Chapter 2.

Victoria POV

My birthday takes place on the first days of December, December 7 to be more exact. I usually don't like my birthdays because they always happen when there are exams in school, since more or less from the middle of December we have the end of the year vacations until January, so on my birthday, we have the end of semester exams.

But that year because of something unusual, maybe because we were Seniors in our last year of high school or just by luck, the end-of-semester exams ended in November, leaving my birthday free so I could enjoy it without any impediment. Then I thought that maybe that was some kind of sign, that it was destiny, that it was marking my birthday as a big day for me, the beginning of my adult life, and the first step to fulfill my life's dreams.

Since a couple of days ago I had started sending admission letters to different universities, trying to propose me for medical school in all of them. So excited, I was hoping that maybe on my birthday I would get an affirmative answer or even several affirmative answers from the universities where I am trying to be admitted; silly dreams, I know.

So that special morning, the morning of my birthday, I woke up to have breakfast with my family, which consists of five members including me. My mother, Kiera Miller, is a kind and sweet kindergarten teacher at a nearby school. My father, Evian Miller, is an engineer working at the city's power plant. My younger brother, Evian Junior, who we all call Vinnie out of affection, and who is a pain in the ass to me. And finally, my younger sister, Evolet Miller, who is just a three-year-old baby, who I adore with all my heart. And although she doesn't stay with us at home, my grandmother Aneli Miller lives in her own house, very close to my home, just a few blocks away in this very neighborhood; so she usually comes to visit our house.

"Happy Birthday!" I hear them say out loud, surprising me as I come down from my room to eat breakfast.

I can't help but be surprised to hear those strong words, but then I smile happily, letting all my family members give me a big hug, congratulating me on my birthday.

"My cute little girl finally turned 18, you're an adult now" My mother says to me, kissing my forehead lovingly.

Rolling my eyes, somewhat embarrassed, I say to my mother, "Mom... Stop it."

Sometimes I used to get embarrassed by such intense displays of affection between family members, even between... Couples. My best friend Jenny has a boyfriend, and when they get affectionate with each other, I feel so embarrassed that I have to look away because of the shame it gives me.

"Happy birthday Tory!" Evolet, my younger sister, says to me.

Smiling, I take her in my arms and give her a loving hug, as I walk to the dining room table to start breakfast. My younger brother for his part walks ahead of me, and without saying anything to me, sits down first at the table to eat; Vinnie is quite cold and easily angered, so I don't take it to heart, I know my silly brother is an idiot but deep down in his twisted heart he wishes me a happy birthday.

Receiving more congratulations from my family, my mom serves us the special breakfast she prepared for me on the morning of my birthday, which is delicious freshly baked homemade cinnamon rolls. I love cinnamon rolls, in general, I love sweet things, like cakes or chocolates, so my mom made this breakfast especially for me because she knows I like it.

Having a nice breakfast with all my loved ones, we finally finished with a cake that my mom brings from the kitchen after eating the cinnamon rolls. Turning off the lights, all the members of my family surround me, and lighting the candles on the birthday cake, they clap their hands and sing me a birthday song. Amid smiles, I wait for them to finish the song before blowing out the candles, making three wishes in my mind.

When it's all over, I agree to eat a small piece of cake, I would never say no to something sweet. But looking at the time, I realize I must hurry to eat, otherwise, I will be late for school.

"Don't forget that tonight your presents will be waiting for you" My father reminds me when he sees me getting up from the table to get ready for school.

"And a delicious special dinner for your birthday" My grandmother reminds me.

Smiling brightly, I reply, "I won't forget."

Kissing my grandmother on the cheek, I quickly stand up from the table, hurrying to my room again, I had to get ready for school. Even though it's my birthday, my duties at school are the same, and today is one of those long days where I have classes until past 5 pm, so I'll spend the whole day out and come back just to have that "special" dinner with my family.

I wear something simple to school, I don't usually go that dressed up anywhere, so a random sweatshirt and dark pants are enough for me, styling my long brown hair in a ponytail and putting some makeup on my face. Realizing that because of all the partying I've taken too long, I say goodbye to my family quickly and run out of the house, heading to the bus stop to go to school.

