Chapter Text
Kel got lucky.
Sorta.
The afternoon that Kel came back from school, his parents seemed to be too preoccupied with something else for them to ask Kel directly about his grades. So he was hoping that maybe they would forget and at least wish him a happy birthday eve. Which they did. But fortuitously, they had almost ignored him for the majority of the day, going back and forth to him and Hero’s room, then to the living room, and then back again.
Kel knew very well not to interrupt his parents, his mother specifically, when it seemed like they were busy. Kel didn’t feel like dealing with his mom's rapid fire Spanish, especially since he wasn’t the best at translating it. Hero was usually good at that…
At least it was now officially Friday! Hopefully it was going to be a good day and he would get to see Aubrey and maybe run into Basil if luck was on their side.
So Kel got ready that morning and head out with a smile on his face. A genuine smile.
“Ugh, here we go.”
“What? What Aubrey what?”
“You’re going to bribe people this entire day because of your birthday, aren’t you?”
“Bribe? Now why on Earth would I do that, Aubrey!? How can you accuse me of such things?” Kel acted dramatically jokingly.
Aubrey stopped in front of their homeroom door with a huff. “You have been doing it to us for the past two years, Kel. It’s always,” Aubrey cleared her throat before changing her voice in a comedic attempt to sound like Kel. “Oh! But it’s my birthday, Aubrey! It’s my birthday, Basil! It’s my birthday! It’s my birthday! I’ll give you a BIG ‘Kel hug’ if you do this for me!”
“You’re making your voice crack on purpose!”
Aubrey only chuckled in response. “Don’t act like you don’t do that. I’m talking about the bribing AND the voice cracking.”
“This year is different. I’m too old for that.”
Aubrey raised an eyebrow at Kel. “The voice cracking or the bribing?”
Kel gently shook her arm and whined playfully. “You’re so meeeaannn…Did you get me a present though?”
“Ugh. Kel!”
“I’m kidding! You just being here is enough. I’m just hoping I get to see Basil today. That would make my day and officially be the best birthday ever!”
“I think he might show up. Maybe.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Actually, I did see him yesterday in one of my classes but…he left early because he was called to the front office.”
“How was he?”
Aubrey hummed. “Quiet. Like quieter than usual. Well, Basil isn't 'quiet' per say...but he's not loud or talkative, he just...I don't know. I would try to talk to him sometimes, but I thought it would also be best to give him space. I actually asked him yesterday if he maybe wanted to sit at lunch with us and he said hopefully he could.”
“Yes!!!”
“But that is a maybe.”
“I’ll take what I can get!”
Homeroom bell rang, leading Aubrey and Kel to walk inside and take their seats in the back next to each other.
The morning drags on as normal, class after class, lecture after lecture, being told to sit down, eyes forward, don’t interrupt, etc. He’s heard it before and it was always irritating to hear it over and over again. Either way, he made it through that part of the day.
What he was really looking forward to, was lunch time. The only time he would get to hang out with Aubrey. And she had brought a birthday present for him.
“Happy birthday, idiot.” Aubrey said with a smile as she held up an item wrapped in glistening wrapping paper, the paper on the top labeled ‘Idiot #1’ instead of ‘Kel’. Classic Aubrey.
Kel admired the gift, his eyes smiling with happiness as he glanced at the paper and label. “Who’s idiot #2? #3?”
“No one. It’s just you. You're the only idiot.” Aubrey said as she nonchalantly sipped at her water.
“Aww Aubey Aubs! That makes me feel soooo special.” Kel puffed out his lips dramatically before getting up unprompted to walk to the other side of the table where Aubrey sat,
“Kel where are you go-oh!”
And enveloped Aubrey in a tight hug. “Thank you Aubreyyyyy!”
“You’re welcome Kel, but…you’re squeezing me too hard!”
“Sorry, sorry.” Kel sat back down, unable to contain his happiness and excitement as he bounced in his seat. “What is it? Can I open it now?”
“No! You can’t open it now!”
“Why nooottt?”
“You have to wait until you get home, opening it now will ruin the…uh…I don’t know, just wait. You’re so impatient.”
“I just can’t wait! We have like 2 hours left in the day, I can’t wait that long!”
“Yes you can! 2 hours is not. that. long. Just have some patience.”
“Can you give me a hint?”
“No?”
“Not even a tiny one? Maybe one that I might not be able to figure out?”
“Kel!”
“H-hey guys.”
Kel and Aubrey whipped their head around to the sound of a familiar voice.
