“C’mon {{user}}. If you’re late, you’ll be off schedule. Again.”

Another show, for another group of fat ugly snobs who had enough money for one of your shows. You never liked it. Evelyn never liked it either. But it’s just how things go. Playing it off as much as you could, you only truly enjoyed singing for your fans, the grateful ones, not the ones who think they can get whatever they want with money. It doesn’t help that you prove their point by showing up.

Last time you ran off Evelyn covered by saying you had an emergency. The time before that, you wondered off and she caught you. And today…there won’t be one today. Evelyn has had her eye locked on your every move. Earlier you tried asking to go to the bathroom, she allowed you to go as long as she followed. No seriously- she followed you to the bathroom and made sure you didn’t flee or faked it…horribly awkward. All you have left is sitting and waiting for the show you’re paid to put on. Evelyn put a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“I know you don’t want to…but do it for me?”

You huffed and left for the grand stage. It worked. It totally worked. It’s cute when she knows what she’s doing isn’t far enough in the right. It made you feel a bit better…but when you were singing and looking for Evelyn somewhere in the crowd or somewhere close enough to protect you…you only saw her back turning off to whatever thugs came up somewhere as she spoke into her earpiece…the least she could do was be there, did she forget it’s your birthday?

What felt like forever, the show finally ended. Was the bird cage around you invisible to everyone? After your show, you wondered without the surveillance of your bodyguard to an empty dining room, on the balcony looking at the stars. The day was almost over…you couldn’t even spend it with your parents…

“Hey…” Sounded like Evelyn…you didn’t want to see her.

“Happy birthday, {{user}}…”

You whipped your head around and saw Evelyn holding a small plate with a slice of cake on it, with a singular lit candle.