Still dressed in her pajamas, Cara crept downstairs in the morning, thinking everyone was still asleep. The lights were off and all was quiet. She figured she would make breakfast again; it had been a while anyway. Once she got to the base of the stairs, she turned into the kitchen and turned the light on. It was at that moment when there were several loud noises, sharply moved furniture, and shouts of, "Happy birthday Cara!" making her jump out of her skins and almost making her smack Davy in the head with a frying pan.
Cara shrieked. "What? What the hell guys!"
Abigail emerged from the guys, laughing. "Oh, calm down Cara, I just told them it was your birthday! I figured it was a long while since you'd had a good birthday, so maybe we could throw you a party."
"Oh," said Cara, clutching her chest, still alarmed. "Well…thanks everybody. Just don't try and kill me next time!"
"You were the one who nearly nailed me with that frying pan," said Davy. "Who's being killed here?"
Cara swatted her hand at Davy. "Whatever, I didn't actually hit you anyway."
"So what do you think going out by the beach?" asked Peter. "Abigail baked a cake and everything; we can have a picnic out there too!"
"Sounds great," said Cara. "Oh, and thanks everyone. Abigail's right, it has been a while since I celebrated." It was true; when Cara was with Jeff, the birthday "celebrations" she had were alone with a drunk Jeff ("You shouldn't drink on your birthday babe, it's not classy") and locked in a bedroom. She closed her eyes tight as to not remember what had been done behind the locked door, but shadows still came back. The first time it had happened, on her seventeenth birthday, she was shy and innocent. When she started to cry because he had hurt her, he only got mad and was rougher. There was blood, sweat, and tears, and he did what he wanted. Her satisfaction never mattered to him, not at all. But she smiled when she remembered that this was the first birthday in three years that she wouldn't have to be Jeff's sex slave.
"The water's great right about now," said Mike. "And it's not crowed!"
"I'll go change," said Cara, excited about a good birthday. On her way to her suitcase for a bathing suit, Abigail stopped her.
"Cara," Abigail whispered. "Do you still have…the…you know?" She looked very concerned.
"The what?" asked Cara, but before Abigail answered, Cara suddenly felt a dull pain all over her body that she had not felt for days, but somehow, it was always there. She was just so happy lately that she had not been aware. Abigail could tell from the look on her friend's face that Cara knew exactly what she was talking about. Cara grabbed her bags and went up to the bathroom. She got in, closed the door, and stripped.
Sure enough, and she didn't know how she hadn't seen before while she showered, but her body was covered in faded, greenish-purple bruises. The boys had seen the ones on her arms, but the ones on her torso and back just wrote out what a bastard Jeff was. Cara sighed and softly stroked her body, wondering if they'd ever go away. But no, today she would not be sad. Today was her twentieth birthday, the first one in a long time she'd actually have with real friends. She searched through her suitcase until she found a black one-piece suit that was just right to cover her bruises—she was not ready to have them shown just yet.
"Okay, I'm ready," said Cara, coming back down the stairs. The boys were in trunks already, and Cara couldn't help but giggle behind her hand; she had not seen any man other than Jeff bare-chested, and boy were they scrawny compared to him! Except Davy, it was funny how the short one had the most muscle. Abigail was dressed in a simple while bikini, her smooth, fair skin free of marks. Cara wished she could show her body proudly like the beautiful model, but for now, it was like Jeff still had her on a leash. "Hey, Abigail, do I look okay?" Cara whispered.
Abigail looked Cara over, making sure her bruises weren't too visible. "You're good," said Abigail, her face full of sympathy. "Come on everyone, let's go!" Abigail grabbed the cake, which was still in its container, and the group rushed out the back door to the beach behind the apartment.
"Hey, Cara, race you to the water!" said Peter, stopping next to Cara.
"Oh, you'll regret that!" yelled Cara as the two of them shot forward to the water. It was very unclear who won, because the large amounts of water splashing up from them speeding into the ocean blurred their vision. The two exploded with loud laughter and splashed water everywhere. Cara forgot her bruises again as she wrestled Peter playfully in the water; she was having fun. All of the sudden, Peter slipped on an algae-covered rock and stumbled onto shore, taking Cara along with him. The two tumbled into the sand, Peter on top of Cara.
