Pity Party for One → Open
Julia used to love birthdays. And by love, she really, really loved. Her sixteenth birthday party had been the best her town had ever seen. Not some streamers and confetti bullshit. She set up a stage and dance floor inside her family’ huge barn, hired the best local band to play, and even managed to keep the alcohol flowing without her parents catching on. The Baker twins became legends at their high schools, and everyone was dying for an invite to their next blow out.
Ten years later, Julia wanted nothing more than to crawl under the covers of her bed and never come out again. Her parents were gone, possibly dead. She could hardly imagine celebrating without them. They’d been so good to her growing up, always treating her like a little princess, especially on her birthday. She could hardly wrap her head around it, how much things had changed in ten short years. All she had left now was her brother, and she adored him more than anything. But how had everything else fallen so far apart?
It took Julia much longer than normal to drag herself out of bed, and her usually bright and carefree smile was forced. She spent a few hours working in the kitchens, counting down the minutes until she could return to her room. She was planning for a shower, as hot as she could get it, and possibly drinking the rest of the tequila bottle until she fell asleep. Maybe then she could forget how fast er normally cheerful disposition had disappeared.
The hours passed by slowly, until Julia was finally relieved from her work to go home. Rain was just starting to sprinkle as she left the kitchens, and she tugged her tattered jacket up to cover her face. It was practically pouring by the time she’d crossed half the QZ. The black pavement was getting slippery against the worn down treads of her shoes when she started running, but she didn’t care. There were few people out in the rain, so she dodged between the few remaining pedestrians without bothering to apologize for being in the way. Only a few hundred more feet, and she’d finally be home free...
SMACK.
Julia hit the ground hard as her feet slid out from under her, sliding across the wet concrete. She braced herself against the fall, and now her arms were scratched and bleeding. With a loud groan, she leaned off her sore elbows and sat upright as the rain soaked her. Feeling uncharacteristically miserable, Julia simply sat on the cool pavement and held a pity party for herself. “Happy birthday to me.”