Chapter 2
2
Perhaps Julian himself didn't realize it, but he was distracted the entire night.
The waiter had to call his name several times.
"Julian? Is everyone here? Should we bring out the cake now?"
The voice caught the attention of several classmates, but Julian acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.
His grand surprise was full of holes, and I could only pretend not to notice.
Julian finally snapped back to reality and nodded frantically.
The next second, the lights dimmed, and music started playing.
Staff members in plush mascot suits rolled in a cake cart.
On top of the massive three-tier cake stood a princess doll in a gown—my favorite fairy-tale princess theme from when I was a little girl.
Julian suddenly stood up, took my hand, and led me over.
Even knowing he had been lying to me, my tears still fell pathetically.
For a split second, I even wanted to lie to myself, to believe that the boy who had been with me since I could walk hadn't betrayed me.
"Why are you crying?" Julian looked at me with a smile. "Touched?"
Just like he had done for so many years, he held my hand as we cut the cake together.
Slice after slice, we handed them out to our classmates, accepting their sincere wishes.
"Happy birthday, Evelyn."
"Evelyn, good luck with your college applications!"
It was a perfect birthday dinner, just like the ones my mother used to throw for me.
But there is always someone who refuses to let a good moment last. When a slice of cake was placed in front of Mara, her face darkened.
I pretended not to notice and set the plate down for her.
The next second, she swiped her hand, knocking the cake onto the floor.
The porcelain plate—one Julian had personally picked out—shattered on impact.
My heart gave a violent jolt as a flying shard sliced across my arm.
I instinctively crouched down to pick up the pieces, but Julian grabbed me and pulled me into his arms.
When he saw the streak of red on my arm, his face darkened.
Mara's eyes were already rimmed with red. Seeing Julian holding me, she glared at me with pure venom.
"Stop playing the victim! If it weren't for you and your mother, I'd have birthdays like this too!"
"Your mother was a—"
Before she could finish the word, my hand cracked across her face.
The arm Julian had wrapped around my shoulder immediately dropped.
Mara clutched her cheek and turned to Julian, tears streaming down her face.
"I've never had a real birthday! No one ever cared! Do you know that?!"
"And it's all because of Evelyn! Because of her and her mother!"
Whispers erupted around us.
The gazes landing on me slowly turned scrutinizing, suspicious, and even disgusted.
I saw several classmates set their forks down and push their plates away.
This was the last time I would ever celebrate my birthday with them. I just wanted everyone to be happy.
I wanted to explain, but when I saw the unbearable pity in Julian's eyes as he looked at Mara, my mouth clamped shut.
Unable to handle the stares, Mara pushed open the door and ran out.
Julian let go of me, his feet already moving to follow her.
"Don't go." I grabbed his hand, my eyes full of pleading.
Julian hesitated, looking back at me.
The disapproval in his eyes deepened. Then, he turned his head away and brushed my hand off.
"Why would you hit her?"
"You know how unstable she is right now. If she does something stupid, is that on you?"
Julian walked out without another ounce of hesitation.
With the mood ruined, the classmates couldn't bear to stay either. Leaving their cake half-eaten, they made their excuses and left.
I gripped the princess doll from the cake so tightly that its sharp edges dug into my palm.
Late that night, my phone lit up.
I tapped it, but it wasn't a message from Julian. It was a private Instagram story posted by Mara.
The photo showed only a blurry silhouette, but the build was far too familiar.
[Some things, no matter how hard you try to steal them, will never be yours.]
She was talking about Julian.
I thought he wasn't coming back, until the sound of pebbles hitting my window broke the silence.