An Unforgettable Birthday

It's alright, he tells himself as he curls up under his comforter, knuckles bone white and crumpling one of the spare pillows. It's not a big deal, he whispers to the dark, lonely shadows, blinking away salty tears that cling to dark lashes. It's just one day, he thinks, just one day that happens every year, and he won't be upset about it. He won't be upset about it. Liar.