1-CHRIS

“... So happy birthday......”

"Thanks, Fred...”

"You did hear what I told you... Right?"

Hmm.

“Of course...”

I heard the snort of my longtime friend, Alfred Marton, and without seeing it, I knew he had an exasperation grimace on his face.

We had known each other since we were 13 after he saved me from a fight on the streets on The Bronx. I still had a small scar on my right cheekbone thanks to the stitches I received that day.

But contrary to what you might think, I come from a rich family in Manhattan, although I have always hated that pompous atmosphere my family environment loved, that's why I used to roam all over New York whenever I could, and that's how I got into trouble with multiple teenagers at once.

I was always considered the black sheep of the family and not because of my bad character, disrespect or because I was a bad kid, but actually because of my physical appearance.

Get an idea why: I have two older siblings, Geoffrey and Jasmine. Beautiful blue-eyed blond twins of whom their father was proud of everything related to their lives... and then there was me.

I looked like I came from somewhere parallel to them with my black hair and green eyes, not to mention my body size.

I think that from the moment I was conceived, I was destined to be the outcast of the family, so, since I had the first opportunity I stopped being in that house and preferred to wander around looking for something else to do.

Because apparently my mother's abortions attempts weren't enough to prevent me from being born if I was here telling this story.

For some reason I decided to stay in her womb until I was expelled from her and forgotten by her owner and her husband.

So, where Geoffrey was athletic and with a standard height in his teens, I had looked like a six-foot hulk he took upon himself to ridicule me in high school for my size as puberty hit me early and it never seemed like I would stop growing in all directions.

He was barely three years older than me, but man, if I let those memories take over, they would take me to a place I didn't like to visit.

"You've got me worried, Chris." My friend's voice snapped me out of my gloomy thoughts.

Unfortunately, that was my constant state if I didn’t occupy my mind with other things.

“Don't be worried, Fred, you know how I am with work.”

"Exactly brother, I don't know what you are like when you're not working anymore, that's why I gave you this gift." The self-sufficient smile caught my attention.

“What gift?” I asked tense.

Fred's response was a sarcastic smile.

“You heard me... didn't you?”

Now I was the one who snorted

"Okay, no, I didn't hear you, sorry," I breathed again, "Please, Fred, could you tell me what you bought me?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well..." Fred's face was devilish. "When was the last time you relaxed?" he asked

"Don't answer me with another question, Fred," I said impatiently, "And don't make that face, you're scaring me...”

Fred's piercing laugh was the last straw.

I got up and started walking up and down my office.

I loved this place so much that I decided to build a third floor and make it my home and be able to have those views whenever I wanted.

Well, I hadn't actually built it, but I had designed it. Though I helped with the constructions.

I was obviously proud of this symbolic achievement located in the Financial District near the Fishing Port, and boasted the breathtaking view of the Hudson River, where I looked directly at the Statue of Liberty.

In this case her back, but it was very relaxing.

That sight always comforted me, reassured me... but not this time, because I felt the sweat starting to run down the back of my neck, felt that my heart would leap from my chest and the hairs on my arms and stomach raised, because I knew Fred's visit wasn’t just “a visit."

Whenever he showed up on the spur of the moment, it was because he was up to something, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out what his "birthday present" was.

"Stay calm, Christopher." Fred brought me out of my musings again. "As I told you, you have me worried, you no longer go out, or call me... you just haven't done anything since..."

"Of course I do things," I interrupted, "I go to the gym when I get out of here," I replied proudly.

“You mean the one you built upstairs?” He asked sarcastically, "Then excuse me, of course you do things; I don't know why I care then,” was Fred's answer “You know what I mean, Chris, I know last time didn't go well, but are you going to put every woman for something one in particular did to you? When was the last time you went out and had dinner with someone? The guys have asked me countless times about you and I don't know what excuses to make anymore.”

I only managed to grunt in response, the truth was that I had more than two years without dating a woman.

That left me a little thoughtful.

What year were we in?

How long has it been since that happened to me?

I couldn't admit to Fred I had gotten a certain idea by going out and trusting a woman again...

Before, I hadn't had any problem going out and finding someone to vent with.

Tall, short, chubby, skinny; When you're a young, hormone-filled body, looks don't matter.

But over the years you become demanding and in search of something perfect, but then ended tired of the unique lifestyle of women.

There was so much pomposity, so much paraphernalia, so much drama, and yet not a single humble feeling crossed the minds of the women in my social circle.

