CHAPTER FOUR

HEAVEN

Age Eighteen.

The buzzing alarm clock caused me to jolt from whatever nightmare I was having and I opened my eyes immediately, breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

Another night, yet another nightmare.

When was I finally going to get over these nightmares?

I looked around to be sure I was still in the comfort of my bedroom and seeing I was, I heaved a loud sigh of relief.

I hated these nightmares.

Pulling myself up, I turned off the still buzzing alarm clock and got off the bed. I didn't bother thinking about whatever nightmare I'd had earlier, knowing I was never going remember it, just like the others I've been having since forever.

Instead, I clouded my mind with happy and exciting thoughts, one of which was my birthday, which was today.

I've finally turned eighteen.

Yippie!

Second, it was the party I was throwing later tonight.

It' was going to be the best party of the year and I've Georgie and Melinda taking care of everything. I did trust them to give me the best.

My ringing cellphone disrupted my happy thoughts and I deflected my attention to where it was plugged, walking towards it.

I bet it was my papa calling.

He has always been the first to wish me on every one of my birthdays. Other times, he was present, waking me up with birthday songs and presents, but this time was quite different. He had gone on a business trip and won't be back until the weekend.

Guessed right, it was his name on the caller screen.

I unplugged my phone from the charger and accepted the call with glee.

"Hello, Papa."

"Good morning and happy birthday to my favorite little princess." His excited voice boomed from the other end and I flushed,

"Papa, I'm not a little princess anymore. I'm eighteen and I'm an adult, so I'd rather be called a queen now."

"You're and will forever remain my little princess. Happy birthday to you, little princess."

"Thanks, Papa." I mouthed to him, twirling a loose strand of my hair,

"You're welcome, birthday girl. Don't worry, Papa's going to get you a surprise gift this time."

I know what the surprise gift was because I overheard him talking to Georgie about it the night before he'd gone for his trip, but I feigned curiosity, begging him to tell me what it was.

"It wouldn't be a surprise anymore if I tell you what it's now."

"Okay." I caused my voice to drop, pretending to be a little sullen.

"Don't worry, it's something you've always wanted."

That was his clue, before he called it a day with me, promising to call back later.

After our call ended, I went to my page to check for messages and I already had tons of them, all wishing me happy birthday.

My best friend, Natalie had already posted my photos on her page, and so had my boyfriend, Hunter and they were already getting tens of thousands of likes and comments.

I don't post my photos on my birthdays, rather I post screenshots of birthday wishes the day after, to appreciate those who'd posted me on their pages.

I got an epistle of text from my boyfriend and best friend and a few other friends, like Levi, Dylan, Creed, Sophie, and my aunt, Aunt Leigh.

I got wishes from everyone else, except one person and I wasn't surprised he has neither texted nor called me.

He has never wished me anything for the past ten years I've known him and for the better part he was gone, he'd never contacted me for anything.

Although we are siblings, I prefered our estranged relationship and his absence, to his presence.

He'd tormented me a lot as a kid and that had traumatized me so much. Most times, I suspected his torments were among the reasons why I still have nightmares every night.

Several times, I'd wished he wasn't my brother and there wasn't any form of relationship, nuclear or extended, between us.

Thinking of all the torments he'd made me go through as a kid; from killing Snowy, my cat and dumping the bloody massacre next to my bed, to locking me up in the dark basement for several hours, despite knowing I was nyctophobic, amongst the other things he'd done to me. The one sentence I could use to describe him was,

"He's a sadist and a manipulative and psychopathic monster that doesn't deserve to be loved or accepted by anyone."

I discarded the thoughts of the monster from my head, as I traveled into the bathroom to freshen up for the day.

I've less than an hour before school and I could't afford to be late today of all days.

When I came downstairs later on, Melinda had already prepared my breakfast and Georgie was waiting to drive me to school.

"Happy birthday, Ms. Heaven."

"Happy birthday, Ms. Heaven." They wished me, as I joined them in the kitchen.

I thanked them, as I took a seat near the breakfast bar, keeping my blazer and my bag on the second stool.

"Finally, I'm eighteen."

"Yes, Ms. Casteel, you're now an adult." Georgie seconded from where he was standing and I flashed him a smile.

"Thank you, Georgie."

Melinda served me my breakfast and I nibbled on the little I could feast on, before getting up from the stool.

I grabbed my blazer and my bag and a hollered thank you to Melinda, before turning to Georgie, telling him I was ready to leave.

My school, Wilmer Academy, laid in the heart of Windsor County and it was the most elite school in the county and California as a whole. It was dated back to the mid-nineteenth century, the era of scientific and technological evolution.

Papa had been to Wilmer Academy during his days and he claimed that was where he met the love of his life, my mama. Killian graduated from Wilmer seven years ago, as the valedictorian of his class and the soccer team captain and I was graduating this year, as the valedictorian of my class and the leader of the cheer squad.

Papa was one of the school's biggest patrons and I get the recognition for his generosity towards the school. My boyfriend, Hunter Miller was the captain of the soccer team, and we were like the king and queen of the student body.

We arrived at the school a while later, because we'd to make a quick stop somewhere important. I alighted the car, after reminding Georgie about the preparation for the party tonight.

He assured me he had everything in his control and I bade him goodbye, before joining the other students in the school hall.

I navigated my way through the crowd, to our special spot in the hall, but neither Natalie nor Hunter was there, so I turned to go find Hunter in the boy's locker room.

Just as I wanted to leave, a student approached me with a smile on her face and handed me a piece of paper to me.

She disappeared into the crowd of students, leaving me puzzled. I averted my attention from the piece of paper and opened it.

"THEATER OF DREAMS."

It was Josh's signature bad handwriting, causing a smile on my face.

I shoved the note into my blazer pocket and left the hall, with one destination the mind.

I arrived at the theater and it was dark inside. All the drapes were drawn and there weren't any single ray of light inside.

Since I hate the darkness, I didn't go inside. Rather, I stayed out there and fished out my cell phone to call either Hunter or Natalie.

Just as I dialed his number, the lights came on instantly and their voices thundered,

"SURPRISE!!!"

I was startled, almost throwing my phone away. Averting my attention back to the room, I released a heavy sigh of relief.

Bryan and Josh were holding a banner that read,

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEAVEN."

The fright from earlier vaporized into thin air and was replaced by a feeling of ecstasy.

I rushed to Hunter, who was carrying a DIOR custom bag and I hugged him,

"Happy birthday, girlfriend " He whispered to me, kissing my forehead. Still wrapped in his embrace, Natalie brought my cake, wishing me a happy birthday.

I was asked to make a wish before blowing off the candles, but I didn't. I was too excited to make any wish, plus, everything I should wish for, I already have.

A loving boyfriend, a forever best friend, and a happy family.

What else could I wish for?

"Thanks, bestie." I blew Natalie a kiss from Hunter's side and watched in amusement as she struggled with Josh for who to catch it first.

Other students joined us in the theater, capturing the moment with their phones.

I bet it was going to be the talk of the school till the end of today.

After the entire celebration, the bell rang for the first period, which for me and Natalie, was Chemistry.

We bade byes to Hunter and the boys and went to our lockers, which were right next to each other's to get our chemistry textbooks when my phone buzzed from my pocket.

I fished it out, to see if it were an important message from Papa or Georgie, but it was from an unknown number.

I opened it to see its content, while Natalie helped me locked my locker.

"Unknown number: I hope you celebrate your birthday the same way you came into the world, naked and screaming."

Who the fuck was this person?