Happy Birthday!

For the average American, your 21st birthday is usually a time of celebration. For the first time in your young life, you're now considered an adult in the eyes of the state, and have access to all the perks that come with it. No more fake IDs when trying to sneak into the trendiest bars; no more asking your older brother to buy you booze because of the age restrictions; no longer being considered too immature to recklessly spend your hard-earned cash gambling at the out of town casino.

The loss of these restrictions is what normally fuels the big event. It's liberating - shedding yourself of the shackles of childhood. It's the one day in your life where you can be free of all limitations and have a day solely focused on you and your new-found freedom. A day where you can break the mold, push your boundaries, and make new kinds of mistakes. The sort that leave you high in a stranger's home at 3am, in a city you've never been, surrounded by people who only know you as "Seattle" because they're too drunk to remember your actual name.

Mine wasn't like that. I didn't have the extravagant party with the **** and the sex and the booze. In fact, for the better part of the day, I never even left the house. For all intents and purposes, my birthday was supposed to be a quiet affair; just another day spent with my parents, sisters, and older brother. A day where Caitlin and I could share the start of our journey into adulthood surrounded by the people who mattered most.

I certainly never intended on it being life changing.

But that's the thing about life, it never goes according to plan.

The problem with raising twins, according to my parents, is that everyone assumes you have to get two of everything. Two parties, two birthday cakes, two sets of gifts... The list goes on. For some reason, people assume that just because you have two kids who are celebrating everything at the same time, you're expected to double every major event that happens in their lives.

Caitlin and I never wanted that. We never expected our parents to divide everything between us. To her and I, our twinhood was about the connection that she and I shared; the inseparable bond which we'd known throughout our entire lives. Why have two parties when you could instead have a grand one with your best friend?

She and I did everything together. Highschool graduation, we walked arms linked up on the podium as we headed towards the principal to receive our hard-earned diploma. Our first experience with **** involved us clinging our shots of tequila together at a mutual friend's party, downing it in a single gulp before eventually sharing the same toilet as we later puked it back up. My shoulder was the one she cried on when that jerk Elliot Rashner broke up with her senior year, and she eventually returned the favor when she offered me hers when I learned that my first love Mary-Elizabeth cheated on me midway through freshman year.

We'd always been that way; a dynamic duo that always had each other's backs. Which is why it came to no surprise to anyone when Caitlin and I insisted on celebrating our birthday together, in the home that she and I'd grown up in. We didn't want a big party; that was to come later that week after our friends vehemently ignored our insistence. No, we were content with sharing a quiet day surrounded by family. Just mom, dad, our older brother Elias, his fiancee Becky, our younger sister Dana, and us.

Like I said, as far as birthdays went, it didn't start out different from any other. Our mother Erin had decorated the house like she always did: with glittering balloons floating around all floors of the house, "Happy Birthday" banners hung over all thresholds leading to the dinning room, and celebratory party hats that the lucky birthday boy and girl were expected to wear. Naturally we hated the hats, but they always made for embarrassing photos so we indulged her and went along with it.

"Please make sure Dana has finished wrapping all the gifts!" She'd yell to my father as she slaved away in the kitchen, ensuring her feast of pork, mashed potatoes, and ham was cooked to perfection for the big day. Our father Thomas, bless his soul, typically stayed out of her way, acting instead as back-up for whatever small task she needed him to do when she couldn't get around to doing it herself.

Our younger sister Dana was locked away in her room, hiding amongst the pile of gifts Caitlin and I were about to receive. She was the artist of the family, and had long ago accepted her role as the family's official gift wrapper. She didn't mind however - she'd often put way too much tape and would watch our frustration with obvious glee as we struggled to open each passing present. She'd always been rebellious in that way, as one would expect from the youngest of four.

Birthdays were always a fun time to get the family involved, and everyone had a role. Even Elias, although his had long been diminished ever since he'd moved out. These days, him and his fiancee Rebecca were regulated to cake duty; which worked for him because his lovely bride-to-be hoped to one day open a bakery. It's how they met actually - with Elias having showcased his baking skills at a party back in his university days. While Elias had always been pretty good with a whisk, there's no denying that Becky has done nothing but improve his skills.

