C H A P T E R 3 5
?Let life surprise you.?
I went back and buried myself under the covers for the third time and fell asleep well until nine in the morning. Everyone had had their breakfasts by then and when I came down for my own breakfast I was greeted by an excited unison of 'happy birthday's. Again.
Everyone seemed to give me special attention today and I was surrounded by everyone, all of them talking to me at once and telling me about their plans for me.
I smiled at everyone and before I knew it, all of my favorites were doled out in front of me.
Keith stood quietly in the corner, watching me with an amused smile. I grinned back at him.
I could sense he wanted to say something to me, probably wish me on my birthday but he held himself back for some reason.
After I was finished with breakfast, I walked into the kitchen to talk to Keith. When he looked up and saw me there, he about jumped down from the counter he was sitting on and rushed to me. But before he could say anything to me, he was cut off by high heels clacking on the shiny tiled floor.
"Oh my God, Juliet! What're you doing here? You should go get dressed!" An enthusiastic Amelia's voice startled me.
"Get ready for what?" I asked as I saw her.
"I told you we were going to go cliff diving. Wouldn't want to break the tradition now, would we?"
"What?!"
"Well, come to think of that. You already broke the tradition one time, on your nineteenth birthday but let's forget about it.
Now come on," Amelia grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the kitchen.
I momentarily forgot about Keith. When I looked back he looked sad but gave me a smile and waved at me.
"Amelia," I tugged at her hand once I was sure no one was around to eavesdrop. "I can't go cliff diving!"
"Sure you can. So what if the real Juliet's not here? We'll have to make do with you."
"No, you don't understand. I can't go cliff diving. I don't know how to! The idea is already scaring the crap out of me."
"Don't worry, it was just for the show. I don't expect you to really cliff dive."
I sighed in relief. "Did Juliet like cliff diving?"
"Yeah, she was absolutely crazy about such thrilling activities and I guess she rubbed off on Heather and I too. But her parents only allow her to do that on her birthday."
"Wow. Did she have a death wish on her birthdays?"
"Something like that." Amelia snickered.
"When did this all start? Up until what I've heard of her, she doesn't sound like someone who's too much into such death activities."
Amelia chuckled and shook her head. "It's a funny story. She's absolutely crazy about the Twilight movies and used to watch them every now and then. So once on her birthday, she was watching New Moon and got this stupid idea to go cliff diving, just like in the movie."
"Really? Unbelievable."
"Yeah, and then after an hour or two of incessant begging, her parents finally allowed her to go with us, a dozen bodyguards and a few lifeguards."
"How old was she when you all started this 'tradition'?"
"Thirteen."
"Oh. She's something else really."
"Now come on. Get into your bikini!"
I groaned and grudgingly trudged upstairs.
After I had changed into a sky blue two piece bikini and thrown a crop top and a pair of shorts over it, I met Amelia in the driveway where two cars were waiting for the three of us.
But when I got there, I was unpleasantly surprised when I learned that there were four people.
"Why is he coming with us?" I asked Amelia when I saw Ethan get into the car with Heather.
"Heather invited him to our cliff diving. Not telling anyone apparently."
"But this is your tradition right? It would be wrong of Ethan to intrude."
"Well, we never set such rules," Amelia shrugged.
"But it would mean that I would have to cliff dive too!" I whined.
Amelia sighed exaggeratedly. "Relax. You'll be fine. Cliff diving is not as scary as it seems."
"Easy for you to say," I muttered as the car started moving towards my impending doom.
Once the vehicle stopped, I swallowed nervously and hesitatingly got out of the car.
Beyond the bit of land, I couldn't see anything but skies above and mountains in the distance.
The air was cool but I was sweating. I was that scared. I was never a fan of such extreme activities.
"Juliet, come on," Amelia beckoned me towards her seeing as I hadn't moved from where I was at the other side of the car.
"Amelia, I'm not sure if I can do this." My stomach was knotting up and I really wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Don't worry about that. We'll make sure you do it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Juliet used to push Heather off the cliff where we were little because she was too scared to jump."
"Thanks. That was comforting," I said sarcastically. "Let me tell you something. If you or Heather are planning to push me then I'm out of here."
"No no no! I didn't mean that."
"You better not." I grumbled.
"Amelia, Juliet. What are you guys doing over there? Come here," Heather said.
"Let's go." Amelia said, grabbing my hand and dragging me along with her.
Heather was busy clicking photos with Ethan and then tapping away on her phone for a long time.
"What is she doing?"
"Posting on social media so that half of the world knows that she's here cliff diving with her boyfriend," Amelia rolls her eyes at Heather.
