting me as her stepdaughter. My father has been so much happier with our relationship, it’s been less strained, and even a little pleasant.
Until now.
Heath
Past
Age 14
“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” my mother asks as I attempt to sneak out the back door.
“I forgot to give Noelle this.” I hold the birthday present in the air for her to see.
“Okay,” she says. “I’ll let Gus know that you’re going to be outside.” Gus is the head of security and the last time I snuck out of the house, my parents knew before I reached Noelle’s window. Thankfully, nobody saw the black car stop in front of her house and one of the security guards, Lou, chasing me across the yard. It would have been funny if I wasn’t completely embarrassed. When he caught up to me and I had to tell him exactly what I was doing, he fist-bumped me then brought me back to my house. My father lectured me for a half hour. But all I could think about was that our security detail thought I was going to Noelle’s house to hook up with her or something. So gross. Now my parents know every single time I’m going over to see her, because I don’t ever want to have that happen again.
“How was the party?” Her face contorts with concern. “Not that I was spying or anything, but I didn’t see anyone outside. Was it too hot to cause the party to move inside?”
I shake my head slowly. “Nobody showed up.”
“Oh dear!” she gasps. “Why not?”
I shake my head again. “I have no idea. Noelle’s really upset, and I don’t know what to do.”
“She’s the sweetest girl. I can’t understand why her friends wouldn’t show up for her birthday party.” My mother looks so incredibly sad and it tugs at my heart. She’s saying exactly everything I’ve felt all day today. Noelle doesn’t deserve to be treated like this, and I’m completely surprised that our entire class did this to her.
My cell phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see a text from Trevor.
Trevor: I didn’t get an invitation. I even asked my mother if she saw one and she said no.
Me: Thanks, T.
I texted a few of my friends and fellow classmates, asking if they received their invitations, trying to find out what the hell was going on. I wanted to get in on the secret and find out why everyone would do this to Noelle.
“Hmm,” I say, shaking my head.
“What is it?” my mother asks, and I look up.
“Mom, did you happen to see an invitation to her party? She says they were mailed about three weeks ago?” My mind is swirling with ideas as I try to piece this crazy puzzle together.
“No, but I assumed you saw it first and RSVP’d.”
I smile a little. “I don’t think it’s as bad as she thinks. Trevor didn’t get an invitation and I bet the rest of the class didn’t either.” They must have gotten lost in the mail. But all of them? It still seems weird, but at least there’s a logical explanation beginning to come together.
“I’m going to go give her this.” I shake Noelle’s present gently. “And tell her I think there was a mix-up at the post office. If I can get in touch with a few more people, it should explain why nobody showed up.”
My mother smiles. “You’re a really good friend, Heath. I’m proud of you and the young man you’re growing into.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I blush and rush out the back door, down the stairs of our deck, and across our yards. I hear the sound of the security camera attached to the exterior of our house above my window and turn to see the familiar red light. I wave and mouth “Hi Gus,” floating the peace sign in the air.
When I reach her window, there’s a faint light coming from her bed. I tap lightly, and the light goes out. There’s no movement coming from her room and instead of tapping another time, I lift the window so it opens slowly.
“Noelle?” I whisper. It’s at least nine o’clock, the sun setting just a few minutes ago, fireflies swarming in the humid air.
“What are you doing here?” she whispers back. She crawls across her floor, and her face is near mine.
Moonlight reflects on her cheek, and I notice a huge bruise under her right eye. “Oh my God, what happened?”
Her hand flies to her face, and she stammers, “Nothing. We uh–we lost power–and uh–it got so dark that I–uh–I walked into the corner of my bathroom door.”
“You did?” I look toward the pool and notice the lights are still lit around it. Our house is also still lit up. “When? We have power, and it looks like yours is still on.”
“About an hour ago, but it came back on pretty quickly,” she blurts out, turning her cheek away from me.
