Gloriana Regali

Birthday Present

“You did what?” There’s a hint of hysteria lingering in the heightened octaves of my voice as I squeak out the question, choking on soda in my rush to get the words out. The fizzing drink bubbles behind my nose like stinging static as the rest of the frothy mess not currently clogging my lungs dribbles out of the corners of my mouth. Heat is steadily scratching up my neck and nipping at the tips of my ears, a glaring flush that obnoxiously telegraphs my embarrassment. It seems to draw eyes like a neon sign flashing advertisements for my despair, though, in truth, it’s probably near impossible to see me tucked up in the far corner of a booth. The tall potted plant that stands adjacent to where I’ve wedged myself as far from prying eyes as possible acts as a green curtain to shield me from the curious eyes that have surely been drawn by my outburst. I take in a deep breath that rattles in my lungs singed by flavored seltzer before opening my watering eyes to regard Camilla. She’s still sitting beneath her crown of corkscrew curls with that same self-satisfied smirk on her bright red lips. Next to her, Mimi is a bit more sympathetic to my plight. She passes me a napkin to clean my face and I try not to cringe at the thin layer of foundation that comes away on the crinkled paper.