★JANIE★

With a drawn-out yawn and a fatigued stretch, my eyelids fluttered open. Suddenly, a feeling of excitement clouded my guts and I was contemplating why.

It was after racking my brain for a couple of seconds, that I realized what today entailed.

My birthday.

My fucking 20th birthday!

The rush of excitement jostling through my veins prompted me to pull to a sitting position and I smiled to myself. Picking up the bible from beneath my pillow, I did a quick morning prayer to God, thanking him for making me see this day despite everything that I have been through.

After I was done, my eyes drifted to my clothes and underwear on the ground, and I furrowed my brows, thinking. Until, memories of what transpired between Luciano and me last night, surged to the forefront of my brain.

I found him in my room, then he made me do things to him and he also did things to me. The desire he stirred within was something I had never felt before in my entire life. But then, I shut out those weird thoughts and focused on myself.

I shouldn't feel some kind of way towards Luciano because of some fucking desires. Most especially, I should not forget in a hurry how he stripped me of my heart desire, and dreams and left me for sham, I scolded myself at once.

Everything I did with him yesterday was mainly because I was under pressure, I reminded myself.

Luciano's a psycho. A psycho who I'd have to thread carefully around, which was why I succumbed to his whims last night. No feelings attached. But now, it was all bygones.

Whatever happened last night, stayed that way. Never to occur again!

Since today happened to be my birthday, I look forward to spending it with my newfound family and just being happy.

I at least owe myself one thing. Happiness.

Peeling myself from bed, I avoid, looking at the mirror, just so I wouldn't see Luciano's handprint all over my body and the hickey he left on my neck. I picked up my clothes from the ground and tossed them into the laundry bin, and just as I was doing so, my mind drifted to the gifts Luciano said were behind the chairs.

I let out an exasperated sigh then went over to the chair and looked behind it. Indeed, he wasn't lying.

Eyeing the wrapped gifts suspiciously, I inhaled deeply and exhaled afterward before deciding that nothing good would come out of his gifts. And perhaps, checking it now would only ruin my day, maybe later at night. So I shrugged, headed into the bathroom, and had a nice warm bath.

Minutes later, I was out and I immediately toweled dried myself, applied some moisturizer then put on something nice. Furthermore, I let my hair down today, did a little makeup, and then stared at my reflection in the mirror.

A small smile crept to the corner of my lips as I took in my appearance. But the moment I noticed the hickey on my neck, I gasped and then proceeded to use foundation to conceal it. If not, it would spike Noel's suspicion about last night and he would throw me interrogative questions.

Satisfied with my appearance, I brightened my face with a little smile and then stepped out of my room. But alas, the corridor was dark.

I thought Mr. Alan and his wife said to be back early this morning. I thought to myself.

Sauntering towards Noel's room to wake him up, I got there only to find it all tidied up, but empty.

"Noel," I called out to him before going ahead to check his bathroom and he wasn't there.

Closing the door softly, I trudged on the dark corridor, tracing my steps to the living area whilst calling out to him. "Noel!"

Yet, there was no response.

Maybe he has gone to pick up his family, I thought to myself then shrugged as I stepped into the living area with the intent of arranging it.

On getting to the living room, it was also dark and I scrambled about with tiny grunts, searching for the switch when the room suddenly lit up and a loud yell followed. "Surprise!"

I jumped out of shock and then clutched my chest in fright. But the moment I noticed it was the Culkin's family, I burst into a series of raucous laughter. Mr. Alan, Mrs. Isobel, Noel, and Chelsea all stood there, cheering at me.

My heart melted with warmth.

"Oh c'mon," I said amid tiny giggles. "You guys scared the shit out of me."

If they heard me, they pretended not to. Instead, they broke into a song. "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you......"

Tears. Happy tears instantly welled up in my eyes and my stomach fluttered. This was the first time in ages since I heard that song directed at me. Since I had a family sing it for me.

"T—thank y-you." My voice cracked with tears. "Thank you so much."

Fanning my teary eyes with my hands to blow dry my face, I managed a smile while I continuously thanked them. If only they knew how this made me feel so special. I was not a part of their family, they didn't know me from anywhere before helping, yet they all took their time to do this.

