#nsbg7

11:51 AM

Old Brindleton Lighthouse

1:18 PM

Prism Family Lot

“Hyacinth.”

The unmistakable sound of a gun safety clicking off echoes down the street.

Fuck.

Something in the back of her mind tells her that running is useless.

Her legs move anyways.

“BIANCA!”

“Hang on!” Bee begs the fists banging on her door – probably about ten, if Lily Camryn roped the younger Sierra-Vo’s into it, too. “I can’t find something cute!”

The door opens a crack, and Casper barely gets their face in before all five spill onto Bianca’s floor, giggling and yelling at each other to get off of me!

“Bee,” Lily Camryn says while the younger kids bicker, “You look great.”

Bianca pouts. “But I wore this to Poppi’s birthday,” she whines.

“So you can’t wear it again?” Lily Camryn smooths the polka-dotted cardigan down. “No one’s gonna care!”

Before Bee can say anything else, Lily Camryn has their arms looped together and is pulling her into the hallway.

“What we do care about is that you blow out these candles!”

Upon seeing her, all the adults clustered around the cake start singing. Bianca has half a mind to retreat back to her room…but then again, everyone is so happy to see her…

Whatever, she finally decides, taking her place next to the cake. I’m turning into a teen today! I’ll be getting new clothes any minute now!

“O-kay!” Bianca flings the closet door open. “Whaddya think?”

Casper puts on their best fashion-designer face. “Looks very…wintery. But I like it! Just maybe not right now.”

Bianca huffs. “It’s no fun without teasing!”

“What?” Casper shakes their head. “What can I tease about it?”

“I dunno, but something!”

Casper looks her over again. “Those boots are kinda weird. They look too short.”

Bianca sticks a foot out. “Yeah, they are super old. Maybe Lily Camryn would like them!”

Casper waits while their cousin takes pictures – both of the boots and of herself – to send to her dear friend.

“But I do like it.” Bianca stares at them mischievously. “And you know what that means!”

Casper hops off the bed. “Yeah, yeah, you don’t have to push me in this time.”

My heart is like a singing bird

          Whose nest is in a watered shoot;

My heart is like an apple-tree

           Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;

My heart is like a rainbow shell

           That paddles in a halcyon sea;

My heart is gladder than all of these

           Because my love has come to me.

 Raise me a dais of silk and down;

           Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

Carve it in doves and pomegranates,

           And peacocks with a hundred eyes;

Work it in gold and silver grapes,

           In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;

Because the birthday of my life