(OPEN) A NOT SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY

[CHRISTOPHER HAWTHORNE]

The boy sat up in his bedroom, glancing over at the clock with those crimson red eyes of his. It was 9:03, gah. WAY too early for a Saturday morning.

He did NOT remember that it was his birthday that day.

Walking outside his small mess of a god damn room, he headed straight to the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror with a bored, straight face. His hair was a mess and he was still sleepy but he already got up, no need to waste more energy going back to sleep and getting up three hours later.

He walked back inside the room, picking out his clothes. Jeans, boxers, his regular undershirt, button up, and his sweater before quietly walking back into the bathroom to take a shower.

He didn't take that long in the bathroom and walked out, fully clothed. Chris went downstairs, only to trip on a misplaced brick in the wall, landing face flat onto the cake that his parents were apparently holding out for him. Yeah, thanks dad.

Looking at the two adults with a straight face that almost seemed as if he was glaring, hearing a loud gulp from his dad.

"Ehh, happy birthday Chris!! You're eighteen!"

The man shouted happily but only earned a silent glare from the teen. So what if he was eighteen?

He wiped his face clean on the man's shirt before taking the last piece of toast and a water bottle, he walked out, heading for the park.

It was early, so why the hell would he waste time in the park? Simple. To wake himself up.

On the way to the calm, green, peaceful paradise, the boy stopped and rested by a bench, tired already from walking. A car drove by quickly and right on the puddle that was by the sidewalk, splashing Chris.

Great.

He sulked, continuing to walk along the sidewalk, hurrying his steps as to avoid the weird stares.

He was there already, but it did NOT make his "happy" birthday happy at all.

[ROXANNE SAGE]

Having to finally escape the clutches of her godparents, the young girl ran down the stairs and out the door gripping the decorated bag in the other. It was her cousin’s birthday to be more specific it was his eighteenth birthday which meant that he was an adult now. Yet there were so many things that he had to learn about the world and get his nose out of those boring books. She couldn’t see what was so interesting about them; there was nothing, but endless pages of words constantly. The last time she tried reading one of those books she got confused and dizzy. Shaking her head slightly she began walking down a familiar street.

Roxanne was heading over to Christopher’s house for a special visit and to give him his gift. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw it! Of course she knew that he wouldn’t be too happy about it and maybe a little suspicious of how she even obtained the object in the first place, but hey! That’s what surprises are for! Finally reaching the house small fingers reached out and pressed the little button as the door bell rang loudly. Waiting patiently, finally someone came and opened the door.

”Hi auntie! Is Angie here?” She said his nickname with a hint of a giggle, ”I come bearing with gifts and good fortune!”

“Ah, no you just missed him.” She replied, “but I’m sure he can’t be too far now.”

With a small nod of the head, Roxxi thought for a moment of where on earth he could be; her gut was telling her to go to the park and maybe she’ll find him there. Twisting her mouth around she started heading over to see if he was there. The park was only a short distance away from his house so it wasn’t like she was on mission impossible. Walking through the park she noticed a figure sitting on a bench, she was sure it was her brother even if she could only a full back view. Roxxi wanted to be sneaky and even surprise him if it was possible, but after seeing the water splashing on him from the passing car it seemed like he was getting one surprise after the next.

Instead she walked up from behind and hung the bag in front of him, ”Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Angie!” She said happily. Even if she couldn’t sneaky up on him, she was sure that he would like her gift. ”You’re all grown up now so I figured I’d give you something that could help you out a little.” There was a hint of a devilish plan behind her words, but her present was nothing more than a book. The front cover showed two men holding hands kissing and the title was A Gay Man's Guide to a Lasting Relationship.

”I figured if you were going to read a book,” She spoke seriously now, ”at least read something that’s going to get you somewhere in life with the guys!" Her mouth just kept going as if it wouldn't shut up. "You’re eighteen for crying out loud, Chris and not even a single relationship because your nose is stuck in those lousy ancient times books!”

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[CHRISTOPHER HAWTHORNE]

He coughed, feeling his throat ache. He had a dry throat, to put it simply.

