Alice's Birthday

Sunday, 4th April 2049, 4:00 AM

On her bed, Alice half-awake checked for Noah. Her hand fell on the mattress, Noah wasn't there. She got up in her dazed state.

After the opening of the TItan's Training Ground, the group had spent three days running C Class dungeons. These three days were a little off. Alice felt Noah acting this way was familiar for some reason but she couldn't remember when she had seen him acting like this.

'Is he hiding something? He didn't even give me a kiss goodnight.'

In the darkness, she got off her bed scratching her hair as she walked towards the bathroom. Outside her room, she saw that in the complete darkness there was a small candle flame.

She walked towards, wondering why it was lit. As she got closer, she noticed in the room looked different, was it because she had just woken up? There were shiny patterns and sweet-smelling flowers set in the room. Thinking it was just her lack of sleep or the darkness, Alice was about to go to the bathroom. When she heard something.

A low voice gently singing, from behind her.

"Happy Birthday to you"

"Happy birthday to you"

She slowly turned and saw Noah walking towards her with a cake in his hands, candles with the number eighteen on top of it.

Shocked, she covered her mouth and tried to stop herself from crying. She had forgotten it was her birthday today, after the death of her parents she hadn't celebrated it once. To have Noah surprise her was what she had always wished for the last four years, it had finally come true.

Noah finished singing and waited for Alice to compose herself.

"Blow out the candles." Noah lightly said.

Whoooo!

The candles blew out. The lights turned on as well.

The whole room had been completely decorated. The table was set with food and drinks. The room walls with balloons to colourful streamers. There was a large pile of gifts near the couch. Noah had even brought in all her favourite types of flowers to decorate the place giving it a new life.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at your birthday for the last 4 years." Placing the cake down, Noah reached for a bouquet of purple hyacinth he had placed close by and gave it to Alice. Holding the beautiful purple bouquet her wine like eyes looked at Noah.

She knew that the flowers meant regret and that he was sorry. She came forward and gave Noah a hug, pulling back she looked at his handsome face, "It doesn't matter just be with me for a lifetime." Then kissed him.

Their lips parted and they stared into each other eyes not wanting to let go. Finally calming down the two pulled apart and sat down on the couch. Noah cut a piece of cake for both of them and set it next to them.

Alice was looking at the pile of presents next to her, "There are 5 of them?"

"They are the presents I wasn't able to give to you on your last four birthdays."

Noah and Alice had separated at the age of twelve, the bronze amulet they both always wore was considered an early thirteenth birthday present since he didn't know whether he'd be able to give it in person by the time of her birthday.

Alice started with the smallest. She unwrapped it and opened the luxurious box. It was a watch. An elegant watch, its body made of white gold and dial was a deep blue colour. It was custom made and even had her name etched on the back. Seeing it she was reminded of the watch Noah always wore, she looked at his left wrist.

"So it was a couple watch this whole time?"

Noah smiled and said, "This was the present I got for you in the first year I couldn't contact you. I got these custom couple watches. They have a special feature where a timer runs when the watches are separated," Noah showed his watch that had a number in the background continue to count on from 157,694,701 seconds. He put Alice's watch on her wrist and then held that hand. The watch finally stopped counting.

Noah looked at the large number that the watch stopped at, he felt emotional finally seeing it stop, "I've been wearing this watch since then, counting the seconds waiting to reunite with you. Today the timer finally stopped. When I had first worn it, I didn't think it would take so long..."

Alice looked at her watch that had the same number as Noah's, it had stopped as well as they held hands. Unlike Noah had seen the number count up from zero till the number it was now, she had just seen it, but she also felt emotional. She looked at the blue dial, her favourite colour since it reminded her of Noah's eyes, imagining Noah looking at the time and always being reminded of the time he was spending being away from her.

She didn't know what to say, words couldn't explain her feelings. Looking at his face she wanted to kiss it but then she felt like she wouldn't be able to ever let go. She moved on to the next present.

