"Happy Birthday to you!" the girls sing, finishing the song as I laugh, Zara holding a big chocolate cake before me. I close my eyes, quickly blowing the candles out in a single breath.

"What did you wish for?" Georgia grins, clapping her hands together.

"If I tell you, it won't come true!" I quip and she nods.

A college scholarship. Please, if I could have anything in the world let it be a college scholarship. I don't care where!

Zara places the cake down on the table in front of me as Becky hands me a knife, my mouth salivating at the edible goodness in front of me. There's nothing as amazing as birthday cake.

"Care to do the honors?" Becky asks and I smile, nodding.

"Happily!" I lean forward, cutting large slices for each of us.

"That's huge!" Georgia's eyes widen as I hand her one.

"So...?" Becky snorts, grabbing hold of hers and beginning to devour it.

"I can't eat that much!"

"You're weird." Becky says through a mouthful of chocolate cake as Georgia wrinkles her nose.

"It's amazing!" I mumble before taking another bite as Becky laughs, spitting crumbs out all over the side.

"Gross!" Georgia yelps, jumping back. That only makes me laugh alongside Becky, struggling to keep the cake in as I begin to cough.

"There you go!" Zara whacks me on the back and I splutter, finally swallowing the cake before I begin to laugh again.

"You're the most attractive of all of us." Becky smirks at me before delicately popping a piece of cake in her mouth.

"I know." I retort and she grins.

"So modest too."

"You made me who I am." I shrug, shoving another mouthful in. The icing on the top of the cake is so creamy and thick, an absolutely mouthwatering taste filling my mouth. I sink down onto the seat, concentrating my full attention on the slice of heaven.

"And damn proud of it." Becky remarks and I grin up at her before taking another bite.

"That was so good!" Zara exclaims, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Wow!" Georgia's eyes are wide as she looks over at her, "I still have half of mine left."

"Not for long if you don't hurry up." Becky snorts, her own cake now long gone.

"You can have mine." Georgia holds her half eaten slice out.

"I knew we were friends for a reason." Becky grins, reaching out and taking it into her hands.

"Mmmm." Georgia's response is so quiet I barely catch it, and she quickly collapses back onto the chair behind her, scooping her blonde hair up off her neck and pinning it up.

"How has your birthday been Sav?" Georgia asks.

"So good." I smile, the last bite of cake finally swallowed. "Elle and I went for lunch earlier." I continue, "She gave me this necklace." I point to the small pendant around my neck.

"I love that."

"Me too." I smile at Zara. "Then we went to our old house. The one we lived in before Mom and Dad died." I continue, looking down at my hands. "We do it every birthday." I explain, looking back up to see my friends' understanding eyes. "Then she bought me a cupcake from Jerry's Bakery."

"Oh he sells the most incredible cakes!" Georgia claps her hands with glee, grinning. "Which flavor did you have?"

"Chocolate fudge."

"Oh, that one is so good." Becky moans, collapsing back onto the couch.

"Which film should we watch?" Georgia asks, clicking through the films on the TV at lightening speed.

"I don't mind." I shrug, watching as she clicked through the options.

"Titanic?"

"Not today!"

"You said you didn't mind!"

"It's my birthday." I snort, shaking my head. "I don't want to watch loads of people die!"

"Cinderella?"

"Do I look like the type of girl who wants to watch a romance right now?" I scoff, grabbing hold of the knife and cutting myself another slice of cake.

"Legally Blonde?"

"I probably won't even be able to go to college." I snort, stuffing another mouthful of cake in.

"Just put one on Georgia." Becky giggles, watching me as I shoot her a quick glare. 

"That's it!" I yell, pointing at the screen. Georgia stops, glancing over at me with a raised eyebrow. "That one right there."

"The Woman in Black?" Zara asks, sloping down on the couch next to Becky.

"Yep." I nod, stuffing more cake in my face. "I'm not being haunted right now, so I'm good with it."

"Uh..." Georgia grimaces.

"I love a good ghost." Becky grins, rubbing her hands together. I nod, sitting down next to her as Georgia hesitantly clicks the play button. She puts the remote down and scoots over, resting against me slightly.

"Are you scared Georgia?"

"No." She retorts.

"You are!" Becky sings, grinning.

"So am I!" Zara pipes up, sliding closer to the rest of us.

"It's not even scary!" Becky shakes her head, picking up the popcorn from in front of me.

"Shh, the film has begun!" Georgia whispers and Becky rolls her eyes, stuffing a handful of food in her mouth as I look back at the TV and Zara turns off the lights. We watch the film in silence, and before long Becky and Georgia have both fallen asleep beside me.

"I'm just going to get a drink." I whisper to Zara who nods. Shifting out from beside my sleeping friends I get up, quickly leaving the room and heading to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard I then turn around, nearly having a heart attack at the revelation that I'm not alone.

"Jesus!" I squeal at the sight of Haydon standing behind the counter with a tub of ice cream. He raises his eyebrows as I blush. "Oh sorry... I didn't realize anyone was in here!"

"That's okay." He smiles, gesturing for me to join him, "Come on, I'm making an ice cream sundae."

"Count me in." I reply before I realize what I'm saying. Why is it that food always wins when it comes to me?

"Yeah?"

"Of course. I'm not going to turn down a sundae." I snort and he smirks, grabbing another bowl from the cupboard as I feel my cheeks reddening.

