SEPTEMBER'S POV
“I am sorry for scaring you.” He spoke in a soft voice.
His fingers were still clutching my arms. The contact of his skin felt warm in this cold weather. He let go of his breath and looked straight into my eyes, like he was searching for something.
I tried not to blink but I failed and the second I did, he broke his eye contact from me. “Sorry.” He added.
I nodded, not knowing anything else to say.
“I don't celebrate my birthday, September.” He said after a long pause.
Slowly I pulled my arms back from his hold and my gaze fell on his other hand which has Claire's gift.
But,
Everybody loves their birthday, don't they? Even if they have thousand of reasons to hate?
He parted his lips to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. His eyes were soft but there was this strange storm in them to which I was oblivious.
“I thought you'll be surprised. It's your birthday after all.” I said, breaking the uncomfortable silence between us.
He said nothing, not a word.
“Happy Birthday, Zach.” I tried putting up a smile and decided to hand him the letter which I've written for him.
“I've written something for you.”
He took the letter from my hand but returned it back to me.
“Do me a favour and read it for me. It'll sound better in your voice.” He whispered in a barely audible voice.
I flushed.
How can I read it to him? I'll end up embarrassing myself. And what if whatever I've written will make him angry? Will he end of disliking me?
Oh Hush, September.
Licking my lips, I unfolded the paper.
“Dear Zach, Happy Birthday.
I tried hard to find a suitable gift for you but I ended up with this letter idea. I thought confessing my feelings to you would be okay.
Zach, I don't know what you think of yourself but for me you're the best thing that had ever happened. I agree that I have post traumatic amnesia but whenever I look at you, I wish I remember everything so that I can erase every inch of your insecurity. I like you, Zach. I like you, alot. You make me happy. I will never leave you Zach, never.
With you, I feel like I've have everything. It's like I have my very own fairytale where you're my knight in shining armour. With you, I feel home.
Zach, I dream about our future. I do. I want to spend my whole life with you. We'll smile together and laugh together.
I am not a poet otherwise I might have written something for you, something which would have captured your heart but I don't even know what to say or not. I am out of words, Zach.
Once again, happiest birthday.
You're the best husband...uh..I forgot we're in a relationship, right? You're my boyfriend and I am your girlfriend. So, basically you're the best boyfriend, Zach.
I hope I was able to make you smile.”
And I folded the paper ever so slowly, looking everywhere but him.
My heart was pounding way more fast than before. What will he think of me? I put my heart inont of him, will he accept me? Or not?
Gulping the saliva down my throat, I dared to look up at him. He was staring straight at me, without blinking.
I thought he will not let a single word out of his mouth but he surprised me.
“Thank you.”
I nodded.
“Thank you. It felt nice to my heart.” He added.
I nodded, again.
What else am I supposed to say? Welcome? No, right?
“Zach.” I called out his name.
I am tired of him being so close yet too far from me, all at once. I need answers. I need to know him, I need to know the person who's becoming my reason to smile.
“Mhmm.” He hummed, still looking straight at me but this time, vulnerability was all that could be counted in his eyes.
I took a step closer and help his hand. Softly creasing the skin of his fingers, I tried comforting him.
“Why don't you like your birthday, Zach?” I asked.
He pressed his lips into a firm line. His muscles tenses and something irked me at at that moment.
He has a fucked up past. That past to which he had still not talked about.
But will he ever tell me?
“I never had any reason to celebrate my birthday, September.” He spoke, calmly.
I wanted to crush him into my arms and tell him that it's okay if he doesn't want to share anything but a part of me was against it. I wanted-needed to know about him.
“But you said that we know each other since college. Not for once, did I tried to celebrate your birthday?” I said because I seriously can't believe this.
I may have lost my memory but for sure I cannot believe that I never made a fuss about celebrating his birthday. That's a bullshit.
His eyebrows furrows as he tried to say something but instead he simply shrugged his shoulders. “I- September....I..”
Oh. So now he's out of words?
And why the fuck am I cussing this much? Why am I being rude to him? I am not like this or am I? Or...was I?
“I never told you.” He answered.
What? Seriously? No, I mean how come I was okay with not celebrating his birthday and that too without knowing the reason?
“And I was okay with that?” I asked, still not believing.
“No. You were not.”
I kissed my teeth at his broken reply.
“Cut the fucking crap, Zach.” I hissed.
His eyebrows shot up in amusement and a soft smile crept on the corner of his lips. He came forward and held my hand.
“You know September, you used to be most stubborn, fiercest and bold woman.” He grinned.
I tried hard to not smile back but I gave up and smiled back at him. “So, which September do you like? Old one or the one I am now?”
“You're beautiful in whatever way you're. But September, you were this fiercely independent spark. I liked old September but she hated me and-”
“Okay. Okay. I got it.” I cut him in the middle, smiling from ear to ear.
“Zach, can I ask you something?” I asked.
He hesitated a bit but nodded anyways.
Uh. Okay then, here I go. “I don't know why but it feels like you had a rough past, is it true?”
He remained still, his smile didn't faded but it was no longer genuine. He was forcing himself to smile so that he can fool me.
And trust me, now I know how to read his expressions. He was hurt and I know that.
“September, I never liked celebrating my birthday because I never had any reason to feel good. It was always this empty feeling in my chest which made me hate everything.” He tried explaining.
Empty feeling? What does that means? Was he not happy?
“Are you having still that empty feeling in your chest?” I questioned.
He came forward to put a smooth kiss on my forehead. “No. Not now.”
I understood clearly what he meant but I decided to play along. “And why so?”
He blinked and then smiled. His fingers curled up against my wrist, warming me enough to feel butterflies in my stomach.
“Because of you, my queen.”
I flushed.
“You came and made my heart to flutter with feelings in my chest.” He added.
And, I flushed further.
“Since now you've 'feelings', can we celebrate your birthday?” I whispered.
Say yes, please.
He looked at me for a second before he placed a soft kiss on my cheeks. “I can never win against you, darling.”
“That means you're saying yes.”
“Mhmm, beautiful.”
Oh. He and his cheesy nicknames.
“Wait, I am going to call everyone.”
He made a face.“Claire only. That would be much better.”
I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him.
As everybody came, surprise and shock were the only emotions surpassing their face.
“Wow. You know black magic, don't you?” Riley blurted out.
Yeah, right. Stupid.
“Zach, let's cut the cake.” I said to him.
He nodded and his face was priceless. He was embarrassed to cut the cake in front of everyone.
Uh huh. My idiot.
I tugged his hand and took him to the centre. Claire clapped her little palms and beamed in happiness.
She's really happy.
“Aw, our Zacie is scared?” Riley laughed.
“Wait, let me have his picture.” Blake joined.
Whole surrounding filled with their laughs to which Zach scowled.
“Happy birthday, Boyfriend.” I spoke in his ears.
A big smile appeared on his face. Ah, now he was ready to cut the cake.
I gestured him to make a wish before blowing the candle. He gave me skeptical look but followed my words anyways.
“What did you asked for, Zacie?” Claire asked.
“Your and September's happiness.” He replied in a heartbeat.
Oh my goodness.
Are you for real, Zach?
I smiled as everybody clapped and sing 'Happy Birthday' to him.
And Zach was happy. His face held nothing but content.