The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

013. happy birthday corey and slug!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
2x03: The Pollywog

Sam stood at the foot of Corey's loft bed (basically a bunk bed without the bottom bunk) with Stephanie and Max, the former holding a red velvet cake in her hands. Silently, Stephanie counted to them with her fingers held up:

One... Two... Three—

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Corey shot awake with a terrified gasp, flinging out of his bed in alarm at the sudden noise. He fell from the top bunk of his bed all the way to the floor with a loud THUMP.

"Shit!" Stephanie cursed, scrambling to help Corey stand. "You're fine, you're fine—don't tell your dad! He'll kill me."

Corey rubbed his head with one hand and kept the other arm wrapped around his torso. "It's my birthday, and you tried to kill me," he grumbled. "It would be warranted."

"No, no, we did not try to kill you," Stephanie panicked, pointing at him with her finger. "You didn't even fall that hard. You're fine."

Max nodded. "And plus, that was hilarious."

"Thank you very much, Mayfield. Didn't know you suddenly lived here," Corey quipped.

Max smiled in return, matching his sarcastic energy.

Sam sighed at how downhill this morning was going. She stepped up to Corey before any more snarky comments could be made, displaying the cake she and Max had made at midnight for him.

"How's fifteen feel?" she asked him casually, not prepared for—

"Fifteen?" said an incredulous Max.

Corey raised an eyebrow at her. "Didn't anyone tell you? I'm a delinquent."

"Damn," Max mused, eyebrows raising up for moment. "What'd you do to get held back?"

"Murder."

"Oh."

"I'm kidding."

Max tsked. "Here when I thought you were actually cool..."

Corey opened his mouth to retort, but Sam pushed Corey away from Max with the hand she freed up, nodding for Stephanie to get the lighter.

"We're singing to you before Uncle Dan comes in here and lights us on fire with this lighter," Sam said, leaving no room for pushback. "Also, your mom is totally 'not' out in the living room with the whole shebang—streamers, confetti, that shit."