"What are you doing here? I thought you were busy tonight," Kevin commented, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Did she ditch you?"

Ash nodded, a slight sigh escaping her lips. "Yeah, seems like it. But what about you? What brings you here?"

Kevin smiled and replied, "I came here to take some pictures. Photography is one of my interests."

Ash offered him a drink, asking, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, sure," Kevin responded, accepting her offer.

Ash enjoyed the serene atmosphere of the place and the fact that it was not frequented by many people. It provided a breathtaking view, especially at night. Sometimes, she would ride her bike to this spot and spend the entire day here, listening to the soothing sound of the waves. It reminded her of home, evoking memories of a similar place in Delhi where she would often sit for hours, witnessing the good, the bad, and the ugly moments of her life.

Curious, Kevin asked, "How many of those drinks have you had?"

Ash chuckled, admitting, "Not much, just 3 or 4 straight vodka cans... Oh, excuse me, my mom is calling. I should answer it. Give me a moment."

"Sure, take your time. Put it on speaker so I can help if you say something silly," Kevin suggested, a playful tone in his voice.

 "Hey, Ash, my baby," her mom's voice came through the phone, and Kevin smiled, clearly pleased by the conversation. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, Mom. I miss you, and I wish I could talk to Dad. I miss him," Ash replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

"I miss you too, sweetheart. If Dad were here, he would be super proud of how far you've come. Ash, have a great time with your friends and enjoy every moment while you can. Bye, Ash," her mom wished her, conveying her love and pride.

Kevin gently held Ash's hand, his voice filled with warmth. "He would be very proud of you, Ash."

Ash's birthday had arrived, catching Kevin by surprise. "It's your birthday, and you didn't even tell me?" he remarked, a mixture of curiosity and playfulness in his tone. 

"Kevin, it's my birthday, and I still have an hour left until it ends, so I have something to tell you. Birthdays have never been my thing, and they often serve as a yearly reminder of how badly things have gone. I prefer to be alone on my birthday, and I wasn't really interested in seeing anyone, especially not you. I didn't want you to witness my pitiful state," Ash confessed, her voice filled with a touch of vulnerability. 

I'm not sure if Kevin left because he was upset with me or enraged, but he did. I pulled out my phone and viewed the images from the previous year. I occasionally do that when I don’t feel like not talking to anyone.

 Uncertain if Kevin had left because he was upset or angry, Ash took out her phone and scrolled through the pictures from the previous year. It was a habit she indulged in when she wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

Suddenly, she noticed a figure approaching her, but in her slightly intoxicated state, she felt defenceless. Why was someone coming towards her? And why did they have a knife? Panic rose within her as she fumbled for her phone, intending to call 911. However, before she could react further, she realized it was Kevin. He sat down beside her, a slightly breathless smile on his face. "There wasn't a cake shop nearby, so I had to run 2 kilometres" he explained, presenting a small cake that read, "Happy birthday, risk-taker."

 ‘Quick you only have 5 mins.’ He sang happy birthday to me with his beautiful smile, making my birthday very special.

 Time seemed to slip away as they sat there, chatting and drinking, completely unaware of the passing hours.

As the evening progressed, Kevin posed a thought-provoking question to Ash. "Why do you think you messed up this year too?" 

"Kevin..." Ash hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Yeah?" he responded, giving her his undivided attention.

In the midst of their conversation, Ash suddenly felt a wave of nausea overwhelming her. "HUUUURGGEHH," she couldn't hold it back and ended up vomiting, feeling utterly disgusted. 

‘Ash, oh my god, are you okay? Here, have some water. Come on, I'll drop you home.’

"Oh, Ash, are you okay?" Kevin rushed to her side, offering her water and concern etched on his face. "Come on, I'll drop you home."
"No, I'll cycle back. It's not far, just a few minutes from here,"

"Are you normally this crazy, or is it just the drinks talking? Let's walk to your place, okay?" Kevin suggested, his voice filled with genuine care.

"Alright then, let's go, bitch," Ash jokingly replied.

Eventually, they arrived at Ash's building. "I'll go alone from here," she said.

"Are you sure?" Kevin inquired.

"Yes,"

"Okay then, see you in class,"

 "Hey Kevin"

 ‘Yeah?’

 "I didn't exactly dislike this birthday."

Kevin couldn't control his smile.  

As Ash entered her apartment, she was greeted by flying footwear hurled in her direction. "Jenny, what the fuck? That could have hit me in the face," she exclaimed, partly irritated and partly amused.

"I tried to aim for it, but I missed. Where were you all day, Ash? You didn't call, leave a message, or even respond to my text," Jenny questioned, a mix of concern and annoyance in her voice.

"I thought you had your shift, and I was feeling quite bored, so I went out. Okay, I'm sorry. Okay, I apologize.

Now, how about a cake?" Ash proposed, attempting to mend the situation.

"Okay, I'll forgive you, but give me that cake right now," Jenny replied, her tone softening.

"But whose birthday was it?" Jenny asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Taking a deep breath, Ash prepared herself to reveal the truth. "So, I'm going to run away once I say this. It was my birthday."

In response, Jenny started throwing pillows at Ash, a mix of surprise and amusement on her face.

"I thought you would be on your shift, and I didn't want you to take a leave or anything. I don't like big parties, I just prefer being alone on my birthday. And right now, I don't have anyone here. Oh, and I turned 19 today, woohoo," Ash explained, her words flowing out in a slightly intoxicated manner.

"Ash, how wasted are you?" Jenny questioned, a mix of concern and amusement in her voice.

"I had four drinks before Kevin arrived, and after that, I lost count," Ash admitted, her voice slightly slurred.

"Who is Kevin?" Jenny inquired, her curiosity piqued by Ash's mention of his name.