Fifth Page | Action | The Loneliest Birthday (backdated to The 7th)

[theboywiththebook]

Who: Henry and You!
What: Henry's birthday is today. But there's no celebration though. 
Where: Outside Random Cafe A at one of the patio tables. (Edited due to Espresso yourself not actually being open yet)
When: May 7th


Henry had pretty much decided to forgo the idea of telling his foster parents about his birthday. They were too busy with the other kids in the house to ever really have time to do birthday things. But, he felt there was no point to it at all. Even if he did mention it he was likely going to get the "well you're a bit old for birthday parties" or some other excuse not to have a cake and friends to attend. Not that he would even have the latter of the two. Plus, the Trills were on edge with him lately. Skipping school, talking back, not coming home on time. He was pretty sure he wouldn't receive any type of Birthday celebration just because he had to be a super hero.

It made him bitter at it all sometimes. Sure, being a hero was fun, but he also had to pay special care not to let them know or else endanger them. But, because of that he was getting in trouble with them more. Not that he cared; it just seemed so unfair. In his mind they would probably say they'd rather punish him than celebrate his eleventh birthday.

So, after a day of disappointing day of school, Henry decided not to go home on the bus as he was supposed to. Instead, he wandered down to the usual cafe he had been taking respite in with that storybook he received awhile back. When he arrived he took a seat outside at one of the metal tables, where he felt he'd be very much alone and tried to forget that his birthday was today when he started to read the only few stories in the book.

It didn't last for long though because his mind kept gnawing away at him and continued to give him the painful reminders. In the end, he conceited defeat and picking a leaf off the ground (and taking care that his hands were under the table with it) he just imagined it into a big chocolate cupcake, dolloped in a large amount of blue icing with a single star shaped candle that was lit. Setting the magic'd cake onto the table he rested his shoulders on the surface and placed his chin on his arms and sadly sang in almost a whisper to himself: "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear, Henry...Happy Birthday to you..."


(Ooc: feel free to stumble upon him when he's reading his book or when he's singing to himself.)

Comments

[ghostly_heiress]

Danielle didn't really have school to worry about. She had finished her work hours ago and was largely left alone afterwards. She had pondered just staying home, but she felt good today. Good and restless. It was hard to not take advantage of the fact she could still go out more than she's been able to for years.

So she went out. She had always been curious about this cafe anyway. She'd passed it enough times, but never been able to go inside. Plus she always kind of liked the taste of coffee.

It's when she was walking out of the cafe that she noticed him. She had been walking by, thinking of taking a walk, when she heard the song. The quiet tone. When she looked, she could see it in how he sat. (She had done it more than once.) She might have worried about it being rude, but she decided it didn't matter. Either it went well, or it didn't.

She grabbed a chair and sat down at the table. "Hi."

[theboywiththebook]

Henry was just about to pluck the candle off his cupcake when suddenly there was a girl now just sitting across from him. He stared stupidly for a few seconds, wondering for one, who she was and the other part was why was she sitting here.

And then concision thought returned because this looked pretty damning. Alone with a cupcake that has a birthday candle on it . Yeah, probably not one of his better ideas. He looks at her suspiciously, wondering what she wanted. "Yeah?" Henry spoke, his tone just being a little bit ruder than intended.

[ghostly_heiress]

Daniele just kept the chipper smile on her face. Really, after the passive aggressive and condescension she faced at corporate parties, a kid being a little rude wasn't much to dissuade her. Especially when she expected it.

"My name is Danielle. I don't often get to see other kids just hanging out on their own in places like this, so I thought I'd say hi. It's kinda boring to sit alone anyway," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

[theboywiththebook]

What was this girl? Seriously, usually he managed to chase other kids away by now with his rudeness...well except maybe Phillip. He was just too friendly. He continues to eye her with caution carefully listening to her words. When it didn't seem like she as trying to pry too much into his business he decided to at least be polite...or politer.

"Maybe I'm just different. I tend to do a lot of things other kids don't tend to do." Like being a badass superhero.

[ghostly_heiress]

"Well, duh, or else you wouldn't be sitting at a cafe on your own in the first place. Gotta be confident and well behaved, or adults give you trouble," Danielle said with a bit of a knowing grin. She doesn't mind the eyeing, expects it really, but it's all the more reason she shouldn't back down.

[sjokolade]

So far, Abby's life had been fairly quiet after the wise snake attack. Between trying to go off training and trying to study for her finals, she had noticed that her grades were slipping just a bit. While it hadn't dropped to the point where she was failing, it was still fairly noticeable to get herself a bit worried. However, there wasn't much all she could do anyway. She needed to get back to studying or else be forced to go back to sophomore year again! She didn't want to be in the same situation her brother was in a long time ago!

On her way walking back home from school, she thought about how she needed a pick me up after a long day of nothing but work! And it was hump day, she totally deserved some food! As she was about to enter the store, she couldn't help but notice a familiar looking boy.

"Uh...Henry? Is that you?"

[theboywiththebook]

Oh no. It was HER again. Whatever higher power there was, they really seemed to love having this girl find him wherever he went. Maybe it just liked being cruel to him. The evidence was pretty clear with how his life had went so far.

All too quickly at her question, Henry replied in turn with a definite: "No." And grabbing his book he shoved his face so far into it that it looked like he was trying to force himself into the pages. Which he very much hoped since it'd be better than talking to the nagging wonder, Abby.

[sjokolade]

Sorry, Henry, Abby is too nosey for her own good sometimes. Now that Henry was right in front of her, there was no way that she was going to leave him be. Sure, she could be nagging but she wanted him to be safe! A 10 year old kid shouldn't be outside by himself!

