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“Do you want to talk?”

“No, not now…”

Ken nodded, even though she was uncomfortable. She bit her lower lip and looked a little uneasy.

“Who made you cry like that, Roni? Can I punch this person?”

I smiled weakly and stole another peck from her.

“You're very cute when you worry like that.”

She laughed and shook her head, still touching my face in a gentle caress.

“I… I…” The words choked in her throat as she thought about what she would say. “I care about you a lot, shorty.”

“And I thank you for that,mami.”

We lay on the bed for a while, and I took the chance to curl up against her, listening to her heartbeat as her gentle strokes through my hair kept me calm. The girls came back soon with drinks, but we both stayed in Kendra's room until we needed to leave for practice. However, before we even left the room, she asked me:

“Are you sure everything’s okay?”

No, I wasn’t sure. And no, nothing was okay at all.

However, I learned from a very early age to deal with heavy things. I had been through hell in my life more times than I could count, and it wouldn't be the past that would paralyze me now. I felt the pain, anguish and frustration, but I would give it my all when we entered the gym, because that was how all these feelings would dissipate.

“It will be, let’s just go practice, please.”

Ever since Colleen became Derek Torres' official girlfriend, I found my cousin to be the most unbearable person on the planet. Everything—absolutely everything—was about him. And while I was somewhat grateful that all her focus today was on him, I couldn’t help but wonder if she had completely forgotten the most important thing about this day: my birthday.

I wouldn't dare talk to other people about this, I wasn't an enthusiast of the date, but Colleen simply not saying anything, as she was always the first to congratulate me, it was a little absurd. I felt uncomfortable with the situation and the things Veronica told me last week. What Emily was doing was insane and it was horrible that she and Troian had to deal with this in complete silence. I wanted to tell Karlee what was happening, but Veronica forbade me and, no matter how impulsive mydesire was, I was aware that the matter was serious enough to respect what she had asked of me.

“Hey, what do you think about going to karaoke today?” Jaz threw herself down next to me, stretching her legs as she panted. She had just come down from the pyramid.

“Hm, I don't know...” A glimpse of Hayley came to my mind, but I quickly kicked the image out. Veronica came over and knelt in front of me.

“What are you two talking about?”

“I said we should go to karaoke downtown today.” Jaz was quicker to respond to the girl in front of me.

“I don't know, I think training will suck everything out of us today…” I commented, wanting to decline the invitation.

“Oh, but it would be fun to go there…” Roni begged with her eyes. “The distraction would definitely be welcome.”

A grimace took over me.

“I don't know...” It was my last answer before Karlee demanded that we all stare at the television with footage of the latest sequence.

Part of me hoped I’d be too tired to even think about going out, but another part wanted to clear my head and have a few drinks with my friends. After all, it was my damn birthday—even if no one else knew.

I felt like my back would break like Bella Swan's about to give birth to Renesmee if I performed one more stunt, such was the pain. Luckily, Colleen brought us back to the dorm and I stayed with my eyes closed the entire way, praying that I would get to my bed and, preferably, die there. My cousin hadn't yet opened her mouth to congratulate me; Not at all, it still bothered me, but I tried to ignore the feeling.

Veronica, on the other hand, seemed too distracted in her own mind. She was a little quiet and oblivious to the world. Colleen stopped the car and we said goodbye. My walk was slow and Veronica followed me, we looked like two 90 year old women walking leaning on each other.

“What do you think about going to karaoke today?” Roni brought the subject up again.

“I don't know... You know I used to hook up with the owner of that bar, don't you?!” I questioned, I didn't want to cause jealousy or anything like that, but if I were in her position, I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable going to the bar of someone my… Well, my girlfriend… kissed. Shit, that word seemed to light up like a Christmas tree.

“I know and I don't care.” Veronica's assuredness was commendable. “Do you have feelings for her?”