Achieving Unbroken
Chapter Fifty Five

—

"If I can't find the cure, I'll fix you with my love
No matter what you know, I'll fix you with my love
And if you say you're okay
I'm gonna heal you anyway"
The Cure | Lady Gaga

—

Jason
[Thursday, December 27th, 2018 - 11:08 AM]

"Hey, Sweetheart!"  Mom calls to me from her office, where I walk in to find her fingers pounding furiously on her computer. Her facial expression is neutral.

"Yeah, Mom? Is everything okay?" Sometimes when a client is pissing her off she can be a little more aggressive than usual, so we have to tiptoe until we are sure everything is kosher.

Taking a few moments to answer, she finishes her computer business with a satisfying click, then directing her full attention to me.

"Your birthday is in a couple months," she states, voice raspy from not talking for a long time. "We have to figure out what you want to do. I don't want to leave it as a last minute thing."

Oh. Shit.

"... Yeah? Okay?" I shrug. My birthday felt so far away awhile ago, and now it's closing in. I haven't thought about it, even though I really should; it's my big one-eight after all.

"Well, what do you wanna do? We have to do something, you're going to be eighteen!" She pauses, averting her eyes. "You're all grown up."

Oh no. She's about to get emotional, isn't she?

"Mom—"

"No, Sweetie, this is big." She gets out of her desk chair and comes over to me, grabbing my shoulders and rubbing them affectionately. "You're the only son that I get to see grow up. That's a big deal to me and I'm sure your father feels the same way. We need to celebrate it."

In all honesty, I had never put it in that perspective. Kids are kids, right? Both of my parents have other children. But they had two sons, together, and even though Dad has Carl there is still meaning behind that, I suppose. I'm carrying the family name. Mom's red hair. Dad's temper.

I carry some kind of singular importance to them.

"I know. We'll do something. Maybe some kind of big dinner with friends and family?"

"That sounds great. It's whatever you want, Sweetie."

"Okay," I nod, making a silent promise to myself to think more about what I want to do. "I'll give it more time, but I think I just wanna have everyone together, you know?"

"Yeah," Mom whispers, pulling me in for a hug. "I know."

—

Lilla
[Thursday, January 18th, 2019 - 1:48 PM]

Me: Hi, Saige! It's Lilla. I was hoping to talk to you about Jason's birthday?

Saige: Lilla! Hey there. What's up?

Me: Jason's birthday is February 23rd, right?

Saige: Yes it is, I've been on him about making birthday plans... Why?

Me: Well I don't want to interfere with any plans that you guys were making but I was thinking we could throw him some sort of surprise party? I can plan everything and invite people if you could just help me set budget boundaries. I'm asking Stephen too! I just thought it might be nice, but please say no if it's too out there...

Saige: Lilla, that sounds so sweet. I will help you out as much as I can and am happy to buy or arrange anything that you need.

Me: Stephen said the same thing. Thank you both so much, from the bottom of my heart. I can really get everything together as long as you can provide me with a list of family members to invite!

Saige: On it. This is amazing, Lilla. He will love it.

Me: I hope so.

—

Jason
[Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 - After School]

"Hey, Jay, your mother texted me and confirmed that there has been a reservation made at Damion's at six pm on Saturday, February twenty third. You're all set for your birthday." My dad reports to me, sitting down on my bed where I am working on homework.

I'm also text-flirting with Lilla, but I slide my phone under my leg so he doesn't see my phone blowing up while I'm working.

"That's awesome," I tell him, smiling. I'm so bad at coming up with birthday plans, so I just thought that something chill with my family and friends would be an easy birthday. I'm still excited about it, though; Lilla helped me pick the restaurant, arrange the friends I wanted to invite, and has been such a supportive gi— friend.

We're just friends, yeah? Friends who go on casual dates and make out often and hold each other's hands and have fooled their entire school into thinking they were dating.

Friends.

(Literally dating without a label but I'll live.)

But that's besides the point. The point is, my birthday is closing in and I get to have her around.

So, really, I'm the winner here, regardless of any label.

—

Lilla
[Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019]

Stephen: Just talked to him. He doesn't suspect a thing :)

Recently, while planning Jason's surprise party, I learned that Stephen has a strange affinity for using emojis while texting. Truly hilarious, really, considering his rock-hard outer shell.

Me: Ahhhh thank you! Everything has been coming together. Most everybody who was invited is coming, I've been getting SO MANY RSVPS. Get ready for a houseful.

Stephen: You couldn't hear me, but I just let out a long sigh. ;D Yes, I'm ready!

Stephen: What do you have planned as of now?

Me: Well Saige and I went decoration shopping last weekend, basically there will be a lot of lanterns in the outdoor setup and gold accents everywhere. Table settings, balloons, napkins... the list goes on. I thought gold would be good because gold represents compassion, love and courage.

Me: And then Penelope and I are gonna put together some food! A couple options of finger food and then a buffet inside.

Stephen: Sounds lovely. I can't wait to see all of it. Thank you again for doing this Lilla, I think Jason will totally love it.

Me: I just appreciate everybody's confidence in me to do this. I think Jason deserves it.

Stephen: He does. And you do, too.

Me: I deserve what?

Stephen: ;)

God, this man and his emojis. Lord knows what he's talking about, but I don't need to know; I need to focus on my current AP Lit homework.

