Quiet Enlightenment

Part 1, Chapter 13 - The End of the Fairytale Spring (Part 2)

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

"So, what do you want to do for your birthday?" Charmaine asked as Kenton sat at the counter in between Elias and Olivia.

"You have a birthday coming up?" Mia asked.

"On the 30th. Next Monday, to be precise." Olivia replied.

"For someone who's not his girlfriend, you sure do know a lot about him." Mia said.

"Shut up, Mia."

"You shut up."

"I'm with Olivia, shut up, Mia." Elias said. The past three months really brought the former introvert out of his shell, at least when he was around his friends (and girlfriend).

"Ms. Hayes, I'll give you twenty bucks to spit in his food."

Charmaine scowled.

"We don't joke about that."

"Oh, sorry."

"So, how old are you going to be?" Mia asked, trying to push the awkwardness away from her.

"Fourteen." Kenton replied before Olivia could restart this entire conversation.

"So, what are all your birthdays?" Charmaine asked, trying to stir up the conversation further.

"Well, we've established that mine's June 30." Kenton replied, somewhat curious as he knew absolutely nobody else's.

"September 10th." Olivia replied.

"August 1st." Elias said before looking at Mia.

"March 20th."

"Wait, you had your birthday and didn't tell me?" Elias said as he turned around to face Mia, who could only shrug.

"Yeah. So?"

"Well, that's a big deal!"

"So, how old did that make you?" Kenton smugly asked.

"Thirteen. Same as Elias, Olivia, and for the next week, you."

"Mia, I would have got you something!"

"Well..." Mia said as she noticed that Charmaine was heading into the kitchen to do something.

"You did give me something."

"Huh?"

Mia reached up and quickly kissed Elias on the cheek.

"What... in the hell?" Kenton asked as he exchanged a puzzled look with Olivia.

"March 21, the day after my birthday, was our first kiss."

"Oh, yes. I remember that."

"I won't lay a finger on them. But I can make them wish that I would."

"...Elias? You okay?"

"Uh, yes. I was thinking that we'd be using our first date as our anniversary." Elias said as he shook his head to get that memory out of his head.

Olivia turned to Kenton and give the old "finger gag" gesture to which Kenton started snickering.

"Well, if you remember that date, then I guess it can work. Double presents."

"And since that comes after Valentine's Day, you can triple-dip on that." Olivia chimed in.

"Hey... yeah! You're right!"

"Oh, wow." Kenton said as he patted Elias on the shoulder.

"Girlfriends are expensive, aren't they?"