While he was walking, he didn't notice the bag being hung from above him and ended up walking right onto it.

"Ow...."

He rubbed his forehead gently, glaring at Roxanne. He didn't need no god damn gift, it wasn't going to help him either way.

He was soaked from head to toe and his clothes were clinging to him like tape. Only, much much more heavier. He did not like it.

Glancing at the girl with those crimson orbs of his, he opened his mouth to say something but was instantly interrupted.

"Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Angie!"

A frown replaced the straight face in his features once he heard the happy birthday greeting and the nickname didn't help.

”You’re all grown up now so I figured I’d give you something that could help you out a little.”

He snatched the bag from her hands and pulled the contents out almost as fast as lightning. He paid no attention to the tone of voice the other was using.

”I figured if you were going to read a book, at least read something that’s going to get you somewhere in life with the guys!"

With those words said, he was kind of afraid to look at the book's cover.

A Gay Man's Guide to a Lasting Relationship.

He froze, staring at the words that sat on the book's cover with an open mouth. How the hell did she get this damn thing?! He began imagining the girl going off to a book store and buying it, a smile couldn't help but sit on his face. But the frown came back once he looked at the younger girl.

"Fifi," he started with a serious tone in his voice, "You should not have bought this book." He was angry, depressed, all of the above. He needed someone to cheer him up. Someone he can insult. So far, Roxanne was the closest one to fit the description. "What do you think your parents would think? Oh wait, they're dead." He growled harshly, not meaning to but it was Chris, he was unique, in both good ways and bad ways.

If only he could whack her with the book.

[ROXANNE SAGE]

Roxanne watched his various facial expressions trying to figure out what he was thinking really although he looked like shit. Drenched from head to toe from the recent incident, maybe she should have gotten a towel from his house before she came here. Today was obviously a very bad day for her cousin and it wasn’t going to get any better apparently. She hoped that maybe her gift could give her something good in return.

Fifi.”

She flinched at the sound of that annoying name, the one that made her sound less human and more of a dog. Whoever came up with the joke should just fall in a ditch though at least this one was much more appetizing than Fido. Shaking her head, Roxxi looked at the older teen with a certain gleam in her eyes.

”I basically sold my body to get that for you,” over exaggerating, but trying to make her words as convincing as possible. ”it’s hard to make decent negotiations with older men.” She really didn’t work that hard, she just had a very good relationship with the book store owner after seeing all the mangas she’s read.

Maybe she shouldn’t have bought it, but it was more of a gag than a serious gift; she saved that for later. ”Maybe I should have got you a towel instead.” Murmuring the few words under her breath, but making them loud enough for him to hear; this wasn’t as joyous as all the pervious birthdays in the past. She still could remember the ridiculous things she would get him just because it made her laugh and her parents were pretty cool with it.

While she was in the process of reminiscing about the good old days, Roxanne looked up giving him a shocked look for only a minute then smiled trying not to think about his words too much. He was obviously angry and this wasn’t the first time that this had happened. She was used to it and accepted the knowledge that they were gone; she wasn’t going to let it bother her at a time like this.

Instead she grabbed the boy’s hand walking in front of him just pulling him along. ”Hehe! I’m pretty sure dad would be speechlessly looking for the right words to say and mom giving me a least a twelve hour lecture about how I shouldn’t be reading that kind of stuff and send me to my room because school was in the morning,” She found herself talking unsure of when she started, but couldn’t stop. ”then when the sun came up dad would try asking me questions about why I bought it and tell him I bought it for him as a joke; maybe he would have laughed…” At this point she could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away with her free hand.

Clearing her throat a little, she dragged him in silence for a few minutes trying to get herself together. That was the most she had ever said anything about her parents to anyone, even to him; everyone in the family just didn’t say anything about it because they didn’t want to bring up bad memories, whatever that meant.

She came to a stop facing him finally with a cheerful smile, ”Anyways! You can’t be grumpy all day today!” Roxanne giggled, ”It’s your day, but as long as I’m here your day can’t involve books besides that one.”