Just like this.
All of a sudden, Piper appeared from behind the tree.
"There you are!" she called from a distance. We were both startled by the interruption and broke away from each other's lips. The smacking sound was too loud for Piper not to know what we were doing.
"Oh sorry!" She covered her face with her hands and then peeked at us through her fingers. "Are you done?"
"What is it, Piper?" I asked, a bit annoyed.
"Come on, it's time to cut the cake!" she said excitedly.
I didn't realize the music had ended. Eva was no longer playing the violin. My cousin came over to pull our hands and brought us back to the marquee.
CHAPTER 30
When we arrived, Piper yelled at the top of her lungs, "I've got the birthday girl!"
In the middle of the table was a square cake with white frosting. Number-shaped candles of a one and an eight were already lit on top. Then the birthday song was played by the same violin. My aunt came to me while Robert remained talking with some black-suited old men.
"Happy birthday, Nina," my aunt said.
"You didn't have to do this," I said.
"Don't be silly. It's your eighteenth birthday, just enjoy it," she scoffed. A sweet birthday song streamed out from Eva's violin, controlled by those lithe musical fingers of hers. All the while, Allecra stood behind me.
After the song ended and the candles were blown out, I was urged to make a wish and then cut the cake. Everyone might not know me personally, but they enjoyed the extra dessert. The children gathered around the table as I placed each piece of the sweet treat on their plates.
I noticed Jay and his friends were standing beside the stage, flirting with the young musician. A bunch of girls stood nearby, probably Piper's friends. They were giggling among themselves as they stared at Allecra.
"Gosh, she's so hot," I heard one of them gossiped to the others. "I would go gay for that blonde girl in a heartbeat."
"I heard that Piper's cousin is her girlfriend. Her name is Nina," a girl in a yellow dress said.
"Her cousin is a lesbian?" a guy wearing black-framed hipster glasses asked. "Aw...I thought she was straight. She’s pretty cute, though. Well, that's sad."
"Yeah, why a lot of pretty girls are lesbians these days?" another guy chimed in, "What a waste!"
I sighed. They didn't know I could hear them. Then I noticed an adorable shy girl in a pink dress staring at the remaining cake with hungry blue eyes. I handed out a piece for her, but she shook her head.
"Mom told me I shouldn't eat your cake," she said to my surprise.
"Er...why, sweetie?" I said.
"Because she said you're gay and that is a sin," she said. My face blushed scarlet.
It pained me how parents would indoctrinate their children this way. Out of the corner, Allecra came over to me.
"What's wrong?" she asked and then turned to the little girl. "Who is this pre-human?"
The kid stared at Allecra with her bright steady eyes. I was afraid she would cry. Instead, the girl looked as though she was awestruck. Then she opened her tiny arms to Allecra.
"I want 'up'," she said. Allecra raised her eyebrows and turned to me.
"Oh my," I gasped in astonishment and started giggling at this unexpected request. Allecra shrugged and then scooped the little kid into her arms. I was amazed at how at ease and graceful she was holding the child. It seemed so...natural.
"You tell your mom that being gay isn't a sin," she said to the kid. "But stopping people from being gay is."
"Allecra," I said. "You can't just tell children that."
"Why not?" she said and then turned her face to the girl again with a bright wicked smile. "They need to know what is what."
"What does 'gay' mean?" the little girl asked.
"Oh, it means 'happy'," she said, smiling at her.
"So God doesn't like it when people are happy?" she said. "I don't get it. What's wrong with being gay?"
Allecra pursed her lips as if she was trying to find the right answer.
"Well, being gay is like eating a chocolate cookie, and everybody trying to take it from you and replace it with a peanut-butter cookie, even though you're allergic to peanuts."
It just struck me how amazing Allecra was with children. She made me wonder what our child would be if we ever had one. The baby would be made up of half of her, the very person I loved, and half of me. What an utterly and truly beautiful thing to imagine.
