Age 8, The Birthday
Fatin POV (Age 8)
Fatin noticed something new when they turned eight.
It was Leah’s birthday and Fatin had gone all out for her mate, preparing a special lunch for her with her favourite foods and putting together a gift bag with presents. She had gotten her one book that Leah really wanted the other month with illustrations and annotations, but it had been expensive and she hadn’t had enough pocket money.
Though, Fatin knew that her mate often grew sad when she bought her expensive things without reason. This day was reason enough. Her mate was eight, and as such the book and a stuffed toy wolf sat inside.
Yet when she got to the cafeteria -having missed the start of the day making her mother help her find the perfect gift because Leah had failed to tell her until yesterday when her birthday was- Leah wasn’t there.
She wasn’t in her usual spot by any of their friends or even at the table she liked to sit alone at sometimes.
“Is Leah in today?” Fatin asked Colby.
“Yeah, saw her earlier. Not sure where she went though, maybe she’s getting food? It’s Jell-O day!”
Fatin knew for a fact Leah hated Jell-O day, she always said the texture was freaky and hated that the cooks would always do different flavours in the same colour. You never knew what you were getting. No one bit into a red jelly expecting blackberry.
“Okay.”
Fatin tried the library, her cello pulled up high on her back as she perused the aisles. She started first with the ones for older students knowing that Leah rarely read anything for their age.
Hm, not here.
Fatin swallowed, making eye contact with the Librarian who lowered her glasses with narrowed eyes.
“Can I help you?”
“My mate Leah -the one whose book I ruined last year- has she been in here today? She has brown hair and-”
“I know what Leah Rilke looks like. She spends far too much time in here and no, she hasn’t been in here today. However, if you’re done with your incessant questioning which I hope you are because I have books to stamp, I suggest you try somewhere quiet. She normally chooses the most recluse place in here to read.”
Swallowing hard she nodded. “Thank you, Mam.”
“Mam,” she scoffed as Fatin retreated into the halls.
Fatin tried the music room, their English class, and even a cupboard before heading to the toilets. Not knowing where Leah was started to make her stomach and rose the hair on her arms in fear.
The toilet cubicles were empty; all but one.
On the last one furthest away, the door was shut. Fatin knocked, already smelling the scent of her mate.
“Leah, open up.”
Leah opened the door, peaking at her through a crack roughly five inches across. “Hello.”
“Hey, I couldn’t find you.” Fatin frowned. “Are you coming out?”
“No.”
“Can I come in?”
Leah opened the door with a sigh. The end toilet didn’t even have a toilet in it. Instead, it was an old unit that had been removed and now was just a small room filled with spare toilet paper, massive bottles of soap, and stacks of haphazardly leaning paper towels. Leah sat, surrounded by the spare stock, knees pulled to her chest in the corner.
Fatin sat in front of her, scared to move her as she felt something odd that she couldn’t quite place like maybe she wasn’t meant to move her.
“Are you okay?”
“Everyone keeps singing Happy Birthday to me or yelling and I don’t like it.”
Fatin had perhaps let slip to a couple of her friends last night on the phone that it was Leah’s birthday today. She hadn’t even considered that the young wolf may not want others to know such things.
“But it’s your birthday.”
“I don’t like it.”
Leah curled up tighter, Fatin’s heart breaking as she pushed the big present bag towards her.
“What’s that?”
“It’s your birthday.”
“And?”
“And I got you a present.”
Leah frowned more, “I normally only get those from my family.”
Fatin stilled, confused. “Friends get friends gifts Leah, and you’re my mate so you get the biggest.”
“Oh.” Leah peered tentatively into the bag. “I haven’t really had friends before.”
Any upset Fatin felt over those words was quickly replaced by a smile as Leah stared at the book in wonder.
“It’s expensive.”
“It’s my mate’s birthday. I’m allowed.”
Leah peered through the pages, holding it as one would a newborn baby.
“There’s more in there.”
Oddly her favourite thing wasn’t the book. It was the wolf that she now clung to; nose pressed firmly to its neck. “Smells like you.”
“Its collar is part of one of my old shirts.”
“Thank you.”
Fatin recounted the situation to her mother the next evening.
“I don’t know why she was in there; it can’t have been comfortable.”
“Fatin, omegas just like their space sometimes. A quiet space away from others.”
“There are so many cupboards though! Why pick the toilet?”
“Because your mate is particular. You know when you’re older it will take you an age to find a place you both like. It’s lucky I work in property.”
“I will buy Leah a mansion.”
“Uh huh, and where is that money coming from?”
“I’m going to be a famous actress.”
“You don’t act.”
“It can’t be that hard. You pretend all the time to like Grandma.”
“Your dad’s mother is very strongly opinionated.”
“She likes Leah.”
“Every adult likes Leah. She is more mature than half the people I work with on a regular basis. Maryann even said she offered to look at her taxes after reading a book on loopholes. You have never offered to do mine.”
“I could!” Fatin said.
“Somehow, I don’t think that would end well. Also, do you really think she would like a mansion?”
Fatin thought about it. “No. I think she would like one of those farmhouse things you see with the fireplace and all the animals. Like the ones in her games.”
“Yes, that does sound like her, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe I’ll get her a pet pig. One of those small ones.”
“Micropigs don’t exist Fatin, it’s a chunky one or nothing. Don’t believe everything you see online.”
“If we had a mansion, we could fit many big pigs in it. Big or small.”
“Please do not buy a mansion and fill it with pigs.”
“What about cows?”
Rana shook her head. “Maybe circle back to the farmhouse idea?”
“Do goats form packs like wolves?”