Chapter 18 - Sweet Sixteen, One Year Late
We never properly celebrated Violet's sixteenth birthday.
The real one happened in a hospital.
So one year later, Violet made a request.
“I want my sixteenth birthday back.”
Harper smiled.
“You're seventeen.”
“Technicality.”
So we held the party we should have had.
Purple balloons.
Music.
Too much food.
Ethan arrived carrying flowers.
I stared at them.
He sighed.
“Mr. Mercer, they're flowers.”
“I can see that.”
“They're not dangerous.”
“Anything can be dangerous.”
Violet appeared behind me.
“Dad.”
I moved aside.
Barely.
Friends filled the backyard.
Rachel came.
Ortiz came.
Even Dr. Grant stopped by.
At sunset, Violet stood beside the cake.
Sixteen candles.
Plus one.
“For the year I stole back,” she explained.
Everyone became quiet.
She looked at Harper.
Rachel.
Ethan.
Then me.
“I used to think surviving meant going back to who you were before something bad happened.”
She paused.
“But you don't go backward.”
Her eyes found mine.
“You become somebody new.”
She blew out the candles.
Everyone cheered.
I didn't.
I was too busy remembering the girl on the hallway floor.
One sneaker.
One backpack.
One pale hand.
May you like
I had thought I was watching my life end.
Instead, I had been watching the beginning of hers.
