Chapter 1
215words
I dragged myself home after work to find our apartment pitch black.
The only light came from a pathetic little cake with a single candle flickering in the darkness.
I glanced at the man standing before me, then down at what could barely be called a cake.
I couldn't decide between gratitude and irritation.
"James Carter, this is your idea of a birthday celebration?"
"Do you think I'm stupid or just plain dumb?"
His lips twitched slightly at my words.
"Just make a wish and blow out the candle."
After this sad excuse for a birthday ritual, he tugged me onto the sofa.
He held me tight, like he was bracing for me to explode.
And honestly, I was teetering on the edge of disappointment.
"Sophie, remember last year? I got you that SpongeBob cake you love, and you gave me the silent treatment for two days straight."
He hung his head with the most pathetic puppy-dog eyes I'd ever seen.
The word "victim" might as well have been tattooed across his forehead.
"So this year I went with this artisanal mini cake. See? It's got cream, cake, and these little fruit bits. Fancy, right?"
"And the best part—it only cost five bucks."
Whatever guilt I'd been feeling evaporated faster than cheap perfume.
