Sofia: Phoenix Rising - Fire Within! Book 1
Chapter Fifteen

The following weeks fly by and before I know it, everyone is hurrying out of the high school, ready to start Thanksgiving break and I will be getting ready to celebrate my 18th birthday the day after on November 26th.

“I cannot believe you are 18!” Lori exclaims as we stand by my car in the parking-lot of the movie theater where we had met up today to watch the newest Marvel movie. I grin at her because I cannot believe it either, it’s so surreal!

“Are you and your parents still planning on coming over around six tonight?” I wait for Lori to say yes before I hop in my car and head home. As I walk into my house, I hear my cell chime. Tossing my satchel (I’m not a purse person) onto the kitchen table, I pull my phone from my back pocket to see who has messaged me.

Hey baby, work has dad and I staying late tonight. So sorry we are not able to celebrate your birthday sweetie. Love you, mom.

My heart sinks aa I read the text. I’ve never not celebrated my birthday with my parents. And now, on one of my most important birthdays, they won’t be here. If I thought things couldn’t possibly get worse, Lori sends me a text moments later.

Sofie, I have terrible news. Mom just informed me that I have to go out to the hotel where she works for tonight at 6. She did say I can bring you with me and then we can celebrate your birthday right after.

As I read her text message, I feel like I could cry. I respond back and tell her okay, but then I go upstairs and flop on my bed. Nearly two and a half hours to kill, alone, on my birthday. Rolling onto my right side, I allow a few teardrops to fall in self-pity before I replace myself falling asleep. Inevitably, I fall into a dream state. I would say thankfully I didn’t have that weird bird dream this time. However, this one was just as bizarre if not more so.

My surroundings are unfamiliar as I look about. I try to shout out, feeling like there are people near, but just beyond my sight. However, when I go to speak, only smoke filters from my mouth, no words. I am beginning to panic as I search for anything recognizable, and then as if by magic, Ash appears before me. He is dressed like a Greek God. I want to laugh at the strangeness of his outfit, but then I feel someone behind me. As I spin on my feet, I see Blake. He too is wearing the same strange garb. What in the freaking world!

I want to reach out to both of them except when I lift my hands up, they are engulfed in flames. Screaming, well I mean I try to scream but fire pours out instead. Glancing at my body, I see that I am completely covered in an orange, yellow glow. I really need to stop taking naps… I throw my arms out on either side of me, wanting to keep the guys at bay but to my horror, Ash clasps a hand around my left arm at the exact same time Blake takes hold of my right.

Scared beyond all reasoning and comprehension, I yell for them to let me go, for they will surely burn if they hold on to me! At the same time that I bellow the words, I fling my hands downwards and a force of immense power flows from me, tossing the guys backwards about a foot, and I watch as they fall onto their butts. Just as they crash land, I jerk myself from the dream, breathing hard as I do so.

Realizing I am safe in my bedroom, I sit up and take a couple of deep breaths. I hear my phone chiming and pick it up.

Hey, mom says you should wear that shimmery dress that you keep in your closet. I guess she wants to take us to some fancy restaurant since your parents can’t be with us tonight.

I make a face at the text Lori sent because I don’t really feel like dressing up but then I decide it might end up being fun, having nothing else to do so, I send a text back saying okay and then hop into the shower.

^^^

“Okay, mom said we are to meet her in the ballroom. She wants my opinion on decorations for a party that is coming in tomorrow night,” Lori tells me all this as we make our way down the hallway that leads to the ballroom. “Let me text her to let her know I’m here. I don’t want to scare her by just barging into the room. Nodding my head, I watch her send the message. A moment later I see Lori grab the door handle, swinging the door wide open.

Walking in first because she held the door, I notice that for some odd reason, most of the lights in the room are not on. Just as I’m about to question Lori I hear, ‘SURPRISE!’ The lights switch on and I see people popping up from hiding spots around the room, shouting at me. I place a hand against my chest because the last thing I was expecting was a surprise party for me. Standing front and center of the room are my parents and Lori’s, both grinning from ear to ear.

Mom and dad walk up to me first, both giving me death defying hugs telling me happy birthday. After Lori’s parents hug me, Lori drags me over to the table where there is the most amazing two-teared cake I have ever seen. Whoever made it, made it look like the galaxy and it is absolutely beautiful!

Hugs are being given to me left and right. Mostly from mom and dads’ friends/co-workers, which is totally cool because they have watched me grow up and they give awesome gifts. Looking off to the right of the table I am currently standing by, I see Ash. I give him a wide grin and begin to walk towards him. Fate, however, has other plans for me. Mid-stride I am stopped by none other than Blake. I groan internally. I mean, yay, Blake is here…

“Hey, there’s my girl!” Blake states proudly as he scoops me up in a hug, twirling me around once and then placing me back on my feet. In the back of my head, I still have the words of Lori floating through my mind about the party after the fall festival and how Blake and his ex-girlfriend weren’t exactly acting like they were broken up and I stare at him a moment before I force a smile for him. I try to listen to what Blake is saying to me, but my eyes have drifted past him, landing on Lori and Ash in conversation. My heart feels like it’s breaking into a million pieces and forcibly shift my attention back to Blake and his ramblings.

“...believe it or not but this is my first surprise party I’ve attended, ever.” He’s looking at me like I should be giddy with joy for the fact that he is here meanwhile, I am doing all I can from not bursting out in laughter about his claim.

“Oh wow. Well, I’m glad you are here,” I say as I look into his hazel eyes. I have forgotten how adorable he is up close, and I give him a genuine smile. However, his next question takes me by surprise. I think I only answered because my brain didn’t have time to process what he had asked me.

“So, Sofie, New Year’s Eve is coming up soon and I was wondering if you would like to go to the masquerade ball with me?”

Uh, what? “Really, me? Um, I would love to go with you.” My eyes go wide in response to what I am saying but I cannot stop myself. Inwardly I am screaming at myself.

Blake smiles and scoops me up yet again in another hug, twirling me around once before putting me down and I really feel like I need to tell him to stop doing that crap before he makes me sick to my stomach, “Yeah? Awesome. Well, I better get going, I told some of the guys I would meet them at the movies.”

I desperately wanted to shout after him that I didn’t mean it, but he looked so happy, I didn’t have the heart or the nerve to take that happiness away from him.