"Why are we going to the hockey house again? We don't have anything planned until next week," I asked aloud.

For someone who had basically forced me to get dressed and get out of the house, Veena was busy staring at her phone instead of talking to me while sitting in my car. After the crazy couple of weeks I'd had between midterms, Derek, and my mom—No! Mrs. Davis—I wanted nothing more than uninterrupted sleep.

And maybe unlimited ice cream and bad reality TV shows to numb my mind.

When Veena continued to type away on her phone, I pinched her thigh. "Are you listening to me?"

"Ow!" she hissed in pain, rubbing her thigh. "What was that for?"

"That's for dragging me out of my happy cocoon and then ignoring me," I said, giving her the stink eye. "Why are we going to the hockey house?"

"It's an emergency meeting," she replied.

"Emergency meeting for what?"

She shrugged. "Don't know."

The rest of the ride to the hockey house was silent. Save for the music Veena was adamant about blasting through the car's speakers. I didn't miss how she was playing all my favorite songs but I wasn't in the mood to sing along like I usually did.

Of course, Veena had immediately realized that something was amiss the first time I'd met her after the incident. But being the good friend that she was, she didn't pester me with questions. Neither did Atlas even though I had basically cried in the parking lot while clutching him for dear life.

I hadn't told them anything because I... didn't know what to say. They both already knew my sob story. No reason to add another pathetic life event to it. As for what business Mrs. Davis had with Atlas, it wasn't any of my concern. I wouldn't put it past that woman to come hunting for me if Atlas canceled whatever deal they had in a fit of rage because of me.

And I didn't want to see that woman ever again. What little pain I'd felt at her dismissal back at the restaurant had quickly turned into unbridled rage in the following days. She could go die in a ditch for all I cared.

In a way, it was good that I finally got to see her. At least now I wouldn't have any hope that one day my mom would come for me. I wouldn't have to make excuses for her in my head.

All these years I had told myself that maybe she'd left because she was suffering as well. It was not a surprise that my dad was an asshole. Maybe she couldn't take it anymore and that's why she left.

However, now I knew that the only reason why she'd left was her selfishness. Yeah, I had looked her up and came to know all about her family in the past few days. It was torture to see her happy and thriving for all these years when I was struggling to survive in that hellhole.

But I needed to see for myself. So that I could finally let all the hopes go.

Clarissa, the daughter she was so fond of, was exactly five years younger than me. Born in the same year mom had left.

Which could only mean she was already having an affair with her current husband while she was with us. No wonder she didn't take me with her. How could she have the perfect family if she didn't get rid of the baggage from the past?

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I blinked back tears. I wouldn't cry anymore. Not for her. Not for anyone.

When we reached the hockey house, I parked my car in the driveway and killed the engine. Veena was quick to jump out of the car with her unusually large duffle bag. As she was walking to the front door, I spotted Maple Park University's logo on the bag. She must have borrowed it from Everett.

"Wait for me!" I called after her but she had already disappeared inside. For a tiny woman, she sure was fast.

With a sigh, I followed her and was surprised to see the house pitch dark and silent. Never had I ever seen the hockey house silent. There was always someone in the living room with the TV on, watching a random sports channel at full volume.

"Hello?" I called as I stepped inside. "Veena?"

Suddenly, the door closed behind me and I nearly jumped out of my skin. In that very second, the lights came on with two pops of party poppers followed by a chorus of "Surprise!"

I looked around with wide eyes as confetti rained down on me. Ethan and Holden were grinning at me from either side, still holding the party poppers while the rest of the hockey team and my friends were standing in the middle of the living room with party hats on their heads.

"Happy Birthday Evie!" Holden yelled and hugged me to his side.

"What's this?" I asked, my voice a little shaky.

"Your birthday party, that's what," Ethan replied, hugging me as well. "Happy birthday Evie girl!"

Soon I was showered with hugs and birthday wishes. Someone put a party hat on me and I was made to sit at the center of the couch while the others sat around me. My gaze however searched for Atlas but he was nowhere to be found.

"Thank God it's over! It was so difficult to hide it from you," Veena grumbled as she reclined in her chair, her hand lazily thrown over her stomach. "I feel so much lighter now." She grinned.

"Out of the way! Cake incoming!" Dylan yelled, making everyone's heads turn.

Kris was right behind him holding a cake with a single candle lit on it. He placed it on the coffee table in front of me and everyone started singing Happy Birthday in an offbeat and tone-deaf way as I cut the cake.

It was childish, silly, and also a little embarrassing. And yet, it was the best birthday I'd ever had.

When I was young, I used to get jealous of the kids whose parents would throw them extravagant parties and bring them gifts. Because I never had anyone do that for me. Nothing to show off to my friends that my parents had gifted me.

Over the years the jealousy faded and transformed more into disinterest. Birthdays became yet another day I had to get through. No one to wish me, no one to celebrate it with.

So getting this, my very own birthday party was the most beautiful gift I'd ever received.

"Now it's time for gifts!" Holden exclaimed once everyone had had a piece of cake.

"Mine first! Mine first!" Veena shot her hand up and opened the duffle bag. She extracted a large box that made me wonder how she had managed to fit inside the bag in the first place. She then thrusted the box in my direction. "It's from me and Everett. He wanted to join but had some work to do. But he said he'll make it up to you later."