It was a necklace, an incredibly beautiful purple diamond necklace.

"This necklace is probably the cheapest of the gifts from the five, I spent all the money I had earned through my first acting gig on buying this necklace. So it does have some sentimental value. Looking at it now, the purple diamond isn't as close to being as beautiful as your eyes." Noah said looking at the necklace.

The third present was quite large, "Oh, is this a frame? Did you have some type of picture printed?"

Alice unwrapped the large present and was overwhelmed. It was a painting of her standing in a plain white dress reaching out with the sunset behind her. Looking at it a bit closer she noticed a little difference, she didn't look as pretty in real life as she did in the picture. She looked down and saw it was dated 2046.

"I look older in this painting than I did in 2046, who painted it..." She looked like she was 18 or older, not 15 the year it was painted. She looked at the signature and saw Noah's name.

"I couldn't see you for so long, so I started painting what you would look like when we would meet. This is the painting that came out best." Noah said looking at the picture. It felt great to have finally given it to Alice.

For a movie, he had to act as an art student so had learned painting. That's when had the idea of painting Alice. He spent months learning till he was good enough to put what he thought Alice would look like on paper.

Out of all of the presents, this was the one that took the most effort and time. It was also his favourite.

This was getting too much for her, the presents were not only extremely valuable but also had Noah putting all of his heart into each one. She didn't think she could open the rest of the presents, the three were enough for a lifetime.

"Just open the other two, I didn't put as much thought in them."

Alice looked at Noah suspiciously but she opened them.

The fourth present was a bracelet. This was the most expensive present from the bunch, he had spent almost half of the total money he had earned as an actor at the world's largest charity auction on this bracelet. It had a long history of bringing good luck to the wearer which was why he was stubborn in buying it. He didn't tell Alice that.

"Wear this bracelet, as much as you can, it is said to bring luck."

Alice looked at the bracelet, it was simple with a small black jewel and the rest made of platinum.

She put it down then looked at the last present, this was the present Noah most recently bought.

The fifth present was a new pair of glasses. Alice liked wearing glasses around, but the ones she wore would be for hiding her face. This new pair wouldn't hide her face anymore.

Putting the glasses on Alice, Noah nodded, "I have good taste."

She loved all the presents she got, but more than that she loved how it was proof that Noah had never forgotten her just like she had never forgotten him.

Noah hugged her, "okay, calm down, I'll spend the whole day surprising you. We still haven't gone on a date since we reunited, lets make today our first."

They both changed. Alice wore the watch and bracelet onto her right hand. She had the locket and the new necklace around her neck. She pulled her hair back and wore the glasses. She hadn't done anything special but she felt pretty today.

...

Noah drove Alice to a beach and got out of the car. He held her hand right hand with his left as he pulled her along the soft sand encompassing their feet. They stopped near the shoreline, the cool water passed their feet.

They both looked at the distant sun rising out, its colour's blooming from red to orange.

"We made it in time to see it," Noah said pulling Alice into his embrace. "We've seen the sunset so many times, we should see it rise once in a while." To not forget after the end, there is always a new beginning.

After the sun rose the two walked along the empty shore holding hands. They saw a restaurant nearby which they stopped at, they bought breakfast and ate sitting outside. The two were absorbed in each other they didn't even notice the time pass.

They got up again and walked back to the car, Noah took out towels for wiping the sand off, then a hat and mask. The beach had been mostly empty so he was fine without them, but to the next place they were going, he would need it.

...

At a counter, Noah bent a little, "Tickets for two."

Getting the tickets the two walked through the gate into the amusement park. With his arm around Alice, he walked through the crowds they stopped at everything they could stop at taking photos together and playing whatever they could play.

As they walked Noah noticed a few people stop and stare at him. He looked back, even with his mask and hat on the people recognised him.

"We're running." Noah pulled Alice along as the two ran through the crowd. They reached the haunted house and ran in to lose the people following them.

"Shall we go in?" Noah looked at the dark hallway.

