Birthdays

VA isn't mine She dumped down on the barstool beside him looking like a hung cat, ordering a double whiskey. On the rocks. Obviously, she hadn't noticed him, meaning she must be in an incredibly bad mood. He watched her a few minutes, seeing the guys swarm and how she turned them all down. She finished her drink and he ordered her a new one. She looked up at him surprised. "Adrian-" She breathed not knowing how to end that sentence. "Little dhampir, what brings you to my hideout?" she smiled sadly. "Isn't this where the lonely souls go?" She asked him. "Yes but you aren't lonely Rose."  She looked away sadly. "Tonight I am."  He frowned, wasn't used to seeing her like this. Wasn't even used to seeing her here. "It is your birthday, surely someone must-" He stopped upon realizing. "They forgot didn't they?"  She looked surprised that he guessed it then nodded sadly, sipping at her drink. "It shouldn't matter, they're busy, it is not like it is important." She shrugged it off trough the hurt was clear in her voice.  He didn't know what to do so he did the only thing he could think of. He ordered her another drink. "Tonight is on me little dhampir, get yourself hammered, I'll make sure you get home safe." He told her and she smiled up at him with sad eyes. "Thank you Adrian."  He shrugged. "It is just drinks Rose."  She shook her head. "No, thank you for remembering."  He smiled at her but didn't say anything, not on that topic anyway. Together they got drunk, pouring out their life experience, sharing their philosophic thoughts. She was really pretty, he thought. Of course, he had always thought Rose was pretty but there was something different about her now. She had matured he realized. She was a woman now not a little girl. That was like a splash of cold water in his face. Little girls could make mistakes. They could kiss drunken bachelors in the heat of the moment. Women couldn't. They knew better. But then she laughed at something he hadn't registered and all those worries disappeared. She was only eighteen well nineteen tonight. She was still a girl after all, just not the seventeen-year-old he had to meet those two years ago. He was glad trough, she was much prettier without a black eye. "Come on little dhampir, let's get you home." He told her throwing a hundred on the counter and putting his arm around her. "I don't want to go home!" she wined trying to get away from him. Sighing he knew he had to get her home and that he couldn't without her consent. He ran a hand through his hair then nodded. "Fine, we are going to my place." He stated and she didn't object when he steered her towards his parents' townhouse. When he woke up she was gone, a note laid on her pillow in his double bed. Thank you, please call me. XOXO Rose had written with lip-gloss. He stared at it, not sure what to make of it. Deciding not to read too much into it he threw it out and stood out of bed groaning when the hangover hit him.