"Oh, that is so mean," the kid said. "It's like when my mom won't let me eat my favorite candies."
"That's right," Allecra said. "And do you like girls or boys?"
"Allecra!" I warned her.
"I don't like boys!" The girl answered and shook her head vehemently. "They're nasty and dumb and always leave a mess behind. They can't do anything by themselves. That's what my mom said about my dad. But I like you—you smell good. You're not a boy, are you?"
I had to laugh at that. Allecra shot me a look.
"Why do you think I'm a boy?"
"Because you don't dress like a girl, and you're handsome," the girl said.
"Alright, I'll take that as a compliment, pre-human," Allecra said, smiling smugly at me. "So tell me what you think love is?"
"I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or something," the girl said. "Then you can flutter your eyelashes with little hearts flying out."
Allecra blinked as if she was unable to grasp this strange human concept.
"O...kaay..." she said slowly, "I guess...that might be the case."
"Are you two in love?" the girl asked us. Sometimes, children could be very observant.
"Yes,” Allecra said without a pause. “Why did you ask?"
"Because you shouldn't say 'I love you' to each other unless you really mean it," the little girl went on. "But if you really really mean it, you must say it out loud a lot."
"Oh, why?" Allecra seemed genuinely interested.
"Because people forget," the kid replied.
We both were stunned by this simple wisdom of a little girl.
"That is...a very beautiful insight, little human," Allecra said and rewarded the girl with a soft kiss on her cheek and a piece of cake. The child looked pleased with the affection. For a while, we both goofed around each other good-naturedly. If anyone didn't know, we actually looked like a family. Until her mother showed up.
"Natalie!" a woman called. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Now come back here."
"That's my mom," the girl said. Allecra quickly put the girl down, and the kid ran off to the middle-aged woman in red satin dress with big hair. The woman gave us each a disgusted look before taking the girl by the hand and walked off with her. I was suddenly saddened by that.
How many narrow-minded parents are there planting hatred in the wonderful garden of their children's mind? Allecra sighed beside me. She was probably thinking the same thing. Then her arms wrapped around my waist from the side.
"Will you feed me the cake? I feel kind of sad," she said. I smiled and scooped a spoonful of frosty cake into her waiting mouth.
"You're like a big baby," I giggled and wiped the cream off her lips.
"It's your birthday. I can't wait to see you in your birthday suit, too," she said. I smacked her arm.
"Will you stop?"
Then Jay appeared with a frown.
"Can you just tune it down a little?" he said with a disapproving look. "I don't mind your girlfriend here but just stop this disturbing PDA. You can go groping and tonguing each other somewhere else. "
Allecra's jaw tightened. Her face turned hard as she glared back at Jay.
"Jay, we didn't do anything..." I said, but Allecra stepped up to him. She was the same height as my quarterback cousin.
"And what about you and your pack of lewd friends perving around the ladies?" Allecra said. Jay stared at her from head to toes. He tried to act tough, but I had a pretty good guess of who would fall first in the fight.
<
br /> "Is this the famous Allecra Knight?" he said. "I can see why my cousin is crazy about you. Well, like my dad said, at least you can't get my cousin pregnant."
Allecra balled her fists.
"That's enough!" I said and pushed Jay away.
"I hope your internal organs won't see the light of day anytime soon," Allecra muttered.
"What?" Jay looked puzzled. I almost forgot he had the IQ of a lettuce.
"You're a jerk, Jason," I said and pulled Allecra away. "Come on, ignore him."
Someone turned on some loud disco music. The guests began to escort their partners to the dance floor.
"This is why I don't want to be around people!" Allecra growled furiously. "Humans are hypocrites, believing in things like God and heaven, all the while hating each other and hurting each other!"
"Calm down, Allecra. It's alright," I said as I rubbed her back gently, hoping to dissipate her anger. As we moved through the crowd, I noticed Eva was looking at us while being locked in a circle of her music admirers. Then my phone vibrated in my dress pocket. I took it out and slid it open to see an international number. It could only be one person.
