Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

ALEX

My hand still hurts because of the need to scratch off the dishes last night. I tried to reach out for the bedside table but my hand slipped off and I landed in the cold floor.

I picked myself up and look at his side. He was nowhere in sight. Maybe he chose to sleep on the other room. I glanced at the clock and realized that it's just 5:30 in the morning. My body wanted to go back to sleep but I really wanted to see the sun rise until it was high up in the clouds and maybe I can have a tour around. What had happen yesterday when we go biking is great and I wanted to feel the air on my face again.

I just can't get over it.

I took a warm bath and smiled as the bubbles flew around me. I emptied the tub and wrapped the towel around my petite body. I walked in my closet and picked a cute blue summer dress. I matched it up with my blue converse and snatched his baseball cap which is lying on the floor.

I slung my bag on my shoulder and sneaked out of my room, careful not to be caught by him for I'm pretty sure that he won't let me out this early. I carefully took one step after the other down the stairs. The whole house was pretty creepy for there's no sound to be heard besides the tap of my shoe in the stairs every time I took a step.

I open the door and went inside his garage. I pulled the bicycle and started to pedal my way. The birds are chirping and the wind blew cold. I reached the highest point where I can witness the sunrise. I opened my bag and brought out the blanket where I would lie down. I was enjoying myself up here when the first rays of the sun shone at my face. It was warm and felt beautiful.

Oh, I just wanted to live here forever. The scene was too perfect. The sun was making the clouds glow with red, orange and purple color. The birds continue to chirp while the wind was blowing my half-dried hair. I opened my bag and brought out my sketchpad and pencil.

With a few strokes and moves of my hand, I've drawn the whole scene in it. It was like the whole scene was photo copied in it with the exception of colors. After a few more minutes, I look down at my watch and decided to leave.

As I reach the house, I realized that Caiden's car wasn't here. Hmm, maybe he needed to go back into the city for something. Attend meetings and stuff. But why didn't he leave a note?

Oh, well.

I made my way in the kitchen and decided to make my own breakfast. Maybe I can just celebrate my birthday alone? I'm pretty sure that he doesn't know that it's my birthday. I pulled out the ingredients for the pancake, mixed it in a bowl and added the blueberry fruit which is on the table. I put it on the pan and after a few minutes, flipped it.

I pulled a plate and serve myself. There was some frosting on the cupboard and I used it to add some flavor on my blueberry pancake. Add some sprinkles and tada! I got a blueberry pancake as my birthday cake.

"Happy birthday to me" Munch "Happy Birthday to me" A single tear fell down. Oh, don't be silly Alex, he doesn't know it's your birthday. The little voice on my head says.

"Happy birthday, happy birthday," Sniffed "Happy Birthday to me" I imagine a candle on top and blew it. I finished my pancakes and gathered the dish on the sink.

I went up the stairs and locked myself up at the spare room. The tears are flowing freely down my cheek. I pulled out my paint brush and paint. A canvas would be a good gift for me. I brushed it on the paper and dipped it in green.

Orange

Red

Blue.

The color of morning hue.

Green, brown, yellow. The tree, the cloud, the birds on the sky. Fly, fly. The clouds on the horizon, the rising sun, it's warmth. It's beauty. I sighed. I've never been enough for him. Maybe he went to Tiffany, but he swear that he won't. Maybe he never knew it's my birthday today, would he care?

I was about to apply blue on the sky but I was interrupted by a sudden scratch on the door. Scratch. Scratch. I decided to ignore it but the sound was becoming impatient. I tried to ignore it again but it was persistent. I picked up a rolled up canvas paper and prepared myself to hurt it if it was dangerous. I wonder what was it? I opened it up and in came, Gucci.

"Gucci?"

'Arfff' Was his only answer. Well, what do you expect would be the answer of a dog? I picked him up and he nuzzled his nose on my arms.

"You really are a charming dog but I wonder how did you came up here? As I remember you are back in Malibu, right?"

'Weerp' he showed his teeth. Is he trying to smile or is it his smile?

He wiggled on my arms and I let go of him. He rushed out of the door and I sighed. Am I that bad of a person that a dog wanted to ran away from me? Well, too much thinking is worst for me. It just make me a pessimist.

I pick up my brushed and sat on my bed to continue my work. I was about to dip it on blue when Gucci came running back with a scroll on his mouth. He put it on my lap as I watch him wiggle his tail. I took the scroll and opened it.

