BIG 20'

CHAPTER 1.

BIG 20’.

“Good morning, my princess! Happy birthday!” Selena O’Brien’s father greeted her as she descended the stairs. Her long, red hair danced behind her as she rushed towards the dining table. It was her birthday, and everyone knows that birthday girls should be happy on their special day. 

Well, Selena was absolutely delighted. She had been eagerly awaiting her 20th birthday. Now that she was a full-fledged young adult, she could finally do whatever she pleased. It also meant she could spend the day with her father before he set off on another journey.

Selena had on a Lakers jersey, snug black jeans, and white sneakers. Her best friends, Dalett and Trisha, had given her these sneakers as a birthday gift just yesterday after school. 

“Thanks, Dad.” She gave her father kisses on both cheeks and then settled between her two sisters, Jade and Hania.

“Happy birthday, Selena,” both her sisters and her mother chimed in.

“Thanks for remembering my birthday, everyone,” she playfully remarked with a smile as she waited for the food.

“Hon, we’ll always remember your birthday,” her mother reassured her.

Selena and her father exchanged glances and broke into laughter. The thought of it being her special day had her absolutely thrilled. Since she was thirteen, she’d been wishing for her father to take her to a basketball game, a dream she’d held dear. Now, at 20, it was finally going to happen.

She was like a little copy of her father, always loving the same things he did. Her siblings often felt envious because she got to spend the most time with him.

“You look so cheerful, dear. What did your dad say he’d do for you this time?” Selena’s mother asked as she noticed their laughter.

Selena spun the table around to get to the food. When it finally reached her, she started serving herself.

After serving, she leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands, turning to her mother. “Mom, it’s something only Dad and I know. You don’t need to know,” she replied with an eye roll, then refocused on her meal and started to eat.

“Isabel,” Selena’s father interjected, trying to divert his wife’s attention. “You don’t have to know what Selena and I have planned.”

“Really? Is keeping secrets from your family acceptable now?” Isabel inquired, crossing her arms. “Jordan, remember Selena isn’t your only child. The other girls feel left out because of you. And it’s been this way since Selena started enjoying the same things as you,” Isabel added. 

“I can’t blame him because I admire everything he does.” Jade and Hania don’t appear to be interested in what Daddy enjoys, but I am. That is usually why he favors me.”

“Selena, please calm down, and Isabel, you too. There’s no need for this to turn into a fight. “I love all of you girls,” their father stated in an attempt to calm things down.

The eldest child, Hania, who had remained quiet throughout the argument, looked at Selena with a concerned expression and spoke up. “Selena, don’t be rude to Mom. You always do this. Just once, try to change. You’re an adult now at 20; it’s time to stop acting like a child.”

Selena shifted her focus back to her meal. Her appetite had disappeared, but she didn’t want to leave the table while the others were still eating, for fear of upsetting her father. She and Isabel had argued in the past over trivial matters, and she didn’t want another conflict.

Just two days earlier, the two of them were arguing about whether Selena should throw a party or not. Selena had made it clear to Isabel that she disagrees to a party, she just wanted to go out with her father, but Isabel insisted that now that she is 20, she should host a large party. 

“This time, I think I’m going to agree with Hania.” Jade, the youngest, spoke out, attracting everyone’s attention to her. “Don’t get me wrong, but Selena and Mom quarrel every time they get a chance.”

“And who wanted to hear from you, Jade?” Selena replied, her brows furrowed as she shot a dark look at her sister.

“All I need to say is that I know what Daddy promised Selena.” Jade turned her attention away from Selena and directed it at Isabel.

Hania and Isabel became curious about Jade’s opinion. “So, dear, what did he promise her? A car?” Isabel inquired.

Jade shook her head. “No, Mom. You have to give me $200 right now if you want me to spill the beans.”

Isabel grinned. “That’s no problem, my dear. You’ll get it after breakfast, I promise. In fact, I’ll double the payment.”

“That’s my mom, now you’re talking”

Jordan rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you’re spoiling Jade just to find out what I promised Selena. This isn’t like you at all, Isabel.”

“Well, Jordan, you left me with no other option,” Isabel said to Jordan before turning her attention back to Jade. “Please continue, sweetie.”

Selena, sitting there, was scowling and fuming. Her conversations were particularly vulnerable to Jade’s constant eavesdropping. Whether it was Selena’s talks with her best friends or the boys at school, they were never safe from Jade, who would later spill the details to Isabel in exchange for more money.