How else could one show their love for someone other than this?

My father sold me off for money without caring about my well-being, my dreams, my happiness. Yet, some strangers who had known me just a couple of months were doing their best to make me feel whole.

I couldn't stop crying as my heart clenched painfully. To be honest, I was beyond grateful to the Culkin family. No matter how the future turns out, today will forever remain engraved in my heart.

"Awww.... birthday girl is crying," Chelsea stated after they were done singing the birthday song.

"No dear, you are the celebrant today." Mrs Isobel cautioned. "No tears, just smiles and happy vibes okay?"

I nodded my head in response with tears still rolling down my cheeks. "Thank you so much, everyone." And with a sniffle, I added. "Thank —"

"Uhn uhn." Noel cut me off. "We are just getting started. Keep your thank you for later." He smirked.

"So each of us here has got a gift for you." Mr Alan began and my eyes fell to the wrapped gifts on the table. "We all have an inspiration behind our gifts, and we will explain it to you one after the other. Okay?"

"O-okay." I sniffled back sobs and wiped my eyes.

Mrs Isobel stepped forward. "When Janie first showed up in my house some months ago, I argued with Alan because I was unsure of a random girl pretty but covered in bruises. But now, I love you like my own and I officially welcome you to the family. Which is why I made you this." She handed over her gift to me and I took it.

When I tore it open, it was a family photo frame with me in it.

Fresh tears welled up in my eyes again. "Thank you, Mrs Isobel."

Issuing me a grin, she gave me a soft kiss on my forehead and then whispered. "Welcome to the Culkin family, Janie." And she stepped back.

Thereafter, Mr Alan stepped forward. "Like my wife said, we love you like our daughter. I'm so glad to stop by that day to help you on the road. Which is why I got you this." He presented his wrapped gift to me and when I tore it open, I found a taser.

He pressed his lips together before muttering. "I want you to use it to protect yourself all the time."

"Once a cop, always a cop." Noel chimed and everyone laughed.

Afterward, Chelsea came forward with her gift. "I had to beg my mom to give me a little out of my savings because I needed to see you smile. Ever since I got home with a broken leg, you've been part of my healing process. She played with me, talked to me, advised me and you grew on me so fast. Happy birthday, Janie." She gave me hers and alas after tearing it open, it turned out to be a jewelry box, with silver earrings and a silver locket. Inside the locket was a picture Chelsea and I took some weeks back.

"Thank you," I said to her with profound gratitude.

She smiled and stepped back, and Noel came forward with a small smile on his face. "The gift I wanted to give you was to help you gain admission into this new session in UC Berkeley, however, that's beyond my capability and my parents said we should wait till next year so they'd properly make the arrangements. However, I got you this." He handed me his gifts and I tore them open to find a nurse uniform, a stethoscope, a box of first aid kits, textbooks, and chocolates.

With every one of their gift, I felt nothing but profound delight.

"I want you to start preparing now because you are joining me at UC Berkeley next year."

Unable to control my tears, I burst into fresh sobs. "Thank you so much, Noel."

By now, my makeup was ruined, but I didn't care.

Their gifts all had a meaningful impact on my life. It portrayed how thoughtful they were of me and I was over the moon.

I cleared my throat and addressed them. "Thank you all for your gifts. No, it meant the world to me and words can't explain how grateful I am. You've made me know what it's like to have a family again." I paused because my voice trembled with tears, but as I made to continue, Mrs Isobel beat me to it.

"Enough of the tears, Janie. Let's make merry and be happy throughout today because it's your day."

And with that, we celebrated my birthday.

Today went by blissfully. We danced to pop songs and country music. Had a cake fight and ate some too. Mrs. Isobel made my favorite meal; pasta and then night came eventually.

Exhausted from the day, I yawned, thanking all of them again as I bade them goodnight while they stayed in the living room, watching 'Home Alone' for the millionth time.

I went to my room, feeling fulfilled and beyond excited about what a great day today was.

Suddenly, something stirred up inside me to open Luciano's gifts. I picked it from the back of the chair and sat down with it on the bed.

As I began to unwrap it, I felt my stomach tighten into a knot, and bile stuck up in my throat, as I wondered what his own gift could be.