A/N
Sorry for having to do this, but I just realized after writing this is that Mendel cannot roller skate if he has a fractured ankle. Totally forgot about that. Just pretend that he didn't break his ankle.

"Mendel," Someone says, waking me up really early. So early I can't see anything, but my digital clock says it's 12:57pm.
"Mendel, are you awake?" I hear a man say in front of me.
"Yes?" I rub my eyes.
"It's me Mendel." Gabriel says. "I don't have that long until your birthday so I have to say this before my time is out. You haven't made amends with them yet and it kills me because I can't help you that much. I just hope that you make the right choice and you make amends with them."
It's a minute until pm turns into am and Gabirel hugs me. "See you tomorrow." And he disappears. How long has it been since I've been hugged like that?
I lay in bed and fall back to bed thinking about what will happen today. Will I really make amends with them? Can I really make amends with them?

***

I wake up again with my name being said. "Mendel wake up! It's our birthday!" Malaya says dragging me out of my bed.
"Wait, Malaya."
"C'mon, we are going to have our birthday breakfast!"
I let her drag me down the stairs and towards our birthday breakfast which is each of our favorite breakfast foods. Mine are waffles, Miriams are french toast, and Malaya's are pancakes with fruits, powdered sugar, and syrup that sits waiting for her to pour waiting in the middle of the table waiting for us to use them.
"Happy birthday!" My parents say to us when we sit down.
MIriam says nothing as we eat.
"I wonder what we are going to do today." Malaya says. While placing fruit on her pancakes.
"I don't know. Probably the same. We go nothing, but eat out for dinner."
My parents smile at each other.
We continue to each our breakfast and Mom keeps on checking her phone.
After we finish eating we put all the plates and silverware into the sink to soak so we can wash them later.
Mom begins to speak, "Okay, since today is special and guys are turning 18, we decided to do a little game. Everyone go to the tree outside."
Malaya asks like a little kid and runs there. She opens the door and confetti to throw right at her. "Surprise!" People yell.
When we exit the door I can see my relatives. My grandmother and grandfather, my one aunt on my dad side with their two boys and my mother's sister with her three girls. Not only that but I recognize some of Malaya's and Miriam's friends and... my own? Lacey, Bernard, and Samuel are here.
"Great," I say. Malaya runs to everyone she knows and says hi and thanks them for coming. While Miriam goes to her friends and talks. Lacey comes to me.
"Why is Bernard here?" she asks.
"I have no idea."
"Well, happy birthday."
I go get food and Bernard end up behind me in line. "Happy birthday." he says.
"Yup."
'Make amends with them' Gabriels words from last night echo in my mind.
"Say, Bernard. How's your mom doing?" I ask him.
"She's... doing good." he says then exit the food line without getting anything.
Odd.
I walk up to Lacey. We fought about our relationship, so that's what I need to talk about.
"Hey Lacey." I start. "I'm sorry that we broke up."
She gives me a look then says, "You don't get it, do you?" Then leaves.
I look around and see Samuel. I take a deep breath in and go towards the battle field.
"Samuel-"
"Don't," he says, blocking me with her hands. "Don't talk about yesterday."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"It isn't?"
"No, I came to say sorry for bullying you," I came out forced. Roboted. I've never done this before.
He looks at me then frowns, "Bye."
We walk away from me and I am left alone for the time being. How I wish Gaburel could be with me. To help me. Everyone has walked away.
I sat down on one of the chairs set up and put my chin on the palm of my hand.
"Hey there birthday boy," an olderly man says.
"Hi Grandpa," I say looking up at him.
"Why look so low?" He sits down to the seat next to me.
"I just made all my friends mad and I don't know why."
"Huh. I see," he says, "Well I'll give you something to think about. If a part of a clock of broken and know one know does it still work properly?"
I think a little about it, "No?"
"Human relationships are like that. If a part of us is broken or we have a problem, and we don't tell anyone, does the problem still exist? And how much longer will they realise that the clock isn't working?"
"I think I get it. You are saying that if we keep our problems a secret then our relationship is not whole, but broken. And I just havn't released it yet..."
"Scott!" His wife yells.
"I'm coming, Mearice!" he yells back. "Mistress is calling. I hope you fix those clocks of yours."

