[Narrative] One Year Sadder Characters: Josh Foley. With special interruption by Cessily Kincaid. NPCs: --- Location: Xavier's School. Timeline: Thursday, October 1. Description: Some birthday sulking is in order. Rating: Low.
The phone was disconnected. Which was expected but still disappointing. Josh lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a moment, with a look that said he half-wondered if he mistakenly dialed the wrong number or if the reception was just bad here. So though the majority of him knew why the call to his parents hadn't gone through, he nonetheless wandered out of his room and into the open courtyard in search of better reception.
The second try reached the same disconnected message. This time, he didn't bother lying to himself why his parents changed their phone number and quietly, begrudgingly accepted that he wasn't going to hear them wishing him a happy birthday this year.
And next year, probably. And maybe the year after that too.
No reason to ruin a birthday, though, right? Plenty of people were disowned by their own family for being a mutant even though it was nothing of their fault. It was nothing to cry over about. He was still going to have a good birthday.