„The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."-Leo Tolstoy
Around a month had passed, holidays were over. The girl didn't even keep count of the weeks anymore, she only wanted all the pain she went through to go away in an instant and to never appear again.
Her birthday was approaching, a day she didn't look forward to, but hoped would once again bring joy in her soul. Everything had felt bleak and pointless for quite a while, but her birthdate meant something new was coming her way.
Something exciting from the usual apathy and ache of every day life.
The atmosphere outside was sad, grey clouds were prevailing not only over the sky, but over herself, too. She didn't have a motive to feel unusually upset, yet the world would keep spinning even if it felt like hers was coming to an end.
When Tuesday, 19th of January, showed up on the calendar, the girl called her friends to her house after school. She wished to have a few moments of peace and to feel cared for.
Grace and Rachel both arrived at her house, but Vivien still felt like she had a heavy boulder in her chest, pulling down and tugging at her soul.
It would also be described as an emptiness, something bittersweet, which usually went away.
The two girls looked happy to see Vivien. Grace, with her gorgeous blonde hair flowing in the wind and blue eyes, hugged the girl first. Next to hug Vivien was Rachel, her dark eyes first analyzing the girl's expressions to make sure everything was alright and that she was as joyful as she was.
Vivien complimented the girls' looks, and they both thanked her. It seemed they both looked prettier than she had remembered.
The moment of realization of how beautiful people were reminded her of a very similar feeling of what it was like to drag open the heavy drapes from a view that was right in front of her, yet she had never looked up to see it. The drapes held her back from observing aspects that should have been seen before.
Could the drapes be dragged open to the maximum? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, depending on the strenght she would use. There were moments she didn't hold enough force.
Vivien hesitated before texting Sylas. He had been saying he's very excited for her birthday party for a while, now. She was happy he was joyful, but to her, inviting him to her house meant she'd have to speak about what was going on in her soul.
Sylas could notice every time something was deeply wrong with her. It was like another superpower he had, yet perhaps that one wasn't attributed by the blood moon.
She eventually sent a text and invited him.
„Vivien, what are you doing on your phone? Come, let's gobble up all the food you have! I'm starving!", Rachel grabbed Vivien's sleeve and dragged her to the kitchen.
„Don't hurt the birthday girl!", Grace exclaimed in her usual soft voice.
The two girls have not mentioned anything about the superpowers ever since Vivien had talked to them about the magic she had encountered. She mentioned to her friends the realm she was going in was dangerous, and managed to show them she can travel in time.
However, she wanted them to keep a low profile and stop speaking about it, because she did not want to worry them. Vivien had not talked to them about the curse, yet, and she did not want to mention it. That she was cursed to have a terrible future ahead of herself.
The girls had fun as they usually did. They played cards, and each of them managed to win a round or two. They tried to bake something that was Rachel's idea, but failed. Then, they all eventually went to Vivien's room and sat down in her bed. They started watching a movie and had to pause it because her parents showed up.
Her dad carried luggage and her mom held a few boxes in her hands. When hearing a car stop by, she was so happy. She got out of bed and opened the drapes, looking through the window.
„My parents came!"
„That's awesome! Go to them, Viv!", Rachel answered.
Luis had been watching the girls have fun together. Once Vivien came out of her room, she told her brother their parents arrived, and Luis happily sat up from the sofa and closed his laptop.
The brother and sister walked out of the house and hugged their parents, feeling over the moon to see them again.
The trip they had from Canada to America was surely, very tiring, Vivien thought. So she wanted to bring joy and happy moments to her parents.
They guided their parents inside the house. She carefully helped them with the luggage and boxes they carried.
Once inside, the girls continued to dance around or sing songs while Luis discussed with their mom and dad. They all engaged in different activities which brought various sentiments onto them.
A couple of moments later, there was a knock at the door. The girls stopped whatever else they were doing.
„Who else did you invite?", Grace asked.
„I'm pretty sure she invited Sylas.", Luis answered.
