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He recalled the day he forgot Quinn's birthday. In fact, he didn't forget but he didnt think would want anything from him. She was well aware of his situation back then so he didn't think she would want something from him.

Well, he guessed wrong. Quinn received so many gifts and from a lit of people that her desk was like an airport gift shop filled with chocolates, balloons, plushies and other miscellaneous gifts.

Even if he brought her a gift his wouldn't probably drown in all those fancy gifts. But who would have thought that Quinn would stop talking to him. For the entire day she was angry at him and whenever he appeared she would glare at him like she wanted to kill him with her eyes.

At the end of school she dragged him to the nearest park and gave him a piece of cake but he refused to eat it. He wasn't really a fan if sweet things so he refused. Annoyed Quinn shoved the fork in his mouth and while he was chewing she took the same fork and ate a piece.

His eyes widened when he saw this. His entire body trembled unable to come to terms with the fact that she lost shared a fork with him.

While she was stabbing the fork in the cake to get another piece she asked, "Where is my birthday wishes and my gift?"

At that time he froze in place and couldn't speak. Quinn sighed then said, "If you eat this and say happy birthday then we can forget the gift," while pushing the fork towards him.

He moved his face away and shook his head in refusal. "So you don't even want to eat my cake? Is that it? Are we even friends?" she yelled and Leif shock his head.

What friends? One was the bully and the other the lackey that was all? Quinn was so angry that she stabbed the fork into the cake harshly and stood up before walking away angrily.

He had stared at that cake in the neat box silently. The cake wasn't as sweet as he thought. In fact, it wasn't the same cake that everyone had shared in school. It looked different and it was on it's own like she had bought this brand specially for him.

He hesitantly picked up the box and closed it nicely. When he got home he found his father in a better mood thus he told him about it. At that time he said, "Son, she obviously values you. It wouldn't hurt if you give her gift and say happy birthday. Trust me your life would be a whole lot easier." The pain and helplessness in his father's voice was apparent but at that time he didnt think too much.

He woke up early and took a bus to the early flea market and waited for them to open. As soon as they did he walked into a store and asked picked up a plain black pencil case with several compartments so she could separate pens, pencils and markers. He had seen the state of her pencil case and he knew she needed this.

When he walked to then counter the lady at the till was a little too friendly so she asked, "You already lost your pencil case when schools just opened barely a month."

Unwilling to be called careless he spoke the truth, "Its a gift... for a birthday."

The lady looked at the case and almost laughed. He must not care for that friend much whoever they are otherwise why give them a dull looking pencil case.

"A boy? You must hate your friend," said the lady and Leif then called Liam shock his head no and said,

"A girl."

The woman's eyes widened before she burst out laughing. But when she saw the little skinny boy's eyes grow colder and colder she said,

"Girls don't like that kind of stuff. See this," she said pointing at the little lamb with a mint green bowtie and two bow shaped hair pins near its ears, "this is what girls like."

He speciality remembered that she had a lot of two of those plushy things given to her so he said, "But she already has."

The lady chuckled softly before saying, "Are they from you?"

When he shook his head no she answered, "Then get it for her. A girl can never have enough plushies."

Leif really wanted to give the perfectly picked pencil case but maybe this lady was right. She was after all a woman as well.

"Okay," he said and bought the plushy that was out of his budget.

Who would have thought he would see the little lamb on Quinn's bed years and years later. It looked torn and someone had sewn it back together again. It was clean and smelt nice like he it had been washed regularly. It also had the sweet floral fragrance of Quinn's perfume.

Leif turned to look outside, the ceiling to floor window and saw Quinn doing yoga downstairs in a pose he couldn't even dream of doing.

His heart felt very complicated. She didnt seemed to have any of those other plushies but this one. The one he gave to her. So if she kept his gift then why couldn't she remember him or why didn't she look for him after he was hit by that car? He had a lot of questions that he needed answers to but he didn't dare ask her. He was afraid of the answer. Yes, afraid, a feeling he never felt before until now.

He put the plushy back were he found it and walked out the room and straight into his study with out looking. He closed the door harshly and took of his suit jacket before hanging it.

He slumped into his seat and tugged at his tie trying to block the unnecessary thoughts in his mind.

After calming down a little he took his cell phone and unlocked it before dialing the his therapist's number. Because of his status as a top tier client he could call at any time and the doctor would answer.

The elder gentleman was surprised to see that Leif actually called him and a video call at that. He pressed the answer key and said, "President Carnell, is everything alright?"

"I am sorry doctor Fillmore for calling like this," he said in a polite tone.

"No no no problem. Is there something on your mind?" asked doctor Fillmore a little anxious. This was outside Leif's usual habits which was worrying.