They stayed there for a minute, not really comprehending what had just happened. They gazed into each other's eyes, frozen in the moment. Peter wondered if it was a good that Cara wasn't moving. Was she hurt? Or unable to get up? Or did she just want to stay? Cara was really in shock—she had never been this close to Peter before. His skin was softer than she had imagined it would be, and warm too. She felt the very ends of his blond hair brush her shoulders in the breeze and it gave her goosebumps.
"Ay, you two, get a room!" came a sudden shout from Davy, making Peter and Cara leap apart, both blushing furiously.
"S—sorry," stuttered Peter, getting up and brushing the sand off his body.
"No, it's okay," said Cara, also brushing sand off. But it really was okay.
"Come on guys, let's sit down over at this table and get into this cake before bugs get to it," said Abigail, beckoning everybody to the picnic table she was sitting at with Davy. Everyone gathered around the table and sat down. "Everybody ready?" asked Abigail.
"Cake!" shouted Mickey, banding his fists on the table.
"Cool it tiger," said Mike. Abigail shook her head and smiled as she opened the cover to the container the cake was in. It wasn't artsy or special; it was a huge cake smothered in thick chocolate icing with "Happy Birthday Cara!" written on it in pink icing.
"I did the writing!" said Peter, sounding like a five-year-old who drew his first refrigerator picture.
"Thanks Peter," said Cara, beaming at him. "Thanks everyone, really, this is fantastic!"
"I think you deserve it," said Abigail, serving up Cara an ungodly huge chunk of cake. "This is your day, take it and enjoy it."
"Oh, I will," said Cara, digging in. Once Abigail finished serving the boys, she herself got her own small slice.
"You know, I really shouldn't be eating this at all," she laughed as she took a bite.
"Oh!" said Peter, hopping up. He ran up the back stairs and inside the house.
"Where's he off too?" asked Cara, confused.
"Probably presents," said Mike. "We left them inside.
"Oh—guys, come on!" said Cara, flattered but embarrassed. "You all really didn't need to go and do all of that! Really, I'm quite happy with all this!"
"Well too late," said Davy. "You're gonna get presents, and damn it, you're gonna like em. But only if ya want you know, no pressure." It wasn't long before Peter came running back to the beach with a bundle of birthday gifts.
"Oh, come on guys," said a humbled Cara as Peter piled the gifts all on the table.
"Aw, Cara, don't be such a sourpuss," said Mickey, swatting his hand. "Here, this one's mine." He nudged a small package at her. Cara rolled her eyes and picked it up. It was wrapped in a bright red and white polka dot paper and it was hard to tell where the end of the paper was. She started to open it, excited to see what was inside. Her first real birthday present in years!
Under the wrapping were a pair of yellow-framed Buddy-Holly style sunglasses. "Nice Mickey!" said Cara, trying them on.
"Yeah, I dunno what to get girls," said Mickey in dismay.
"No, these are cool," said Cara, smiling. She grabbed another gift.
"That's from me!" shouted Abigail. Cara unwrapped it to find a large box of assorted chocolates.
"Abigail, are you gonna make me do all your eating for you?" asked Cara snidely.
Abigail shrugged. "Maybe?" she said. "Eat your heart out, it's good for you." She winked.
"Dearest Cara, I hope you find this to your liking," said Davy smoothly, sliding his gift to her. Cara laughed audibly and clearly as she unwrapped his gift, which was a bottle of rose scented perfume.
"Aw, thanks Casanova," said Cara sweetly. Abigail snorted at the nickname and Davy shrugged back. Mike's was next, which turned out to be a little wooden flute ("Hey, as long as you're hanging around here you should learn how to play some music!"), and then at last she arrived at Peter's gift.
Cara wondered what Peter would get her. She still wasn't sure if she believed what the others were saying about him being crazy about her, but she could never be too sure. As she reached for his package, she saw that it was smaller than the others, but that didn't necessarily mean it was worse. She was more careful about unwrapping this one; it seemed more delicate, and while the other gifts were full of meaning as well, this one may be important to Peter as well if he felt the same way about her as she did him.
Peter watched Cara open the gift he bought her and wondered if he got the right thing. He hoped to God she liked it, because he went through hell and high water to be able to get something like that for her. He hadn't shown the others what it was; he was afraid they'd yell at him and ask him where he got the money. He'd have to face the music now though.
