BRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!!!

Oh for fuck's sake not this again.

I reach for the nearest unlucky possession of mine and throw it at the bloody clock.

BRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!!!

Ugh. Why hasn't it stopped? There's only so much a girl - scratch that I'm a woman - can take on her birthday morning.

Wait a second. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Took you long enough to figure out. You may be growing older, but your brain just keeps on shrinking. Pity.

I thought I'd have gotten rid of you by the time I was twenty and yet, here you are. Pestering me the second I wake up.

You can't get rid of me you genius moron. I. AM. YOU.

The agony I face every single day. Woe is me.

The incessant blaring of the alarm grates on my nerves and so I finally wrench myself out of bed to turn the stupid thing off.

Looking at my floor, I now see why the object I had thrown was ineffective against the merciless wrath of the alarm clock.

Poor Atmosky. You didn't deserve this in the morning. And neither did I. Only you understand my pain. (Yes he is a fluffy blue elephant. And yes he has a name. And yes it's Atmosky because he reminds me of the sky. Deal with it. Hmph.)

I swear, you might be physically twenty, but mentally, you're just five.

I woke up to have a good time and honestly, I'm feeling so attacked right now.

I trudge over to the calendar to make sure that today's actually June 7th. Trust me kids. Permanent trauma is the consequence. I know from experience. Don't ask. Just listen to your wise big sister June.

I'm pretty sure throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the university cafeteria because no one wished you 'Happy Birthday' doesn't count as permanent trauma. Although starting a food fight in the midst of said outburst that ended up with you having chocolate cake down your definitely not waterproof semi see-through shirt, pieces of prosciutto that clashed with your blazing red hair and cucumber juice splattered all across your freckled face, along with that striking image now immortalised on said cafeteria's walls and being suspended for two days comes pretty close. But do listen to your wise big sister June.

Hey! For your information, that cucumber juice was really exfoliating. My pores haven't been the same ever since.

Yes of course. Sacrifice your dignity for an illusion of flawless skin. That's exactly the kind of role model we need for girls nowadays. You go big sister June!

I never meant that, but they do say 'Beauty is pain.' That's why I can never set foot into that goddamn cafeteria without becoming the source of comic relief for a bunch of strung-up stressed as fuck university students. Never mess with students like those. Especially when finals are around the corner. They turn into unrecognisable vicious animals whose only source of sustenance is numerous huge ass cups of Starbucks drunk at almost any time imaginable. They will tear you up into tiny little pieces. You'll wish you were dead.

Okay maybe I'm over exaggerating it a bit. But you should still take my advice. I've morphed into these creatures too, you know.

Way to stray completely off topic Holmes.

Oh. Right. It's m-

"HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY MY BEAUTIFUL JUNIPER!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!" I barely have time to convey my thanks before I'm squished in a tight hug and Neha's soft hair tickles my nose.

"Thank you so much Neha! I love you too. Even though I might not say it as often. I really really do. I love you so very much," I whisper softly into her ear, suddenly sounding way too sentimental for my own liking. All I needed was for my voice to crack and cue emotional background music.

I didn't know turning twenty turned you into a sap.

"Awww sweetheart. Today's your day. Enjoy it for all it's worth," she replies kindly, releasing me from her hug and pointing me in the general direction of the bathroom. "But do get your fat arse moving. We have a schedule to keep up with."

"Excusez-moi did you just say "schedule"?" I shoot her a bewildered look while drawing quotation marks in the air with my fingers.

Neha's eyes twinkled. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding." She rolls her eyes and mutters, "Learn to distinguish jokes Holmes."

I stick my tongue out at her and grab the nearest towel, which just happens to be baby blue with turquoise elephants scattered over in an arbitrary pattern.

"Wow. Real mature June. Real mature," Neha deadpans. Whether she's talking about my choice in adorable bathroom items or previous, surely offensive actions, who knows.

"Oh shut up Damara." And as revenge, I throw all my clothes at her before slamming the bathroom door in her face.

"Wha- Oof! Hey! I-"

Whatever she wanted to say was drowned out by my delighted laughter.

~ ~ ~

I practically glide down the stairs, feet barely touching the floor, and am immediately hit by the delicious aroma emitted by the mouthwatering plate of chocolate waffles, coated in copious amounts of whipped cream and maple syrup topped with a fresh strawberry, placed not so modestly on the kitchen counter, along with something else that has a purple bow on it.

Basically heaven on a plate.

I resist the urge to groan at the sight because I'm not a weirdo like that. Definitely not. Okay? nervous laughter

As I get ready to devour the entire thing at once forgoing my weight and health, I hear someone come up behind me and judging by the cautious, uncertain footsteps it must be-

"Good morning June! Happy Birthday love!" Adrian's tentative voice echoes through the room, as if testing the waters before attempting a dive into the deep end.

