We Both Need to Change

The next day I woke up rather early, around seven when I came downstairs mom and Abby were already eating breakfast. Mom had made a plate of crisped waffles.

“Good morning Kace,” greeted mom.

“Mownin’ Kace!” greeted Abby and she hopped off her seat and hugged my leg.

“Good morning, everyone seems cheery today,” I said, slightly doubt in my voice. And I could see that Abby and mom were dressed quite casually for such an early morning.

“Are yeh forgettin’ what day today is?” my mom asked.

I mentally checked, “Umm… it’s June 2, Friday,” I explained.

Abby’s smile grew bigger, “And what important occasion is on June 2?” she asked me.

I scratched my head, “What is this trivia day or something? Is this a prank?” My face brightened up and I remembered what day it was, “its my –“ I was cut off.

Oli and Tom walked in holding up the huge purple cake we made yesterday and the four of them said in unison, “Happy Birthday!”

As they set the ‘fuckin’ metal, hardcore, heavy cake’ according to Tom anyways – on the table. I slapped my face, “How could I ever forget my birthday?”

Oli merely passed me and mumbled, “’Cause yeh’re a fuckin’ nutter and nutters forget ‘vrythin’ ‘bout ‘emselves includin’ the fact that they’re a nutter.”

I scoffed and everyone looked at me, “Sorry somethin’ got caught in my throat.”

Tom bent his back and stood up, “Mum couldn’t make it; she’s got an appointment with some other kid today, so… yeah.”

I eyed him, “Some other kid? So the only kid you ever hang out with is Abby?”

Oli grinned cheekily and squeezed Abby’s cheeks gently, “Well, she’s a cutie n’ she wasn’t givin’ much trouble to mum.”

“You boys are sweet boys,” my mother told them. They were, except for the one covered in tattoos – he wasn’t very sweet at all.

Oli mumbled something again, low enough for only me to hear, “N’ plus, she’s got a sister with a rockin’ bod.” With that comment my jaw dropped. Mom, Abby and Tom were obviously oblivious to what Oli was tellin’ me.

Tom smiled, “N’ plus, Abby’s a lot cooler than the other kids, ain’t that right Ab?” he faced her with his knuckles out, Abby punched them and nodded.

“Well, I’d like to stay hon,” mom faced me and frown, “But I’ve got work sadly and they wouldn’t let me have a day off after my first day.”

She left but my jaw was still open.

“Close yeh’re mouth Kace, a fly might swoop in and make it ‘is flat,” Oli joked and Kace laughed while Tom snickered.

“We be’er be goin’ now Kace,” said Tom, “We were ‘ere just to deliver and all. Don’t eat way too much, might get chubby and Oli would stop fantasizin’ ‘bout yeh.” He smirked.

And I knew my face was all red. Oli however was red although kept his cool, “That’s right babe.”

They were about to leave when I told them to stay, “don’t leave, you guys need to eat with us. This birthday would suck if it was just me and Ab here.”

Oli smirked, “Can’t stay away?”

I glared, “Yes I can. It’s just that, this is too much cake for one and a half,” glancing down at Abby, “Women.” I finished.

Tom’s eye glinted, “Sure I’ll stay… FOOD!” he grabbed a cake knife and gave it to me, “But yeh ‘ave to ‘ave the first slice, f’course.”

So, I took the knife and cut out a small slice of cake and placed it on my plate. I passed next to Tom who sliced a pretty big slice of cake and he passed it to Oli. Tom asked me if we could go watch a movie in the living room and I nodded. Oli bent down to Abby and asked.

“’Ow big would’ya want yeh’r cake, love?” asked Oli. I see another sweet side of Oli.

“I want a big slice!” beamed Abby.

“Ok!” he said and stood up. I looked over at me and I mouthed ‘Not too big’. He raised his eyebrow.

“She might get a tummy ache,” I told him and he nodded and then sliced a piece for Abby. Abby gladly took it and went to the living room to sit with Tom. That left me with Oli. I grabbed my cake from the table and waited for him. He had sliced a normal amount and looked over the table.

“Err… yeh ran out of plates,” he said still holding the cake with the knife. I slide back my plate on the table and walked over some of our cupboards, my shirt lifted up and Oli saw my cherry blossom tree tattoo.

“Yeh’ve got a tat?” he asked, his face surprised. After reaching the black plate, I faced him and nodded.

“Why?” I asked, as I passed him the plate where he slid his piece of cake.

He grabbed my plate and his place, “I dunno, yeh jus’ don’t seem to be the kind of girl who gets tattoos, y’know?”

“Don’t judge me by the way I look,” I told him. And with that we both entered the living room.

As the movie started rolling Oli’s comment wouldn’t escape my mind. It just kept coming back, ‘Yeh just don’t seem like the kind of girl who gets tattoos.’ Well, if I’m not, then what kind of girl am I? I mean, I don’t look like a goody toe-shoes, do I? And I definitely don’t look like one of those party animals. What am I?

But more importantly, why do I care what Oli thinks about me? It’s not like; he means anything or something… Why?

I was so stuck with my trance that I didn’t even notice that I was nibbling on the corner of the pillow I was holding. When Tom chuckled as something funny happened on the movie that’s when I snapped out. I looked to my other side and Oli was staring at me, as Abby concentrated on the movie as she sat on his lap.

“Why do yeh keep on doin’ that?” asked Oli whispering.

“Doing what?”

“Yeh, ya get all zombie-ish and ‘S freakin’ the hell out of me!” he said still whispering.

I shook my head, “Just, just don’t mind me, ok?” I snapped and stared at the movie; Tom glanced at us worriedly but then turned back his attention to the movie.

A few minutes later I couldn’t take, I had to ask. I leaned to Oli whispering, “Then what kind of girl am I? If I’m not the kind who gets tattoos?”

A smile crept up his mouth, “Yeh’re the kind I like.” He whispered back and my eyes bulged. He turned his attention to the movie leaving me struck and surprised.