"Alright." He digs four scoops out of the ice cream tub, placing them in the bowl before looking back up at me. "Chocolate or strawberry?"

"Both." I immediately respond and his smile widens.

"Both?" He cocks his head, questioningly.

"Hell yeah." I nod and he shrugs, picking them both up and covering the ice cream with lashings of sauce. I feel my stomach grumble in anticipation as he pushes the bowl over to me and hands me a spoon. I waste no time, immediately digging up a big spoonful and stuffing it in.

"Amazing." I moan at the taste and he looks down at me, raising an eyebrow as he watches. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He grins, watching me eat before he finally picks up his own spoon. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you." I manage to say through the mouthful of ice cream and he shakes his head at me, an amused smile pinned onto his face as I feel my cheeks flooding with blood once more. Damn it.

"Savannah?" Zara's voice is quiet as she peers in through the doorway.

"Hey! Haydon made me an ice cream sundae." I grin eagerly and she raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, I wondered why you were so long!"

"Sorry for keeping her." Haydon inputs, his voice low. I look up at him to find him still watching me and can't help the smile that fills my face.

"No, no... that's okay!" Zara replies, shaking her head as she grins.

"Have a great birthday Savannah." Haydon winks at me and I choke slightly on the ice cream. "See you girls soon." He finishes, before picking up his bowl and leaving the room. Zara shoots me a smirk and I furrow my eyebrows.

"What?" I ask and she walks over, picking up a spoonful and diving into my bowl.

"Becky's going to kill you." She sings and I giggle.

"What Becky doesn't know, won't hurt her." I whisper and Zara laughs, taking another spoonful.

"Strawberry and chocolate?" She questions and I nod.

"Of course." I take a spoonful, "Why does everyone question that?"

*~*~*

"I'll get the table in the corner!" The new girl, Breda, exclaims, her braces shining brightly in the light.

"Thank you." I respond as I continue to refill the napkin holders as she grins, grabbing the notepad and skipping off to take an order.

She is way too enthusiastic for a Saturday morning whereas I cannot wait to be out of here. Only one year left. Hopefully... if I get into college that is. I'm not sure what to do if I can't get in, maybe I could find a community college around here, or maybe I could go and work at Aphrodite's Palace for real. I laugh to myself slightly at the irony - it's what everyone at school would want me to do anyway.

I place the final napkin holder on the side, stuffing it full as the bell on the door rings. I look up to see the customer and immediately grimace. This is just what I need today.

He immediately spots me and begins to walk over, myself unable to tear my eyes away, the anger rising within me the closer he gets. He stops directly in front of the counter and I finally tear my eyes away from his handsome face, arranging the napkin holders in an organized row.

"Savannah." Brett's voice is low, apologetic.

He hasn't spoken to me since the night of his eighteenth birthday. I avoid him like the plague, staying at the back of the cheerleaders, dodging him in the school corridors.

"What can I get you?" I ask, my voice monotone as I look back up at him, expressionless.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you want to order anything, if not I have to get back to..." I continue, gesturing to the already stuffed napkin holders on the side.

"Please Savannah, I'm sorry." He says, leaning on the counter. I can't control the smile that makes it's way onto my face at the nerve of him.

"Sorry doesn't change anything." I scoff.

"Look I..." He begins and I raise my hand to stop him.

"Don't bother."

"Everyone knowing is more reason for you not to work there!" He calls out and I laugh, leaning down on the counter to glare at him.

"I don't work there," I reply lowly, his eyes widening in surprise. "I had to quit because the whole school knowing that an underage girl was working at the Palace wouldn't have gone down too well if my boss found out." I finish before straightening up and turning away.

"Good." Is the only word that he utters, the retort making me see red, instantly whirling back around to face him.

"Good?" I hiss. "Have fun at college Brett," I snap as I slam my hand down on the counter. "Have a nice time, knowing that you are lucky enough to have the option of any school out there." His face clouds over with an emotion that I can't place. I lower my voice, leaning closer to him. "I hope you do well for yourself."

"Sav..."

"Thank you for your custom." I retort, quickly grabbing hold of the plates beside me and turning, almost running into the kitchen. Dropping the plates down next to the sink, I'm grateful that Bert is so enthralled by the TV that he continues to ignore me, the tears free falling down my face.

I have no money and no chance of going college. And he thinks sorry will fix that? He truly is worse than I ever thought he was.

I hastily wipe my eyes, desperate to compose myself before I have to return to the front. He doesn't talk to me for three months, and now he thinks it's the right time to apologise? What does he even have to gain from it?

Maybe he feels guilty, maybe he actually has a guilty conscience. Yeah, good one Savannah. That idea is actually laughable.

Although, maybe, somewhere deep down inside him, he really does have a tiny weeny human heart that holds the tiniest bit of human emotion. Maybe that side of him has taken three months to surface and now he's said his peace it'll disappear back into the depths of his body, never to be seen again. That's it.

Either that or he doesn't even mean it when he says he's sorry...

"Savannah? What are you doing?" Bert's voice roars from the other side of the kitchen and I quickly reach up, wiping the tears from my cheeks and taking a deep breath, "Get back out there."

"Right away, Bert."

I slowly inch back towards the front of the diner, gritting my teeth as I look down at the ground, attempting to prepare myself. The sound of the bell stops me in my tracks and I quickly look up to see the door closing behind his familiar brunette hair.

He's gone.

Thank god.

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