Existentially Fraught - #Wattys2015

Padawan

I was planning on posting the ENTIRE birthday chapter all at once, but it's already nine pages long and I'm STILL not finished, so it looks like it's going to be posted in three different parts instead.

Also: I really, really hate this chapter. The entire birthday thing in general, actually. I don't mind the ideas on their own, but I despise how I wrote them into being. So if you guys would do me a huge favor and point out the parts that are shitty... that would be awesome. I'm not going to edit anything until the HUGE MAJOR edit, but your comments are greatly appreciated.

...

My house is about twenty minutes away from the county seat, in Rumford. Technically, I lived in Stoddard, but I still attended Tewa High and all the decent shopping around was in Rumford. Jamie took the road from my house that led to the center of Rumford, and soon we were passing the biggest buildings in the county (oddly enough, an old plantation home someone had renovated and made into a local bank). I'd tried (to no fucking avail, go figure) to weasel where we were headed out of Jamie, but he just laughed and turned the radio up.

At least it was on a decent station.

"Close your eyes, MG." I gave him the dirtiest look I knew how to give. "I'm serious! Close your eyes!"

"Asshole." I flicked him a particular finger but closed my eyes anyway. We drove for another few minutes before the car slowed to a stop and shut off. Jamie's seatbelt clicked open and clattered against something metal before it settled, then his door opened. I started to unbuckle myself, but a warm hand slapped mine away from the release button.

"Don't you dare. You stay right there and don't move, m'kay? Don't open your eyes, either." Jamie's voice sounded right next to my ear, and I jumped so high my knees hit the dash. His seat squeaked, the door closed, and I waited impatiently until I heard my own open right beside me. Jamie reached across me and unbuckled me, then threw one hand over my eyes.

"Okay, climb out of the car- no, I'm not moving my hand, stop pushing it- and when I say so- duck your head, dammit, you're about to-"

"Shit!"

"I tried to tell you! That's my foot. You're on my foo- thank you. What was I saying?"

"When you say so..."

"Oh, okay, yeah. When I say so, open your eyes. Not yet, dumbass, we've got to walk some first. I am not moving my hand!"

"I can't see!"

"That's the point. Okay, what do you like more than anything in this world?"

"Uhm..."

"You can't just stop walking whenever you start talking. Multitask."

"Oh, shut it."

"Well?"

"Music?"

"Beside that."

"Food."

"What kind of food?"

"Fucking hell, Jamie, I don't know! The edible kind!"

"Errrrrr! Wrong. The free kind." His hand moved from my face. "Welcome, my dear naive young friend, to your new favorite place."

We stood in silence for a couple seconds.

"Why are you not revelling in my geniu- open your eyes, MG. Jesus H. Christ you're a pain."

I opened my eyes and squealed.

"Oh my fuck, Jamie!"

"I know, right? Isn't it awesome? Go ahead, tell me I'm awesome."

"You smudged my glasses! Damn you!"