Harper
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Just <b>as </b>I told myself that I would have to sit there and act like it didn’t bother me, the entire guests near the entrance cheered, making Tiffany and Grayson stop dancing. I wanted to thank whoever was responsible <b>so </b>badly.
My head turned and I spotted Mrs Aldridge walking in first, her shimmering dress making her stand out even more. Behind her was Mr Aldridge, his hand in the pocket of his tailored suit, as usual. I had never seen him in anything else. She was the only vibing to the music with a light head bop while he didn’t seem interested in it.
Behind him was a cake with four tiers covered in ck and gold fondant. The top also had sparkles. It looked so good that I wanted to taste it right away. We all got out of our seats for a closer look, except for Kate.
Mrs Aldridge stopped right near the DJ Booth, pointing at the DJ so he could cut the music and he had no choice but to oblige.
“Thank you all foring to my son’s birthday! Where’s my darling son? Oh, here hees!”
The whole ce erupted in loud cheers as Maddox approached with a small smile.
She made him stand right between her and his father, then held onto the side of his arm before she spoke.
“I made sure to use gold leaf for the lettering. That’s right. I baked this cake myself. Doesn’t it look spectacr?” Her eyes rolled back as she bragged.
They gave her a round of apuse, making her ce a hand on her chest as she nodded a few times with a smile, but she paused when she spotted me, shooting me a re while keeping that smile.
She quickly looked away, leading everyone into singing the Happy Birthday song. Maddox looked polished while standing there but his eyes didn’t match the rest of his face. He just looked like someone ying the role of the birthday boy.
She pped theatrically when he cut into the cake and said, “Make sure you get the bottomyer, honey. There’s some red velvet in it, my favorite.” She proudly tilted her chin.
As soon as he put down the knife, she didn’t wait for anyone and picked up a piece to feed him. He took it without protest and even let her dab the corner of his mouth with a napkin. Everyone was amazed and even took pictures and videos of that sweet moment,
“We have a present for you,” she said, taking out a small emerald green box from her handbag and handing it
to him.
He opened it, holding up a pair of silver keys. “And what are these?”
“Keys, isn’t it obvious?” She made the crowd chuckle. “Remeber that estate that was up for sale, Larkspur Hills? Your father and I bought it. We thought you deserved it for working so hard and it’s worthy of your
name.”
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Zoey and E gasped behind me.
Everyone seemed more impressed than he was as he only gave another polished smile.
“Thank you,” he said with the same energy one would use when talking about the nice weather.
“You’re wee, son.” His father nodded at him like that was some kind of performance review.
Just as Tiffany was about to reveal her present, another voice cut through the air. It was loud, teasing andpletely unapologetic.
“Is that the birthday punk I see or maybe some kid pretending like this is his party?”
Maddox’s energy shifted right away. He turned so fast Tiffany lost her grip on his arm. His smile now reached his eyes as his entire face lit up. He quickly pushed through the crowd like he was impatient to get to
someone.
Following the source of the voice and how the other guests had begun to step back to make him stand out, I spotted a handsome man around Mr Aldridge’s age. He was in a white pair of smart pants, his brown cap matching his shirt. He opened his arms wide with a warm smile, waiting for Maddox.
“Uncle!” he said when he was close enough.
They hugged each other a little too long, like two people who hadn’t seen each other in years and they bothughed loudly. I chuckled in amazement that Maddox was actuallyughing.
Breaking the hug, he turned to face the crowd with his arm thrown over his uncle’s shoulder.
“Everyone,” Maddox said with so much enthusiasm, “this is my Uncle Sebastian. Feel free to mingle with him, just don’t let him teach you how to gamble!”
As the crowdughed, his uncle made it seem like he’d put him in a head lock, and heughed again as he looked through the crowd but the moment he spotted me, his expression went nk. He’d been showing off how happy he was to everyone after his uncle had arrived, but seeing me gave him the realization that I had once again seen the difference and this time, it was perfectly clear.
Maybe he was tired of pretending because when our eyes met again and his uncle said something to him, heughed hard.
“Alright!” Uncle Sebastian pped his hands loudly. “Now that we’ve got that boring estate part out of the way,” he gave Mrs Aldridge a smirk that made her sneer, “how about something a little…. faster?”
Everyone wondered what was going on and he quickly took Maddox outside, all of us just following along as we wondered what it was we were going to find.
Right outside was a beast of a jet ck motorbike. It looked like it was built for danger and those who were familiar with the thrill of riding one of those, whistled a few times.
While everyone was impressed, E leaned towards me to whisper. “Okay but isn’t that motorbike like not even close <i>to </i>the price of the estate his parents just gave him? It’s not a big deal. It’s just a bike.”
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I stared at Maddox and the way he rushed to the bike like it was his dreame true. He threw his leg over it and held onto the handles like he had gotten something that made sense to him. His uncle was right beside him, patting him on the back as he told him to take it for a spin.
“Maybe,” I began, “it’s the thought behind it that counts.”
He took it for a spin right there in the front yard, everyone moving further away while cheering him on and taking pictures and videos.
As soon as he got off, he went straight to his uncle again and hugged him tightly.
“You’re the best!”
“I know!”
The moment was so beautiful that everyone just took it in, except Mr and Mrs Aldridge, who stood at a distance. She folded her arms and pursed her lips like she couldn’t stand that moment and just wanted it to end. He was right beside her with a nk expression, like he was watching someone else’s son.
Maddox received more gifts from Grayson, Tiffany, his friends and cousins, but I hadn’t yet given him mine. I just needed to find the right moment to hand it to him while alone.
When it was time to feast, everyone came to the dining room. There was so much that I didn’t know what to start with and I wasn’t the only one.
I was with E and Zoey<i>, </i>the three of us walking around with arms folded.
“I don’t think I have the stomach to even have a taste of everything.” E sighed.
“The night is still young. We can alwayse back for more.” Zoey sounded a little flirtatious and it only made sense when I looked over at her and followed her gaze.
She was looking right at Aiden, who was across the room and checking her out.
“He’s barely taken his eyes off you,” I teased her.
“That’s right.” E chuckled.
“Same goes for you, E. Don’t think I haven’t been watching you closely with Adrian.”
She cleared her throat. “Let’s just get some food, okay?”
The three of us finally got to decide on what we wanted to eat first, whispering among ourselves while looking
around.
“Quick question, who’s hotter between Maddox’s dad and uncle?” Zoey popped a cherry in her mouth.
“Ooh…that’s a hard one! What do you think, Harp?”
E called me a few times more and I could hear her, but I couldn’t pay attention to anything else as my stomach twisted. Right across the room, Grayson was feeding Tiffany like they were all alone. He gently wiped
<b>7:28 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>16
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her mouth with a napkin, even trailing his thumb over the spot just to make sure.
“Hey,” E said gently.
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“I just need some air.” I set down my te, making my way out of the dining room before they could stop me.
I came to one of the quieter hallways and let out a breath I had been holding in. How much longer was I going to keep acting this way whenever I saw Grayson with Tiffany sharing intimate moments?
I only needed some time alone but couldn’t even have that when a voice that was dripped with venom cut through the air.
“I should’ve known what that awful smell was.” Mrs Aldridge approached me like she had been waiting for that moment.
She scornfully looked at me from head to toe even before her steps came to a halt.
“You really have no shame.” She ced a hand on her hip. “You show up to my son’s birthday party when you know you don’t belong here.”
Keeping myposure, I said, “He’s the one who invited me.”
Her lips curved in cruel amusement. “Of course he invited you after you let him get in your pants.”
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