"Henry, is that any way to talk to someone?" She gave a small frown before sitting across from him. Man, she really was starting to sound like a mom right now. "Or why are you alone?"

[theboywiththebook]

Yes, Abby was really sounding like a mom. A mom he didn't want to listen to. Because she wasn't one. Seeing that his little act at pretending he wans't him wasn't working, he lowered his book to stare back blankly. "I dunno," he replied trying to sound innocently, knowing full well what the answer was.

"And why do you care that I'm here alone? Maybe I just felt like some quiet."

[darkhourdear]

Phillip usually walked Gloria after school, and he tended to walk her everywhere. The park was an obvious place, but he also would walk her downtown so he could talk to more people and he could maybe get some ice cream or something. So, when he's walking past Expresso Yourself, he'll see his friend's backside, and smile to himself as he walks up behind him.

He's about to say hello, when he sees the cupcake and hears Henry singing to himself. Wait, it's...?

"It's your birthday?!" the boy says completely without warning, eyes wide. Oh no! He had no idea! He feels really bad now...

[theboywiththebook]

....If there was any mercy in this universe this cupcake would jump down his throat right now and suffocate him. Phillip was the LAST person he wanted to tell about his birthday. Not because of any ill feelings but Phillip had the tendency of being a bit...pushy with his friendship. And Henry had a feeling that if he had mentioned his birthday at all something like this would have happened.

Trying to hide the exasperation in his voice he just replies with a very bland "Hi, Phillip."

[darkhourdear]

Phillip moves around so he's facing Henry, looking rather distraught as Gloria follows behind. "I'm sorry I didn't know!" he says, as if there would have been a way for him to know with Henry blatantly keeping it from him, "I'll bring you a present tomorrow!"

[theboywiththebook]

"How would you even know if I didn't even tell you?" Seriously, Phillip. This is why he said nothing. "I don't want a present, Phillip." The thought of it definitely would be appreciated but he had to keep up the appearance of aloofness. No one needed to know about his life.

[prismaticdestruction]

Well, Dani decided to wander around the area herself after school, keeping the backpack with her wings hidden in them close. After everything that had happened, she had decided to stay out of the house as much as she could.

While she was wandering about, she spotted the whole thing. Was he by himself for his birthday? It wasn't new to her but..she wasn't going to let someone else be alone like that...

So she walked up, hearing the singing and starts singing along and stopping beside him with a small smile.

[theboywiththebook]

Henry jumps up a little in his seat when he see's this random girl singing 'Happy Birthday' along with him. Wasn't this a girl from school? He's almost sure he's talked to her at some point. But, not the point. The point was that someone came upon his sad little pity party.

He frowns a little bit as he looks at her, having stopped his own Birthday song. "What do you want?" he's a bit snappish, but only because he was caught off guard.

[prismaticdestruction]

The girl doesn't seem too phased by the snapping, as she's getting used to it due to having a teenaged sister. She just smiles and moves to the side of the table, putting her hands on the table with a slight giggle.

"I thought you looked alone..and no one should be alone on their birthday right? It's better to have people with you then."

Like she had any room to talk. She usually skipped her birthday.

[theboywiththebook]

"Who says it's my birthday?" He answered all to quickly. But, the damage had been done with that stupid little cupcake sitting on the table and him singing to himself. "And even if it was why do you care? We don't know each other." Did she want something in return? She was a network person wasn't she? Maybe she just wanted him to do something with his magic for her.

Action

[icy_heavens]

[He's mostly recovered by now, no cast, no sling. Sure, he's still got physical therapy to do, but he can move his arm now and that's pretty big. No more taking it easy, no more annoying network cops offering to help him with things he can absolutely handle himself. It's good to be healed, to be back to a normal routine.

[What isn't routine is seeing Henry out there . . . singing "Happy Birthday" at a cupcake. Okay. Geez, Henry. True to his old habits, he goes right over to him and without preamble:] You know, if you actually cared about your birthday, you could've said something.

Action

[theboywiththebook]

[There is some divine comedy of his life being written isn't there?

He turns slowly to look at Toushirou but can't help but give him a significantly annoyed look at his words.]

Maybe I didn't want to go spreading it around.

Action

[icy_heavens]

[Yeah, yeah, significant annoyance, whatever.] So you'd rather sit in a public place and sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself.

[Sorry, Henry. That's just terribly pathetic.]

Action

[theboywiththebook]

Maybe.

[He's not giving Toushirou a definite answer because he knows how pathetic this looks. He doesn't need to be judged.]

Why does it matter to you?

[allformii_ko]

During the day is the best time to prowl about the city, given that Elly is usually out doing her own thing and thus no one would be around to miss Mimi's presence. Is it really so odd that Mimi would home in on it as the perfect time to go out and explore while she familiarizes herself with the ways of humans?

Of course, it's not all the time that she sees someone she's met before - sort of. That weird "network" thing totally counts as meeting someone, right?

Which is why, without any regard whatsoever to the song he's singing to himself, she comes trotting on over.

"It's you!"

[theboywiththebook]

In the middle of the next line of Happy Birthday, Henry bolts himself up right when some girl just exclaimed to him. He gave her the most dumbfounded look. Did this girl know him? If she did he certainly gave her a look that did not reflect the same. "Do I know you from somewhere or something?"

[allformii_ko]

"We were talking on the thingy." She taps on the surface of the table, as if that were any good indication. "The-- The network."

At least she has the sense to suddenly lower her voice at that part. "Except now I look like a human, too!"

[theboywiththebook]

When the girl brings up the network, Henry's instant reaction was to try and shove his hand over her mouth. But, with the damage being done he moved it away from her now looking a bit skiddish. "Don't mention it in public! It's secret for a reason!" His voice in a very hushed whisper. "And whaddya mean "look like a human too"? What were you before?"