There before both of them, was Basil, sporting a small smile on his face coupled by a nervous look in his eye.
“Basil! Basil! Basil!” Mimicking his actions earlier towards Aubrey, Kel got up and encompassed Basil in a hug, being sure to be gentle with him because that was one of Kel’s priorities when hugging Basil or even Sunny. “This is officially the best birthday ever, cuz you’re here!”
A breathy chuckle escaped Basil as Kel began to let him go. “That’s um…actually why I’m over here. I h-have your birthday present.”
Kel gasped. “You remembered?”
Basil nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” He then began to reach in his bag seemingly searching for Kel’s present, letting out a small ‘ow’ as he pulled it out.
“Is it wrapped up?”
“No, I-it’s not. Not really. Not in a gift...like a gift way.”
“So, I don’t have to guess! Why can’t Aubrey be more like you?” He commented jokingly, earning a playful eye roll from Aubrey.
Basil took out a small plastic bag and placed it on the lunch table. The bag was protruding from the inside, indicating that there was something inside. “I did my best to…best to protect it while it was inside my bag. B-but, it was pretty hard to.” He observed whatever was inside from the opening before taking the item out and displaying it on top of the bag.
“It’s a cactus.” Basil said.
“Woah. A real one?” Aubrey asked.
“Mm hm.”
“That’s so cool!”
“I-I chose this for you because Cacti are very sturdy and resilient by nature. They can live for hundreds of years! The spines all around them are technically weapons that can fend off against anything! It’s said that cacti can be good for your mental and physical health and always increase your mood when around you.”
“They don’t need much care and can survive in seemingly impossible conditions! They also come in many different sizes and shapes and can grow up to 40 feet tall! Umm…”
As Basil was info dumping, he now just noticed his friends’ agape mouths and frozen expressions.
“I-I’m sorry! I just uh…I wanted to explain why I thought…I thought they reminded me of you. That’s all. That’s why I wanted t-to give the one I’ve been growing in my garden for a couple months to you. So um…you can take care of it.”
Kel was about to mention how much Basil’s stuttering was limited whenever he talked about his passions, but decided against it. That was an insecurity no matter how anyone talked about it. “Basil…” Kel began to say. “It’s so cool! They can really live for hundreds of years?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Awesome! I never had to take care of a living cacti bef- wait. How am I gonna take care of it? Every flower I touch always dies.”
“D-don’t worry! I have instructions in the bag for you. But as I s-said before, they are very very resilient. They don’t need a lot of taking care of.”
“That’s prefect for Kel, because he’s probably gonna forget to water it everyday.” Aubrey said.
“You don’t need to water it everyday though! Just…just about every 10 days or so, or w-when the soil around and underneath it starts to look extra dry.”
Kel couldn’t keep his eyes of the mini cactus in front of him. “Oohhh.” He felt touched at the fact that one of Basil’s plants reminded him of his personality and nature, and the fact that Basil would give up something he had been growing for months.
The friend group knew that Basil loved taking up new hobbies; gardening, scrapbooking, photography, and even dabbling in cooking and baking every once in a while. Whatever he found interesting, he would look into and work to perfect the craft.
But gardening was different.
Basil presented as mother nature’s long lost brother whenever anyone would see him working in his garden. How fast yet delicately his hands would work through soil and mulch. His arms had to feel like jelly afterwards, but it seemed Basil was gaining a tolerance to any soreness he would feel in his muscles from it all.
Kel wanted to be that physically strong one day.
“Oh, I’ve been here for too long. I um…have somewhere I have to be.” Basil began to gather his belongings and place his bag quickly on his back.
“Wait, already?” Aubrey subconsciously grabbed Basil’s wrist before he could scurry off. “We thought that maybe you wanted to each lunch with us.”
“Yeah Basil! Come sit down with us.”
Basil let out a shaky breath. “I-I’m sorry…I have to be s-somewhere right now… actually. I’m really sorry. M-Maybe next week?”
“Only if you pinky promise us!” Kel stuck out his pinky for Basil to take, prompting for Aubrey to release the firm hold she had on his wrist.
He was hesitant, but was eventually encouraged to wrap his pinky around Kel’s to keep his promise to both of them. Although, the nervous look in his eye that was already present had enhanced and embellished as he did so, which Kel took a quick notice to, but decided not to divulge into it.
“Okay, bye.” And with that, Basil bid both Kel and Aubrey goodbye without another word, ostensibly disappearing quicker than their eyes could follow.
