Elia had always loved birthdays—not for the parties or the gifts, but for the quiet magic of being remembered. She didn't need grand gestures. Just a message. A call. A moment that said, "You matter."
Last year, Kael had made her feel like the universe revolved around her. He'd shown up with a sketchpad wrapped in brown paper, her name etched in silver ink. He brought pastries from the café she loved, even though he hated waking up early. He made a playlist titled For Elia, Always, filled with songs that felt like secrets. They spent the night on her rooftop, wrapped in a blanket, watching stars blink through the Manila haze.
He didn't say "I love you."
But he didn't have to.
She felt it in every detail.
This year, she woke up early, heart buzzing with hope. Her phone lit up with messages—friends, classmates, her dad calling from Canada. Her stepmom made spaghetti and bought a tiny cake with pink frosting. Her cousins posted stories. Her feed filled with greetings.
But Kael?
Nothing.
No midnight message.
No lazy "HBD."
No call. No post. No playlist.
She told herself he was busy. Maybe he forgot. Maybe he was planning something late. But deep down, she knew. This wasn't forgetfulness. This was distance.
She scrolled through their old messages. The ones that used to light up her nights. She played the playlist he made last year. But it didn't feel like hers anymore.
At 3 PM, she sent him a simple text:
> "Hey. Hope you're okay."
No reply.
At 6 PM, she posted a photo of her cake. Still nothing.
At 9 PM, she checked his stories. He was out. With friends. Laughing.
There was a girl beside him.
She didn't recognize her.
At 11:59 PM, Elia climbed to the rooftop. Same blanket. Same stars.
But no Kael.
She sat there, legs crossed, sketchpad untouched. The city below buzzed with life. But her heart felt quiet. Too quiet.
She whispered, "You forgot me."
And the wind didn't argue.
She didn't cry. Not yet. But something inside her shifted. Like glass cracking under pressure. Not shattered. Just… fractured.
And once something cracks, it never goes back to how it was.