The Ice that lies Between us

The Birthday Wish

I looked in the mirror and hardly knew who I was looking at. The blue dress was nice on me, stopping right above my knees. I wasn't wearing my old sneakers either. Emma had made me borrow these little heels she said would make the outfit better. My black hair was down for once, not in my usual messy bun that I wore when I studied.

"Oh my god, you're so pretty!" Emma came flying into my room. Her red hair was going everywhere like it always did. "Jamie's gonna freak when he sees you!"

I played with my glasses, feeling weird. "Do I look stupid? I never wear stuff like this."

"That's why you should wear it," Emma said. She reached over and moved some of my hair. "Sophie, you're turning eighteen today! You should feel pretty. And hey, after tonight you can finally tell people about Jamie."

My stomach did that flip thing. Jamie Rivera and I had been together for three months, but nobody knew. He played hockey for our school. He had dark hair and these blue eyes that were really nice. His smile made me forget what I was thinking about. When he asked me out after chemistry, I thought he was joking.

"Let's not tell anyone yet," Jamie had said on our first date. "People gossip so much. I just want this to be about us first."

I thought that was sweet at first. I didn't really like people staring at me anyway. But now it had been three months and I was getting tired of hiding.

"Tonight's when I tell him," I said to myself in the mirror.

Emma had already started decorating our tiny apartment. There were those little twinkly lights all over. She pushed the couch and chairs against the wall so people could dance. The kitchen had beer and chips everywhere.

"People will be here soon," Emma said, looking at her phone. "I told everyone on our floor, plus some kids from my classes. They're bringing friends too. It's gonna be crazy!"

I just nodded. Big parties weren't really my thing. I liked being alone with my violin or reading. But Emma was so happy about doing this for me that I didn't say anything.

By eight, our place was full. Some kids looked familiar from school but I didn't know most of them. Everyone kept saying happy birthday. Emma kept telling them I was the birthday girl, which was embarrassing.

"So where's your boyfriend?" Madison Price showed up next to me with a drink. She was captain of the dance team and always looked amazing. Tonight her dress was super tight.

"I don't have one," I said without thinking.

She looked at me funny. "Really? You're so pretty though." The way she said it gave me a bad feeling. Like she was playing with me.

She walked away before I could say anything. I looked at my phone. Jamie said he'd come at nine. It was already nine-thirty.

"Put your phone away!" Emma came back with more drinks. "Come on, it's your party!"

I tried to have fun. I talked to some people. Emma made me dance for a bit. But I kept watching the door.

At ten, Jamie finally showed up. I got excited for a second, then felt sick. All his hockey friends were with him. He looked really good in his jeans and shirt. He saw me looking at him. He kind of nodded, then went straight to where the drinks were with his friends.

I stood there waiting. He was laughing with his team, playing drinking games, not even looking at me.

At eleven, I couldn't take it anymore. I walked over to him.

"Jamie," I said, touching his arm. "Can we talk for a second?"

He looked at me, then at his friends. "Yeah, what's going on?"

"Somewhere quiet?"

"We're in the middle of beer pong. Can you wait a bit?"

"It's my birthday," I said, really quiet.

"Yeah, I know. Happy birthday." Then he went back to his game.

I stood there feeling like I didn't exist. Then I got mad. Three months of lying to my friends. Three months of him saying he wasn't ready. And he couldn't even talk to me for five minutes on my birthday?

"I need to go," I said, but he wasn't listening. I went to my room to get away from everyone.

When I opened my bedroom door, everything changed.