"Guess who's home?!" We heard him shout as they arrived, Elias coming into the house first with Rebecca following shortly behind, large white box in her hands. Mom peaked out from the kitchen, welcoming the new arrivals and ushered them in.

"Good, good! You're here; perfect timing! Rebecca, you look lovely today. Elias! For Gods sake, help the poor girl with the box! A cake that size and you let her carry it all the way here? I raised you better than that! Tom! Tom, come help me set the table! Elias and Rebecca are here! Kids, dinner's ready!"

Just another ordinary birthday.

It wasn't long before dad had the table set and Dana juggled handfuls of gifts as she stacked her latest taped monstrosities into the living room. A few minutes later, we filled into the room, taking our appropriate seats around the table - Caitlin and I at its head. I smiled at her and she returned it, white grin framed by a cluster of freckles. She'd kept her long golden brown hair down today and was wearing a simple yet elegant dress with tights; a pairing she always insisted was her comfiest outfit. I pointed out the fact that her birthday hat was lopsided and she stuck her tongue out at me, pointing out that mine was hardly any better before turning to her plate and devouring her meal. I chuckled and joined her.

Dinner passed without an incident, everyone consumed by idle chat. Caitlin talked about the latest drama in her friend group, Rebecca shared the recent progress she'd made towards finding a proper location for her bakery, and Elias glared at Dana because she'd stolen his slice of ham while he'd been reaching for the potatoes.

Shortly after the leftovers had been put away, Rebecca appeared with the cake - a three layered behemoth that not only oozed chocolate but was also completely covered with candy; each layer sporting a different kind. Ten candles were placed around both of the bottom layers, with one giant, central flaming star sitting brightly on top. Caitlin and I glanced at each other, grinning like children as we were presented with heaven, the family singing Happy Birthday around us like a mismatched choir.

We took our time blowing out the two bottom layers, promising to only make our wish when we reached the very top. And, after counting to three, we leaned forward and finished the birthday tradition, Caitlin being a sneaky little shit by blowing ever so slightly before me.

That's when it happened - the moment that changed everything.

As we blew out the last candle, the flame seemed to flicker instead of extinguish. I expected it to diminish like all the others but instead it grew, explosively fast like the star it was. I couldn't even cover my eyes before a flash consumed me, first orange, then red, then white.

I was aware of nothing but the ringing in my ears, slowly shaking my head as I opened my eyes, thinking I'd gone blind when I saw only white. But I quickly realized I only saw white because there was nothing else to see. It was like I'd been consumed by an endless void, empty and barren everywhere I looked.

My family was gone, my sister no longer at my side, and I stood alone.

"Caitlin?" I yelled out, my voice echoing around me. "Mom? Dad? Anyone?"

Only silence answered me.

"What the hell is going on... Am I... Dead?"

My question was barely a whisper, my mind currently concluding that me having died was the only possible explanation for what had happened. However, it seemed the suggestion had sparked someone's interest because instead of silence, I heard the booming, deep sound of laughter, coming from everywhere at once.

Whatever it was laughed at me before speaking. "You? Dead? Far from it!"

I turned to try and pinpoint the source of the voice, finding nothing but endless white abyss. "...What? Who? What's going on!?"

"Something incredible!" I could almost hear whatever it was grinning at me. "You've been gifted, son. Imagine! A world, where women would love nothing more than to carry your children! A fantasy land where you have the universal right to impregnate any girl you want!"

At first, I just blinked, trying to comprehend what this entity was saying. "What the fuck are you talking about?" I shouted back with disbelief.

A resounding chuckle filled the void, the laugh deep and billowing. "Oh, you're going to love this." Any other noise was cut short by the sound of snapping fingers, and the white abyss literally shattered around me.

Just like before, a flash engulfed my everything, and I found myself shacking my head as the world came back to me. Blinding colors from the floating balloons filled my vision, laughs and cheers as my family celebrated Caitlin and I blowing out our last candle, and my birthday twin was once again sitting beside me, smiling and seemingly oblivious to what had just transpired.

Like I said, one's 21st birthday is quite often a life changing experience. And unbeknownst to me, mine had just changed in the most impossible of ways.

Happy birthday to me.