4 years Later
Isabella Sofia Torres: 15 years old

"Happy birthday." Ezri said, sitting at the edge of her bed with a fond smile on his face. She noticed he was playing with her hair as he tried to insist that she wake up.

Isabella gave him a look of confusion as the light from her window blinded her momentarily. "Ez? What're you doing here so early in the morning?"

Isabella hated how Ezri could just waltz in her room uninvited but she was too soft on him to even scold him for it. Besides, he often came to shape her into a responsible person.

And a responsible person wakes up early. Isabella was usually fine with it but there were just times where she just wants to sleep in.

Ezri chuckled and leaned forward to give a friendly kiss on Isabella's cheek. "Just greeting my most favorite person a happy birthday."

Isabella would have smiled at the sweet words her friend uttered but she was too tired and sleepy to thank him.

Isabella just groaned instead, closing her eyes again. "I'm jus' fifteen." She slurred, wanting nothing more than to sleep. What's so special about a birthday? If she were years younger, she would have celebrated but now, while birthdays were a special event, the excitement sadly fades as you grow older.

"Yes, so?"

"Why do you always celebrate my birthday. It's just a normal day like any other day."

Ezri was sweet. He was willing to pull her out of bed to greet her a happy birthday, insisting, like every year, that they celebrate the special occasion. Isabella feels bad for always trying to reject the idea of celebration. They always plan fancy celebrations with men who still works for her dad.

But Isabella would rather celebrate it with the people she's closest with. Rafael, Ezri and Dmitri. She doesn't want a big celebration.

Ezri slaps her shoulder with a huff. "Oh, don't be like that, Of course I will celebrate such a thing, mi sol." He then ran his hand through the mess of her hair. "Eres mi media naranja, Isabel. You know that. So, you deserve the world. And you deserve to celebrate your birthday."

(My sun.)

(You're my better half.)

Isabella opens her eyes again to meet his. Ezri, the lovely boy who gave her nothing but the truth and the warmth of his friendship. The boy who only wants what's best for Isabella.

Sometimes, she feels guilty for comparing the poor boy with Nicolai. The boy who she had also called friend. A friend who disappeared without a trace. A friend who probably didn't want Isabella, like her family.

She's scared that maybe Ezri would be like them too. That he'll leave her because he decided that she was not worth his time. And he could leave. He could if he wanted to.

"It's just my birthday though..." She mumbled, sitting up to look at him more properly. "It's hardly anything to celebrate about."

"Don't say that, Isabel. It was the day you were born. It is important, at least for me. I am grateful that you were born. If not, I would not have met you." Ezri said, grabbing a brush at her nightstand before playing with her hair again. "Hm, do you need me to trim your split ends, Isabel?"

Isabella nodded before leaning towards him to lay her head on his shoulder. Ezri, like how he'd done in a million times, placed his arms around her. "I would probably have to. It's getting hideous." He mumbled to himself.

"You don't tell me your birthday." Isabella said, changing the subject.

"I don't like to be reminded of it." Ezri said before beginning to brush her hair gently while embracing her. It was an awkward position but it left Isabella feeling weirdly comforted. "I have bad memories of my birthdays so I would rather celebrate somebody's birthday than mine's."

Isabella was a bit disheartened that she couldn't celebrate his. Ezri deserves everything and more for what he'd done for her. He was, and still is, one of her rocks that anchors her to reality. He was now her only friend and the only person that wasn't an adult that she could talk to.

But if he's happier to celebrate her birthday than his then she'd let him celebrate it then.

"You should probably dress up soon." Ezri said after he finished brushing her hair with a satisfied hum. "Dmitri has a surprise for you."

Oh, no. His surprises were always the things that she hates the most and it almost always ends up being bad. As much as Dmitri enjoys the surprises, Isabella always wished he wasn't too dramatic with it.

"What is it now?" Isabella grumbled, letting go of Ezri just so the boy could return the brush to its original place. "I don't like surprises."

"I know you hate it but can you break the poor man's heart, you monster?" Ezri teased, pinching her cheek. "You know he tries, right? Just accept it as it is."

She scoffed, slapping his hand away before she rolled her eyes. "And what is this surprise of his, hmm?"

