Ana's Birthday

"Hey Luka, Wake up"

"Mmm. Let me sleep for a few more minutes."

"Wake up. Did you forget it's Ana's birthday today?"

Lily is waking me up, like always.

"Hey! Wake up or...I will rape you."

I quickly sat up straight on my bed.....no rather than sitting up, I was almost standing on my bed.

"I am awake."

She might do anything if I don't.

"Hmph. I can see that"

"What? Why are you looking--ow!"

"Hey…are you okay? What happened?!" Lily came rushing at me.

"It's nothing. My head just hurts a little. Did something happen last night?"

"No, nothing happ--ah! Don't tell me you don't remember what we did last night?"

As soon as she said that, I started sweating.

"What.....happened?" I asked hesitantly.

"We had so much fun last night. Even though it was my first time, you were so rough."

"Wait! Wait a damn minute! What the hell are you talking about?"

"Like I said, you drank too much yesterday, and we had fun last night. You even said that you would take responsibility."

"Yeah, right, I am not even allowed to drink yet. And now I remember nothing happened."

"Tch!" she clicked her tongue and said, "Come on, get ready, it's Ana's birthday."

"Yeah, I know. Now get out."

Sigh~

What a terrible morning.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Luka, Come and eat your breakfast."

"Coming, mom!"

I quickly ran downstairs.

Mom was setting up a table. And Lily was playing on her phone, as always.

I smacked her head and said, "Breakfast is ready."

She immediately jumped and tried to smack me back.

"Hey. I said breakfast is ready, didn't I? You have three seconds. If you are not on the chair in three seconds, you won't get any breakfast."

Lily and I both quickly dashed to the table.

She grabbed a chair and tried to sit on it. I pushed her on the side and took that chair.

We were all eating breakfast. And I was lost in...

"What happened? You don't look good," mom asked.

"Nothing"

"Hey, it's Ana's birthday today, right."

"Mmm"

"Did you buy a gift for her?"

"Mmm"

"What did you buy?"

"Mmm"

Seeing my reactions, mom whispered to Lily.

"What happened? Why is he in a bad mood?"

"Maybe I went too far."

"What did you do now?"

I can hear you, you know?

Suddenly my phone rang.

I checked who it was.

"Hmm. They are on their way" I stood up and said, "I am done eating. I will be in my room," and went upstairs to my room.

After about half an hour, I went downstairs.

"They are here. Let's go, Lily" I pulled her hair.

"Go where?"

"Ana's."

"Someone else is also coming?" Lily asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah. Ana's friends."

"Are they girls?" she asked, tilting her head to the other side.

"Obviously, they are girls."

"Then I am not coming. I have no interest in meeting other girls. You can go," Lily said in a haughty manner.

"Then give me the gift you bought yesterday. I will give it to her"

"No, thanks. I will give it to her later."

"Fine. I am going. Bye"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Meanwhile, Liz and Nisa were waiting for Luka at the park near his house.

"Where is he? It's been two days since I last saw him. I miss him so much," Liz said, looking at the road.

"Hmph. What do you see in that guy anyway?" Nisa asked as she kicked the stone near her.

"Huh? You mean Luka?"

"Who else would it be?"

"He is amazing. He is strong. He is so handsome, and he is so--"

"Enough! I don't want to hear more," Nisa said, covering her ears.

"No! Please listen. There is more," Liz pleaded.

"Please stop it," Nisa begged.

"Whoa! What is going on here?" Luka came rushing into the park.

"Luka! When did you come?" Liz asked as she ran at him.

"I just came and saw Nisa crying" Luka walked to Nisa and asked, "Hey Nisa. Are you okay? Does your tummy hurt?"

"It doesn't!" Nisa rebutted and said, "And I am not crying! Go and get your eyes checked," as she yelled angrily.

"You can yell fine. You must be fine. Come on, let's go. It's 10 AM already."

"Yeah. Let's go. We can continue this later, Nisa," said Liz.

"I said I don't want to hear more!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Liz, Nisa, and I are standing outside Ana's house.

"Umm…where is the doorbell?" Liz asked while searching for the doorbell.

"There isn't!" I said, opening the door.

"Hey. Is it okay to enter without knocking?" Nisa asked worriedly.

"It's okay. This is like my second home anyway," I remarked while entering the house.

"Whose second home is this again?"

As soon as we entered, we were greeted by Ana.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, stepping back a little.

This was more like the first question that came to mind, so I asked her without thinking.

"It's my house, so obviously, I would be here," replied Ana.

"I know that! I mean, why are you here, in front of the door?"

Did someone tell her we were coming?

