I turned 24 on Monday.

Although I had absolutely no intentions to celebrate or even make my birthday known, I was genuinely surprised at the way things turned out.

I left home slightly after 10pm on Sunday night, as Im wanted to eat at our most recent favorite place (Mak's Place), well cos I couldn't say no to the steak. So his friends picked me up, and off we went. Slightly after 11pm and after the yummy steak, we left the place and Faizan had said he needed to grab some keys from his brother first. So we stopped at East Coast Park where everyone alighted and sat at the benches, and we apparently waited for the other car to arrive.

But they took long enough, and suddenly in the middle of conversations, the rest popped out with the cake and candles, and I was totally stunned. Yes, thank you, I am deeply touched, and am proud to own a new jacket and a fantastic book.

So I met the girls on Monday at the usual cheapskate street where we absolutely love (50cts for tea), and to my pleasant surprise, there were more than I expected. Mardi and Shiks tagged along with Hida, too, which was great. Other than really sucky service from an abang-lobang-who-can't-cook-pasta-for-nuts (damn it, what a fucking waste of good seafood), I had lots of laughs, and thank you for the $1 pink fan, the pickup sticks, the purse and the bags.

I think the sweetest part of my birthday was the morning itself. I couldn't rise early enough to feel the morning sun, but I wake up to phone messages of friends and cousins wishing me well. Like I've mentioned, I wasn't about to make anything known or anticipating greetings, but this time, they all came from those who, after all these years, I realised mattered most to me.

I love you like I've always known how. :)