Chapter 51: Thirty Five-2

"I thought you said we were going to a movie!" "We lied," Madeline says. Tori puts the car into park. "I don't want to go to a party," I say. It's true. A movie would have been a good first step, a party not so much. "It's not just any party," Tori says. "You need to be here." I press my face to the window. "Really? Cause it looks like any party to me. I can't do this tonight. I have that English assignment due on Monday and I have maybe a paragraph written so far. I can't tie one on." Never mind the fact that I don't want to. "The one on international classic authors?" Tori asks. "Yes." "You can coles notes that shit. C'mon Lola. Think real hard for a second. What day is it?" "June 11th." "Anything important happen on June 11th?" I search my brain and when it locates the information, I slap my hand over my mouth, feeling like the world's worst friend. "Oh my God. It's Xavier's birthday." Madeline nods. "It is. And this is his birthday party." "I didn't even send him a text or call him." I feel ashamed. Beyond ashamed. How could I be so lost in myself that I forgot my oldest, dearest friends anniversary of being born? It was a milestone day, Xavier's birth. Whether I'm mad at him or not, he still deserves at least a phone call. "Doesn't matter," Madeline says. "You're here now. Besides, pretty sure if you ask Xavier, having you here is a hundred times better than an impersonal greeting courtesy of your cell phone." Probably true. At least for him. I still don't want to be here but for Xavier, I will. He's the only thing left from my pre-Jackson life who is familiar. I still struggle with the blame game and hate that he kissed me but it wasn't him who made the unwish and I have to accept that. If laying in bed for a month straight has taught me anything, it's that the fault is mine. I suck in a big breath and open the car door. "Fine. I'll find Xavier but can you two promise me we don't have to stay here all night? I really do need to get the assignment done tomorrow." "Promise," Tori says. Madeline opens the glove box and retrieves an unassuming black box. She gets out of the car and hands it to me. "What's this?" "I thought you'd feel pretty bad about forgetting his birthday so I took the liberty of getting something for you to give to him. He'll like it, trust me." Showing up empty handed is almost worse than not showing up at all so I take the box from her. "Thanks Madeline." "Don't mention it," she says. "Xavier is in the kitchen." "How on earth do you know that?" She holds up her cell phone. "He texted me." They're texting now? "Oh," I say. "Take your time, be with your friend. He needs you and you need him." I amble up the stairs, squeezing past all the people that are here to party. The shitty part is that maybe 1/4 of them actually know X. 1/4 of them are here for genuine reasons, the rest are here to get hammered on a Saturday. As promised I see X standing in the kitchen with a group of guys. He has a solo cup in his hand. He's in shorts, sandals and a t-shirt that says "I moustache you a question, but I'll shave it for later." It's so stupid that I laugh. X notices me right away. Because to him I never have been and never will be invisible. He's eyes light up and he smiles, excusing himself and pushing past the crowd of people to get to me. He scans my appearance, leans very close to my ear and yells. "Wow Mouse, you're hot." "Too soon. Any other time I'd smack you for that given recent events but it's your birthday so you get a pass." He leans in again, "I'm in last?" "A pass!" I shout, motioning with my hands. "A pass!" "A task? What?" He looks confused. This time it's me who leans in close to him. "Can we go somewhere to talk?" He hears me because he nods. "'Course, we can." He wraps his fingers around my bicep and leads me through the crowd, back outside and down the porch. It's a bit quieter out here. I see Madeline and Tori as we pass. Madeline smiles and she gives a little wave and if I'm not mistaken, there's an added wink there for Xavier. What have I missed wallowing in the depths of my misery? I follow him across the lawn and we turn left. "There's a little green space with a creek about half a block away. Down for that?" "Yes." "It's good to see you out and about," Xavier says. He grabs my free hand as we walk and pulls me toward a bench. We sit side by side. "How have you been?" He reaches out and tugs on my curl, a habit Xavier has had since we were kids and I can't see him breaking any time soon. "Okay," I lie. "How bout you?" "Can't complain. Been hanging out with Madeline a lot." The wink. Knew it. "She's actually an amazing person," I tell him. He nods. "Yeah, I think so too. She's a bit odd, but I can appreciate it." I laugh. "Has she cured you with scents and weird voodoo style magic?" He nods. "She's definitely a hippy chick but she's rad." Xavier and Madeline. Who would have thought? I turn my knees toward him and extend the mystery box given to me by Madeline. "Happy Birthday Xavier Morgan. I don't know what is inside this, Madeline said she got it for me to give to you." He grins the same grin he had as a little boy, takes the box and begins to open the lid. I have no idea what is inside but I'm equally as curious so I peer into the thing at the same time he does. Nestled in between tissue paper with blue stripes is a single cupcake. It's chocolate with aqua coloured icing. My heartbeat increases rapidly for a flash before I remember Zena is gone just like Jax. X carefully retrieves the cupcake and hands it to me, looking back inside the box. There's a lighter and a note. Madeline's handwriting is scrolled across a tiny sheet of pink, lined paper: I told you my Grandma was a bit wacky. This is her recipe. I've never baked anything in my life so I hope it tastes as good as it looks. Make a wish Xavier and for goodness sakes, make the right one. Make it count. Xavier reads the note out loud. "She never said anything about a crazy Grandma." "She did to me." I recall Madeline telling me her Grandma was psychic and could see the future. Does that mean? It can't. I can't let myself hope anymore. It only leads to disappointment. I grab the lighter from Xavier and bring the flame to the wick of the candle. Once it's alight, I reach it out to him and sing. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear my only X, Happy Birthday to you." Xavier closes his eyes and blows out the candle. We split the cupcake and for someone who has never baked before, it's delicious. I make a mental note to tell Madeline that should her Bachelor's degree fall short, she always has a back up career choice in baking. My voice croaks, "What did you wish for?" "If I told you, it wouldn't come true." "Wishes come true, X. Even for a small part of a lifetime, they do." X reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear before I rest my head on his shoulder. "I sure hope you're right, Mouse."