Ezri then suddenly looked at her nervously. He then looked away and didn't answer her question. Which made her more scared.

"Ezri, what did he do?" Isabella was downright frightened at that moment. She didn't want another surprise. That should have been a fact. Or at least, it was the fact until Dmitri twisted it into Isabella being too shy to appreciate the surprises he offers.

She almost feels bad for Rafael for trying, and also failing, to stop the man. Dmitri's an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. Even with Rafael's constant pleading can't stop him.

At least Rafael cares for her opinion and will do whatever he can to stop what makes her uncomfortable.

"Oh, you know..." He trailed off, looking nervous but hopefully at the same time. He glances at Isabella every so often, as if he was noting her expressions about the sudden news.

She gave him a bemused look. "No, Ez. No, I don't know. I wouldn't be asking if I knew what that old man did." She grumbled before sighing in resignation. "Fine. You know what? Why am I bothering to stop the man? He's unstoppable."

Ezri beamed at her. "Want me to shampoo your hair?"

She waved him off. "Nah. You can help me pick out something to wear. Raf's been complainin' about what I wear nowadays that for the sake of everyone today I'll wear something uncomfortable but pretty. Raf likes that. He probably doesn't know the meaning of comfortable clothing." She muttered as she lazily moved out of bed, not really wanting to leave it yet.

"You dress in your nightwear even when it's morning."

"Oh, come on. It's the most comfortable thing I could wear. Who cares." Isabella grumbled. "It's not like I usually go outside where people I can see me in it."

Ezri sighed, knowing he can't win against her. "Will you please at least dress up appropriately for just this day?"

Isabella stretched, yawning before nodding. "Yeah, yeah. Anythin' to satisfy poor Raffy's heart."

Ezri nodded, satisfied with that answer. "Thank you. Now, I want you to promise me to stop yourself from killing Dmitri. I've got a feeling that once you know your surprise, you would immediately go for his head."

Isabella gave him an amused look. "What's worse than him giving me a bonfire party in the middle of butt fuck nowhere and almost burning us and the forest on fire?"

"It's a good thing Rafael brought a fire extinguisher, huh." Ezri commented, wincing at the memory.

"Or that time when he surprised us to go in the middle of the ocean for a swim, only realizing that there were sharks swimming beneath us. If it weren't for Rafael spotting one, we could have possibly lost a limb."

"We survived, didn't we?" Ezri grumbled, crossing his arms. "And in the end, we still ate at the restaurant you fancied."

Isabella smirked at him, a bright glimmer of mirth in her eyes that made Ezri smile as well.

"Or that one time when we allowed Dmitri to try out his new 'recipe'?" Isabella pointed out.

"He didn't mean to burn the food."

"Oh, he also didn't mean to burn the house." Isabella snickered when Ezri rolled his eyes, tired already by the lady's pessimistic attitude.

"He didn't burn the house, Isabella. And, okay, I get it. Your birthdays were not the best surprises--"

She scoffed. "You can say that again."

"But, I made sure that it was peaceful. Normal." He answered, ignoring her comment. "There would be no bad things happening."

"You're jinxing it." Isabella pointed out.

"There will be no bad things happening." He repeated but with finality this time, as if he was leaving no room for a discussion. "You're going to that surprise, Isabel. You can't make me change my mind."

"Damn it, I thought I changed your mind when I mentioned the sharks." Isabella clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"Bathroom. Now."

"I'm going, I'm going. Sheesh, mom. Can't a lady get some time before her inevitable death?"

"You're not dying." He rolled his eyes at her dramatic antics.

Isabella's laughter echoed in her big room. She gave her friend a grin that made Ezri almost shudder at odious grin she just showed.

"Really? I already feel like I am though." She hummed thoughtfully before shrugging dramatically. "Oh, well. Since I feel like death, can we cancel the surprise? Please?"

Ezri smiled at her fondly. "No, Bells. No pleadings can make you cancel that surprise."

She huffed. "Unbelievable."

____

"Unbelievable."

The party was actually a party. Isabella was surprised by how normal it was. People crowded her front house with drinks in their hands and children running around. Tables were scattered everywhere while beautiful decorations littered the celebration.

