I was picking a dress for a reason I didn't know, and I was currently in a changing room at Aunt Em's clothing shop, I didn't know how to put this one on properly. It was covering everything it needed to cover, but something was off about how it was put on me.

I was not having a good day. First I wake up and when I weigh myself, I'm still under the goal weight. And to add onto that, it's my birthday tomorrow. I hate my birthday. It's never a good day.

"Kiara!" I heard Momma call out to me, giggling as she called me.

"Sexy Fire Beast is calling!" Arabella teased.

My heart dropped and I threw the door open, running to wherever everyone was gathered. I grabbed my phone, clearly already beet red.

"What?" I answered immediately.

"Uhm... that was a little mean." Vivi said through the phone.

"Sorry... ugh! Remi! I'm gonna kill him!" I growled.

"Why? What happened?" He asked me.

"Nothing. What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just wondering if you were almost done and if you wanted something for when I come pick you up. I'm stopping by Angel's." He told me.

"I want a box of brownies please." I sighed.

"Ok. Got it." He said to me. "How's it going over there, Kiwi?"

"I just don't understand why I need a dress." I sighed.

"It's useful to have, that way if we ever have a party for anything, you'll have something to wear at least." He told me.

"But they're all pretty." I pouted.

"Just pick your favourite. You can always get other ones next time." He told me.

"Ok... I like this black one... is black too dark?" I asked him.

"No. Anything is fine, baby, as long as you like it." He said to me.

"Ok." I nodded.

"Alright. I'm on my way, then, Kiwi. I'll see you in a few." He said.

"Ok, bye, Vivi, I love you." I said.

"Bye, Kiwi." He said, and then he hung up, making me sigh.

It had been May when we met, now it was September and this man was still refraining from telling me he loved me. He was super sweet and he acted like he loved me. I felt loved with him, but hearing it made a big difference. Sometimes I felt like I was a burden to him and he only took care of me because he felt responsible for me as my caregiver. It would mean the world to me to hear that he loved me.

I got over my embarrassment about his name in my phone because of this whole loving me thing. I immediately changed his name since I'd forgotten before. I pondered over what would be a good name, but only one seemed to fit.

Home.

He wasn't just a person to me. He was so much more. He was my home. With him, anywhere could be safe and warm and I could be happy. He just had to be there and it meant I was home.

I returned back to the changing room and I put my clothes on. Then I returned to the girls. They asked about the name in my phone and I just explained everything. Knowing Remi, they all believed me.

Before I knew it, Vivi was picking me up and taking me home. I plopped onto the bed immediately and Vivi made me get back up and get ready for bed properly, then he let me sleep laying on top of him, which was nice.

When I woke up, it was because Vivi was poking me. But I didn't want to wake up that day, it wasn't a good day.

"Kiwi. Get up, baby." I heard Vivi say.

"No." I said, hiding my face in a pillow.

"What happened to my early bird?" He asked me.

"Fine." I said, getting up and going straight to the bathroom.

Bring it on, birthday.

What're you going to do to me this time?

Is Vivi leaving?

Am I gonna die this time?

What?

What now?!

Another kidnapping?

What?

What could it possibly be this year?

"Ok... someone's grumpy this morning." Vivi grumbled from the bedroom.

I washed my face, brushed my teeth, got dressed and went to the kitchen to find a full buffet of food. I felt very pleased with the buffet in front of me, but I felt myself being dragged away from the kitchen by Vivi.

"Why?! I wanna eat!" I growled.

"First. We weigh ourselves." He said to me.

"Why? For some early morning disappointment?" I asked.

"Stop being so grumpy, Kiwi. Come on, get on the scale." He told me.

I got on it, and let him read the number then I was suddenly snatched up from the scale and spun around.

"One hundred and ten!" He cheered.

"No way!" I screeched, happiness filling every bit of me.

"I'm serious. Look." He said, pointing at the scale that still displayed my weight on it. Sure enough, I was two pounds above the goal I'd set for myself. I had achieved my goal.

I screamed and hugged Vivi tightly. I couldn't think of anything sad anymore.

"Let's go get some breakfast then, Kiwi. I'm so damn proud of you, baby." He said to me.

After we had breakfast. He took me out, without any mention of the fact that it was my birthday. I was glad actually. There was nothing to celebrate really. Every year, this particular day had managed to be horrible. I didn't need to start celebrating it now.

He took me canoeing, and we found ourselves in the middle of a beautiful lake, that's when he stopped rowing.

"Happy Birthday, my little Kiwi." He said to me.

"My birthday isn't happy." I sighed.

We had talked about birthdays before, but I just avoided telling him about how horrible all my birthdays were.

"Yes it is." He told me.

I thought about it. I really thought about it for a moment. And all I could think was how horrible it was.

"No." I shook my head.

"It's the day you were born, baby, the day you came into the world." He said to me.

