5

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Dariaaa!"

I heard very loudly in my sleep.

I opened my eyes to see my bright green-eyed, blonde-haired sister staring at me, holding pancakes with a candle stuck in the middle. She wore her favorite sleep set that I got her: pink shorts and a matching top. Her beautiful blonde hair was tied in a messy bun, and she definitely didn't look tired.

"Lizzy. It's like seven a.m. on a Saturday," l groaned, trying to hide a smile.

"Daria! It's your birthday!" she said loudly, placing the plate on my side table before jumping on the bed and making me groan again.

"Ouch," I muttered, shifting under her. She was small and petite, which reminded me of howl was at her age in high school. She was somehow two

inches taller than me though. At least lgrew into my curves a little more. I looked more womanly now.

When I turned seventeen, the boobs and hips came out of nowhere. I wasn't upset about it. I was still considered petite, but dresses fit me better now. My sister liked to say my body had men drooling anytime we went out. I never saw it, sol didn't believe her, but I liked my body for myself. Not for the male gaze. Never.

"You're twenty-one now!" she said with a big grin.

"Yeah.." I chuckled. Time really does go by quickly. After high school, I focused on getting into university and finishing my degree, which I completed in three years. Then I finally got a job in the healthcare industry. It has been different, but I'm getting used to it. I like the research and lab work more than I expected.

"So.." Lizzy scooted closer until I could see every freckle on her cheek, cuddling into me. She was definitely attached to me. I thought she would grow out of it once she became a teenager, but she was sixteen and even more attached.

She wouldn't go anywhere without me, and some nights she still didn't sleep in her own bed. But it felt good to be her comfort person. I never wanted her to feel alone.

I wrapped my arms around her small body and smiled. "Thank you for the wish, little sister. I love you."

She laughed at my lazy hug. "Love you. Come on, blow your candle."

She brought the plate closer. I pushed myself up and held it, closing my eyes for a second.

Ihope twenty-one is better than any other year.

I smiled and blew out the candle. Lizzy squealed and clapped.

"Hey, Elizabeth, you can't be too loud. I think Mom and Dad are still sleeping," 1 said, tastinga bit of whipped cream before setting the plate down.

"No, they're up. They're downstairs," she said with a small smile.

"Oh. Okay." I got up from bed.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked, playing with the stufed animal on my bed.

Hey you're never too old for a cute stuffed animal.

"We could go to that café I love," I suggested. She nodded immediately before squealing again. ""ll go get ready!"

Truthfully, she liked that café more than I did, which is why I suggested it.

Even on my birthday, seeing my sister happy was enough to make my whole day.

I walked to my closet and looked through my clothes when I heard a ding from my phone. I picked it up.

"Happy birth day, pink girl."

I grinned instantly.

He always remembered. Every year.

He was always the first person to text me.

I told him my birthday once, and somehow he remembered it every single year. I remembered his too, but for some reason I never expected him to remember mine

Truthfully, I missed him. I hadn't seen Nico in about five years, even though we checked in often and he still called sometimes. Still a hilarious grump as usual.

Every time he called, his voice was deeper than I remembered. I still called him my best friend, which he still hated, but over the years we really did become best friends.

He didn't talk about feelings, but sometimes I managed to make him chuckle on the phone. I wondered how he looked now. He'd been in Italy for a year and then came back to New York, but I never bumped into him.

Sometimes he sent me a birthday gift, and his brother Enzo delivered it. Enzo was nothing like him. He was happy, silly, warm. In all these years, I had never seen Nico be silly, Not once.

Enzo was tall, maybe six-foot-two, younger than Nico, and he always hugged me when he saw me.

Ionce told Nico I would replace him with Enzo, and he said he would make Enzo disappear. Always so serious.

'Thank you, grumpy bestie'

I replied, smiling at my phone, knowing he would absolutely be very annoyed.

Then I went to get ready before Lizzy came back.

Lizzy practically dragged me down the stairs, bouncing like it was her own birthday and not mine.

Mom was at the kitchen counter scrolling on her phone, sipping coffee. Dad was fixing his tie in the reflection of the microwave.

"Good morning" I said softly.

"Morning," Mom murmured, barely looking up.

Dad gave me a small nod. "Morning, kiddo."

Lizzy stopped halfway across the kitchen and stared at them like they were aliens.

"Mom," she said loudly, "it's Daria's birthday.!"

Mom blinked, like Lizzy had just reminded her she left the stove on.

"oh. Right. Sorry, honey. Happy birthday."

She leaned over and kissed my cheek, quick and distracted. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves down her back. Elizabeth was just a younger version of her.

The same green eyes, the same blonde hair. Dad had brown hair and brown eyes. None of them looked like me.

Dad turned fuly this time. "Happy birthday, Daria. Proud of you. Finally twenty, right?"

Before I could answer, Lizzy rolled her eyes so hard I thought they'd drop out.

"Twenty one, Dad."

He laughed awkwardly. "Right. Twenty one. That's what I meant."

Lizzy crossed her arms as if she expected more.

I didn't.

"Thank you," I said instead, giving them a small smile. I had gotten used to the tired, half-present way they celebrated things. It wasn't personal.

They were just busy. That's what I always told myself.

Mom slid a plate toward me. "There are eggs on the stove if you want some.

Your sister made you pancakes already, right?"

"Yeah," I whispered. "She did."

Lizzy intertwined her fingers with mine and gave me a dramatic sigh, loud enough for both parents to hear.

"At least I remembered," she announced proudly.

I laughed and squeezed her hand.

"Yeah. You did. Let's get going."

Itry to not let the way they act towards me affect me anymore.