Okay everyone, I am aware that I am very late with this, but I bring it to you anyway. In this one, it is Chloe's 20th birthday. I would make it her 21st, but then a lot of people will expect drinking, and that was the theme of my St. Patrick's Day one, so I'll make it her 20th.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers

Staring into the mirror, I sighed. I'm twenty years old today. I should be happy. I should be celebrating. But I'm not. Today would be just like every other Saturday. I would get ready, go to work, then come home. Normally, I would get together with friends to celebrate my birthday, but this year I was alone. Both Simon and Tori were at college and my dad had to work overseas. And the one person I counted on to spend the day with me just had to have a business meeting in New Jersey. Derek promised me that he had the perfect surprise for my birthday but then he got called away. Now I don't even get my surprise.

Sighing again, I turned to the closet. I flipped through until I found a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. I work as an assistant to a director. He isn't a widely known director so he doesn't require me to dress fancy. He just cared that I wore something. It worked for me. I didn't have to spend any extra money to buy new clothes just for work. Even if I had to, I couldn't buy then anyway. My job didn't pay much but it was a job and it was necessary if I wanted to become a director myself. The money I do have I need for college and I still had another two months of this semester left. Derek's money is used mostly for bills. He got a full scholarship so he doesn't need to limit his money for school. His job pays more than mine but he has to basically support us both. He doesn't complain but I know he wishes that we had more money. Right now we live in a way too small apartment that is even too small for me and with Derek being pretty much twice my size, I know he gets uncomfortable. We want to move, but we can't afford it.

Once I was dressed, I slid through the narrow space between the end of the bed and the wall and walked to the door. I walked out into the living room/ kitchen and poured myself a glass of orange juice. I can't drink coffee. It makes me jittery. Derek laughed at me the last time I drank it but he basically forbid me to drink it unless he was there. Let's just say that the last time didn't go well. After draining the glass, I quickly washed it and placed it back into the cupboard. I had twenty minutes before I needed to be at work and it only took ten minutes to walk there.

I checked my phone to check if Derek had called. There were to text messages but neither was from him. One was from Tori basically saying happy birthday and the second was from Dad saying he would call me when I got off work. Simon would send me a message when he got in from his…nightly activities. Even though I was early, I decided to leave for work. I grabbed my coat and walked to the door. When I opened it, I took a step forward and my foot hit something. I looked down to find a box wrapped in paper and tied with a ribbon. I bent down and picked it up. The tag said Chloe but there wasn't any from information. It was probably from the creepy guy who lives down the hall so I just set it on the table inside by the door and shut the door, locking it. The guy was a serious creep. He hit on me every day, even when Derek is with me. So far he hasn't done anything beyond flirting so I just ignore him.

When I got down to the first floor, I walked to the front door and pulled it open, only to be met with rain. What a great way to start my birthday. Not. Well, at least I have my jacket. I pulled my arms through the sleeves and zipped it up. I walked down the street for a little bit and then stopped at an intersection. I pushed the button and waited for it to say walk. As I was waiting, I car sped by and narrowly missed soaking me with a puddle. It did, however, soak my feet. I looked down and groaned. It was only ten in the morning and my day was already sucky.

Once I had managed to safely make it to work, I walked in and walked over to my "office." It wasn't really an office. More like a little room with a small desk and a chair. Today though there was an addition to it. Two additions actually. The first was another box, this one smaller, placed on the corner of my desk. It had the same type of wrapping and ribbon so I assumed it was from the same person. The reason it was on the corner of the desk, though, was because it wouldn't have fit in the middle. The second addition to my office was a person. More specifically, the woman who I work with as a co assistant to the director, though I had the title and she basically brings the snacks. I call her Megan.

"Is there a reason you're in here?" I asked, peeling off my rain soaked jacket and hanging it on the hook.

"I would think it was obvious," she said, smiling.

"Hmm, let me guess," I said, slipping off my shoes and setting them under my desk. "Did you get a promotion?"

"No," she said. "If I did I'd probably be running around the set screaming yippee."

I laughed. "Is there donuts in the vending machine?"

"No! They won't even look at my petition. It doesn't meet health codes or something stupid like that," she said, crossing her arms.

"Aright," I said. "I give up."

"Well, I don't know if you know this, but it's somebody's birthday today," she said.

"Whoever could it be," I said.

"Want a hint?" she said.

"Well, I shouldn't, but I'm never gonna get it," I said, smiling.

Instead of answering, she took out one of those noisemakers you see at parties and blew into it, throwing confetti over me. I laughed. Before I could speak, the door burst open and Eric, an intern, stood there and said, "Whose birthday is it?"

This caused me to laugh even harder and Megan joined in. Eric saw the confetti on me and ran out of the room shouting "It's Chloe's birthday!"

"So I take it that it's my birthday then?" I said, brushing the confetti off of me.

"Who told you?" Megan said, failing to pretend to be serious.

"Lucky guess," I said.

"Well, good," she said. "I was worried that it was me. I'm terrible at keeping secrets."