"Wait, Everett as in Everett Miller?" Dylan asked, looking incredulous. He then noticed the Maple Park logo on the duffle bag and his eyes widened comically. "Why the fuck is that here?"

Veena ignored his outburst, smiling at me. "Open the box. See if you like it."

Nodding, I lifted the lid and gasped when I saw the card with the logo of the high-end boutique I always admired from afar. They had the most beautiful dress collections but it was way out of my budget. "You got a dress for me from Denise? That must have cost a lot!"

I picked the dress up to admire it from up close. It was one of their signature dresses from this year's summer collection. A pretty knee-length, off-shoulder white dress that had ruffled layers and intricate patterns covering the entire lace bodice and the frilly skirt. It was the dress I'd said I wished to buy last time.

"It's beautiful," I said, holding the dress close to my chest.

Veena grinned wide. "Glad you like it. Now go change."

I looked at the dress and back at her, slightly embarrassed. I had no intention of going out today so I'd worn my trusty granny panties and sports bra. I was in no position to wear this dress at the moment.

Veena must have read my mind because she pushed the duffle bag into my arms. "I picked up a few things from your place. That should go with the dress," she said with a wink before making a shooing motion with her hands. "Now, go!"

Taking the box and the bag with me, I entered the downstairs bathroom to quickly change. Veena had picked a white lace strapless bra and matching panties from my closet which were perfect for wearing this dress. Once I had changed, I turned left and right, loving the way the frills swirled around me.

When I stepped outside with the dress on, I was greeted with cheers and claps as if I were some model walking out on the runway. The coffee table had been cleared of the cake and the empty plates. Boxes of gifts had taken their place instead.

For the next hour or so, I was made to open one gift after another. So many that I had wrapping paper in my lap, on either side of me, and also by my feet. "That big one now. I want to see what's in that," Dylan said, pointing at the box wrapped in plain blue paper.

I picked it up and read the card attached to it. The gift was from Tyler. I thanked him before tearing the paper and opening the box. New sneakers.

"Throw those old ones away. You have used them enough," Tyler said, smiling.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I will now. Thank you for these."

"Here's one more gift. No name on it though," Noor said, handing me a box wrapped in baby pink wrapper and a red bow on top of it.

Turning the box in my hands, I tried to search for a tag or even a tiny scribble of a name to indicate who the gift was from. But there was none.

Reluctantly, I tore through the wrapping and found a plain box inside. A gasp left my mouth when I opened it and saw its contents.

There was only one person in this world that could give me this. With teary eyes I searched for him, finding him standing near the window, a little away from the gathering.

"What's inside?" someone asked and I felt a few people lean in to take a peek.

"Are those Hello Kitty figurines?"

"What kind of gift is that?"

The best kind.

Atlas smiled in my direction before mouthing 'Happy Birthday' and walking away. This gorgeous kind man! What would I do with him?

I excused myself soon after and followed him upstairs. Knocking on his door once, I threw it open and stepped inside. Atlas stood in the middle of his room, looking at me puzzled. "What are you doing up here? You'll miss your own party."

"The party can wait," I said and shut the door behind me before throwing my arms around his neck and capturing his lips with mine.

Atlas was quick to respond, his lips fitting with mine as if the perfect piece of a puzzle. I ran my fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp as I deepened the kiss. Heat swirled in the pit of my stomach as his tongue collided with mine. The kiss was frantic and urgent and everything I had missed.

He lifted me off the ground and carried me to his bed. Sitting down, he placed me on his lap, his hands squeezing my hips. We pulled apart with a gasp and I joined our foreheads as we breathed the same air.

"Why didn't you give the gift to me yourself?" I asked. "Didn't even write your name on it."

He shrugged. "I thought we still had to pretend to not like each other in front of the others. Besides, I knew you would know it's from me immediately."

I pursed my lips, wishing I could tell everyone how precious that gift was for me and it was Atlas who'd given it to me. But I couldn't. Not yet at least.

"Those figurines must have been expensive," I said.

He clicked his tongue. "Not so much. It was definitely worth your smile though."

A choked laugh left my lips. "There you go with your corny lines."

His hands came up to caress my face and I leaned into his touch. "As long as you know I'm being honest I don't mind being corny."

I stared at him, taking in this beautiful man. For all the times we'd bickered in the past and all the bad things we'd said to each other, he never stopped being nice to me. I couldn't see it back then but I could see it now. All the little gestures that I had missed because of the verbal volley going on between us were actually him being nice.

Cupping his face, I caressed his cheeks. "Atlas Griffin, what am I gonna do with you?"

His lips curled up in a smile as he pretended to think. "Kiss me maybe?"

Laughing, I pressed a sloppy kiss on his lips. "Do you wanna get out of here with me? So I could take my time kissing you."

He hummed, his fingers brushing my hair out of my face. "Maybe later. I still haven't got the chance to eat cake."

I kissed him on the lips again before pressing a trail of kisses up his jaw till I reached his ear. Taking his earlobe in my mouth, I bit it lightly. Atlas shuddered against me and a satisfied smile spread across my lips.

"I have something better in mind," I whispered as I trailed my hands down his front to the buckle of his belt.

Something much, much better.