birthdays

may 5

malibu

"go happy! go happy! go happy!" i cheered from the outside the boxing ring as he knocked my dad down.

happy grinned, throwing his hands up in the air, like he had just won the match. my dad had convinced happy to teach him boxing, and it was funny watching them. most of my free time was spent following them around with a camera.

"oh, you think you're so good at this," my dad muttered muttered as he got up. "c'mon riley. let's see what you got against happy."

"why do i always get dragged into this?"

"that's not fair," happy argued. "she's been training since she was eight."

"yes, well," my dad began, "i want to see you getting your ass handed to you by an eleven year old."

"hey! i'm fifteen!"

"sixteen," my dad corrected nonchalantly.

"wait, what?"

my dad looked at me, "it's may fifth. your birthday. and unless i've been getting your age wrong all along — which would be real embarrassing — you're sixteen today. 'tis the day i met you and your floating cradle."

"i still think you exaggerated that cradle," happy muttered.

"oh," i muttered to myself. with being the main organizer of the stark expo, my dad's erratic behavior, and blowing up tour buses, i hadn't even realized how much time had passed. "i can't believe it's already may."

my dad walked out of the ring and pulled me into a hug. he kissed the top of my head, "happy birthday, minnie. oh, and your present's coming later today."

"oh, i don't—"

"hush!" my dad said. "it's coming today!"

i winced, internally of course. the last time my dad tried to gift me something, it was the company. if his previous gift was anything to go by, he'd either buy me something as useless as an eraser, or unnecessary as a small town in texas.

and i wasn't sure which one was worse.

"alright. enough sappy stuff," my dad said, shoving me playfully, "i want to see you beat up happy."

"hey, hey," happy muttered as i pulled my boxing gloves on, "happy birthday, ri ri. i'm — i'll go easy on you. you know, because it's your birthday. i don't want you to be sporting injuries on your sweet sixteen."

"that, or the fact that you know i'm going to win?"

"that may or may not play a role in my decision," happy put a hand up, "but mainly because it's your birthday."

"mhmm?" i drawled out sarcastically.

"hey," my dad threw some popcorn into the ring, "less talky, more punchy."

my dad got me a small town in texas.

just kidding!

i stood outside the door, looking at his present. i felt like one of those cartoons, where their jaws are all the way on the ground. the way my dad was laughing at my expression, i was pretty sure it was on the floor.

because in front of me was a harley davidson sportser.

my dad grinned at me, "better than the company, eh?"

i nodded multiple times, my jaw still hanging, "oh, so much better."

"try it out?"

i gave him an incredulous look, "i can't just try it out! i just passed my driver's test. today! it's going to take like a year or two before i can legally drive this. i mean, unless you want to buy me a private track with this."

"on it."

"i was being sarcastic," i told him. "don't do it! i just — i wasn't expecting this. not for another year, at least."

"eh, better to be prepared for the future," my dad muttered. "well, it's not illegal for you to sit on it, is it?"

"oh my gods, can i?!"

"it's yours," my dad said, "do whatever you want with it."

i approached it gingerly, and ran my hand over the vinyl seats. a custom harley davidson leather jacket was laying on the seat, and i picked it up, suppressing the urge to squeal. it had the harley davidson logo on the back, and my initials r.a.s. in a small print over my left side. i pulled it on carefully, and flexed my shoulders. perfect fit.

i turned to my dad who was watching with a small, sad, sort of smile on his face.

"it's beautiful," i muttered, admiring the gift.

"course it is," he agreed. "i bought it."

i sat on the harley, and twisted the key in the ignition. i revved the engine and pressed my fist against my mouth, squeezing my eyes shut as i listened to the engine.

"this is the most amazing thing in the history of all amazing things," i told my dad seriously. 

he grinned, "i'm brilliant."