Yes, they were beautiful women even under those pounds and pounds of makeup they insisted on wear and of course, they were also beautiful once they spent half a container of makeup remover thanks to the hundreds of treatments they used to undergo to look “natural”, and that was fine I mean, who didn't like a pretty woman? There was no problem with it, the only problem was that there was nothing beyond physical beauty.

And it all got worse when I started making money on my own.

But there was one a few years ago I thought I had found something real for the first time. It was a clever move to pose as a calm and kind woman to win my affection.

Sadly, I didn't see the dollar signs in her eyes when I told her I had met with Trump to erect a new building in The Plaza, or that Clooney had contacted me to build a new wing in his mansion, or that Brad and Angelina needed a bigger house for their offspring.

I only realized too late when I was tied of hands and feet and their laughter filled the rare silence of that place.

I guess it was my fault for being so trusting with her. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a picky person.

I mean, now I understood I had never fallen in love.

I always sought to respect the women I went out with and specially when I decided to be serious and try to be affectionate and attentive, it didn’t turn out as I planned, I tried to sleep in the same bed, but lying next to someone whom produced insomnia in you didn’t feel comfortable.

In the end, I ended up walking all over her apartment since I never felt safe that my personal space was invaded.

“Hey!” Fred yelled behind me startling me in the process "I'm sorry," he muttered ashamed, "I didn't mean to scare you knowing that..." He cleared his throat without ending that sentence and handed me an envelope. “I don’t want a no for an answer, okay? Happy birthday again... and please answer the phone to your friends from time to time.”

“I have spoken with Alex,” I replied with a frown “He knows I’m busy with his project on the island...”

"And you always give him evasive answers when he invites you to meet Abbie," he answered cutting me off, "She's an incredible girl, Alex. You lose nothing by being nice to her for a few minutes.”

I ignored what my friend was telling me and started to open the envelope he had given me.

Inside was a pamphlet and various impressions of a paradise resort, all luxury and charm, which looked incredible.

I liked those images immediately, feeling the muscles of my whole body suddenly clenched.

Maybe I did need a distraction, maybe I needed to live life a little more. I was healthy and had money, did I really have to keep working to get more money than I needed?

“Are you there? Hey, you really worry me,” Fred said “Tell me if you like it and if not, then you're also going there, I went with Sofia a few weeks ago for our anniversary and it's wonderful, the beaches, the hotel, the water beds...” Fred's gaze became lustful, it completely bothered me. That led to other thoughts of him and his wife... ugh, no. “So much so that we already bought one last week, I tell you brother, it's a unique feeling, they said they went out of fashion years ago, but Sofia and I...”

“Okay stop. Fine, I'm going, but not because of the waterbed,” God, I felt my face was crimson “but because the truth is that, it has been a long time since I took some time off, where it’s?” I asked looking at the pamphlet curiously and ignoring the stunned look my friend gave me.

"I thought I would have to persuade you a little more," he muttered confused, "you're leaving tomorrow...”

“Tomorrow?” Fred nodded. "Tomorrow! Have you gone crazy? Didn't it occur to you better to notify tomorrow?” I exclaimed sarcastic, "Do you know all the commitments I have to fulfill, Alfred? All the appointments I have to cancel?”

“You have that many?” He asked me looking at me as if I had gone crazy.

I went over to my desk to check my schedule and was surprised to see that, mysteriously, I had several days off.

I was sure I had a videoconference scheduled for Saturday with the foreman of the island project.

"You did this," I muttered accusingly.

"I have no idea what to talk about," he replied staring at the ceiling with fascination.

"I guess I have no excuses not to go then..." I said reluctantly.

“Excellent!” He exclaimed excitedly, "You’ll see you won't regret it, Chris. You’ll love it!”

"You still haven't told me where it’s," I said impatiently picking up another pamphlet.

"It's Hawaii," Fred muttered. "You're going to Hawaii for a week."

I lifted my head like a spring and looked at him surprised, still trying to process the information.

“Hawaii?” I noticed that each time my friend got closer and closer towards the exit “Don't you dare run away! One week? I thought it would be just a weekend...”

"Well, it's a week," he communicated amused, grabbing the knob. "The truth is that I never understood the reason for your aversion to birthdays, but I respect it. It doesn't mean that you don’t get old even if you don't celebrate it, that's fine, but you’ll go to that place, you’ll burn like a shrimp, you’ll have an orgy with some drunk university students and you’ll unload that... "Tension" you have accumulated.”