Vivien stepped towards the door and opened it. In front of her was Sylas, holding a gift box and a small letter attached to it. Vivien smiled and hugged him.
„I'm happy to see you!"
„Me too.", he said.
When she pulled away from the hug, he gave her the gift and made her promise not to open it yet. He poked her nose, as if to seal the promise she had made.
The boy stepped inside and made acquaintance with her parents. He cracked jokes with the others. Vivien listened in to hear what he was saying.
Time passed, and it was finally time for people to sing her happy birthday.
Her mother came in, holding the cake in her right hand which had candles with the numbers 1 and 9.
Sylas gave Rachel a small camera to record and take photos, and she took it.
Vivien sat down at the table as people were still singing her happy birthday. Her mom gave her the cake to hold, and Vivien looked around at all the people sorrounding her, singing, while paying attention not to drop the dessert. It was a beautiful sight, so many people singing happy birthday to her.
Eventually, they stopped singing and told her to blow the candles. Vivien did as she was told, and Rachel caught every moment on camera.
Afterwards, her friend which held the camera stepped forward, took a bit of whipped cream from the top of the cake, and smuged it all over Vivien's nose.
„I've been looking forward to doing this for so long! Ha, this time, you couldn't run away from me. Now, you'll be very sticky, just like you didn't want! What do you have to say for yourself?"
Vivien gasped, then let out a small chuckle.
Rachel shoved the camera in her face.
„I absolutely love whipped cream. Would experience this all over again! Thanks, Rachel!"
„I hope you're not saying that sarcastically!"
...
Eventually, the day came to an end. Her friends left, and only Luis and her parents remained.
Vivien couldn't keep holding back her excitement to open the presents she had received. She took all the boxes in her room and closed the door behind her.
Now, she was alone, and she could reminisce on everything that has taken place so far. She decided to leave the present she was the most curious about for last, which was from Sylas. She knew what the gifted object would be, but she really wanted to read the letter attached to it.
After multiple failed attempts to open the wrapped presents, she got scissors and cut through the colorful paper.
She got a sweater, a journal, a book she'd been talking about for a long time, and many other objects she felt happy to receive. Finally, Vivien decided to open up the present from him.
The present was wrapped tightly, and she cut through the wrappings. She grabbed the letter, which was tied to the wrappings, and set it down on the table in front of her.
A medium sized wooden box was, now, visible, the girl opening it without a second thought. Inside was a beatiful yellow bolo tie which looked exactly like the one he has.
She grabbed the gift like a very precious object, careful not to break it or scratch it accidentally.
After taking a good look at the bolo tie, she set it down and held the letter which was attached to the wrappings. She immediately started reading it.
„One day, you will be sitting outdoors, watching the sky, and everything won't feel as dreadful anymore. You will have peace. Whenever you are hard on yourself, I hope that the universe will wrap you in a soft blanket full of comfort and will keep you warm until you're all better. I know you act strong because you feel like you have to, but, one day, you won't have to be strong all the time. You'll be able to say how you feel. I hope you find love that doesn't disappear the minute you're not at your best, and I wish you could tell me more about you. You make me happy, happier than I have felt in a long time. I don't know how you do it. Happy birthday, Vivi. Don't grow old and wrinkly. I've heard that if you stress too much, you'll grow older faster, so all you need to do is relax." -from Sylas Jackson.
Vivien set the letter down, a sense of comfort tugging at her soul. She felt vulnerable, and her eyes started to slightly tear up. Sylas knew so much about the issues she had to face without her even telling him everything. Her admiration for him grew even more, just then.
In that moment, Vivien had realized something.
She was thankful for her heart that breaks easily, but loves so deeply. She was thankful for laughter that found its way back each time after a difficult moment. She was thankful for mornings that always gave her a chance to begin again and again, despite thinking there was no way forward. She was thankful for the lessons hidden inside the moments she once called pain. Her suffering made her thankful for everything that she has now.