Hey Sweet Cheeks. Can you please follow the step/s?

•Walk down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Cadexx

Ps. Bring a bag and let Gucci be the one to guide you, good luck!

"What? He just wanted me to do these and what, laugh at me again? I wouldn't dare to do that." I snapped to no one in particular.

I grabbed my brush and went to finish my work but a tug on my shoelace brought me back to Gucci. 'Aworrr' He nuzzled his head on my shoe and pointed it out the door.

I sigh and followed him downstairs into the kitchen. He tugged on my shoelace again and forces me to go out the back door. But before I got out a letter was hang on top. I stood on my tippy toes and snatched it.

2nd. You would need to go out the door and to the garden.

Cadexx

What, another one? I opened the door and descended through the stairs heading to the garden. It was past noon and the sun was up on the sky making the colors of the flowers shine with a color of yellow, pink and red. The trees have their leaves in a beautiful combination of orange and green. I covered my eyes and grimaced at the heat of the sun hitting my skin.

I followed Gucci as he guided the way deeper. It doesn't look like a garden to me, it was more like a forest but with flowers around. With its different trees I never knew had existed.

We stopped in front of the biggest tree. Gucci pointed his head on top and there lying on the highest branch was a box: A blue glimmering box with a red ribbon on top. Before I decided to go back in the comfort of the mansion, I found my feet leading the way up the tree. I reached the top with ease and lifted the box on my arms. I put it in my jan sport bag and made my way down the tree. I pulled the ribbon and lifted up the lid.

There, lying down my lap was no other than Den-den, my teddy. How come? How did he get here? Didn't I put him on my bed before I go out and watch the sunrise? All I know is that he's there before I follow Gucci out of the freaking door of the mansion so how did it-

My thoughts were cut off by the teddy bear saying "Happy Birthday Alex" What? Did Den-den greet me? But I know that voice it's-

"Please go right and follow Gucci. I'm not the teddy you are referring to. Please follow him now and head on your Fourth clue. Thank you" The teddy stopped talking while I sat there gaping at it like a fool. After a few minutes Gucci tugged my shoes and again I followed him.

•••

Done with the #14 . I've got four speaking teddies from the fifth to eighth clue and also the number fourteen. A bracelet on the ninth, an iPod on tenth and from eleven to thirteen, I got different flavors of cupcakes. I'm now heading off to the room in the basement where the fifteenth clue was. I open the door and look around.

Where was that clue he was talking about? I pulled the teddy out of my bag and pushed his tummy.

Twinkle twinkle little star ,

how I wonder what you are.

UP ABOVE the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

The teddy's eyes sparkled and a little light shone on it. When I turn its head up it became blue.

Up above?

Up?

And so I followed his lead and looked above. There sticking on every direction were stars: Gold, silver, white and blue. My mouth formed an O. It's beautiful to look upon. I reached for a star and read it.

"I'll always be here"

"Smiling down at you"

"You'll always be my star,"

"My twinkling little star."

There's so much of them and as I picked the last one sticking up, the sixteenth clue was in the garage.

I found the letter on my bicycle and there was a beautiful hat lying on the basket that has a GPS device. I was tired following all of this clues but I know that it was Caiden's way of making me happy on my birthday. Did he do this because of my birthday or he just wanted to? Hmmph. Never mind, as long as he cares. I slung my bag higher on my shoulder and put the hat on my head.

I pedaled my way on where the GPS was leading me. The same mountain where I have went earlier, I found there the fifth Teddy.

"Hey sweet cheeks, I see that you have completed the fifteen clues. Well, this one was just a filler but the next one isn't. So, go on and follow the trail down the mountain but first look up and watch the sunset" I put the teddy bear in my Jan sport bag with the others.

There was a blue trail of paint down the mountain. I was having fun skipping at it when a hand snapped in front of me and covered my eyes.

"Cade!" I exclaimed, surprise at his sudden appearance.

"Yep, it's me. Miss me already?" I can imagine his smirk. I heard him chuckling as he tied a blindfold on top of my eyes and lead me down to, I don't know?

He removed the blindfold and led me down into a meadow where a blanket was set with a picnic basket on top. I sat down and was about to open the basket when he snatched it.

He cleared his throat and began "Clue#17- It is somewhere here in this basket" He gave back the basket and I opened it eagerly. There sitting with its frosting melting was a mini ice cream cake.

Hmm, yum.

