Hey guys! Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for supporting and reading this story! I'm am really excited to see where this will go, and with the summer holidays coming up I'll probably have lots of time to spare. Enjoy :)x
Falling asleep was hard.
Lucy craned her head to view the digital clock on top of her bedside table of the guest room she was staying at in Caoimhe's. The luminous, red digits read, "01:12". Lucy sighed.
Still wide awake, she rolled lazily off of her bed and walked up on the light switch beside her door, and flicked it on.
She stood there, blankly. Not knowing quite what to do with herself.
She found herself in these situations quite a lot recently. Having the energy to run a marathon, but not being able to bring herself to do anything at all. Her eyes met the mug sat on her bedside table. It was Hello Kitty themed, once of those mugs you received with an Easter egg.
Reaching to grab hold of the handle, her eyes met that of the calendar hanging just above her bedside table.
On the small, outlined box labelled "July 7th" was a drawing of a balloon, present and two giant numbers reading "11" she doesn't even remember doing.
That was only 5 days away.
Lucy sighed. She was positive Caoihme would organise some elaborate birthday party Lucy just didn't think she would be up to it this year. And convincing Caoimhe to change her mind on something was like trying to teach a hamster to somersault.
She remembered her 10th birthday last year.
Although her mother was delighted at the idea of organising a huge party, inviting dozens of friends and family, her father knew her daughter a little bit better. Probably because they were so much alike, and being in a loud, noisy room filled with made up faces was enough to make her or her father's head spin.
"I don't want a fuss, maybe a dinner out or something," Lucy would respond when questioned, by her mother in particular, on what she wanted to do to celebrate.
Audrey would always laugh when Lucy would talk like this, always commenting that she spoke too grown up for her age. But this was always done admiralty rather than mockingly.
She remembers the morning of her 10th birthday last year, in her own house. A soft knock on the door woke her up, as she always was a very light sleeper. Her mum and dad entered the room, each still dressed in their pyjamas. Her dad was holding a small, rose pink cake. Beautifully decorated, with intricate floral designs and covered in silver, edible glitter. On top, was one of those birthday candles shaped into the number "10." Her mum followed closely behind, holding a glittery, pink gift bag, with a heart shaped balloon tied onto one of the handles.
"Happy birthday, Lucy poo!" Her mother squealed, dashing into her room and giving her a massive hug.
That was one thing she loved about her mum, that she was kind of crazy, but a good kind of crazy. She always gets over excited, and is always very giddy, the complete opposite of Percy and Lucy, and probably exactly what they both need.
"Happy birthday, Luce," Her dad chuckled, walking over to her bedside table to set the cake down and give her a kiss on the forehead.
"Wow, it's so pretty, thank you!" Lucy beamed as she admired the birthday cake, leaning over to blow the candle out.
"You're welcome, love," Percy smiled, and Audrey clapped her hands, "quick, open it!"
She handed the gift bag to Lucy, who opened it eagerly. Inside were several boxes, in different shapes and sizes, each wrapped with both pink and white tissue paper. And pressed up the side of the bag was a rectangular envelope. She opened the card first, then proceeded to un wrap the presents. The first one, the biggest one, was a collection of the newest Jacqueline Wilson books. The second box were two games for the Nintendo 3DS, (AN: as if these bad boys would go out of date xD) Animal Crossing New Leaf (AN: best game ever) and Luigi's Mansion 2. The third box was a collection of Crayola colouring pencils and felt tips, and the final, smallest box, was a necklace.
The chain was silver, and attached was a heart, decorated with silver diamante's.
Lucy gasped, "It's beautiful!" She held it up to get a better look, "this better be real," she joked, smirking at her parents.
"God Lucy, we love you and all but not that much," her mother laughed, shoving her daughter playfully, she then looked at her daughter, fondly, and tilted her head to the side. She began to cry whilst laughing.
"Audrey?" Percy questioned panicky, putting his arm around his wife to comfort her.
"Our little girl is all grown up!" she squeaked, her voice cracking, "Next year she'll be headed off to secondary school!" Percy let out a gentle chuckle, his face wearing an expression which Lucy couldn't quite put her finger on. Sadness? Regret? Guilt? Lucy shrugged it off as they made their way down to make breakfast, Audrey calming herself down with a cup of tea and a slice of birthday cake.
Lucy smiled at the memories, and could help shedding a few tears. She made her way to her bedroom window, pulling the curtains back revealing estate were asleep, bar the odd light or two on in a few rooms. Lucy scanned the outside, looking for nothing in particular, until her eyes met those of another. A grey, tabby cat. Lucy could have sworn it was looking straight at her, and not just because her bedroom light was on. Almost as if it were analysing her, planning its next move. Its eyes were a bright green, and Lucy could see them as clear as the stars in the sky. But still it watched, and for a few moments Lucy and the cat stared at each other, until suddenly it turned the corner slowly and walked away.