"I need to take the call, Allecra," I told her, and she just nodded. I guessed she was still worked up about what happened with my cousin. "I'll see you at the table later."
It gave me a knotty feeling in my stomach but I tried not to think about it. The other people had gathered at the front of the stage, dancing to the music. I walked out of the party area and went to the other side of the garden to be away from all the noises.
"Hello?" my dad's voice said from the other side of the world. I could hear a faint baby babbling in the background. He was holding his new apple.
"Hi, Dad," I said. I could feel that he was quite surprised to hear no hostility in my tone.
"I'm just calling to wish you a happy birthday," he said. "Happy birthday, Nina."
For some reason, I felt a familiar feeling I hadn't felt for a long time. It was the father's warmth. He still remembered it.
"Thank you," I said.
"So how have you been?"
"I'm alright," I said and then I didn't want to sound generic and added, "Aunt Vikki threw me a birthday party."
"Oh really?" he said. "I wish we could all be there to celebrate it together."
"Is Dominika included?" my words were still bitter even when I tried not to.
"Nina, please," my dad said. "Can we just get through one conversation without you fighting with me?"
"I'm not..." I was about to protest but decided it wasn't worth the effort.
"Hey you want to talk to your little brother, Boris?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject. I didn't know what to say to that, so I was silent. Then I heard him coaxing at the baby, and I could hear a tiny cry through the phone. Of course, the baby still couldn't talk, but he made bubbly noises and his voice was so innocent and pure. It was hard to relate him to my evil step-mother. Without realizing myself, I was smiling at the beautiful meaningless sounds coming through the phone.
"He said happy birthday to you big sister!" my dad translated. I couldn't help giggling at that.
"You're an expert in the baby language now, Dad?"
He laughed.
"And a champion of babysitting, too," he bragged and we laughed again. We talked for a little while until I heard a door opened in the background and some female voices.
"Alright, I have to go now," my dad said. "I'll call you again later, Nina."
"Okay," I said.
"Goodbye, girl."
"Bye, Dad."
We hung up. I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my chest. I didn't even know I had been carrying it around with me. Was that how it felt when we forgive? I wasn't sure, but it did make me feel a lot better.
I turned, but to my surprise I saw Jordan, walking across the lawn.
"Jordan!"
"Nina." She smiled.
"I thought you didn't come," I said when I reached her halfway.
"Sorry, I'm late," she said and handed me a nicely wrapped present. "Happy birthday, Nina."
"Thank you, but you don't have to get me anything," I said. "Please come inside. The party isn't over yet."
"No, that's okay," she said with a wave of her hand. "Actually, I was just dropping by to congratulate you."
"Oh, why?" My face dropped.
"Well...I...er...kind of have to pick up someone for a movie," she said coyly. Then I understood.
"Jordan!" I gasped. "You're going on a date?"
"Well yeah," she said with a sheepish nod. "Rachel just asked me out."
"Oh my god, did she?" I squealed in excitement. Maybe our encounter at the baseball field made Rachel realized that she needed to step up her game. I found it so funny and yet so adorable. "I'm happy for you, Jordan."
And I went to give her a big hug, which she returned.
"Come on, it's just the first date," my friend said with an eye roll.
I laughed. "There will be a second and third and so on."
"You're too optimistic," Jordan chastised. "Alright, enjoy your party. I guess I better go now."
"Okay, good luck," I said, smiling. She waved and then turned to leave. I watched her until she got into her car and waved again.
When she was gone, I got back to the party. Allecra was not at the same spot I had left her. I looked around for a while. Then I saw Piper sitting alone, looking wretched for some reason. I began to feel worried and went to check on her.
"Hey, Piper, are you okay?" I said as I took a seat.
"Yeah, I'm alright," she said but shrugged dejectedly.
"Tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing, you can't just blame your brother for having cabbage for a brain, can you?"