“Hm…I wish he could have eaten lunch with us.”
Kel nodded in agreement. “Yeah. But, I got to see him, even if was just for a little bit. So I’m happy!”
“What are you going to do when you get home?”
“Not sure. Maybe my parents have something planned for me, but I dunno! Last year, Hero…he uh,” He just simply couldn’t avoid the topic of Hero. “He lead the party. Not the ones you guys did for me. There was one before that. So I had two parties! That was fun, haha.”
Aubrey quickly perceived Kel’s subtle change in expression when he ended his statement. “Do you think it will happen again this year?”
“Huh? Oh, maybe! Maybe.” He knew that he was lying to himself.
“Well like I said yesterday, I would love to come over. And maybe I can get Basil to come over too.”
“I’m excited for that!”
Kel saying he was excited was definitely an emotional distortion. He was so happy, he couldn’t wait until the end of the day.
And when that came, he immediately ran inside the house with the cactus gifted by Basil in his hand. First thing he decided to do was place it in the windowsill in his and Hero’s room. Walking in slowly, as not to disturb his sleeping brother, he gently placed the cactus on the window, hoping it would remain there and not accidentally be knocked over.
Afterwards, he ran to his parents room and knocked on their door. He assumed they were both in their room because there was no trace of them when he first walked inside.
“Mom! Dad! I’m home!”
However, there was no answer.
He opened their door slowly, recalling all the times he burst in without prior permission or warning and would get reprimanded for doing so. Yet, the room was completely empty. No parents to scold him.
Walking back downstairs to the living room, he figured he should get himself a quick snack and then call his parents mobile phone to see where they had gone, but was stopped by a small note that laid on the stand near the front door, moving ever so slightly from the gust of wind coming from a vent somewhere.
It was written in his mom’s handwriting; Hey birthday boy! Your dad and I had to run out to do some quick emergency errands. But, we left you presents in the kitchen right next to the cake we got you. Red Velvet, your favorite! Courtesy of Hero. Speaking of Hero, be sure to look after him while we are gone. We promise to celebrate will you when we have the time!
You’re a teenager now. Growing up so fast.
Happy Birthday,
Mom & Dad
& of course, Your Brother Hero
“O-oh. Where could they have gone? They didn’t say it in the letter…” Kel asked himself. “And I can’t ask Hero…Well, no matter. Aubrey will be here soon! And I can spend my birthday with her!”
It didn’t take long for Kel to go through almost half the full Red Velvet cake as he waited for Aubrey. He opened up a couple of his gifts as well, receiving a couple hundred dollars in a few cards and a new video game. Maybe I can play this with Sunny once he feels better. Maybe this could make him feel better. Kel thought to himself.
A couple more long minutes went by and Kel had made it mostly through the cake, which was actually quite surprising, even for him. He must have been bored. For a moment, he was thinking about stopping by Aubrey’s house himself. It was a good choice because maybe she had forgotten which was understandable, but on second thought, that might be intruding and display impatient behavior…
“AUBREYYYY!” Kel knocked a couple times on the Johnson household’s front door. “Aubrey? You home? Your parents home?”
No answer.
Looking around, he noticed how there wasn’t a car in sight. Maybe Aubrey and her family had to go somewhere unexpectedly? Because it was definitely uncharacteristic for neither of Aubrey’s parents to be home.
Kel couldn’t shake off this weird feeling in his chest. It was an odd sensation that engulfed him only physically.
Attempting to elude said feeling, he decided to remove himself from the perimeter and walk away. Nonetheless, it did not help, but he tried his best not to focus on it as he walked a different way.
Eventually arriving mindlessly at Sunny’s front door instead of his own.
Outside of the house, neither of the cars were there, but a small note poked out on the windowsill outside as if someone had the intention of throwing it out.
Be right back Sunny! Gone to run a few errands. Take care of yourself while I’m gone and I promise I will be back soon.
Love,
Mom & Dad
Huh. Must be note day.
After reading the note, feeling a bit as if he was slightly intruding and crossing boundaries by reading the note that was left for Sunny and no one else, he reaches his hand out to knock on the door.
There was a certain knock that Kel did to let Sunny know it was him. It was the beat to one of their favorite songs that they couldn’t go a day without listening to together. On sunny days, rainy days, snow days, school days, sad days, there was always that one song that seemed to cheer both of them up. That one song neither of them could get tired of.
But Kel didn’t knock.
He couldn’t get himself to just knock. What was he waiting for?