I opened my mouth to answer her when Eric burst back into the room. "Will there be cake?"

I looked at Megan. "Well, duh. What do you think, I'm stupid? Of course there's cake. It's not a birthday without one."

He looked relieved and ran out of the room again.

"Maybe you shouldn't have told him," I said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Something tells me that he's reached his daily limit of sugar," I said.

"Really? I didn't notice," she said, smiling.

"Come on," I said. "We'd better get on the set before they come looking for us."

Megan left the room first and before I could step out, my phone buzzed. I walked over to my jacket and pulled it out. I flipped it open and saw that I had a text. It was from Simon.

There's something I was supposed to remember today.

I texted back and said. All that alcohol rotted your brain already?

Sorry, the part of my brain for reading has been rotted.

Poor Simon. How are you going to be able to read phone numbers if your brain is rotted?

It comes and goes.

Remember yet?

Yes.

Well?

Well what?

What did you remember?

I forgot.

I laughed and shut my phone. I'd let him "remember" for a while. I shoved my phone into my jacket pocket and walked out of my office. When I got to the set, Megan was already there holding a cup of coffee out to Brian, the director. He took it without looking at her, his attention focused on the guy in front of him, who was the lead in the movie. Megan didn't take any notice to him ignoring her and just smiled over at me. I smiled back and walked up to Brian's other side.

"Ah, Chloe, there you are," he said. "Now we can begin."

I spent the rest of my day following orders and telling people where to stand. During my lunch break Megan presented to cake she promised and we had a mini celebration; Megan, Eric, and me. When work was done, I walked into my office and saw the gift sitting on the desk. I had completely forgotten about it. I walked over to it and picked it up. I was light. I shook it and heard something hitting the sides. I pulled the ribbon and then pulled off the paper. Underneath was a box. I opened it and looked in. inside was a key. Confused, I reached in and grabbed it. It was the kind of key made for a house. I picked up the tag but it only said my name. I thought back to the other present. It was wrapped the same and the tag said the same thing. I reached under my desk and pulled out my shoes. I quickly slipped them on and pulled on my jacket. I grabbed the key and walked out of my office. I waved goodbye to Megan and left for home, wondering what was in the other box.

When I got to my door, I unlocked it and opened it, shutting it behind me. I reached over to the table where I had set the box and tore off the wrapping. When I opened it, it was full of tissue paper. I put my hand in and felt through the paper. Not feeling anything, I pulled the paper out to find that it was the only thing in the box. I looked through every paper, but I couldn't find anything. I through the paper into the garbage and was about to throw the box away when something on the bottom caught my eye. I looked in and saw that something was written on the bottom. It was an address. I tore off the bottom and threw the rest away. I opened my door and walked out.

Crazy as it was, I drove to the address written on the bottom of the box even though I had no idea who sent it. When I got there, I was met with a rather large house. It looked empty. I got out and walked up to the door. I reached into my pocket and grabbed the key. I held it in my hand for a minute before putting it into the lock and turning. It unlocked. I took a deep breath and opened the door. I reached over to find a light but I couldn't find the switch. I walked a little bit and on a little table I saw a lit candle. I walked over and saw that there was a series of candles leading down a hall. I followed them until they stopped at a door. I slowly twisted it open and looked inside. It was basically empty except for a box sitting in the middle. I walked over and picked up the box. I opened it and looked inside. It was empty. However, unlike the other box, this one had no writing. It was just an empty box.

"If you want your present, you have to turn around," a voice said behind me. Hearing that voice, I smiled and turned, throwing myself into his arms and wrapping my arms around his neck. His lips instantly found mine and my head spun. I wrapped my arms tighter, trying to pull him closer, to which he happily obliged. When we came up for air, he leaned his forehead against mine and smiled.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked.

"To see your birthday present," Derek said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You're in it," he said, smiling.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

He reached into my pocket and grabbed the key. I placed it into my hand and looked into my eyes. I looked down at the key and just stared at it for a minute. Realization hit me and I looked back up at Derek, who was smiling.

"How?" I asked.

"You know that meeting I had today?" he said.

"Uh huh," I said.

"I got a promotion," he said. "which was all I needed to buy the house. The house didn't cost that much. The old owners just wanted to sell it at any price, so I made an offer. And they agreed."

"Oh Derek," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck again and burying my face into his neck.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

I loosened my grip and looked into his eyes. "I love it."

He smiled and leaned down. I happily met his kiss and melted in his arms. After a few minutes I remembered something. I pulled away and Derek looked down at me, confused.

"I forgot I was texting Simon," I said.

"You stopped for Simon?" he asked.

"Sorry," I said. I grabbed out my phone and flipped it open. I opened the text from hours ago and read it.

I remembered to remember. Happy birthday. Oh, and I call picking out paint colors.

I laughed. "You told Simon?"

"Have you ever tried to keep something secret from him?" he asked.

Laughing, I pulled him down to finish that kiss.

I know that this is months overdue, but here it is. Also, I wanted to say that I may have a story premiering in mid June. That's if I can get everything updated.