Jade continued. “Mom, yesterday, I overheard Dad and Selena having a conversation. it seemed like Selena wanted something different, despite Dad’s attempts to convince her to have a party and get a cake. You know how much Selena loves the NBA, right? I mean, look at her in that Lakers jersey. She’s always wanted to go to the game, and Dad finally has the time now. For her birthday, Selena asked him to take her to an NBA game today.”

After Jade spilled the secret, Selena pushed her empty plate aside with angrily and abruptly stood up. She was seething. If she had the chance, she’d probably wring Jade’s neck, but she didn’t want to take it out on her younger sister. Instead, she turned to face Isabel. “Are you satisfied now? You’ve ruined my day! Do you really need to know everything? You’re so self-centered, Mom!” There were tears welling up in her eyes, but she fought to hold them back.

“Calm down, sweetheart. Just because your mother found out about your birthday plans doesn’t mean your birthday is ruined.” Jordan put on his jacket and got up from his chair. He walked over to Selena, placing his hands on her shoulders and making her face him. “If we keep arguing with your mother, we’ll be late for the game. It’s your birthday, so let’s put on a smile.”

Jordan stopped Selena from getting into the car once they left the house and arrived at their destination. “You know I love you, right?”

Selena nodded. “We’re best buddies, Daddy.” She smiled when she said that.

“Yes, we are, and that’s exactly why we need to talk.”

Selena’s curiosity piqued. Was her father going to disappoint her once again and leave on his trip as he always did, breaking his promise?

“Daddy, what is it this time? Did I do something wrong?”

“It’s regarding your mother, dear.”

Selena’s face turned into a frown. “I really don’t like her,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Don’t use such strong words. You shouldn’t hate your mom. I know she made mistakes before, but Jade and Hania have forgiven her. You should do the same. Do it for me, Selena. Please show her some respect; she cares about you.”

Isabel had not been a good mother to Selena and her siblings from a young age. She had a habit of turning to alcohol to escape her problems.

However, Selena’s father’s busy schedule often left Isabel in charge of taking care of Selena and her sisters. Unfortunately, Isabel frequently failed to attend their competitions or school meetings due to her struggles with alcohol, often waking up intoxicated.

It happened not just once, twice, or three times, but a few times, and Selena couldn’t stand her mother for it. Her grades suffered because of her mother, and she had to switch schools because of her too.

Even though Jordan ensured that Isabel attended counseling, it didn’t instantly make her stop drinking. While Jade and Hania have forgiven Isabel for her actions, Selena never will. She doesn’t want to forgive her mother. Selena also thinks her mother doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.

“Daddy, she doesn’t care about me. She only cares about herself.”

“Sweetheart, that’s not true. Even though she can be really stubborn, your mother does love you,” Jordan tried to comfort Selena after seeing her upset. “Anyway, let’s put that aside for now. It’s your birthday! What’s the plan for the NBA game?”

“We cheer loudly!” Selena exclaimed with joy.

Jordan chuckled, and Selena joined in. “Exactly, we cheer loudly! Let’s go Lakers!”

“Let’s go, Lakers!” Selena cheered as she rushed to get into the car. She buckled her seat belt securely and waited for her father to join her so they could set off.

Once they were on the road, Selena retrieved a pretzel from the back seat and handed one to Jordan. As they both enjoyed their snacks, they continued discussing the upcoming game.

“We’ll be there in no time. Are you this excited?” Jordan momentarily took his eyes off the road to glance at Selena.

Selena nodded enthusiastically, her wide grin reflecting her excitement. However, as her attention returned to the road, she suddenly let out a startled cry and began tapping her father’s hand. “Daddy, Daddy! Stop the car!” she shouted, pointing to the road. “A huge bear is blocking the road!”

Jordan quickly shifted his attention back to the road, swerving to avoid the creature ahead of them. However, to his astonishment, it wasn’t a bear but a menacing werewolf, lurking for its next prey.

The creature had dark fur and menacing red eyes, but Selena, unaware of its true nature, was only concerned about her father avoiding a collision with what she thought was a bear on the highway. Jordan swerved the car to the left, trying to prevent a collision, but stopping suddenly would have meant crashing into a tree.

“Daddy, what are you doing?” Selena exclaimed.

“Saving us both,” her father replied.