I finished it off with five bites. It's so delicious, it's like it is melting on your mouth right after you put it in there. I look at him as he smirked. He tied the blindfold back without saying anything. Is these surprises for me to be happy or is it because of my birthday?

Hmmph! Whatever...

We continue to walk, him leading me as he leaned down whispering that I look beautiful. Every time he whispers on my ear, I can't help the shiver running down my spine. He continues to lead me on the place. I can hear my footsteps shifting sound; Heavy to light to lighter. He carried me and settled me in a-

He removed the blindfold and there in front of me was a lake. He started to paddle and we move.

"Clue# 18- It is somewhere here on the boat" He gave me a dazzling smile before continuing his work.

I look around me and found a blue star located at the back of his seat, in front of the boat. I tried to reach for it but ended up falling on top of him. The boat started rocking as we lay down still, careful not to move.

"Oops, I uh, I think it's the star down there at the back of your seat" I reach for it while avoiding his gaze. It's pretty awkward lying on top of a man while he was paddling a boat but I was just trying to reach the star.

I finally got it after three minutes of struggling with the net. I sat down and push a button on the star because it says 'Push to pop', not realizing that it really mean it. It pop on my face with a frosting while Caiden laugh.

"Well, Happy Birthday Alex. You are now officially Eighteen years old!" I look at him with my eyebrows raised.

"You knew?" I asked with hand expressions "I thought you won't care. That it's nothing for you, that I'm too old to celebrate. I though you forgot because you are too busy and you have so many things to do and, and-" He held my shoulders and look at my eyes.

"Alex"

"-And you won't be interested on me wanting to spend my birthday with you because you are-"

"Alex,--"

"-You are too busy to organize a party and I understand it--"

"ALEX--"

"--Because you really are busy, but I thought you don't know it's my birthday and, and-"

"ALEX!" he raised his voice and that shut me up almost instanly. "Listen to me. I knew your birthday from the very start and I didn't have the chance to gave you a present when you had your seventeenth birthday because I used to hate you. I didn't know you, I just don't think that I'll be giving a gift to a girl I don't know." He looked at me and brought out a handkerchief.

He started to wipe my face which was still covered with frosting. "That star was crazy. Jake was the one who had bought the three of them. They first used it at me on my eighteenth birthday and the other one, we used it at Nate. It was crazy right?" I gave him a force grin and sighed.

"C'mon, Cheer up birthday girl. I still have a surprise for you. It's waiting up there, I mean; we will be the one to wait for that, maybe in three, two, one-"

He forced my chin up and there the fireworks erupted from above. The stars were twinkling in the dark night as a background and the lake was glowing because of the reflection of it. In the end, there was a firework in the form of a star shape erupting and as it falls it changes to blue, then red then pink to yellow.

I was startled when he pecked my lips. "Happy Birthday, Sweet cheeks. I'm sorry if I'm not there when you woke up because if I did it will just spoil the whole surprise, right?" I nodded and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you. I didn't know you were this romantic." He chuckled.

As I played with the hem of his shirt, I saw his hand reaching in his pocket. He pulled it out to reveal a heart shape locket. He took it out the box and fastened it on my neck.

"Cade, this is beautiful."

"Another thing. You won't wear that necklace," he pointed at the necklace he had given me which was now connected to the one Dwayne left me. "Here put the pendant on the bracelet. It will just remind you your past but I want you to always look at you future which is now holding you on your neck" He smiled while helping me to put the star and moon in the silver bracelet.

The two of them shone. It was beautiful but the heart locket was gorgeous. My hand crept its way unto that and clutch it tightly.

I was startled when he held my hand together with his."I gave you my heart Alex so please…take care of it. Always remember that I'll be always there for you. Forgive me if I did have a bad side but all of us have don't we?" I nodded "Remember, Alex," He took a deep breath and said, "I'll be always here for you" he connected his head with mine and kiss my forehead.

"It's really beautiful Cade, thank you." I smiled at him while my hand play with the locket.

"No problem" He gave me his dazzling smile.

"Cade, aren't we going back now? It's late and you have mentioned that we will have dinner with your parents tomorrow back at your parents house."

"Oh, right" He started to paddle while I point on the constellations.

I didn't notice when we arrived because I was way deep down in my dream world. I felt him carrying me and laying me down, but before I completely dose off I heard him saying,

"Ti amo, per sempre e sempre"

•••

© A.G_2018