LUNA
After wrestling each other for a spot in front of the vanity mirror for around an hour, we were finally ready. Sabrina wore her hair in a high bun with wispy bangs framing her face; she exuded the feminine charm of a Hollywood actress from the 1950s. Her stormy eyes coruscated under her smoky eye make up and her long lashes.

My lashes somewhat mimicked hers after dousing them in three layers of mascara. I had kept my natural waves, parted to the side, giving them over dramatic volume. Even though some classy coat shoes would've suited my formal dress way more, I had stubbornly paired it with my new platforms. Sabrina had given a similar performance as mine upon seeing them in all their glory.

We stepped out of my room, convinced we were the prettiest pair of best friends to ever exist on the face of this earth. We headed downstairs, eager for Mom's compliments and praises to further fuel our delusions. Instead ,we were the one gasping out plaudits when we finally saw her. The front hair swept in a flattering curve across her forehead, secured at the back with a pearl clip. Her blue eyes were stark under her darkened lashes. Her mascaras was speckled all over her lids but it appeared intentional, only adding to her slightly ageing beauty. Her vermilion lips rivalled the exuberance of her hair and the blush of cheeks deepened as we showered her with compliments. I envied the fact I hadn't inherited any of her effortless beauty; with the help of some mascara and lipstick, she appeared to be no less than a starlet. She shooed us out, flustered.

The living room was now lit with hues of orange and gold as the after noon sun offered its goodbye.
"They'll be here any minute," I said glancing up at the clock.
"They better not be late," Sabrina frowned, checking her phone.
She jumped a little as the bell rang all of a sudden.

"Oh, that must be them," I snapped my fingers, heading out. Sabrina followed by, stepping gingerly onto the patio in her long heels.
I opened the gate, greeted by three familiar faces; familiar...but somewhat cold.
Stella stood in the middle ,her arms crossed as she scanned me up and down. "Well, well Luna, you haven't changed at all," she said in a tone I didn't quite like but I brushed it off.
My eyes fell on the striking red dress she was wearing.
"The theme was black and golden, Stella," Sabrina spoke before I could.
"Oh? Oh I'm sorry, I must've missed it. You aren't going to keep me outside just because I'm not wearing black are you?" She said, tucking a long golden tress behind her ear.
"Of course not," I smiled opening my arms for a hug which she swooped underneath, pretending as if she hadn't seen them. Sabrina shot her a dirty look which I hoped Stella had missed.

I shifted my attention to Mai and Aneeka; both of them donned red dresses.
"S-sorry, we all coordinated our outfits. We assumed you changed the theme because Stella was wearing red to your party," Mai stammered when she noticed my gaze gliding across the crimson fabric of her halter dress.
"Guys, it's fine. It doesn't matter, themes are childish anyways, it was just for fun," I said beckoning her and Aneeka inside.
"I know right. We're all a little too old for themes," Stella drawled, "and a bit too old for house-held birthday parties too I think."
"I second that, I mean shouldn't we be out at some club, drinking, dancing with some guys and having fun?" Aneeka quipped from behind me.
"Oh, I'm sorry guys," I mumbled, "I just wanted us to sit down together to talk and have some good food." I tried my best to hide the hurt that was cracking my voice. Sabrina picked up on it immediately and squeezed my hand. "Ignore them," she whispered.

It felt like a lot had changed in the last three years. Perhaps I was supposed to have grown up too but I was still stuck somewhere in the comfort of my parents' arms, the desire to be a good daughter to them, house parties, plush toys and my prudish long skirts.

They all strode inside, their critical eyes darting up and down across the entrance, the living room, evaluating every corner as if this was their first time inside it.
Mom stood in the living room to welcome them, her right foot tapping against the marble floor mechanically. Mom wasn't very fond of the three of them even in high school. She always said something felt off about them but I insisted they were my friends.

Suddenly, every stinging reply from Stella didn't seem like a witty remark, every sneer shared by Mai and Aneeka didn't feel a soft chuckle and every jeering comment they made about my appearance no longer felt like a harmless joke, the way it used to, to the younger me.
I had just ended up inviting my high school bullies to my birthday party. Way to go Luna.

"Mrs Kroft, it so nice to see you again," Stella shook her hand.
"You too Stella, you look amazing dear," Mom smiled at her, genuinely.
"Aww, thank you so much," she giggled, "By the way did you put Luna on a diet? She was so big and chubby in high school. I must say she looks gorgeous after losing a few pounds."
Suddenly the dress I was wearing felt too short; it wasn't covering the stretch marks on my thighs nor the flab of my arms and it hugged the bulge of my belly a little too tight for my liking. I tugged it down, wishing I had worn something longer and baggier.
"Oh, not really Stella and I think she looked just fine in high school too," Mom said through pursed lips. Mai and Aneeka nodded their greetings to her and took their places on the sofas in the living room.
"You're just jealous because Luna has a better ass than you," Sabrina smiled with a lethal tint to her voice after Mom disappeared into the kitchen.
"She has nothing that I would be jealous of, I assure you," she chuckled, "no offence Luna."
"None taken," I lied.