“It was still light out an hour ago,” I challenge her. She’s acting super weird. “What really happened?”
“That’s exactly what happened,” she snaps at me and tries to close the window in my face. I jam my hand underneath it and push it back up. “What are you doing?”
“I forgot to give you this,” I say, shoving the present through the open window. She looks around and quickly pulls my arm.
“Get in here, quick,” she orders as I jump through her window and into her room. She shuts the window and looks around, both of us on our knees.
“What’s going on?” I ask, suddenly confused. She looks terrified.
“Nothing. I mean–it’s so hot outside, you shouldn’t have to sit out there.”
“Okay?” Still weird.
“But we have to be quiet,” she whispers. “It’s late and I don’t want anyone to hear us. I’m not allowed to have boys in my room.”
I’m fully aware of this already, and that’s why I sit outside her window every time we talk.
“Then why did you pull me in?”
“I told you already. It’s too hot out.”
Her erratic behavior is very concerning, but I shrug it off. I came here to give her a birthday present and hopefully some good news about all of the birthday party no-shows.
“We need to be really quiet,” she says again. “Follow me.”
She leads me to a door at the far end of her room and when she opens it, I realize it’s her large walk-in closet.
“You’re being really weird,” I say as she pulls me inside and shuts the door. She turns on the light, and I suck in a breath as soon as I see her face. “Holy shit.” I reach out, placing my hand on her swollen cheek. “That is really bad.”
She shrinks away from me and backs up against the far wall, leaning into a large pile of stuffed animals. “I’m fine,” she mutters softly, her gaze falling to the floor.
She’s not telling me the truth, I can feel it. There’s no way that the corner of the door could have done that to her face. I open my mouth to challenge her story again, but quickly close it, vowing to get to the bottom of it at some point.
“Why are you here?” she asks.
“To give you this.” I slide her gift across the closet floor. We’re facing each other, legs folded like pretzels in front of us.
Her glistening eyes light up as she places her hand on the present. “Thank you.”
“Before you open it, I have some news,” I say, excited.
“Shh. Please. You need to whisper.” I see fear in her eyes and I nod, whispering, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“Anyway
,” I start, “I texted Trevor and he says he never got an invite.” She raises her eyebrows and tilts her head to the side. The light above shining on her incredibly bruised cheek.
“And then I asked my mother if she saw the invitation in the mail, and she said no.”
My cell phone buzzes with another text message, and this one is from Haley.
Haley: Nope. I didn’t get an invite. Why wasn’t I invited? Does she hate me?
Me: No! We think they all got lost in the mail. All is good!
Haley: Oh! Thank God! Tell her HBD for me! TTYL!
“What was that?” she asks, straining her neck to see my phone.
“That was Haley. She didn’t get an invitation in the mail either.” I smile, now that I’ve figured out the mystery.
“Haley Simon?” she asks, her face drawn and sad.
“Yes. And she says Happy Birthday.”
“Whatever.” She shrugs her shoulders, and I’m confused by her response.
“Are you and Haley not talking to each other?” I press.
“What? No, I just thought maybe she hated me or something.”
“Well, she thought the same thing, and you’re obviously both wrong.”
“Okay.” Her voice trails off, and she shifts in her place on the floor.
“So there’s at least three of us that I know that didn’t get the invite in the mail.” My phone buzzes a couple more times and I look at a few more incoming texts. “Make that seven.” I smile, reassuringly.
Relief floods her face, but it’s quickly overtaken by a strange, pained look.
“Are you okay?” I ask, concerned.
“Yeah. Just trying to sort something out.” She closes her eyes briefly, nodding her head.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m good.” A couple tears fall from her eyes, and she quickly swipes them away.
“This is good news,” I press. “No need to get upset. The post office messed up.” I scoot closer so I can squeeze her knee. “Okay?”
She nods slowly, allowing a few more tears to fall. “I’m relieved that our entire class wasn’t staging a group protest. I’m happy they don’t hate me.”