Why does he sound so unsure of himself?

Maybe because you gave him the cold shoulder for the entirety of yesterday without any explanation.

Oh. Right. I'm still mad at him for reenacting a scene out of a melodramatic soap opera.

You should probably forgive him.

But I can't. Not yet at least. I refuse to be a pushover. And so I nonchalantly reply with a slight shrug of my shoulders not facing him. "Thanks."

How to tear a guy down with just one word A tutorial by Juniper Enola Holmes; aged 20.

God you are such a bitch.

I would normally disagree but in this moment, I truly feel like one.

I don't even know why I'm so cross at him in the first place. Maybe I'm just hurt and angry because of Noah and all that bottled up rage is being directed at poor Adrian.

I'm using him as an outlet for my emotions not caring whether the current I'm passing will cause a short circuit, finally blowing a fuse.

I'm hurt yes, but today's my birthday so I shouldn't concern myself with trivial things like heartless CEOs who, in actuality, have given their heart to someone else and haven't got it back yet.

Trivial things you say, but it holds your thoughts hostage every waking moment and sometimes, even in your dreams.

What do I do? I need help. I shouldn't be feeling these things. I'm too juvenile for this level of heartache.

Oh, to be young and to feel love's keen sting.

Love? Pffft. Stop quoting Dumbledore. Look who's turning their life into an angst filled TV show now, you hypocrite.

To be honest, if my life was a TV show, it would be a romantic comedy. Without a doubt.

I snap out of my internal soliloquy to notice that Adrain has vanished. Poof! Just like that. I can't seem to find Neha either. The whole apartment's empty.

Well, except for me and my myriad of fluctuating emotions to keep me company.

I'm a walking AC generator I tell you.

Bravo June. That's why we learnt Physics in school. To gauge our emotions and make analogies of them with electrical apparatus.

The entire household is too eerily quiet for me as I settle down on the couch in a highly unladylike but super comfortable position with my now, moderately warm waffles, setting aside the purple thingy and turn on the TV to provide some much-needed background noise.

It may not be the best birthday ever but at least I have my priorities sorted.

Guess it's just you and me, my trusty maple syrup.

Hold up, why is this bottle only half full?

~ ~ ~

Remember that purple bow thing? Turns out it was a train ticket. To Versailles. AAAAAHHHHHH.

The train leaves at 11:30. I glance at the wall clock to note that the time is 10:50 and that moment right there, is when I go berserk. It takes a little more than half an hour to reach the train station, which leaves me approximately seven minutes to get dressed semi-fashionably and brush the bird's nest on top of my hair to look semi-presentable.

This what you get for having your priorities sorted.

Today's just not my day is it?

Technically, it is, but yeah, it's not.

My head hurts now.

I hurriedly grab my phone and keys and give myself a short once-over in the mirror.

I've gone for the comfort route, sporting a white tank top under a pair of denim overalls and a flannel shirt tied around my waist. My blazing hair falls freely over my shoulder in wavy embers and my face is free of any makeup. Just the way I like it. A pair of icy blue eyes stares back at me and a pair of naturally pink lips tug into a slight smirk.

Not bad June. Not bad at all.

My sense of fashion is growing with me. There were times when I would make the ghastly mistake of wearing a red shirt. Ugh the clash of colours still makes me cringe.

In my haste to flag down a taxi and reach the train station, I nearly get run down by a sleek black car, while crossing the road. I brush off the encounter, not pausing to look back at the contrite driver who gets out of his car to convey his apologies.

"Attention à la marche en descendant du train." The robotic female voice announces as I barrel into the train compartment, sighing with relief, checking my pockets to make sure the ticket is there.

I sit down at a window seat and watch the city as it speeds by, the silence not so deafening anymore.

It's only when the conductor has checked my ticket and I've plugged in my earphones with Madeon's Pixel Empire blasting through the speakers, I realize that the car was a black Audi and the driver looked a whole lot like Basile.

~ ~ ~

"There you are. And may I say you look absolutely gorgeous," Neha says upon spotting me at train station. "How are you enjoying your birthday?"

I smile at her and give her a quick hug while admitting, "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it's been pretty lonely so far."

Neha squeezes my shoulders and nods her head in understanding. "I get it. But fear no more, I'm here!", she exclaims as she leads me to a pair of bikes chained up outside the station, much to my joy.

"Yay! You know how much I love cycling, especially in scenic places like Versailles. Are you bribing me to forgive you for your unusual vagueness today?" I pretend to look suspicious, but my face breaks into a huge grin nevertheless. I just can't help it.

