With that, we went to Mira's room.
Not long after, Mira's mom walked in with a tray of snacks. Her eyes landed on me again, and she exclaimed,
"Wow, Zera! I'm still amazed by your look. By the way, how did you afford all of it?"
I hesitated before replying, "Well… it was a gift. From Rayan."
"Oh," she said, glancing sideways at Rayan with a raised brow.
What a protective mother, I thought.
The party soon kicked off with casual conversations, snacks, and a little dance performance by Miss Brunet.
It was quite a sight. But then, a sudden thought struck me.
I had told Rayan that I didn't have a family—by that, I meant my real parents. But now that I think about it, I do have people in my life who are extraordinary. People far better than those who could abandon their child just because life got a little tough.
I may not have the family I was born into, but I have something just as meaningful—the family I built. And maybe… that's enough for me.
I still remember that cold day.
It had been almost two weeks since my parents left me. I was barely surviving, eating whatever I could find—which, of course, was never enough. I think I was scared of grown-ups back then. Maybe that's why I didn't approach anyone for help.
But that day was especially hard. I hadn't eaten anything in three days. I just kept walking and walking until tears began to stream down my face.
Then suddenly, I felt someone gently hold my hand. When I looked up, I saw a girl—slightly taller than me—looking at me with concern.
"Where are your parents?" she asked.
I couldn't help it. I just cried harder.
Without another word, she took me to her home. A woman opened the door, and I instinctively hid behind the girl.
"Where were you?" the woman asked.
The girl didn't answer. Instead, she gently pushed me forward.
Without saying anything, the woman led me inside and gave me food. I started eating right away, too hungry to speak. I could hear her scolding the girl:
"Do you even know who she is? Why did you bring a stranger home?"
I felt bad for getting her in trouble—but at that moment, all I could think about was the food in front of me.
And
That's how I met Mira and her mother.
Later, I explained everything to them.
And that's when I learned her name—Mira, my first friend.
I never really understood why she saved me that day.
Why does she always care for me?
That question has lived in my head from that day until now.
But the thought hit me even harder one afternoon. I was playing alone in the streets when a group of boys started picking on me. Without warning, they threw small stones at me.
Confused, I asked innocently, "What happened? Did I do something wrong?"
One of them sneered, "Yeah, you! What are you doing here? Never seen you around before."
"I'm new here," I replied, nervously.
Another boy stepped forward. "Where are your parents?" he asked.
I couldn't answer. All I did was clench my wrists tightly, my heart racing.
The boy said to the others, "Told you. I've seen her before—just wandering around. She doesn't have any parents."
Then one of them—taller and stronger-looking than the rest—came closer. I was scared just looking at him.
He stared down at me. "Leave. This place is small enough already. We don't need some stray kid wandering around."
With that, they threw more stones. The pebbles weren't big enough to hurt much physically—but they hurt something deeper.
My heart.
I couldn't stop myself—I turned and ran. But just as I was a little distance away, I heard a loud voice from behind them.
"Hey, idiots! Don't mess with her!"
It was Mira.
The strong boy glared at her. "Who are you?"
"I'm her sister," she said firmly.
"Liar," he scoffed.
"I said I'm her sister!" Mira shouted, her voice thundering through the street.
And then—she jumped on him, fists flying.
The boy punched her, but the next thing he felt was a strong punch from me.
Soon, a full-on scuffle broke out.
It finally ended when Miss Brunet came rushing over and pulled us apart. The boys ran off.
Mira and I, bruised and breathless, looked at each other—and smiled.
In that moment, it really felt like we were the ones who won.
"What are you thinking?" I heard Mira ask.She was all grown up now.
"Nothing," I replied with a soft smile.
But before the moment could settle, Miss Brunet—clearly tipsy from too much booze—looked at me and slurred,
"Wow, Zera, you're all grown up. Come to think of it, both you and Mira are at the age to get married… but choose your partner very carefully. Don't be like me."
Tears welled up in her eyes as her voice cracked.
She began to cry, repeating the same words over and over:
"How could he do that? Why did he leave me? What went wrong?"
Mira and I sat beside her, comforting her gently until she eventually fell asleep, drunk and broken.
She's always like that. Every time she drinks, she remembers the man who left her and Mira shortly after Mira was born. Since then, she's worked harder than anyone I know—so strong, in fact, that she even raised me as her own alongside her daughter.
But there's a secret most people don't see.
Everyone thinks she hates that man. But deep down… she remembers him.
She still waits for him.
And I can't understand why.
Why wait for someone who left without a word?
Why still love the one who ruined you?
In the end, the sky had turned dark—it was time to go home.
Rayan looked a bit concerned for Miss Brunet, but I said to him,
"It's best if we leave now. She can handle it—she's the strongest woman I know."
On the way home, I found myself quietly reflecting.
Well… this really was the best birthday ever.
A new look.
A new person by my side.
And some sweet, unforgettable memories.
I glanced at Rayan and softly said,
"Thank you for coming."
He didn't say anything right away. His cheeks were slightly red from the booze, and he just stared at me with gentle, loving eyes. My heart began to race as he stepped closer.
Then, with a slightly tipsy but utterly adorable smile, he took my hand and said,
"You look so beautiful."