(Along with the rest of Jason's birthday plans, of course.)

But, not to jinx anything, it looks like it's going to be one hell of a party.

—

Lilla
[Sunday, January 27th, 2019 - 6:47 AM]

"Jace, are you awake?" I roll over to my left side and lightly shake the shoulder of the man laying next to me. His legs stretch out like a cat's as he wakes up, and turns to me without opening his eyes.

"Mm, Lilly, what time is it?"

"Doesn't matter. I have something important to ask you."

His face is covered with a shadow in the room that is still half-dark, but I can still see his confused expression. His eyes are finally opened.

"Can't it wait until the rest of Seattle is awake?"

"I couldn't stop worrying about it."

Squeezing his eyes shut, he completes his turn towards me and is now half on top of me; pressing his face into my neck and making me laugh at how it tickles.

"I'm serious! It's stressing me out!"

With a few more shifts, he stops moving.

"Comfy now. Please relay your concerns."

"What do you want for your birthday?"

He doesn't respond. I swear to God, if he fell asleep I'll—

"Nothing," I hear mumbled right under my ear.

"What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"Does 'nothing' mean something else in another language?"

"No, but— Nothing?"

Adjusting his head, it now is propped up where my shoulder and chest meet, and he gives me his trademark smile that fills me with comfort and joy and practically erases any worries I have ever had. I lift my hand up to brush the hair strands from his forehead before he continues.

"I didn't have the greatest year last year," he starts. "But I am fortunate for what I have. I have two roofs over my head, food on every table I sit at and people who care about me. That's more than what a lot of kids have. I don't need anything as long as you show up to dinner."

With that, a kiss is pressed to my cheek, and he resumes his previous position.

"Of course I'll come to dinner," I mumble, absentmindedly playing with his hair. Even though there's no real dinner, I know what this confirmation really means. Neither of us will say it, though.

"Happy birthday to me, then."

—

Jason
[Monday, February 4th, 2019 - At School]

"Hey, Oakland!" I hear from across the courtyard. Turning from the door that I was just about to open, I am met with the sight of Charlie Felds jogging towards me. "Is this for real?"

He holds a card up as we get closer. He's holding up the mailed invitation that we sent out, something about wanting to "be professional", according to Mom and Dad.

"The invite to my birthday dinner? Yeah. Why?"

"Why?" He imitates, then continues, "the real why is why would you want me there?"

"... I thought we had been getting along? Think of it as an olive branch."

Charlie falls quiet.

"Uh, okay— Okay, man. Thanks. Olive branch accepted."

"It's nothing."

We both are silent now. I give him a small wave and continue on my path to the library, feeling confident about where I stand with Charlie.

Everything really is moving in a positive direction.

—

Lilla
[Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 - Jason's Birthday]

"Appetizers being plated?"

"Yes."

"Balloons are being brought outside?"

"Yes mam."

"Uh..." I start spinning around in a circle from my spot in Jason's dad's living room, trying to list off and see the rest of the things for myself. "Presents are stacked, the buffet food is cooking, the outdoor furniture is clean and arranged how we want, and—" I turn to Piper, who has been helping me make sure everything is perfectly prepared. "How do I look?"

Me outfit consists of a pumpkin orange turtleneck with a leather jacket and black denim jeans. I also have black leather boots on, and was working on my makeup for almost an hour; even though it's probably come off in my sweat from running around the house to make sure everything is ready.

"You look gorgeous," Pip reassures me. Before I can thank her or give her a hug or something, my phone alarm blares with a text from Loraine:

Loraine: A block away!!!

"Ohmygod, they're really close. PLACES, EVERYONE! TO THE BACKYARD! REMEMBER YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING UNTIL JASON'S BLINDFOLD IS OFF, UNDERSTOOD? Oh my God, oh my God..."

The sound of their car is heard pulling up. I quickly shush the occupants of the backyard and take a deep breath, pausing to brush off my pants and shirt before finally unlatching the gate and meeting Saige and Loraine at their car.

Showtime.

—

Jason
[Saturday, February 23rd, 2019]

"So we aren't doing gifts at the restaurant?"

"No, Jay, we will—this one gift though, your dad and I wanted to give you beforehand."

I am in the front seat with Mom while Mama is in the backseat with Diamond and Saph, who are bouncing with excitement. I don't know why, I mean it's just a dinner; but whatever.

I'm actually pretty excited too.

Before we turn onto our block, Loraine hands me a black blindfold from the backseat. I look to her with my eyebrows drawn together.

"We want your present to be a complete surprise. You'll be able to see it once you can see your dad's house and we want complete shock factor."

Although I'm weary, I put on the blindfold anyways. It's sweet that they really want to try to surprise me, but all I can think about is what this surprise could be. Somewhere in between the stream of guesses my mind has concocted, I hear Mom ask if Dad knows we are close. Mama confirms.

Once the car stops and I assume we are parked in the driveway, I hear all of the car doors open, and one particularly strong tug on my right arm. I take it as a cue to get out. Footsteps follow me and the person guiding me for about thirty seconds, and it feels like we are in the backyard but at the same time I don't know.

My mystery guide centers themself in front of me, and I believe it is them who is holding both of my hands.

Someone from behind takes off my blindfold, and yes, we are in the backyard; and holy shit, it's full of people.

"SURPRISE!"