Do it Kel!
He let out a frustrating grunt and turned around, sliding down the door on his back dramatically.
The feeling was back. In his chest. Crawling up his throat a bit and creating a lump. It was back again and it didn’t feel good. But he thought he was feeling pretty happy…what was this thing in his chest…?
He sighed loudly and leaned his head back against Sunny’s house door. “Sunnyyyyyy…” he called out. Thinking Sunny would hear, but knowing he wouldn’t. “…you ever get a weird feeling in your chest and you don’t know where it came from? Like…it’s tight. And it makes your throat feel weird too. Hope I’m not getting sick. Not on my birthday!” He chuckled.
“Hm…did you remember it was my birthday today? I’m finally a teenager! I never forget that I’m older than all of you by a few months, so that means it’s my duty to protect you guys and be your knight in shining armor Sunny!”
“Um…uh…Hero’s not doing too well. But I have a feeling he will bounce back. I think you will too! You should know I’m always cheering you on Sunny. I’m still…I’m sorry about…I’m sorry about everything actually. Really.”
Kel was silent after that. What could he possibly say? For the first time in a while, his mind went silent.
He got up on his feet, placing the letter back on the windowsill to make it look like no one laid a finger on it. “Love you, Sunny.”
It was late. Nearly almost 6pm. Kel’s parents weren’t back. Hero was still in his room.
All that was present and ‘alive’ was him. Him and the couple of pieces of cake left in front of him that he couldn’t bring himself to finish.
Wait… the cactus Basil got him and Aubrey’s present!
Kel probably almost smooshed them both by keeping them in his bag the entire time.
He went in his bag to find Aubrey’s gift and pulled it out, unwrapping it quickly. Upon looking at it and feeling it, he realized that it was a mini plush of a dog, a Shiba to be exact. Kel’s favorite dog breed.
“Aw, this is adorable! She remembered my favorite breeeddd. I hope I can get a Shiba one day.” He placed it down gently, planning to put it in his room later in a safe place so it wouldn’t get lost.
He then decided to rummage through the rest of his bag to find the little plant Basil had gotten him, picking it up slowly and carefully as not to prick himself or possibly harm the plant in any way than he may have possibly already done.
But it was completely unharmed.
“Basil was right, Cacti are strong.” He sat back down at the kitchen table and placed the cactus down in front of him, eyeing it curiously. “Never had a cactus before. It’s so tiny and round. Hopefully I don’t forget it exists and sit on it or something.” He hummed as he gazed at it for a little longer. “Basil is so kind. He said this cool little thing reminded him of me. He said…strong…sturdy… and resilient by nature?”
Taking him once again by surprise, the foreign tight feeling in his chest and lump in his throat returned. There were so many thoughts running through his head that he couldn’t pinpoint.
This had to be sadness he was feeling, wasn’t it.
Welp.
That lump that invaded his throat pushed out a small choked sob, bringing little bouts of warm tears streaming down his face and onto his lap. He didn’t want to feel this way, he wasn’t supposed to feel this way. It’s his birthday. He’s finally a teenager, he was grateful for his presents and the cake and that he was in everyone’s thoughts no matter if they were here or not.
It was the thought that counts. And Aubrey and Basil were thinking about coming. Aubrey really seemed like she wanted to come!
But they weren’t here. And the thoughts were flowing through his head again, fast and making his head hurt. This wasn’t like the random thoughts he would have during the day, these ones packed a punch.
Amongst these thoughts, one thought stood out however…and that thought was,
“What would Mari do?”
She would tell Kel that it was okay to cry, it didn’t make you weak. It was okay to feel all of these valid and very real emotions…that it was normal to feel overwhelmed with negativity and external conflicts…that it was okay to break down every once in a while and let it out…it was human.
And Kel would hear when Aubrey would confide in Mari, usually when she had a problem. Mari would give Aubrey a pep talk.
Mari always gave the best pep talks.
And so did Aubrey.
Should he try?
“Things didn’t go as planned and that’s okay!”
“This isn’t how I thought my birthday would go, but that’s okay.”
“There’s always next time. Tomorrow will come and it’ll be something different!”
“There’s always next year. Tomorrow will come and it’ll be something different!”
“All that matters…”
“All that matters…”
“Is that you are happy in your own company.”
“Is that I am happy in my own company.”
“Happy birthday, Kel. Everything will be okay, right?”
And with that, Kel let out as much as he could, feeling every emotion alone and in his own company, before sporting a small smile on his face.
Content.