I looked at Liz and Nisa to know if they informed Ana or not. But they were shaking their heads.

"Say, Ana. Did someone tell you that we are coming?"

"Yes. Lily called me."

Damn you, Lily!

"Well anyway, come in," Ana said as she closed the door behind us.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~~.~.~

We all were sitting on the sofa of the living room.

I was still cursing Lily in my mind.

Liz was glancing around the room.

Nisa was sitting nervously, and Ana was petting her white cat.

"I am so happy that you guys came," Ana said, putting the cat down,

"It was Liz's idea. Thank her," I said as the cat snuggled my legs.

"Is that so? Thanks, Liz"

"You don't have to thank me. It's kind of embarrassing."

Wow. She is blushing.

Usually, she would just brush it off, saying, 'Ara. You don't have to thank me'.

"Well then..." I turned my gaze at the gifts and signaled Liz and Nisa to give Ana gifts.

"Oh yeah!" Liz handed the bag to Ana and said, "Take this."

"What is it?"

"Gift from me."

"Here. This is from me" Nisa gave her a gift.

"Thank you, Nisa. Hey, can I open it?" Ana asked with a curious look on her face.

"Sure. Go ahead," Liz replied.

Ana opened Liz's gift first.

It was a small stuffed-bear.

"Bear! Thanks, Liz"

She is jumping like a kid.

Then she opened Nisa's gift.

It was a beautiful hairpin.

"Wha…! Thanks, Nisa" Ana was surprised by that gift.

Honestly, I am surprised too. I never thought a girl like Nisa would give such a girly gift. And stop jumping around, Ana!

Now it's my turn.

They all looked at me.

"Yeah, yeah" I took out a box from my pocket and gave it to her, saying, "Here. This is from me."

"Thanks. "

"Mmm," After a minute of silence.

"What?! Aren't you going to open it?"

"Can I?"

I nodded.

She opened the box as it revealed a necklace.

Why aren't you jumping now?!

I wanted to say...no, I wanted to yell that very badly but....when I looked at them, they were looking at me.

"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" I asked nervously.

"I never thought you would gift something like this," Nisa remarked.

Her face clearly shows how disgusted she is feeling by my gift.

"What do you mean 'something like that'? Hey Ana, you didn't like it?"

"No, it's...it's beautiful."

"See?! She liked it." I smirked at Nisa.

"Hmph!"

What's her problem?

"Why did you give something like this?" This time it was Liz.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Liz said as she turned her face the other way.

I scratched my head thinking, 'Did I do something that I am not supposed to do?'

What is this heavy atmosphere?

I have to do something.

"Listen here," I said as I added, "I have always gifted Ana things that can be useful. This white cat too. I gave it to her last year."

"Pets are okay, but necklaces and stuff are too heavy," said Nisa, whose face is now a little less disgusted.

"And what do you mean by that?" I immediately asked.

"Like I said, you are supposed to give necklaces and stuff to your girlfriend."

"Yeah, so, Ana is my girl--oh! Well…she is my childhood friend, so it's okay, right?"

That was close!

No one is supposed to know that—especially this Nisa.

She is the type of person who always works according to the system.

Her ideals are too heavy for people like me. And her family background is too complicated.

"Hey, Liz. Are you okay with this?" Nisa asked Liz.

"Huh?"

Liz started sweating after she was asked that question.

"Luka is your Boyfriend, right?" Nisa added.

"Oh! Yeah, he is my boyfriend," Liz said as she held my arm.

As soon as she did that, the white cat who was playing around jumped between us, resulting in us to separate.

"Looks like she doesn't like you," I said as I picked up the cat.

"By the way. This necklace is specially made. You can break it from..." I added as I said, "From here and..." I broke the necklace and said, "Wear this as a ring" I fastened the remaining part on her wrist, saying, "And...this as a bracelet."

"What! Really?! How?! Show me, show me!" For some reason, Nisa was surprised.

Why are you so happy?!

"I see. It's good. Thank you, Luka," Ana said as she removed the bracelet from her wrist.

"No need for thanks. It's natural to give this type of thing to the person you love."

Wait...what did I just say?!

They didn't think it was weird, right?

"By the way, Luka. Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Oh! Yeah. Happy birthday, Ana."

"Not that. Something more serious, more important."

"Uh..."

What does she mean?

"You have had enough fun messing with me these past two weeks."

"...!"

As soon as she said that, I let go of the cat…no. The cat slipped out of my hands.

"Don't tell me..."

Don't tell me that she…she…

"Yes. It's exactly as you are thinking."

Ana said as she removed the scrunchies from her hair, which caused her ponytail to fall.

Dammit! Why now?