"yes you are."

the rest of the day was pretty uneventful.

it was my sweet sixteen, but i already decided (a while ago) that i wasn't going to have a birthday party. i wasn't sure how i felt about my dad being around people, especially with how he'd been acting recently.

annabeth was the first person to iris-message me. she sent some pictures for the scrapbook she gifted me two years ago, and a pampering basket through the mail. she knew — to an extent — about all the fuss my dad was creating, and decided that i needed to relax. 

nico was the second person to call me. he had sent me some band t-shirts (signed by all of the deceased members of the band). it was pretty damn cool. he told me he might drop in soon for more pop-tarts, and i told him to use the front door this time. 

my siblings who were staying year-round were the next to contact me. they'd all banded together and created diy wall art for me. it was beautiful. there were collages, pictures, quotes, and some sports art. i stuck in over my desk in the workshop immediately.

the next person to call was juniper. grover was on his way to bring together nature spirits, and he wasn't able to contact me. juniper sent me a kit of essential oils, and candles — all different scents — and almost disconnected the iris-message trying to hug me.

a bunch of campers sent me individual iris-messages, and i got a lot of birthday cards, and balloons in the mail.

percy iris-messaged me a little later in the day. he apologized profusely, rambling on about how he just woke up (it was a weekend), and contacted me right away. i told him it was okay. his mom said happy birthday, and he sent his present in the mail. 

it was a wind chime, complete with dove and seashell pendants. i hung it on my balcony immediately. 

pepper and i went to ihop (tradition!) and ate their breakfast waffles at seven pm. she got me another charm (a cute little dolphin) for my charm bracelet. of course, she played the kazoo for half an hour once we returned home.

my mom had re-stocked my wardrobe with unnecessary designer clothes (i wasn't complaining, she has good taste).

even my visions decided to give me a present.

"happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," buck and steve sang the song to rebecca.

"make a wish," buck told her, motioning to the candles.

rebecca smiled at her brothers. she closed her eyes briefly, before blowing out the candles.

later, while they were sharing the cake, steve asked her, "so, freckles. what'd you wish for?"

rebecca laughed, "i can't tell you that or it won't come true."

"dove's got a point, steve," buck pointed his fork at her.

the vision skipped some time, and it was later at night. rebecca and buck were sitting on a windowsill, their legs dangling out of the window. i blinked, and the next thing i knew, i was rebecca.

like i was sitting, where she was, in her body, seeing with her eyes. i couldn't control my / rebecca's movements, but i didn't panic either. something about it, it just felt right.

buck turned to me/rebecca.

with a soft smile on his face, he nudged me, "happy sixteenth, dove."

it was nighttime when i received the last present of the day.

when i entered my room, there was a package sitting on my bed with a small note attached to it. i was confused as to who hadn't wished me happy birthday yet, until i read the note. 

dear beauty queen,

happy birthday! yay! great, you lived another year.

before you accuse me of being a stalker, i should remind you that you mentioned may fifth was your birthday while we were arguing about our age. i may have gotten the date wrong though. (if i did, just pretend it's your birthday)

honestly, you better thank your fucking friends. i've only been doing this for one year, and i already want to cry. (don't listen to anything alabaster adds. he's a lying ass)  i guess the real problem with getting you a birthday present is: what to buy a girl who has (or can get) whatever she wants?

the answer.... i don't fucking know. (don't expect me to get sentimental on you)

i had given up and was about to buy you a dumb card and helium balloon from the dollar store when alabaster pointed out a vinyl store. (can you believe they still exist?)

going with my gut, i got you a couple. (if you don't have a vinyl player, buy one)  you should like this, i have good taste, and mainly because it's a lot of rock music. y'know, acdc, led zeppelin, black sabbath, even some of the newer ones like imagine dragons.

that little box thingy is the product of my boredom a month or so ago. i basically compiled the most amazing songs ever to exist (don't you dare try to disagree with me) on a mixtape. it took work, so you better have a walkman or a radio (once again, buy it if you don't have it)

oh, and one more thing on top of the little box thingy. open it. it looks cool, and i figured you'd appreciate it. (it goes on your thumb)

anyways, happy birthday.

- e.n.

i picked the tiny box up at the top first. inside was a silver thumb ring with a small dove engravement on the inside. i slipped it on immediately, almost squealing at the perfect fit.

i flipped ethan's letter over, and there was a short note in slightly scrawled handwriting.

ethan's lying. he cried three times.

- a.t.

i snorted at the thought of ethan crying. i was a little upset (and confused) at the reminder of alabaster. he was a son of hecate, and lou ellen and cynthia roger's half brother. it made me sad as i realized how many demigods had joined their forces.

then i saw the vinyls and mixtape.

and squealed.

REY WRITES !

thanks for reading !!