"Sorta," she winks. We mount the bikes and are about to depart when I notice that there are only two bikes. Not three.

"What about Adrian? Is he not coming with us?"

Neha looks like she didn't expect that question as she hesitates for a moment before saying, "Uhhh, well, you see, he had some last minute things he had to finish up at uni, but he's really sorry he couldn't make it. He promised he'll see you later on in the day though. And he wishes you a Happy Birthday once again."

I don't know whether to be relieved or sad. And in the end, the wheel of misfortune settles on sad. My mood dampens considerably. It's my fault he's acting like this, isn't he?

As if sensing the change in my emotions, Neha quickly switches the subject to the lovely weather.

"I guess it's Mother Nature's gift to June. It's been raining a lot more than it should be, but I'm glad she finally came to her senses."

"Yeah," is my weak response.

"Chin up, bestie! It's time to go for a bike ride. Live while we're young!" She beams at me. "Make sure you stay close, because we do have a destination, we're not wandering aimlessly." And she sets off, me trailing closely behind.

"If only that applied to me," I whisper wistfully, the bright sun doing nothing to cheer me up.

~ ~ ~

Whoever said diamonds are a girl's best friend had obviously never tried pizza. Pizza is infinite times better than diamonds, a hell of a lot cheaper and never fails to make me happy. That, coupled with aimless chit-chat and laughter with Neha over a glass of Coca-Cola (it's too early to bring out the good stuff), under a pastel pink umbrella placed outside the restaurant, facing the serene landscape, is the definition of an afternoon well spent.

I almost forgot that Adrian wasn't there. Almost.

"Come on, you lazy twenty year old! Get your fat arse on your bike. The day isn't over yet and I want to take you somewhere you're sure to love," Neha says, standing up and brushing stray pizza crumbs off her outfit, offering her hand so she can pull me up.

"My legs hurt," I whine, but I amend my statement after the glare Neha gives me and put my hand in hers. "But I guess twenty year old June can endure the excruciating pain, being the mature, responsible adult she is."

"Adult, she says," Neha huffs while rolling her eyes and not trying to hide it in the least. "Only age wise dear. You're basically a five year old in terms of demeanour and a senior in terms of stamina. There's no in-between. I feel bad for your future boyfriend. Can't even say the 's word' or go for more than one round."

"Hey! That's mean!" I yell indignantly. I feel heat rising to my cheeks and cup them quickly praying Neha hasn't seen.

But of course she has, as she wiggles her eyebrows and starts laughing. "You're so cute I swear. I'm kidding June. No need to get so worked up about it. I'm sure your future boyfriend will be very lucky to have a girlfriend like you."

"Damn right he will be. Now can we just go already? This conversation is leading nowhere."

She giggles and flashes me a dazzling smile. "Since when do conversations have to lead somewhere? But sure June. Let's go!"

And we're both off; cycling to our heart's content with the brilliant sun shining down on us and the wind blowing the hair off our faces. The sun's got some competition from our smiles though, with how we flash our teeth for the world to see. But I don't honestly care. I don't care my hair's a mess right now and not a fine one at that. I don't care about anything, anybody, because I'm having the time of my life and nothing else matters in this moment.

~ ~ ~

"Bienvenue! We hope you enjoy your visit to the Garden of Versailles! Go ahead and take as many pictures as you want, but remember to respect nature. Plucking of flowers and leaves will not be tolerated. Have fun!"

A kind, middle-aged woman, around my mother's age, greets us at the entrance and I flash her a big smile despite having just met her because I literally cannot contain my excitement.

I'm like a bottle of soda that's just been taken on a bumpy car ride. Full of effervescence.

She smiles back at me and pinches my cheeks. I resist the urge to tell her that I'm actually twenty and do not tolerate such childish acts of affection.

As if you can tolerate mature acts of affection when you haven't had any. Ha.

Oh shut up.

We marvel at the enchanting garden, mouths agape and cameras at the ready. Well, phone in my case since I wasn't informed about this excursion beforehand.

Tulips, magnolias, chrysanthemums, daffodils, petunias, lavenders and so many more flowers invite us to get closer. Colours pop out at us everywhere we turn our heads, showcased on the green carpet laid out before us, trimmed intricately into spectacular designs.

But what catches my eye the second I walk in is the rose garden. It draws me in; beckons me to bask in its simplified elegance. And I spend most of the time just gazing at the soft, delicate petals that call to me enticingly. They make me want to cave in to my most ardent desires, regardless of the risks posed. Their smell is intoxicating, and surprisingly familiar. I wonder why?

