It Wasn't Love ✔️

Chapter 28

Its the fifteenth of November. It's my birthday today. I definitely wasn't prepared when I got downstairs and saw the dining room full of presents. My parents stood at each side, a wide grin on both of their faces.

I hate that they were forcing the bond between us.

So I faked a smile and pull the hood of Jacob's hoodie off my head. The table was covered in huge presents and in the middle sat a strawberry cake.

"Happy birthday!" They both shout at the same time, as soon as they see me.

"Oh my God, guys!" I say over-enthusiastically. "This is... it's great!"

Don't get me wrong, I was extremely grateful. I loved that they put so much effort into my birthday. It was kind of like they were making up for years of missed birthdays. Trust me, I'm not pissed that they missed my birthdays, I'm annoyed that they couldn't be bothered to call.

The two people in front of me who claimed to love me with their entire heart couldn't be bothered to call me on my birthday because they were holed up in their offices in a different city. I don't see them in months and when they come back, they expect me to act as if I'm totally okay with them leaving.

The only consistent person I'm my life is Auntie Riley. I understood when she couldn't be around me 24/7 because she had her children to deal with.

I'm eighteen now, I can move out and start my life all over again. I can make an effort to try and love my parents because the love I had for them flew out of the window when I had to stay with a babysitter for days on end at the age of ten because they couldn't get home.

"Come here! Look at what we got you." Mum ushers me over and I slowly make my way over. They both place sloppy kisses on my cheek and quickly plant a small present into my arms.

"Open this first." Dad says, a wide smile on his face.

I do. And I see that in it is the phone that I bought for myself a few months back. I guess they didn't know that.

"Thanks, dad." I go over to hug him. I'll just give the new phone to charity or something. I'd rather not tell them they failed at getting me a birthday present too. Just as mum was about to pass me another gift, the doorbell rings. I instantly turn to answer it- anything to get out of this situation. However, I regret my decision when I see who's at the door.

"...Hi." He says, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Hey." I awkwardly look down when Jacob realises I'm wearing his hoodie.

"I... happy birthday." My heart instantly brightens up at his words.

He remembered. Don't think too much of it, someone probably reminded him. What if he woke up with my birthday on the tip of his tongue? Don't be stupid, he doesn't care that much about me. But what if- No. It's a coincidence that he remembered. What if he kept it in his calendar?

"I... set a reminder on my phone. And circled it on my calendar... but that didn't matter because I remembered as soon as I woke up today." Jacob's cheeks had gone a bright red and I found it cute how he was embarrassed about remembering my birthday.

"You came all the way here to wish me a happy birthday? Why didn't you just call me?" I laugh a little and I hear shuffling behind me so I cover the view form my parents.

"Erm... well... yeah, basically."

"But... what happened to not wanting to be my friend?" I try not to smile at his cute little face but I find it a little hard.

"I don't have to be your friend to wish you a happy birthday."

"No?"

"Okay, fine." He sighs, exaggerating slightly. "I had this planned a couple of weeks ago but then... yeah. But I don't want my tickets to go to waste, so-" Just as Jacob reaches into his coat pocket, my parents pop up behind me.

"Who do we have here?" Mum squeals behind me, clapping her hand together.

Shit.

The door is opened wide and both my parents are standing next to me, smiling at Jacob.

"Mum, dad... this is Jacob. Jacob, my parents." I sigh in annoyance.

"Pleased to meet you." Jacob says, holding his had out to shake their hands. Dad reluctantly shakes it but mum drags him to pull him in for a hug. She looks at me and mouths, he's cute! behind his back.

"Aria, you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend." Mum says, pulling Jacob inside the house.

"He's not my boyfriend." I grumble, turning away from all of them and walking back to the dining area. "He's not a friend either, apparently." I mumble so only I can hear.

"Do you have something planned?" Dad asks, crossing his arms across his chest. "Are you going to celebrate together?"

"No." I say just as Jacob says, "I was hoping to."

Dad nods his head. Mum looks between us and senses the tension. She wraps her arm through dad's and they slowly edge out of the room. "We'll let you guys talk."

I look over to Jacob to see him staring daggers into the ground.

"You hope so?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. Jacob hesitates before slipping his hand into his pocket again and bringing out two tickets.

"It's for ice skating. I'll understand if you don't want to go with me or if you wanna take another... friend."

"You were gonna take me ice skating for my birthday?" I fight the smile that's fighting it's way onto my face.

"Yeah... is that stupid? That's not a good idea, is it?"

"It's a great idea." I wouldn't mind going ice skating with Jacob. We could always test the waters of being friends to see if that's better than the alternative. The alternative being ignoring each other and not speaking. Which is something I don't think any of us actually want. Jacob's eyes light up and hope creases his features.

"Yeah? You'd want to go? Erm... with me?"

"Yeah. With you."

I'm actually losing motivation for everything at this point.

This chapter is very shit because my brain can't form a coherent sentence that doesn't sound completely garbage.

I'm at the point where the story line doesn't make sense and everything contradicts everything.

But hey ho, it's extra work for me when I'm editing.

-H ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️