She was more surprised by the people. Who were these people?

"Who are these people?" She looks at Ezri beside her and he only shrugged.

He doesn't know too?

"Bellsie poo!" Dmitri skipped towards her with a bright grin on his face. "You came! Good! Welcome to the party. Well, your party."

Oh, great.

"Did you kidnap them? I'm too tired to face police." Isabella didn't even glance at him when she answered him but anyone could tell she was frightened by the idea.

"What? No! Of course not! Why would I?" Dmitri asks, sounding offended. "These are your family! Look, you can see over there your cousin's son's daughter. Over there is your tío's second wife's son's daughter. Over there is your great abuela of your father's nephew and niece. Look, look, over there is--"

"Oh, did you invite people I don't even know?" She screeched, pulling him by the hem of his shirt. "Dmitri! This could be abduction you're doing!"

"This isn't abduction if they're willing. Plus, I invited them!" Dmitri chirped, looking proud, as if he was waiting for her to praise him.

Isabella shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe he just invited people she'd never seen in her life. They're strangers in Isabella's life and if she didn't know they were he relatives then she wouldn't even think they're related.

"Dmitri..." Isabella started but he held up his hands in front of her.

"Are you going to scold me before you could even enjoy the party, Isabella?"

The young woman sighed. She couldn't believe him. She couldn't believe there was a party in front of her house. What were they thinking?

"Rafael's making sure your people's scanning the perimeter properly, boss." Dmitri said, his festive attitude suddenly disappearing. "I also made sure I checked these people's backgrounds before letting them in. Also making sure they don't have anything suspicious on them. Like what you would have wanted. I made sure everything's safe, Isabella."

He smiled at her softly then. His eyes dancing with mirth. "It's your special day so you don't have to put your guards up. That's my job." He said, tucking some strand of hair behind her ear, looking like he was proud of her for making it this far. Like he was Dante, her father. But she can't believe that. Not when Dmitri told her so many years ago that he was not her family. He was just a guard. Just someone who's hired to protect her.

That's just him.

But Isabella still smiled at him, feeling a little too emotional to speak. Damn it, Dmitri's done so much for her. He'd been her rock through bad times and had always protected her. No matter what. He may not want her to call him family but she's not also going to stop calling him that.

Because he is family.

He wormed his way through her little circle and he became someone important. Just like how Rafael did and just like how Ezri did.

These people were her people.

"Just relax and have fun. You're only fifteen. You're allowed to have fun, Isabella." He said it softly, ruffling her hair playfully before gently pushing her towards the party. "Go, shoo. Leave this old man behind and have fun."

Isabella gave him a watery laugh before nodding. "I'm going, I'm going."

Dmitri nodded before looking at Ezri with a dramatic serious look on his face. "You take care of her, okay?"

Ezri nodded. "Of course, I will, Dmitri."

Isabella chuckled and walked towards the party but not before looking back at Dmitri and calling him by his name. The hair that swiftly moved through the gentle breeze with the morning light greeting him gently, with a real and satisfied smile on his face and a look on his face that looked as if he was seeing Isabella grow up right before his eyes in a matter of seconds.

"Dmitri!" Isabella called out, catching his attention. His eyes moving to her and there were so many stories behind it, so many dark ones than the pretty ones but Isabella won't ask because the Dmitri today is more important.

"Yes, Miss Gem?"

"Thank you!" Isabella said, giving him a grin. "For everything."

Dmitri looked slightly surprised but then he gave her a grin of his own and laughed, his eyes wrinkling up with mirth, and he was suddenly laughing.

His laughter echoed and the only thing Isabella did was smile at him because seeing Dmitri laugh and seeing Ezri beam at the man makes her world a whole lot brighter than it was before.

She was happy.

For once, she felt like the monsters hiding in her shadows suddenly disappeared the moment Ezri woke her up to greet her a happy birthday.

Dmitri, after a while of laughter, gave her a mock salute. "Anythin' for ya, lady boss."

______

Are you the type of person that when you grow up, the birthday joy kind of disappears?

I'm also sorry for not updating for so long. Life is... Well, life is poking me with pitchforks and stuff XD

I hope you get you hearts ready tho cuz things are about to get bad real fast XD