***

We reach the skating rink and get all of our skates.
I see that Lacey is having a little trouble with tying hers and I think this is a great opportunity to talk.
"Do you need help?"
"NO, I got this" She snaps at me. She looks at me with a sigh, "Mendel, I regret dating you. You were always something high for me. Something just to look at. Something I can never have. I guess that I wasn't good enough for you." And with that she walks away with her skates on the laceys hanging out. I want to stop her but maybe we need time. I watch her as she falls. Thankfulness she is near the wall and catches that. Someone else notices her untied skates and helps her out.
I sigh and walk over to the rink. I should be enjoying this day. It's my birthday. I see Miriam and Malaya skating together doing dance moves on their skates. Surrounded by their friends. I should be doing that.
I start skating, going around and around the rink. Just like my thoughts. Going round and round my head. I hear someone fall before me and quickly stop.
I look down and see Samuel.
"Do you need help?"
He moved out of my way. Like he's afraid that I'm going to kill him.
"Don't talk to me I can't take the embarrassment and shame."
"I forgive you."
"No you don't!" He yells, pointing at me. "Don't lie to me. Noone could forgive anything that bad." He grabs the top of the wall he had his back on. He gets up and skates away.
I get a little bored of skating. I try to leave, but the Miriama dn Malaya big group [ass me and I slow down a little. That's what made skating so much fun. No the songs or the act of skating, but friends. No one cares if you can dance if there is no one to apreciate it. I walk out of the rink and walk to the concession stand. I order some soda and skills then walk back to the table where the party is taking place. I sit that Bernard is sitting there.
"Hello?" I say while sitting next to him.
"Oh, hey Mendel." He looks at my skittles.
"Want some?" I say passing the unope pack towards him.
"Sure..." He takes the candy and opens it.
I smile. I'm making progress.
"So, how is your mom doing?"
He looks at me, but sighs, "She's in the hospital."
"Why?"
He looks at me again and says, "I haven't seen you in any plays recently." Then leaves.
That was not good. I watch him go to the bathroom and I go back to the skating rink, but not before Mom stops me. "Can you tell everyone that we will be cutting the cake soon."
"Sure," I say and skate off to the rink.
I go tell my family as they pass and they exit the rink. Soon everyone is at the table.
"Time to open presents," Mom announces.
Our presents take up a full table so one by one we grab one and open it. We always read the letter first then thank that person to send it then open the actual gift.
We went one by one and whenever I got one by Lacey, Bernard, or Samuel they looked away when I thanked them. I received a...
It went so fast. They couldn't bare to look at me.
The cake was brought out and I continued to stare at my 'friends'.
Miria volunteered to cut the cake and she.
We had cake. Everyone said their goodbyes.
I found myself in my room and the lights were off.
I stared at the ceiling. This is the worst birthday ever. I'm going to die. One of them is going to kill me tonight. I couldn't save myself.
I laid in my bed; my deathbed. I was not ill, but somehow I was going to die tonight. What should I do? Should I pray? Maybe God will take pity on me or maybe Garbiel will help me. I miss him.
Now that I've lost all my friends, Gabirel is the only one there. Then as if God was talking to me I could hear a faint wiper.
"Sometimes you take the spotlight from others after you."
At that moment I realized who was going to kill me and I felt sorry for what I had done. They had to deal with this all their life. All they wanted was to be adored, but I stole their happiness away. I knew what I had to do.
I grab my phone and make a few phone calls of help. I explain to them what is going to happen and hope they show up in time or at all.
Now all I have to do is wait. I know that they are close, but how are they doing to do it? How will they try and kill me?

