Dark Eyed Dreamers

On my nineteenth birthday I woke up to one of the most annoying yet lovable creatures jumping on my bed.

“Braelyn, guess what!”

“I will stab you, Jack. Let me sleep.”

“Guess what!”

“Goooo away.” I groaned and attempted to pull the covers over my head.

“Guess what!” Jack yelled again, still jumping.

“You drank radioactive waste and now you glow in the dark?”

“Close, but no! It’s your birthday!”

“Cool story, go tell Rae.” I said in hopes that it would get Jack out of my way so I could go back to sleep.

“Rae already knows! She’s already awake, showered, and dressed.” Jack told me while he jumped off of my bed.

“I hate you.” I responded, clinging to my mattress while Jack pulled me by my ankles.

- - -

“Where is everyone else?” Reagan asked.

It was common knowledge that on birthdays you don’t make plans with anyone other than the person/people who was/were born on that day. Yet, my sister and I sat in the diner with Jack…and only Jack.

“Rian and Mikayla went to go visit her grandparents.”

Reagan rolled her eyes. “Figures.”

“Umm, I don’t know where Zack is but I think Alex doing something with his family.”

“Well…this is fantastic.”

“Of course it is! You still have Jack.” Jack smiled big and took an unnaturally large bite out of his burger.

The fact that my own boyfriend neglected to show up for the traditional birthday wake up call and diner run would have seemed suspicious. Key words: would have . Oddly enough, it didn’t seem suspicious. Zack had been acting bizarre all week.

If Zack wasn’t spacing out in the middle of conversations he would be extremely uninterested in doing any of our normal things. For example, movie nights were no longer enjoyable to Zack. Suddenly, Zack was never in the mood for sushi anymore. Not that we went to Akari anymore after that episode.

Zack was being distant, very distant.

I had no idea what I could have done to make him act that way.

As far as Mikayla and Rian being out of town, that was typical. Mikayla would do anything in order to take attention away from my sister and me. It was annoying to say the least. I can’t be upset at Rian for being a good boyfriend though.

Then there’s the whole Alex situation. I don’t think Rae had talked to Alex all week. I didn’t blame her much being as Alex is manwhore. I think he was avoiding her at all costs just to escape the bitch out that he fully deserved.

“I can’t believe everyone made other plans…” I said in disbelief. I pushed a fry about my plate, trying to hide my disappointed face. Jack was trying his best, that much was clear.

“Cheer up! I’ll buy you guys balloons and ice cream! And we can go to the beach!”

“Sounds good.” Rae said trying her best to be enthused but failing.

- - -

Jack went through with his plan of buying ice cream, balloons, and taking us to the beach.

Reagan and I left our balloons in Jack’s car. Then Jack gave us what he called “the best ever birthday present”, which involved Jack grabbing both of our hands and running as fast as he possibly could down the beach.

“I can’t breathe!” I yelled as Jack pulled us directly through a toddler’s sand castle.

“We’re so sorry!” Reagan yelled to the crying toddler and his furious mother.

Jack made a sudden stop which sent both Reagan and I crashing into him. I couldn’t help but notice the way Jack smirked at my sister as she removed herself from Jack.

“What the -fuck –was that?” Reagan demanded trying to catch her breath, her face was red from running but it turned redder after Jack’s flirty smirk.
I couldn’t help but smirk myself.

Jack was too busy trying to catch his breath so instead of saying anything, he just wiped the sweat off of his red face and pointed straight ahead of him.”

There on the beach was as Jack said “the best ever birthday present.” All of our friends had a tent set up with table full of food underneath it.

It was cliché and incredibly corny but it was perfect.