Surprise

Some time passed, and everytime I was in Tulsa, I tried to avoid Anne. Sometimes I wondered if she wasn't telling the truth, but I knew that was an absurd idea… I didn't know why Anne came up with that, was she jealous of me? No, impossible...

I knew her birthday was coming, she was turning 21... I caught myself remembering those times when I heard her moaning about not being 21 yet, she wanted to be able to drink as much as she'd like…. And I always said that when that day came, we would get very drunk for a whole week, in different places... and she always said "I can't wait!". I couldn't believe things had reached that point.
Matt told me she was throwing a party. I asked him to tell her I didn't know if I could make it, I had a full schedule, but I was gonna try… I wouldn't admit it, but of course I'd do anything to make it, after all, I'd never miss my Sis' 21 birthday party...

It'd be a long day for me, I had a photoshoot in the morning, some recordings and a live radio show at night, live…

Time flew, I was already on the radio, some girls were watching me through the glass, I was surronded... and when the broadcaster answered a phone call:

"Hello David, today is my birthday! Can you sing Happy Birthday to me?"

My heart was racing, I looked at the clock, 11:20... the word "Birthday" woke me up, I had forgotten abut Anne's...

"What's your name?"

(I knew Anne's voice, but even so I was kind of hoping it might be her...)

"...Sophia..."

With a trembling voice and very anxious, I quickly sang "Happy birthday to you", I had to get out of there….
People from the radio were a little mad at me, I had to cancel everything... my agent called me, but I said I really had to be somewhere else.
When I was in the elevator, I asked myself if that attitude was worth it, I didn't know how I'd act with Anne, I hadn't forgotten her yet, I considered pressing the button and go back to the radio, use work as an excuse to avoid that situation... that would be a good excuse...

I thought about her family, they'd never forgive me if I didn't show up, I ran to the car and remembered I hadn't bought her anything…

I got to the party, Matt was at the door, surrounded by girls as usual, I checked the watch again: 11:45, I had exactly 15 minutes to find and hug her….
But when I spotted her, 2 things came to my mind:
My attitude was not worth it and thankfully I hadn't spent a cent with presents to her.
What was wrong with her, she was dancing with the most disgusting guy from the neighborhood, if she had a clue about what he did to the girls, the lies he told...
Ok, I had 5 more minutes, I couldn't let that jerk turn this into a total waste of time...

"Am I interrupting something?"

My question made her jump, who quickly went from the look "oh-I-so-wanna-kiss-that-jackass" to the one "why-the-hell-did-you-just-get-here-now"... and honestly, I didn't owe her anything, so I turned around and left...
I was walking fast , but I could hear her heels following me, and I confess, I was relieved.

I stopped at the balcony to get some air, I was in the mood for a drink, and Anne got there right after me, and she even seemed more nervous than I was... I questioned her to know what she was doing in that jerk's arms, but she didn't answer, she was playing the victim and blaming me, because I was late…. telling me I hadn't changed, hadn't grown up at all...
How dare she say that? She was the one going on wrong ways lately, making wrong coices and trying to justify her suffering…

I was at least working, chasing my dream, what about her? What was she doing to grow up? Parties, drinks, random guys... at that moment I was sure I couldn't be more dissapointed with her, and while she yelled and I replied, I dared her:

"Surprise me with something different!"

I felt she was going to make a sudden move, impulsively I closed my eyes… I thought "Anne is gonna slap me", for a few seconds nothing happened, but I felt my shirt being pulled forward, lips being pressed against mine, hot lips, maybe due to anger and desire, wet with tears… but that was Anne! Anne, my friend! That couldn't happen, specially at that moment, I tried to push her away, I put my arms behind me, I writhed so I wouldn't feel that chill, I was trying hard not to let the sweat drip, I locked my lips and my feet on the floor, trying to cover the fact that I was trembling…

It was the wind, the last warm breeze that hit and brought me her scent, I couldn't resist and surrendered...
When I could almost breathe normally, she let me go….

"Different enough for you?"