Joy's POV

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I woke up to the smell of baking.

The house was silent apart from the quiet tick of the clock.

I felt like I was in a horror movie.

Then suddenly the house awoke.

"Surprise," voices yelled from down stairs.

I heard laughter.

It's my birthday.

I assume the person downstairs is Nina.

Nina took everything I have.

My friends, my almost boyfriend, my room and now my birthday.

I sighed and got ready for school, ignoring the sadness welling up inside me.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs I saw Nina sitting on Fabians lap, laughing and eating a crepe.

A Crepe is Trudy's birthday dish.

Last year I was the one eating a Crepe.

Not her.

"Happy birthday!" Patricia shouted at me, laughing.

"Oh no, I only made 1 crepe, would you mind having cereal Joy as Nina ate it," Trudy laughed.

I nodded dully.

"Oh no, Joyless is gonna make a big scene, she stole me life, she stole my life!" Jerome mocked in a high pitched voice.

Patricia threw a cushion at him and smiled at me.

"Let's open the presents!" Patricia grinned.

"Me first!" Amber shouted, handing me and Nina presents.

Mine was wrapped in pink paper saying happy birthday and covered in seletape while Nina's was in a tiny, pink sparkly bag.

Nina opened hers to reveal a beautiful necklace with a fairy on it.

I opened mine and saw a plain white top, it had a label saying 'Asda'.

I smiled weakly.

"Oh my gosh Amber, this most of cost loads, is it really from Links?" Nina laughed.

Amber nodded, grinning.

"Open mine next," Patricia said, giving Amber a dirty look.

At least she sticks by me.

The presents were identically wrapped.

I opened mine to find a top with Robert Patterson on and a small scrap of paper.

The paper said, "Dear Joy, Happy Birthday, love Rob xxx" in messy writing.

"How did you get it?' I screamed.

"Piper was in the orchestra on twilight and asked him if he would write you a card, this is the best he could do!" Patricia smiled.

Nina opened her present and got a small pink top that said, "Abercrombie and Fitch" in blue writing.

"I love it, so cute!" Nina grinned.

We unwrapped the rest of the presents, all the ones Nina got seemed slightly better than the ones I got.

"School my lovelies!" Trudy announced.

We went to school, I felt slightly down hearted.

In the first lesson somebody had written 'Happy birthday Nina' on the board.

Patricia walked up and added in her neat, tiny writing, 'and Joy!'

I know Trixie was trying to make me feel better but it had the opposite effect.

And Joy?

I was already forgotten.

I had seen films like this, with bright, friendly, blonde Americans always beating dull, brown haired English girls.

Americans always won.

I hate Nina.

She is such a fake.

Why can't anyone but me see it?

I could feel tears running down my cheeks.

Patricia grabbed my arm and pulled me to the toilets.

"You're the only one who cares!" I sobbed.

"Jerome cares, Eddie told me he was up all last night planning a party tonight," Trixie said.

"But for Nina, right?" I sneered.

"No, for you," Patricia smiled slightly.

"Why? He hates me!" I asked.

"Joy! He loves you! All year you have been trying to get you to notice him but you have been to busy glaring at Fabian!" she sighed.

I smiled slightly.

Jerome likes me.

He is cute, in a Harry Styles type of way.

I dried my eyes and went back to class, trying to think of an excuse to why we are late.