Fortunately, I'm not late and I don't miss the school bus, so I can go to school without any inconvenience. When I arrive at the school, I see how my two best friends are waiting for me at the door, which is not at all usual.

My best friend is Jennifer Duvois, we both became friends on the school bus since we are in elementary school, because she lives very close to home and we usually go home from school together. We are both very close, and I think she is the only close friend I have ever had because we both share many desires and aspirations, as she also wants to study medicine but for her vocation, wanting to help people. Our dream is to go to the same university to study medicine together.

And my other best friend is Roy Wang, a kind boy of Asian descent, who became very close to us at the beginning of high school, because he is the best male student in our class, and because Jenny and I are always competing for the place as the best female student, it was obvious that Roy would end up joining us. He is an extremely nice boy, who usually always brings me cakes from his mother's bakery, and he is very attentive to me, he is a great friend!

When I get off the bus, Jenny and Roy give me a big hug, making me laugh.

"Happy birthday Tory, you're completely legal now!" Jenny teases me, congratulating me on my birthday.

"Shut up Jenny" I tell her with a chuckle, knowing what she wants to imply.

"Congratulations Tory, I hope you fulfill all your wishes and aspirations" Roy congratulates me in an ambling way.

"Thank you, Roy" I tell him contentedly, kissing him on one cheek.

Passing the embarrassing moment of my birthday, in the middle of our usual chats, the three of us walk to the school building, going straight to class.

The rest of the day is also normal, classes go by as usual and nothing out of the ordinary happens. However at lunchtime Jenny pays for my lunch from the cafeteria and Roy gives me a cake he had brought from his family's bakery, the three of us have a nice morning together. I know other kids at my age have big surprise parties or something big as presents for them, but I prefer this type of celebration, quieter and calmer, only with those I truly love.

After finishing the school day, as normal and good as usual, I go back home on the school bus together with Jenny.

"Have a nice day Tory, and again happy birthday" Jenny says goodbye when we arrive near my house.

"Thank you Jenny" I tell her happily, giving her one last hug.

Without another word, waiting for the bus to come to the bus stop closest to my house, I get off the bus and say goodbye to Jenny with a smile, finally ending the school day. It hadn't been something so impressive, like having a big party or doing something amazing, but I spent the whole day with my best friends, and now in the evening I'm going to have a nice dinner with my family. That's more than enough for what I would call a great birthday.

Watching as the afternoon is about to end, with a beautiful sunset in the sky, I slowly walk from the bus stop to my house, which is not too far away, practically a few steps from the bus stop. Thinking about my things, like the homework I had to do later in the evening, or the special meal my mother must have prepared for my birthday, I get surprised when I arrive at my home.

Arriving in front of my home, I suffer a big shock when I see in the driveway and in the garage a couple of parked cars, very luxurious and black in color. Will they be visitors for us? I don't think so, usually because we don't get sudden visits from friends or other family members at home, so if we had visitors I would have found out sooner. Besides today is my birthday, surely my parents would not have invited another person home on such an important day, at least not without telling me or asking me about.

Thinking that maybe it was a visit for the neighbors, or maybe some kind of "surprise party" planned by my parents, I feel even more curious, so I speed up my pace until I reach my house, determined to find out what was going on.

Grabbing the door key from my backpack, I quickly unlock the door, stepping inside as fast as I can. And from the moment I set foot inside the house I notice that things are weird, not only because I don't hear the usual noise of my siblings playing, or because my mother doesn't have the radio on in the kitchen in the distance, like always when she's cooking. I'm not sure of the exact reason, but I do know that something very strange is happening in my home right now.

Looking for my relatives to ask them what the heck was going on, I walk to the living room in the house, where I surprisingly see several unknown people sitting silently on one of the sofas, while my parents and my grandmother were also there silently, sitting with their eyes down on another one of the sofas in my house.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" I ask somewhat startled, noticing the suddenly tense atmosphere.

And as soon as I set foot in the living room, all eyes are on me immediately, as if they have been waiting for me for a long time.

What's going on here?