Happy Birthday
The laughter and chatter that filled the room brought some kind of warm and familiar joy into her heart. She told her best friend that she was too old to be given these birthday parties, but she insisted. She remembered distinctively, Stella saying they just graduated high school and she needed her birthday party as an excuse to see their other friends one last time before they all separated.
How could she say no to that?
So, the day of her birthday came and the party started.
Halfway through the party, a figure that just entered through the door caught her attention. A woman, in her twenties by the look of it, stood near one corner of the large room. She had a soft smile on her face. Sprite was sure she had never seen her before, but the moment she saw her, her heart was hit with a strange sense of familiarity.
Stella, her best friend, and companion through much of her confusing early years after she lost her memory, nudged her elbow and leaned closer. “Do you know her?”
Sprite absentmindedly shook her head, eyes still locked on the stranger. “No, I don’t think so.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Stella tilting her head, assessing the woman. Sprite thought she could see a glimpse of sad recognition in her eyes.
But before she could question it, her friend spoke up. “Well, she looks friendly enough, and it’s your birthday party. Be a good host. Go and say hi.”
With a not-so-gentle shove, Sprite was suddenly walking toward the stranger, not stopping herself even though she had no idea what to say.
Shrugging her nervousness away, she closed the distance and waved to get the woman’s attention. It seemed as though she didn’t have to because the woman was already smiling her way.
Before she could open her mouth, the stranger greeted her.
“Hello, Sprite.” The words were blurted out as if she had been holding her breath just to say it.
“Uhm- Hi. I don’t think we’ve met before; do I know you? How do you know my name?” Sprite raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
“I’m Sersi,” the stranger - Sersi - laughed, although there she could sense a tinge of pain in her laughter “I saw the big banner with your name, wishing you a happy birthday up front.”
A bit of warmth rose to her cheeks, as she let out a soft “Oh.” She gathered her courage and looked back up at the stranger, asking the question she wanted to ask.
“So do you usually go to stranger’s birthday parties whenever you can??”
Sprite thought she could see a flash of hurt on Sersi’s face before the older woman smiled and waved a hand.
“Oh no, your friend Stella invited me. Told me I should at least stay a while since I helped planned the party.”
Sprite’s slight irritation at her best friend for inviting random people disappeared as the new piece of information clicked in her head.
“You planned all of this??” She gestured to their surroundings.
Sersi chuckled, genuinely this time. “It wasn’t all that difficult really. I had help from the other- uh- from a couple of my friends.” Her face held a mix of warmth and fondness on it. “I hope you liked it.”
“I love it. Thank you. Really. I’ve been blessed to have great birthdays despite not remembering much of my childhood.” She had added the last part jokingly, but it seemed to do the opposite as Sersi frowned and an air of sadness fell over them.
She quickly tried to repair her words. “Oh, it isn’t that tragic really. Honestly, I’ve had the best last few years despite my, uh- situation.” She finished lamely.
Silence took hold for a while before Sersi finally decided to speak. “It’s about time for me to leave.”
“Oh- yeah, I should probably go back to my friends too.” Sersi smiled sadly and turned to walk away. But before she did Sprite had the sudden want to say something more.
“Wait.” Sersi stopped and turned back toward her. Her mind raced over what she could say. “Tell your friends, thank you. For all this. Tell them-” she didn’t know why her eyes started stinging “Tell them I’m grateful.”
Sersi nodded. “I will. Happy Birthday, Sprite.”
“Thank you.”
Not a moment later, Stella was tugging at her arm to take her to open up her presents. When Sprite looked back, Sersi was gone, and for some reason, that made her eyes water even more.