Alice thought about it and nodded. They both ran in hearing loud screams had people chase them, had virtual monsters and realistic props all around.

Seeing the virtual monster catching up to them from behind, Alice looked back at Noah, "You can't let it catch up."

Noah bent down grabbed Alice's legs and had his head go through them and picked her up in a swoop. Alice now on Noah's shoulder tightened her hold bending down. Noah ran as fast he could, avoiding everything in his path, Alice laughed enjoying the dark atmosphere and surprised faces of the people in costume.

Getting out, Alice didn't come off his shoulder, "Carry me to the next ride!" She playfully said.

They ran through the crowd to the rollercoaster getting on, they got on near the front. The rollercoaster whizzed forward on the track, taking all types of turns. The ride itself wasn't as fun, it was the fact they were together that made it so enjoyable.

They got off and moved on.

...

It was dark now, the two sat in the Ferris wheel closing the door to the cabin. This was their final ride before they left. They sat in the rising cabin looking at the view of the city at night.

Alice set her head on Noah's shoulder, It was exhausting running around all day for so long, if she hadn't trained almost every day with Noah she wouldn't have been able to handle it. This was a nice peaceful end to all that excitement.

They sat in the cabin calmly, "We have one more place to go." Noah said looking at Alice.

"Is it another surprise?"

"Meeting a person, it might surprise who it is though." They got back in the car and drove to a harbour, he got off and stopped near a luxury superyacht, its size was compacted and it was run by an AI. Noah got on holding his hand out for Alice.

Alice grabbed his hand and jumped on, "Who are we meeting are they on the yacht?"

He opened the door to the control room and set the yacht to auto sail through a predetermined path.

As the yacht left the harbour Noah and Alice walked to the front of the yacht. The two stood together, taking in the ocean winds and the city view from the river they were sailing in.

"Someone wants to meet you," Noah said looking back. Other than them someone else had gotten on board.

Kira walked out, she had been up on the third floor looking out waiting for Alice and Noah. This was the location Noah had told her about, she had gotten on about an hour ago and had been waiting since.

Alice recognised Kira in a glance, "Kira!" She ran forward.

Kira had her eyes water as she smiled and ran to Alice, "Alice!"

They hugged each other tightly.

Noah was envious seeing this, this was the type of reunion he had been hoping for. Him coming back, the moment they both saw each other they would run into each other's arms. He walked away bitter, giving the two girls alone time.

...

Before they knew it, the girls were in tears, hugging as they sat on the floor.

Alice wiped her eyes laughing, "I've been crying all day now."

"I'm sorry, Alice! I'm so sorry!" All the feelings Kira had been holding up were released. "I shouldn't have left so suddenly."

Alice nodded, "It's okay I forgive you." Alice already knew that Kira wouldn't have left on her own. her situation was probably similar to Noah.

"My parents separated us they said your parents had gotten on the bad side of some powerful people so they had to avoid you. I couldn't do anything, I'm-"

'Was that why Noah's parents separated her from him as well?' Noah had said that he didn't know why his parents separated them when he had told her his story. She decided to ask him later. Alice hushed Kira with a finger on her lips, "After hearing Noah say it so many times, the word sorry is my most hated word, You don't need to apologise for anything, I'm just happy to see you again."

"How have you been?" Kira calmed down, she didn't think she was going to cry seeing Alice again. She felt embarrassed in the state she currently was in. She stood up again and fixed herself.

Alice stood with her. The two moved to the railing around the yacht. Leaning on it the two looked out into the water as they talked.

"It hasn't been great but now that you and Noah are back with me it couldn't be better," Alice said with a smile. She was thankful for Noah setting up this meeting with Kira.

The two spent the whole ride catching up on the years they missed together. Noah bored turned off auto sailing and was steering the yacht around with nothing to do. He watched the girls joke around from a screen near him, with a smile. Alice's happiness was contagious.

They finally stopped back at the harbour. The three got off and got in the car. Noah then chauffeured Kira back home. Finally driving back to the apartment with Alice.