I don't know how long it's been. The sun could be setting and I would not know for my attention was solely fixated on those mesmerising roses. The red ones were especially beautiful.

I'm pulled out of my rose-induced haze by a soft tap on my shoulder. "How fitting to find you here June," Neha says softly so as to not startle me. "Of course, you'd choose to spend your birthday with your birth flower. Let's take one last picture, shall we?"

"Yeah, sure."

She crouches down to my level and I'm convinced she's just setting up the front-faced mode for a selfie but it's when I hear the soft sound of the shutter closing that I realise she had already captured me in the midst of it all, when I was preoccupied. By the roses or my thoughts, no one will ever know.

"Perfect."

I flinch slightly.

"No, don't say that Neha. I'm sure there's at least one flaw. Please tell me there's a flaw."

"June I don't-," she sighs in defeat and scrutinises the photo more carefully. "Well... uh... let's see. Oh, you have a bit of dirt across your cheek. It's light but it covers up your freckles there. It's quite cute if you ask me. Adds to the aesthetic of the whole shot."

"But it's a flaw regardless."

Neha's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Why are you smiling about that?"

"No reason. You wouldn't understand."

It's a secret between me and the roses, I think, as I caress the slightly wilted petal of the otherwise, flawless red rose. A perfect imperfection.

~ ~ ~

I excitedly open the door of our apartment to tell Adrian about our day only to be met with emptiness that seems to echo in the little vacancy of my heart.

Noting how crestfallen I look, Neha gives me a side hug as she says, "Come on June! We need to get you all glammed up."

"For what?" I reply morosely.

"Why do you need a reason? You're the VVIP for today. The star of the show. The queen of your kingdom. The-"

"Okay, okay enough Neha, I get it. You and your blasted metaphors," I interrupt and practically drag myself to my room, Neha following closely behind.

"Blame it on John Green, not me."

Several hours pass, or was it days, I don't even know, but Neha has finally finished doing my hair and makeup. Several tortuous hours of staying still (or at least trying to) as Neha burns my hair with a variety of 'hair styling' equipment and applies coloured pigments of God knows what on my face.

I'm quite grateful for the distraction she's providing. I don't need my mind dwelling on negative emotions. It seems to be doing that a lot more often nowadays.

She lifts my face up to admire her handiwork, a huge smile overtaking her face and she wordlessly instructs me to change into whatever's hung up in my closet.

My eyes narrow in suspicion, but she's already gone, probably to get herself ready.

Fabulous. I have to wait for another five hours.

You're not being realistic.

So sorry. I have to wait for another ten hours. There. Much more accurate.

I try to look in the mirror to see what she's done to my face, but I find myself incapacitated to do so. My mirror's been stolen!

Really? You stole my mirror so I can't look at myself. Amateur. I have a phone you know?

I reach for the phone on my bed, but it's gone!

Oh now you've done it.

I have no other choice but to comply with her wishes as I slip on whatever's in my closet, mind too preoccupied to notice what exactly I'm wearing.

Classic June.

I finally step into the foyer, barefoot and utterly clueless. I feel like a lost pupp- platypus.

I'm about to approach the full length mirror, but I'm stopped by a gasp.

I turn around to find Neha, looking absolutely stunning with her caramel skin glowing (I envy her), mouth hanging open in... awe?

"What?"

"June you look...," Neha starts but stops. "Wow. That dress is perfect for you."

"I don't get what you mean." God you sound so dumb Holmes.

"Turn around and you'll see what I mean," she says softly. She's grinning at me like she's just won the lotto.

And so I turn around to see what's left her so speechless.

I'm sure it's nothing.

It's not like I'm anything but the epitome of juvenile maturity. Stuck in the middle of insecurity and confidence. Unsure of who I am as a person, even at the age of twenty.

It's not like I could actually be-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Yay! A new chapter! After three weeks. I'm so sorry for the delay. I had exams so I was pretty busy with that but I've finally got some free time to publish this chapter :D

IT'S JUNE'S BIRTHDAY!!! WOO HOO! She's twenty now, but I still think she's more child than adult. I've been waiting to write this chapter for a long time so please tell me what you think about it!

Poor Adrian. I really hope June forgives him soon. And June's girl's day out with Neha was pretty... interesting to say the least.

I ended with a cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry. It's about time I ended with some sort of cliffhanger that wasn't so obvious. MWAHAHAHAHA cough I mean...

Anyways I don't have much to tell you guys except for the fact that you are awesome and I am so thankful you spend time to read my story. It truly means a lot <3

Vote, comment, add it to your reading list, library etc. You can also follow me if you want :)

Whether you follow me or not, I love you for just reading this <3