"For a couple, they don't behave like one. Where is the mushy, lovey-dovey stuff in their relationship. I mean I have seen them kiss a few times but that was only in public. In private, they just act like friends."
"Well they were kind of friends before they started dating," she said simply, shrugging. We reached them and Heather finally stopped her activities on her phone.
"So, who's first?" Heather asked, handing her phone to one of the bodyguards who came with us.
"How about the birthday girl?" Ethan asked.
"Or not. How about you?" I glared at him.
Ethan shrugged and smiled. "Okay."
I hadn't expected that. I thought he would make sure that I was the one who jumped first.
He turned around, his back muscles rippling. I stared at them for too long because the next second, they were gone. He was gone.
I gasped as I realized he had really jumped.
I quickly ran to the edge of the cliff and almost lost my footing, kneeling on the ground. The cliff was high. And from this height, the water looked dangerous.
I couldn't see him anywhere. The ripples formed in the water were the only evidence that he had jumped.
After a few moments, I saw his head emerge out of the water. I breathed a sigh of relief.
He looked up at us.
"Are you okay?" I shouted.
"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked, stretching his arms in a questioning manner. "Your turn now, birthday girl."
No way. After what I just witnessed, I knew I couldn't do it.
I got up from my kneeling position, shaking my head.
"I can't do this. Heather, Amelia please," I looked at them pleadingly.
Heather put a hand on her hip. "Sorry, Julie but you have no choice."
"Then why did you bring him here, knowing that I can't do it?"
"I didn't know that. And I don't really need to answer you. So jump or I'll push you. You choose." Heather crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot against the ground. She was clearly impatient and just wanted me to get on with it.
I looked at Amelia for help but she just stared at me apologetically.
I sighed. "Fine. I'll jump. Just give me some time."
"Hey, did you guys leave me or what?" I heard Ethan's voice yell over at us and I turned around.
Okay. I could do this, even though I highly doubt I could without breaking a few bones. I remind myself that it could have been a worse thing but it wasn't so I just had to deal with it.
I stood there for about five minutes but still couldn't pluck up the courage to actually jump.
"Are you sure you guys don't want to go in first? I mean, I wouldn't mind, actually I'll be-"
My next words were lost in the wind, the wind that knocked the air out of me as a result of someone, I was quite positive was Heather, pushed me our of the blue. I was screaming my lungs out the entire time.
Falling felt feather light. The things before my eyes changed fast to the point where I didn't know which one was water and which one was sky. Everywhere I looked, I could just see blue.
And then I met the water, falling with such a force that it hurt. And then everything around me was water.
I must have gone deep and it took me a long time to resurface. I gasped for air.
"That was so fun!" Amelia screeched in the distance.
"Yeah, I missed this last year," Heather added, both of them swimming towards me.
I didn't even know when the girls jumped. They must have immediately jumped after me.
Strangely, I felt really good. I think it was the thrill and adrenaline and I wanted to do it again but I wouldn't because at the sight of the water, I was sure I'd chicken out again.
"You guys shouldn't have pushed me. I was going to jump in," I said.
"It was Heather, not me," Amelia said.
"You were taking too long and I didn't have all the time in the world."
"Took you long enough. I though you weren't going to jump in anytime today," Ethan said, swimming closely.
"Whatever. Can we go now?"
"What's the hurry, birthday girl. Can't squeeze in some time for a little water fight?"
Just as Ethan said that, my face was splashed with water.
"Whoa!" I said, rubbing my eyes to get the water out of them.
"Yeah! Water fight!" Amelia shrieked, already splashing water on Heather and Ethan.
Heather went straight towards her and pushed her into the water. I guess she was the pushy kind.
I grinned and joined them, splashing whoever was near me except Heather because I knew better than to not mess with her. We had a lot of fun and spent about an hour just playing in the water.
At one point, we formed teams with Amelia and I in one team and Ethan and Heather in the other. We targeted one person each of the other group. I want after Ethan and Amelia's target was Heather.
I felt sorry for Olivia because she was missing on some serious fun. She had wanted to come but told me that Mrs. Jenson had asked for her company for a while. I knew well enough that it was for Olivia's opinion about the décor of the hall in some hotel, menu, guest list and cake orders.
After we were done, we dried ourselves off with towels. The whole ride back I chattered with Amelia. I really got along well with her than I did with Heather.
Heather was a little scary at times but Amelia was so vibrant and fun to be around. She was always so enthusiastic and her energy was contagious. It instantly put you in a happy mood.
When we returned to the mansion, I went in to have a nice, warm shower.