Sabrina huffed, crossing her leg and and resting her cheek against the back of her hand.
"So, how's university treating you?" I asked trying to blow away the tension that had settled between Sabrina and Stella. "Oh it's amazing Luna, Athensberg Institute of Fashion Designing is a wonderful place to study. Do you know, one of my professors loved my work so much, he asked me to display it at the Annual Athensberg Fashion Show," she clapped her hand together.
"Oh my god that's amazing Stella! Do you have any pictures I can see?"
"Why, so you can steal my ideas?"
"N-no it's not like that-"
"I'm just teasing you, you're still so adorable and gullible ," she cackled and Mai and Aneeka joined in while Sabrina and I sat across them, stone faced.

Amidst their callous laughter, all the wounds I had bandaged, healed and buried beneath my skin appeared, raw and visceral. The funny thing about bad memories is how fast they slip out. You vow never to forget them, but your mind aches to let go of all the unpleasant sights.

Eventually when you do let go, the affliction neutralises. The people who inflicted those wounds are no longer remembered as culprits; with enough time passing, even your bullies morph into friends somewhere along the way. Your mind grasps at whatever it can to convince you, that you weren't alone, that you weren't a victim.
You were a normal high school student with lots of friends, that's what you were Luna, nothing less.

I stumbled out of my thoughts when I felt something heavy hit on my lap.
"Here's your present," Stella said dropping a large, rectangular gift wrapped box in my lap.
"Here's mine," Mai said handing me a smaller box.
"Here you go," Aneeka said handing over a pink cardboard bag. I didn't peer see what was inside despite the curiosity clawing at me to appear mature and grateful towards their gesture rather than the gift itself. Partially, it was also because I didn't want to give them another reason to make fun of me.

"I'll give you mine later," Sabrina winked, "though you know I'm your greatest gift."
"Thanks everyone, can't wait to open these," I forced a smile as all three of them towered me, processing my expressions and tone.
"Oh you'll love mine," Stella sneered.
"I'm sure I will Stella."

The rest of the evening, I didn't attempt to make any more conversation out of fear of being mocked again. The room innately, separated in to two parts; Stella, Mai, Aneeka and Sabrina and I. The only time we united was to snap some group selfies. Surrounded by Stella and Sabrina, my face looked plain in every picture.

After awhile, Dad came home with my birthday cake, blueberry cheesecake from Coffee and Everything Nice. Two glittering purple candles moulded in the shape of one and nine stood erect in the middle of it, they partnered well with the purple jam smeared across the cake. Mom and Dad held up their phones to record me blow out the candles and cut the cake like I was five, like I was still their little girl who just needed a cake and a birthday hat to be happy on her birthday. Stella and the others hung beside me with bored expressions.

"I'm sorry all of this is so sweet but a little too childish for me," she replied with a venomous smile when Mom asked her to get closer to me for the picture. Sabrina was already by my side, her finger dipped into the cake as she prepared to blot my nose and cheeks with cream cheese. Brandon also stood next to me, a painfully wide smile etched across his face that fell as soon as Mom put away her phone.

I cut the cake earning myself a loud, offbeat Happy Birthday song from Mom, Dad and Sabrina. We set it aside and then I helped Mom set the table after wiping the cream cheese Sabrina had decorated my face with. The menu consisted on battered prawns, pizza, Alfredo pasta, Kung Pao chicken, egg fried rice and fruit punch and soda. Mom had gone a little over board with it but I didn't mind. Dad didn't seem to mind either.

Stella ended up eating a tiny portion of the kung pao chicken as her diet did not allow her any carbs. I knew how much Mai enjoyed good food but she too settled on eating a very meagre portion of food, obviously following pursuit of Stella.

Mom glanced nervously at the amount of food on everyone's plate. I knew from her worrying eyes that she had convinced herself that her cooking had been unable to appease the tastebuds of her guests. Cooking was my mom's pride and it had been severely wounded. I kept informing her how good everything tasted throughout my meal in a flimsy effort to pacify her.

After everyone had finished, I cut up the cake and served everyone a slice of cake except Stella, who once again, denied herself the bliss of cheesecake because of the diet she was on. It was beyond me why someone with a figure as flawless as hers would require a diet but I guess this was the effort it took to maintain one. I for one, was certainly not ready to fulfil such a daunting commitment for a mere aesthetic physique.

Mom and Dad went to their room after cake to give us some privacy. Brandon seemed more than pleased to go up and shut himself in his dingy room.
After sitting in awkward silence, everyone checking their phones again and again for a notification that never came, Stella finally spoke, "Why don't we end the night with a game of truth and dare?"
"I'm in," Sabrina leaned forward, her eyes glinting with diablerie.
Mia and Aneeka nodded in agreement.

"Sure, I don't see why not," I said reclining against the sofa I sat on, instinctively placing a velvet cushion on my lap to conceal the bloat of a well fed stomach.