"Oh, Peter! It's beautiful!" breathed Cara, genuinely surprised. She had unwrapped a jewelry box and removed the lid, and nestled within the box was a silver-chained necklace with a diamond tear-drop pendant, inlaid with a small black onyx. "Help me put it on!" Peter bolted over, ecstatic that she liked it and he would get a chance to at least touch her hair. She handed him the necklace and he reached around her neck from behind to fasten the chain. Cara subconsciously leaned back to feel his body on hers. She wanted that warmth she felt when he fell on top of her. Peter tensed up at first at the unexpected physical contact, but calmed. He couldn't feel much of her skin because she had her midriff covered, but it was enough to drive him crazy inside. When he finished putting the necklace on, he caught a glimpse of what looked like part of a bruise peeking out from under the shoulder strap of her bathing suit. He felt a mixture of pity for Cara and a sharp, seething hatred for Jeff. Poor girl.
"Oh, thanks so much everyone!" said Cara, fingering the pendant of the necklace. "I swear, I don't think I could've run away to a better place."
"And I don't think we could've had a better runaway battered woman bang on our door!" said Mickey, bracing for whatever reaction would come from her.
Cara burst out into laughter. "Gee, thanks?" she said.
"No problem," said Mickey with a nod. He ran over to the water and jumped in with a loud whoop and a splash.
"So…you really like it?" asked Peter cautiously.
"Of course!" said Cara. "It's lovely, oh Peter, no one's ever done anything close to this for me! I mean, you don't have to keep buying me expensive jewelry, this party was great enough." She and Peter were gazing into each other's eyes again…Peter loved how her chocolaty eyes were flecked with spots of gold if he looked close enough, and when the sun caught them just right, they looked like a dark, rich honey. So big, so beautiful. Her eyelashes curled and made her dreamy eyes dreamier. He could not look away, and as far as he could tell, neither could she.
Suddenly, there was a scream.
Everyone wheeled around to see Mickey in the water, kicking, screaming, and splashing. "Help! Guys, help! I'm drowning!"
"Oh my God!" screamed Mike. "Guys, we gotta do something!" Cara did not know why or how it happened, but suddenly her blood got hot and her heart beat faster. She took the necklace off, ran to the deck to grab a flotation device, and darted to the water towards the drowning Mickey. With the flotation device, she dove into the salty water and swam out to where Mickey was struggling.
"Mickey, grab on!" she shouted through mouthfuls of water. Mickey reached out to grab the life saver, but a current dragged him under the water. Cara acted quickly, diving under the water, one hand on the rope of the life saver. The salty water stung her eyes, but she was going to save the life of her friend no matter what. She found Mickey unconscious under the waves and she grabbed his arm. He was heavy, but under the water he moved easier. Heaving and kicking her legs, she managed to push herself and Mickey up above the water and onto the life saver. She paddled back to shore and arrived sputtering.
The others rushed to shore. "Is he okay?" asked Davy, worried.
"I dunno, he's unconscious," said Cara, still winded.
"Cara, how in the hell did you do that?" asked Mike, clutching at his cap. "You could have died!"
"And let Mickey die instead?" said Cara. "No way! I actually don't know how I did it though…adrenaline I guess…"
"That was very brave of you," said Peter. "Come on, let's lay him on his back. Cara, with the help of Mike, rolled Mickey over onto his back.
"Davy, go inside and call 911 while we take care of Mickey," said Mike. Davy ran off to the house without a word. "Okay, let's see what we can do here…"
Mike pressed on Mickey's chest multiple times. "Stand back, give him some air for when he comes to," said Mike. After a few more presses, water erupted from Mickey's mouth and he awoke, coughing and sputtering.
"Man, what the hell happened?" he asked frantically.
"You were drowning," said Mike, "and Cara here hopped in after you and saved your life." All eyes were on Cara.
"Uh…thanks," said Mickey, obviously not quite clear what to say.
All Cara could do was shrug. "Well…I thought it would be nice…I…uh…just didn't want you to die."
"Me either," said Mickey weakly. Davy came running out of the house.
"They're coming!" he shouted. "Oh, Mickey, you're alive! Thank God!"
"Wait…who?" asked Mickey.
"Ambulance," said Davy. Around the corner, sirens sounded. Mickey was alive and well, thank God for that. Cara's birthday this year was surely eventful.