"Why is that important?" I asked.

"It is to me. Because I'd be alone without you, so I'm thankful you were born twenty three years ago, baby." He said to me.

"I'm not." I said. "Everything would be better if I just didn't exist."

"What? What am I hearing?!" Vivi asked in shock.

"I wouldn't have had to go through all that. I love you, Vivi and I'm so happy I get to live with you, but all together.... everything all that pain, it just feels like a waste of a life to me." I shrugged.

"Have I not made life worth living for you?" He asked me.

"You have. But... the past still exists, there's no erasing it." I told him.

"But the past is the past. No matter how many times it gets to you, I'm here. We're going to get through everything and live happily." He told me. "What would I do without you?"

"Uhm... live?" I asked.

"No, I can't live without you." He told me.

"You were." I said.

"I was but I was miserable. I was miserable and you were what saved me." He insisted.

"But if it wasn't me it would be another girl." I said, feeling a stab in my chest. "Less trauma, less stupidity, less childishness, easier to handle, and just all around better than me."

I felt him grab my face, looking me directly in the eye and telling me to stop saying such foolish things.

"No, Kiara. No. I could only ever be with you. Any other girl wouldn't be able to do for me what you have. There's no girl like you in the entire world, Kiwi. I want you to stop thinking like that." He said to me.

"I hate my birthday." I said looking down at my hands which shook gently. He took them in his hands and he looked me directly in the eye.

"Baby. Tell me exactly why you hate your birthday. No beating around any bushes." He said to me.

"Because every year, my birthday is bad." I said to him. "Did you know I was admitted to the orphanage on my birthday? Then every year I'd get a beating for still being there after turning a whole year older. Then I got kidnapped on my birthday and taken to the facility. Every year, they'd beat me worse than ever before on my birthday and it progressively got worse. Then my eighteenth birthday, I was stripped and humiliated and I never got my clothes again."

Vivi leaned over, kissing me on the forehead and taking my hands, squeezing them tightly.

"But this is the first birthday that won't be in some sort of facility." He told me.

"This is going to be an amazing birthday. You've started it off by coming here with me after achieving your goal weight. Although, you didn't seem to care for the pretty view." Vivi said to me.

"It's pretty." I giggled. "Thanks for bringing me here even though I was so grumpy."

"Thanks for being my cute little companion. I've had an amazing summer, Kiwi." He said to me.

"Me too, Vivi." I said, wishing I could crawl into his lap but knowing I couldn't while we were on this boat.

After canoeing, he took me to watch a movie and then we went skating because he knew I liked it, and finally we headed to the mansion. I had a really fun birthday, and I was glad about that.

He took me to his room and I took a calm, peaceful shower, then I came out and he was dressed really nicely, confusing me.

"Are we going somewhere?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Why don't you wear your dress?" He asked me.

"Somewhere fancy?" I asked.

"Kind of." He smiled at me.

I shrugged and just put my dress on, wondering if I'd get to see Ari or Remi at some point. I missed them and I just wanted to hang out.

"Vivi, I don't wanna! I'm tired." I said, just wanting to call some family over and relax.

"Please. Please, baby, we'll make it short." He told me and I put on my pretty dress. But I made sure I didn't look happy about it.

When we walked out of the bedroom, all the lights were still off just like they had been when we walked to the bedroom. I don't know why Vivi didn't bother with the lights.

"Vivi! Turn the light on... I can't see anything." I said.

"Alright." He smiled, letting my hand go and then moving towards the light switch in the dark. Then he turned the light on and I jumped up in shock. The entire family was standing in a decorated room.

"Happy birthday!" They all yelled.

I let out a surprised squeak and then Vivi wrapped his arms around me from behind, kissing me cheek and smiling.

"Surprise, Baby." He said softly.

"All this.... it's for me?" I asked in shock.

"Of course." He said to me, kissing my cheek again.

"W-w-w-why?" I asked in shock.

"Because we all want you to know how much you're loved and we want you to have an amazing birthday." Vivi said softly.

"I'm already having the best birthday in the world... thank you!" I said to everyone, my body shaking as I felt tears stream down my face.

This was completely unexpected but it was the best thing I ever could've imagined.

"Pwetty!" Mia and Mila both screeched, running over to me.

I laughed as they hugged my legs tightly.

"I love you, cuties." I giggled.

"Love you too, Pwetty!" They giggled.

Everyone suddenly walked over and engulfed me in a huge hug. It felt good to be a part of this wonderful family. I just hoped nothing would ever take them away from me.

"Time for gifts!" Ari cheered, and she pulled me to the couches.

I was met with a mountain of wrapped presents and I was so shocked. I didn't expect any of this. I expected to have a boring miserable day at home with Vivi.

"Open mine first!" Remi cheered, handing me a gift.

And so, the gift opening began and let me tell you, it was a long, emotional process.