LOGIN(RORY’S POV)My birthday turned out to be way cooler than I expected. I didn’t even think of the Williams for once when it started.After we cut the cake together, we had an open buffet that had all kinds of foods, a huge thanks to Nana. There was also a wonderful dessert table, which had different flavors of Candy fluff, assorted cookies, a variety of ice cream and so many types of doughnuts.Then there was a huge bouncing castle set up at the back of the house. It was almost like a kiddies party and though we didn’t have many kids around, the teenagers and adults present made sure they had a lot of fun as well.Everyone was playing and laughing. I got on the bouncing castle. Just once. And it was all because Todd and Rosalie forced me onto it. They made me the first person to get on the bouncing castle, opening the gates for more people to get onto the bouncing castle.By the end of the day, everyone was very exhausted. Even Dad. And trust me, that says a lot. I did see him on the b
(RORY’S POV)My birthday turned out to be way cooler than I expected. I didn’t even think of the Williams for once when it started.After we cut the cake together, we had an open buffet that had all kinds of foods, a huge thanks to Nana. There was also a wonderful dessert table, which had different flavors of Candy fluff, assorted cookies, a variety of ice cream and so many types of doughnuts.Then there was a huge bouncing castle set up at the back of the house. It was almost like a kiddies party and though we didn’t have many kids around, the teenagers and adults present made sure they had a lot of fun as well.Everyone was playing and laughing. I got on the bouncing castle. Just once. And it was all because Todd and Rosalie forced me onto it. They made me the first person to get on the bouncing castle, opening the gates for more people to get onto the bouncing castle.By the end of the day, everyone was very exhausted. Even Dad. And trust me, that says a lot. I did see him on the b
(RORY'S POV)The garden looked like something from a dream.Strings of warm green lights crisscrossed above our heads, twinkling softly against the late morning sky like tiny stars that had decided to come down and join the party. Lanterns in shades of soft pink and gold hung from the branches of the old oak trees, casting a gentle glow over everything beneath them despite the natural light streaming into the garden.“Oh my goodness.” I was too stunned to move, tears pricked my eyes and I didn't even notice that my hand was trembling until Nana squeezed it tighter and said:“It's okay, Mija. Don't get too emotional, okay? Let's go forward.”I turned to her, her smile was wide and she had tears filled in her eyes. I didn't realize that the tears from my eyes had slid down my cheeks until she reached forward and touched them gently.“Don't ruin your makeup, please. Rosalie is going to get mad.” She whispered and tilted her head behind me.I cast a glance behind me and sure enough, right
(RORY'S POV)“Oh my goodness! So gorgeous!” Rosalie gushed over me with her phone extended, under the bright ring light.“Rosa, isn't that enough?” I groaned tiredly.“Yes, Rosa.” Aunt Ryan pushed forward, flashing me an apologetic smile on behalf of my sister who had taken over a thousand pictures of me and was still not willing to stop.I would have been ready to stay back for more pictures but I was feeling very anxious. I wanted to hurry down and see Todd aside, to talk to him and find out whatever Leslie had told him.But Rosa was making that far from possible.She pouted. “But I need a couple more videos. She looks so beautiful.” She whined, tilting her phone in front of me. Aunt Ryan held her shoulders and gently steered her away.“We all agree that Rory looks stunning but she needs a breather.” Aunt Ryan said and I released a deep sigh of breath and stood up from the chair, casting a grateful look at my aunty.“Thanks, Aunt Ryan.” I said and then I walked over to my sister and
(TODD’S POV)I could see the color drain from Rory’s face and her hands trembled. She took a step forward towards Leslie.“He wants to kill us? How? What—““Hey baby, wait.” I took her softly as I took a closer step as well and put my arm around her.She turned to look at me, her worried eyes widened.“Don’t worry about it. I can talk to Leslie. Just go inside and get ready for the party.” I told her calmly but her face looked defiant.“No.” She said unsurprisingly. “I can just stay and hear her out. You don’t have to protect me.”I didn’t plan on relenting. “I want to.” I insisted sternly. “And I will. It’s your birthday today, I don’t want you dealing with anything that’s going to ruin your mood.”She was already shaking her head at me.“What does my birthday matter if it’s a day we could lose our lives? I knew this party was a bad idea in the first place.” She cried out.She looked very worried. Actually, she looked scared.Leslie cleared her throat and we turned to her. She was tw
(RORY’S POV)Leslie Williams stood in front of us with the strangest expression I had ever seen on her face.She looked uncomfortable. Or guilty. I was not sure which but I was very sure that she looked sober standing in front of us.Todd looked like he was shocked by his presence which was very expected. I was shocked too but then he seemed to regain himself after a few seconds because shoulders became tensed immediately and the tension of the air became so thick that it could be sliced with a knife. “Hello.” Leslie broke the silence but immediately she spoke, Todd charged toward with an angry growl. “What the hell are you doing here?” He said. I grabbed him quickly before he even got closer to her. Leslie took steps back immediately, fear and guilt clouded her blue eyes. “Todd. Please calm down.” I said carefully.Todd turned to me like he could not believe anything I was saying. His eyes wide open in shock.“What? Calm down? Why on earth would you say that? This is Leslie and
(RORY’S POV) “That was a nice movie,” Amanda said with a bright smile, sitting up and moving closer to the laptop. I snapped out of my thoughts, and my eyes fell guiltily on her. I was so ashamed of myself! For the first time in forever, I had a true girlfriend who was spending time with me to che
(RORY’S POV) Todd was given the opportunity to have the disciplinary committee of our school grant him an audience after he appealed the indefinite suspension with a formal letter, carefully guided by me. “I wish I could be here to wait for you at the door,” I said, feeling weighed down that I won
(TODD’S POV) Everything happened so fast. One moment, I was lost in Rory’s eyes, the next, I was almost kissing her—and then it was all terminated the moment my mom stepped into the room with a look on her face that showed how displeased she was. I knew that face, and I was not ready to have that
(RORY’S POV) From Todd dropping me off, to giving me a farewell kiss on my forehead, to me walking into my house and to my room…. I did not feel like I was awake. I felt like I was walking on clouds, and that feeling carried on for a very long time. Even when I was in the midst of two of my favo