"You..." I backed away from the desk in his direction hearing him laughing before running out of my office.

I turned back and sat in my chair and reviewed the itinerary of my surprise trip.

"So, I'm going to Hawaii tomorrow," I mumbled thoughtfully trying to remember the last time someone gave me something for my birthday.

I could only remember the chocolate cupcake that my parents' housekeeper gave me when I turned fifteen.

That was the last time something like this happened because Sarah died a few months later and I decided to leave that place.

Nothing was holding me back from staying.

I looked at the papers scattered on the glass of my desk and began to review them calmly since apparently, I didn’t have a choice.

"I wonder if there will be kayaks for people of my size," I mumbled watching a guy paddling.

I saw the pools and the spa wondering how it would feel to get a massage since I had never had one.

I was surprised to look up at the clock and see that an hour had passed while I was reading my vacation information.

A call distracted me from my reading.

"Royce," I said distractedly turning a pamphlet to see a person paragliding.

Could I do that?

"Hello, love" That voice made me smile "Has he visited you yet?" she asked.

“Oh yeah. Thanks for the gift, Sofia, they didn't have to do it,” I replied.

“We didn't have to? Are you forgetting everything you have done for us? Christopher, it's about time you start to live, you no longer have to prove anything to anyone, you have everything a businessman is expected to have. You deserve to be happy Chris, but you won’t find happiness in the office or in your apartment which you have above your head; when was the last time you went out to see the light of day or the moon?” she asked, although thank God I didn't have time to answer because I had no answer for that. “Tell me you are going to go, please,” she said with a hint of anxiety.

I sighed in relief when she stopped talking.

I don't know how they communicated in that house, they both talked too much.

Fred and Sofia had met at a coffee shop near Royce construction.

She had been a local waitress and had been enchanted by Fred since the first moment; Personally, I was still amused by what had happened when we met her.

She had spilled the coffee on him and nervous, she had rubbed a handkerchief from the neck of his shirt to his crotch and apologized every moment for how silly she had been.

I had seen the show from the front row, surprised that something like this happened in real life, but even more surprised with the way Fred had acted at the time.

He, who had always been a typical flirt, had blushed in front of this girl of no more than five feet tall with jet-black hair and large, shy brown eyes.

A beautiful creature indeed.

That had been love at first sight, and I had felt uncomfortable being the third wheel, so I had left them alone to meet and after three months they gave me the news they were getting married.

That had taken me off base since Fred was quite a womanizer, and the idea that something like this would happen without one of the parties being a gold digger didn’t quite settle in my mind.

But they still got married even when I told my doubts to Fred, who almost killed me when I said my doubts, but it’s been three years since that, and I had never seen my friend so happy.

And more so now that they would be parents.

And two days before turning thirty-three, that feeling of envy I had felt for my friend, had turned into a piercing longing I tried to keep under lock and key whenever I was near them.

Was it so difficult for a woman to notice me for me and not for my bank account?

Was there anyone who seemed good enough not to hurt me one more time?

"Stay calm Sofia, I already told Fred I’d go, so you can breathe again," I said mockingly, "How is the little one?" I said changing the subject.

"Making me vomit every time I put something in my mouth," Sofia answered with a voice full of love. "But it doesn't matter, when I lie down on the bed for a while it passes," she finished.

“In which bed? The normal... Or the water one?” I smiled devilishly.

“Oh!” it was Sophia's response "I'm going to kill Fred, I can't believe he told you that," she answered.

“Don't be ashamed, Sofia,” I said amused “Hey, I have to go but I thanks for the gift, I hadn't realized how long I had without going out and I think a little fresh air for a few days will do me good.” I said sincerely.

"You're welcome, darling," she said sweetly, "And Chris...”

“Tell me.”

"Happy birthday in advance," she muttered before hanging up...

“Thank you,” I answered tremulously at the beep of the phone “I need to do something” I decided to go back to the phone “Angela, cancel my appointments for today and tomorrow, cancel all pending until further notice, I'm going on a trip and I don't know when I'll return, I have to go.”

"Sure, Mr. Royce," Angela replied surprised, "Anything else, sir?"

"No, thanks," I said hanging up.

I packed up my things and headed to the gym.

Yes, the one that was on my head.

With a resigned sigh, I realized my friends were right.

My life was depressing and sad, but I had decided to change it when I returned from that trip.