I just stood there starring, as he yelled at me, it was the fourth time that week and I knew this would be the last time it would happen. As tears filled my eyes and threatened to pour out I yelled at my boyfriend “It’s over!” and stormed out of his cozy bedroom.

            The bedroom I spent my entire summer in last year escaping the heat by watching movies in his cool basement bedroom, snacking on ice cream and laughing like little school girls, the bedroom I had my first kiss in, the bedroom I cried all night in. That bedroom was gone to me now, as well as the cute 6’2” sandy blond haired, green eyed basketball star I had been dating for the past year.

Dylan was the major hottie at my school, every girl wanted him and I was lucky enough to actually get him. Well not that lucky since he made out with my best friend, at a party for me, on my sixteenth birthday at my house! I had looked past that though because I loved him, because I wanted him, because he was the only good thing in my life.

As I was walking down the cold rain slicked road I watched the sun set and I couldn’t help but think of that night. I used to hold the emotions the reminder of that night brought me because Dylan didn’t like to see me upset, but not this time. I started to run down the dark street just as fast as the tears streamed down my face. I wasn’t just crying because Dylan my first love, my first boyfriend ever was gone but because bad things always happened on the same day, my birthday August 4^th, every year something bad happened and this year was no exception. It was like the universe was trying to make up for my birth.

I ran to the little broken down house at the end of Templeton Street but stopped just short of the first step. “Why am I hesitating? I should just go in and face my aunt she’ll understand why I’m late. Right? Yeah yeah I’m sure she will… Aunt Meghan’s not ugly I’m sure she's dumped a few boyfriends along the way… right? Dumping a boyfriend is a delicate process, and she never liked him anyway… Alright I should stop hesitating and just take that first step.” I talked myself through the process of facing my overbearing, overprotective aunt but all that got me was a weird look from my creepy neighbour, who probably hadn’t showered in the last few years.

Finally I wiped my face and ran up the steps, opened the creaking door and stormed in to my aunt’s house, which in light of recent events had become my home. My nostrils were immediately assaulted by the sugary sweet smell of my aunts’ homemade double chocolate cake. It was as though I was hypnotized into following that amazing smell through my small cramped entry way filled with millions upon millions of shoes. It was always a struggle getting through that entry way but with the delicious smell as my guide I managed to climb the great wall of shoes and scramble into my aunts tiny broken down kitchen.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVERY!”

I stood there stunned into complete silence, my aunt Meghan, my best friends Chelsea, and Grant, as well as my little brother Adrian didn’t seem to notice my shock and passed it off as a happy surprise. It wasn’t. I didn’t want this not today not ever. I hated surprises and I hated my birthday. I turned around and ran back through the entry way and out onto the porch. The door slowly creaked closed but I didn’t hear it I was long gone. I tore down the porch steps and ran faster than a bullet so I could get as far away from my house as possible.

It started pouring but that only cooled my hot body down from running. I ran the entire 9km to the kiddie park and hid out in my favourite spot. I am a little bigger than the last time I was here which happened to be 6 years ago today. But the little hole under the slide always made me feel better so I crunched down into the smallest ball I could manage and squished in.

I rocked back and forth in the little space I had, clutching my knees and crying as loud and as hard as the rain that poured down on the slide. “What a great way to spend my 17 birthday” I sobbed to myself.

“Happy birthday” My head shot up at the sound of a man’s voice and smacked against the top of the slide, with stars exploding in front of my eyes, I dimly saw three guys surrounding me. Then it all went dark.