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I place the balloons around the small table in the kitchen so that when he arrives, we can sing “Happy Birthday” and cut the cake my mother taught me to make. It’s a triple-layer chocolate mousse cake that melts in your mouth.
“I do. Very much. I think I’m falling for him,” I whisper back.
She nods and then sees my expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just scared. I know I shouldn’t feel this way.”
She shakes her head. “Why not?”
I sit in the chair and watch the time to make sure the cake is cooked just right. “We would never work, Camila.” I lower my voice. “If they found out, they would get rid of me. You know that, and you know why.”
Camila comes from the real world; she knows that his parents would never approve of us, and no one on this side of town, including his friends, would accept me with him, even if I didn’t care what anyone thought. Kalum comes from a world where whatever people think matters the most.
Her expression turns grim, and she nods in understanding. Then she smiles when the timer dings signaling the cake is ready. I prepare the cake and set it on the table. I check my phone and it has been three hours already. Camila suggests placing the beautifully decorated cake inside the refrigerator to avoid it getting spoiled.
Thanking her, I make my way and finish some house chores, take a shower, and work on Kalum’s bracelet. After two more hours, I look at the time, and it’s way past the time I’m usually up, and Kalum hasn’t texted me to tell me he is on his way.
I feel bummed, but I understand it is his birthday, and he wanted to spend it with his friends like he must have always done way before I came into the picture. We haven’t known each other for a long time, and I understand these people have been in his life way longer than I have.
Checking my phone, it is almost eleven at night.
I hear a knock on the door. My head lifts, and it’s Camila. My door opens, and she stands in the doorway. My eyes are glassy, but I make sure not to show any emotion. She must sense it, but she doesn’t call me out on it. Camila has known me and my parents since I can remember.
She holds her hands together and gives me a small smile. “Mrs. St. Claire informed me they had a celebratory dinner for Kalum with all his friends at an exclusive restaurant in town after football practice. She said they wouldn’t be back until late. It is his eighteenth birthday. It is a big thing for them, I guess.”
“I understand,” I croak. My paltry homemade cake wouldn’t hold a candle to what his parents and friends have planned for him.
She frowns when she sees me get up. “Where are you going?”
I give her a smile. “To clean up. My momma taught me better than to leave my mess downstairs. I left the balloons and plates out.”
She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t dream of it. You spent hours making and decorating that cake.” She wags her finger at me playfully. “I know you spent your own money on it. The balloons and the cake and all the decorations weren’t on the receipt when you came home with the weekly grocery run for the St. Claires.”
Busted. I have a feeling Camila knows about Kalum and me sneaking around, but that’s okay. This just shows I’m chasing a pipe dream with Kalum. I was right. This would never work, and whatever I offer is nothing compared to what he is used to and that includes me. Whatever I’m feeling needs to stop.
I raise my chin. “I did. I paid for it with my bracelet sales, but that’s okay. I’m sure he had a better cake with his family and friends.”
“I doubt that, sweetheart.”
“Would you please make sure everyone that works here gets a slice, including Henry? I would hate for such a good cake to go to waste. I’m sure they would love cake. Oh, the balloons, I’m sure whoever has children or grandkids would love them,” I say with a smile.
I don’t want her to see the sadness I feel right now. It would cause her to worry.
“Are you sure, Aura?”
“I’m sure, Camila. It’s okay, really. I’m fine. It’s just a cake and some balloons. Thank you for helping me. I made sure all the cleaning in Kalum’s room and the laundry were done when I came upstairs. I didn’t want to fall behind or, worse, Mrs. St. Claire to think we weren’t keeping up with the house.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I would have done it, but being the angel you are, I’m not surprised.”
19
KALUM
Iwanted to send Aura a text on the night of my birthday. For the past three days, she has avoided me. She locks her door at night. I think I hurt her. It wasn’t my intention, but my parents and my friends had a surprise party for me after school.
I couldn’t tell my parents I wanted to head home because of Aura. They were suspicious because I turned my friends down for a house party. The only person I wanted to spend time with on my birthday was her, and I made myself out to be a liar.