"What did Jay do again?"
"Just being a stupid and inconsiderate twin brother. He knows that I hated him, but...ah never mind," she said and then got up. "Now will you excuse me, I need another fruit punch since dad wouldn't allow me to drink."
I looked around for Jay and saw him with his group of friends, having a good time dancing with the ladies. I wanted to ask Piper again, she already walked away. My head did a quick scan but still no Allecra.
I walked out to the garden, searching for her. After a while, I gave up and took the gift Jordan gave me to my room.
But through the window, I saw Allecra standing behind an oak tree, half-hidden by rhododendron bushes. I smiled and got out of the house again to where she was.
Once I got there, she appeared to be talking to someone. I didn't know what stopped me from going up to her. Then my heart dropped to my stomach. The other person was Eva. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but the violinist seemed to be crying. Allecra looked sympathetic at her and put her hands around the violinist awkwardly, but Eva leaned herself over to kiss Allecra. My eyes widened in shock.
My hands went to my mouth. I felt my throat closed up. My lips clamped together from an invisible stabbing pain in my gut. Unable to witness it any longer, I turned around and ran out of there. As my feet picked up speed, the image of Allecra kissing Eva in a dark corner of the garden receded into the distance, yet the memory had already engraved on my mind.
How could she do this to me after all the things she said?
I ran until I couldn't find anywhere else to go. It seemed that I was pretty good at running away from things tonight. My stomach heaved from the burning acid. I rushed to a nearby bush and doubled over.
I threw up.
Everything was a lie. Allecra made me believe she loved me with her sweet words and charm, but then she went out and did what I would never do.
After I was done, I tried not to cry. Wiping my lips with the sleeve of my jacket, I turned to a wooden bench and sat down. My lungs belched like exhaust pipes. I dropped my face in my hands and forced back the tears.
This was the reality I was afraid to wake up to because the real world would swallow me with its teeth of disappointment and tongue of hope
lessness.
CHAPTER 31
The pain seemed diffuse as though by an anesthetic. I began to feel the numbness of the aftermath seeping through my bones along with the night chill. I could still feel the blood rushing with a dull ache in my chest.
As I was sinking into the heartbreak after being cheated by my non-human girlfriend, there was this thought that maybe I hadn't been enough in the first place. I couldn't blame Allecra. Xenon had warned me before. By being stuck with me, Allecra would be hindered from fulfilling her role. Maybe she could give Eva a second chance.
I sat on the cold bench and waited for the pain to pass. I forced myself once again to consider the timeless virtues of resilience.
Resilience had rescued me all my life. Between maternal absence and paternal incompetence, I learned the tender secret of being strong. I learned to endure the hurricanes of life's unfortunate events.
But this raging emotional storm took too long to pass. I felt like I was still in the eye of it.
After a few deep breaths, I tried to regain my grip on the rationale. I wiped my misty eyes and pulled myself together again.
The sun would still rise again in the blue skies, and the flowers would still bloom no matter what. I could do this.
I looked around, trying to focus my mind on the purple hyacinths and blue lilacs. But their vibrant greenish blue only reminded me of those turquoise eyes.
"Stop it!" I growled at my undisciplined heart and shook my head like a complete nutcase in the dark. My chest still ached for the tall blonde, who was the center of my problem and passion. I was so screwed.
"Hello, Nina," someone said behind me. My head snapped around to find Jack Conner. He was smiling wolfishly under the shadow of a cypress. I stood up to greet him with a deep scowl.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, it's a pleasure to see you, too," he said, still wearing that stupid smile of his. His eyes gleamed from the dark as he stared at me.
"The pleasure is all yours," I replied. "Who invited you here?"
"Didn't Piper tell you? Her father works with my old man," he said smugly. "Besides, Jay and I are buds again."
"Excuse me?" I said in disbelief. I remembered the distressed state Piper was in and realized she was right about her twin brother. Jay was an even bigger idiot than I initially thought.
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