It was almost three when we all finally had our lunch. I wanted to catch up with Keith but after lunch when I went into the kitchen to see him, he was not there. Samara told me that he had gone out to get groceries. So I made a me mental note to talk to him before leaving for the dinner.
When I was about to make my way up to my room, Ethan stopped me by tossing a nicely wrapped box at me.
"What's this?" I asked him.
"See for yourself."
I tore the wrapping around it and looked at Ethan with a flat look on my face. He had given me a box of dog food.
"Is this your way of calling me a bitch?"
Ethan chuckled and walked away while I just glared at him.
Stomping towards my room angrily, I threw open the door and slammed it shut behind me.
I heard a quite bark and my head snapped to my bed where there lay an adorable pug.
"Aww..." I neared it and it looked up at me with adorable eyes, already reaching out for me. I cradled it in my arms, hugging it to me.
The pug was so cute. I mentally thanked Ethan for such a wonderful gift. But he could have at least given it to me properly, not making it seem like he was calling me a bitch at first.
"What should I name you?"
I racked my brain for some good names but came up with nothing good enough.
"I'll name you later. I'm very tired. Let's take a nap."
I snuggled the pug close to me and fell into a dreamless sleep. About an hour later, I was woken up by Amelia who pushed me into the shower again because according to her, showering was the first step to getting ready.
When I was done, I walked out in my white bathrobe and saw two wrapped boxes that weren't there before sitting on the edge of my bed.
Curious, I examined them before tearing off the wrapping paper off of it.
When I opened the first box, I couldn't help but marvel at the sight. It was a gown. A red silky Sherri Hill gown. I took it out and it was so gorgeous. But I didn't know how it would look on me.
Inside there was a note.
I don't know much about women's fashion but I thought it would look good on you.
Ethan
I smiled and proceeded to unwrap the second box. This one contained a breathtaking necklace. I didn't doubt that it was made up of real diamonds and rubies. A Harry Winston.
There was another note by Ethan.
It would look good with that gown.
Wear both of them if you do decide to wear this to the dinner.
Deciding to wear it to the dinner, I put it aside and went downstairs to the saloon to get my makeup done. Mom had called up a few makeup artists for my look today.
Two hours later, my makeup and hair was done. I had asked them to keep it simple and they did so in a beautiful way. My lips were painted red to match my dress and my eye makeup was amazing with broad, black eye liner and red eye shadow.
The hair on the side of head was pinned back and the hair on the back of my head was let loose with the ends slightly curled. A few strands of hair fell on my eyes and I brushed them back.
When I was finally into the gown, I couldn't stop looking at myself in the mirror, twirling around and looking at myself again.
The necklace looked as if it was made for the gown.
I didn't think I have ever looked so beautiful in my life.
I guess money did make you beautiful and it wasn't even mine.
I glance at the clock hanging on the wall and quickly hurried up when I saw that it was seven-forty and I was supposed to be there by eight.
I walked out of my room and down the staircase to the living room. I was going to ride with Olivia but seeing the expanse of the gown, I thought that it was better if I rode alone.
Everyone was waiting downstairs for me. Charlotte looked anxious for some reason but the moment her eyes fell on me, she gave me a wide smile and rushed to engulf me in a hug.
She looked resplendent in a black gown. She looked twenty years younger than her age and if we were to stand next to each other no one would guess that she was my mother.
"We should hurry up," Amelia said, glancing at her watch. She was dressed in a rose gold colored halter gown with thigh high slit which exposed her long leg. Her lower back was exposed and she looked the definition of hot. "And you look beautiful, by the way."
"Thank you, and so do you."
"Where's Olivia?"
"Here I am," my best friend said on cue as she stepped into the living room, her gown suspiciously similar to Amelia's. I didn't know if it was intentional or not. Olivia was in a metallic rose colored backless gown with a plunging neckline and a studded belt around her slim waist.
"And where are Ethan and Heather? And the rest of the others?"
"They already left. You'll meet them at the dinner. You'll be the one fashionably late today on your special day," Charlotte informed me.
"Uh, mom, can I ask you how many people are invited?"
"Not many, dear. Roughly around a hundred." She took my hands in her and looked at me to see if I was okay.
"A hundred?!"
"Yeah, but don't worry. They all are our close family friends and relatives. You'll be very comfortable." She squeezed my hand to reassure me.
"Oh, okay."
"Stop overthinking everything. Today will be perfect for you. So just be happy, and let's go."
I nodded and followed behind her.
I would have to deal with eighty something unknown people who thought they knew me very well. The biggest challenge was to not get caught.
I hoped I could survive today.
What do you guys think about this chapter?
I know I'm dragging her birthday way too far but I can't help but go into intricate details.
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