"A DAY TO MY BIRTHDAY"

I woke up from yesterday's stress, surprised to see Jasmine and Zoey seated at a corner of my bedroom. They were inscribing on some cardboard papers lying on their laps. Crayons were scattered on the ground, and there were stains of some poster colours on their palms. Both of them weren't expecting me to wake up earlier than they thought. I blinked my eye lids twice, trying to catch a glimpse of the two humans before me.

Jasmine smiled at me, while Zoey focused on what she was doing before. I stood up from the bed immediately, approaching them. I pooled a bed stool next to Jasmine, staring at the cardboard paper lying on her laps. She smirked at me, while I stared puzzlingly.

"This intruding is unusual. Tell me, what's all these about?." I asked furiously.

"You've forgotten already huh? Tomorrow is your birthday!!!." Jasmine screamed aloud.

"Yay!!.." Zoey added.

Both of them showed me their paintings, while I dropped my jaw down. They designed the date of my birth on each of their papers, and they have secretly been counting down on my birthday.

I have never celebrated my birthday these past years, immediately I got entangled with Sebastian. All my remaining years with him, I forgot I had a birthday even after giving birth to Zoey.

Jasmine felt it was important I celebrated my birthday now that Zoey was already sixteen. Zoey had always wished to celebrate my birthday for me, even though I resisted in the past

It was going to be so unfair to me, if I refused her request again. She just looked very happy in the bed room. I didn't want those happiness to go down the drain, especially now she was getting used to not being with her father. She had stopped complaining and crying about her father, and wished she never brings up the topic again, especially now Sebastian was under our nose at Manchester city.

"Mum, I have put so much effort for your upcoming birthday." Zoey said to me with so much happiness in her voice.

"I know that. It is very obvious." I replied her.

"Every of your birthdays should be a special day in your life." Jasmine said to me.

"I'll be celebrating it without my family." I muttered sadly.

I started missing mother again, but everything was going to be fine some day. Jasmine tried cheering me up, by showing me some pictures of cake designs, she had sent to a friend of hers that were into baking. I loved the cakes she showed me on her phone's gallery and I couldn't stop admiring them.

"I'll be leaving for school now." Let me freshen up." Zoey said.

"Yeah, I forgot today's Friday." I exclaimed.

"So...rry." Zoey pulled her ears, keeping a meek face.

"I got carried away..." She added.

Zoey ran out of the bed room, going into the loo to get some cold bath. The weather was a bit hot because of the recent sunny days we experienced at Manchester. It was summer, so we weren't surprised at all.

While Zoey was getting ready for school, I had some chit chats with Jasmine.

"Don't you think it's high time I return back to Birmingham?." I asked her.

"To do what over there?." She asked me exhaustingly.

"I miss my family. I want to see mum and dad again." I cried out.

"I understand. Zoey needs to meet her grandparents too." Jasmine replied.

"Zoey won't be going with me." I revealed.

Jasmine stared at me, shocked by my last words. She wondered the reason I said so, but I was only trying to protect my daughter from the Kurtz. They'll definitely suspect that she's their grand child and snatch her away from me. Zoey mustn't get involved in any of these, until she's matured enough to understand the situation at hand.

I faked a smile at Jasmine, trying to get away from her plenty questions.

★★At Zoey's High School★★

Zoey went to school with some birthday invitation cards she shared to her mates, concerning my birthday tomorrow. Unluckily for her, it landed into the hands of the head of the bullies Viano.

Viano decided to cause a huge drama at Zoey's school again.

Viano summoned some of Zoey's mates that were also against her, to experience the tragedy. Yvette and co had to call Zoey out from her locker, to come and experience the drama Viano was causing inside their classroom.

"Hey, that's my school bag." Zoey said from the entrance door of the class.

"I'm checking the trash you packed in there." Viano said.

"You're inviting us to your mum's birthday? Nah, sounds very funny. Is your dad attending it too?". Viano asked her rudely.

Everyone bursted out in laughter, while Zoey walked into the classroom, approaching Viano. She tried raising her hands up at Viano, but Viano held onto it, throwing it on the air. Due to the gravity, Zoey staggered backwardly. Yvette and her other friends rushed towards her, preventing her from falling to the ground. Mia got so pissed by the unnecessary drama, and decided to complete the plans Zoey had for Viano, by hitting Viano's face twice unexpectedly.

Everybody was in shock, because they weren't expecting those hits from Mia to Viano's right cheek. Viano bent her, rubbing her right cheek with her palm gently. Those slaps were very painful, and Mia left some red marks on her cheek.

"Now tell me, how does it feel getting hit infront of your cheap followers?". Mia asked her.

"You'll regret this. Mark my words." Viano said in shame.

"Till then. For now, avoid Zoey or get another slap on your cheek again." Mia replied her, folding her arms sternly.

Viano scoffed in anger, throwing Zoey's bag to the ground. She walked out of the classroom angrily, while Zoey's friends attended to Zoey. Zoey was still hurt by Viano's words and Mia's reaction, wasn't an enough revenge to heal those words Viano said to Zoey's face. Zoey carried her bag from the ground, running out of the classroom.

Her friends tried going after her, but she had disappeared out of their reach.

Zoey left in the middle of school hours, and couldn't wait for her school to be over for the day. She boarded a private cab, that drove her to Sebastian's apartment.

Sebastian was rounding up with some documents, when Zoey arrived. She barged into his apartment like a thief.

Zoey entered into Sebastian's work room in tears, while Sebastian watched her with surprise.

Sebastian left his chair, walking up to sad Zoey.

"Uhm...why is my little girl sad?". He asked remorseful.

"Never mind, I would be fine". Zoey replied in tears.

"Should I serve you some chocolate drink?." He asked her thoughtfully.

Zoey nodded her head, while Sebastian laughed secretly. Zoey had some similar characters with him, especially the fact that they don't reject their favorite drinks, even if they are angry or sad.

Sebastian left to the kitchen, to prepare some chocolate drink for sad Zoey.

He returned in a jiffy, holding a cup of chocolate hot drink for Zoey. She shamelessly collected it from him, gulping it down with so much frustrations.

"I feel better now. Anyways, tomorrow is my mum's birthday." Zoey revealed to him, switching from her sad mood to a happy mood.

"Oh really? but what I'm expected to do there?." He asked naively.

"Just telling you as my friend. It's mum's big day." Zoey said aloud.

Sebastian promised her to come to the birthday party tomorrow, even though he won't be staying long because of the state of his work. He couldn't believe he had grown within this short period of time, in sacrificing his work time for a little girl like Zoey. She had so much effects on him, and it always worked like magic.