***

It is now 11pm and I am still alive. It's been two hours. I hope they get here soon or I might die. I don't think I can defend myself against them.
Then I hear it. Foot stepps.
They are from behind my door and I close my eyes. My door opens and they cut through the silence. I open my eyes and see Miriam holding a knife. The same one that we used to cut the cake.
"Miriam," I say strongly though I am very close to death.
"Mendel," she sneers my name.
"Why?"
"Why, you ask? You are so blind. Since birth I have been second fiddle. I should be first. I was better than you in most everything. I am strong, intelligent, and I have my crap together. You on the other hand are weak, stupid, and you still don't know what you are doing. I bet the military won't pick you. You cannot follow our father and our mom cannot protect you from me."
"Why today out of all the days?"
"I thought it might be nice. Ending you on the day of your birth. Undoing what has been done."
"Miriam, I'm sorry that i made you feel that way. I never knew that was how you felt. I always looked up to you. I was jealous of what you could do." she pulls back and listens.
"I'm sorry that I was blocking our parents' love from you."
"No no no! You don't get to lie to me. This is all a lie. I'm going to end your life." A knife comes at me as the door slams open. Making both of us look at it.
A smile grows on my face. Lacey, Bernard, and Samuel are at the door. They look at me then at Miriam then at the knife.
Samuel is the first to move. He grabs Miriam and drags her away from Miriam and he battles it out. Lacey comes to my aid and sees what Miriam did to me. Bernard looks around and finds somet rope and ties Miriam up to a chair with the help of Samuel.
With the heel tiff Lacey I sit up and face Miriam.
"This is also something I hate. I hate that you have friends," she spits out.
"Who were those people skating with you then?" I ask.
"Some of my classmates I paid off to act like my friends."
"Oh, that reminds me. I wanted to talk to all of you." I say and start with part two of my plan. "Lacey, I realize what I did wrong. I wasn't that we broke up, but it was because "
I turn to Bernard. "And Bernard, I know the truth and I forgive you for bullying me all these years. You were under, a lot of stress paired with the leaving of your dad and your mom becoming mentaly ill. I know that she tried to take her life again yesterday and that's why you didn't want to talk about it. But know this, I might be on the stage and it may look fun, but it all is an act. I am an actor. I lie to people every day, but know now that what I tell you is the truth. Please stop trying to become me because I am not as great as you think I am."
I love to the final person. "Samuel. Will you forgive me of the tournament I have put you through? Yesterday I found out of how much I have affected you. You started boxing to so you could get back at me for the things I have wronged you. If I could I would go back in time and stop that, but I cannot."
I look at them all. Tears spring front their eyes.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No," they all say, "We forgive you." They all come in and give me a group hug. I look past them at Miriam.
"Will you forgive me?"
I can tell that she has a mental battle going on inside her head so I leave her alone.

***

The next morning I am woken up by Lacey checking my body once again.
"Morning I say rubbing my eyes."
"Morning," she say back. I look around. Bernard and Samuel and passed out sleeping on the floor and Mirima and sleeping tied to the chair, her head lying on the wall. We didn't think it would be safe to aunty her just yet.
"Last night was chaotic."
"Tell me about it," I say rolling my eyes. "I hope Miriam accepts my apology. I'm going to try and be a good brother to her and be a good friend to you guys."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Lacey goes and kicks the other two sleeping boys awake and I laugh. Miriam opens her eyes because of the sound.
"Morning Miriam," I say. My friend all exit the room to give us privacy.
"So... " I look at her expectly. "Do you accept my apology?"
I take her a while to speak, but she says, "Yes. I accept."
"Yes!"
"-Only if you agree with this term." I begin to worry. "That you let me be first."
"Huh?"
"You are the first child, and I am the second. But since we are triplets that dones really count. Can you just let me be first and you second?"
"Sure," I untie her and hold out my hand. She takes it and we shake on it.
I wrap my hands around her. She is at first shocked and jumps a little, but then a sioe spreads across her face and she hugs me back. This is how it should be.