Life in Search ✔️

49 ~ Gift

"Are you ready to talk about the fight?" Mom asks at the breakfast table.

"There's not much to talk about." I counter calmly. It's been a week since my fists bashed Bennett's face in and Mom hasn't forgotten about it.

She's determined to get to the bottom of it, convinced I'm headed back down that path. Which I'm not.

"Ashton."

"Mom, it was a one-time thing and it's not like I was the only person fighting. We all threw punches." She just wasn't there to know I started it.

"That's what you said last time." She snips and that's exactly why I won't tell her anything. She just started liking Scarlett again and she would flip if she knew I was fighting her ex-boyfriend for the second time.

"I punched a guy, mom. I didn't put him in the hospital, and I don't plan on hitting anyone else any time soon."

"I'm sure you don't plan on that, but you need to be careful."

"Do you not think I know that?" I question in disbelief. "Mom, I have a pretty good life that I don't want to fuck up so spare me the never-ending lecture on how I need to be careful. I had a slip up and it was bad, but it could've been so much worse so get over it."

She sits there, completely stunned as I stand up.

"Ronnie, time for school!"

*****

I'm still fuming as I walk into school, in all my anger I forgot to get coffee for Scarlett. But as I near our locker, I begin to feel better. The best part of two of my favorite people sharing the same birthday is that I'm able to celebrate them both.

Sneaking up, my arms wrap around her as I kiss her temple. "Happy Birthday, Sweetheart."

Instantly, she throws a hand over my mouth, eyes wide in panic. The downside is that my girlfriend hates celebrating herself. Which is a shame since it's my favorite thing to do. She pulls away in disgust as my tongue licks her hand.

"Did you just lick me?"

Shrugging, I rest my forehead against hers. It's not the worst thing I've ever done. "I'm rather fond of talking about you."

She rolls her eyes, kissing me. A dramatic cough pulls us apart.

"Happy Birthday, Sage." I tell my best friend who is now the same age as me.

"What, no kiss for me?" He smirks, mocking us.

Fine, if he wants it that way. Throwing my arms around him, I manage to plant a disgustingly sloppy kiss on his forehead. "Happy Birthday to the light of my life! I have no idea what I would do without you, brother."

My life would certainly be a lot duller.

"I knew you had a thing for me." He says, shoving me off.

Grinning like an idiot, I focus back on my girl as our friends join us. My phone vibrates but I ignore it, I don't want to miss a minute of this.

*****

"How come my sister gets a sappy birthday post and I get nothing?" Sage demands, taking a seat at our lunch table.

Rolling my eyes as James, Gabe, and Zev join us. "Because she's my girlfriend and I posted hers first. You're beginning to sound like a naggy girlfriend, bro."

"I haven't read it yet." Gabe says pulling his phone out.

Oh, no.

He clears his throat, "Happy 18th Birthday to the most caring, beautiful, smartest, strongest person I know. My dearest, Scarlett, I hope today is as wonderful and perfect as you are, which is a difficult level to beat. You mean the world to me, Sweetheart. Thank you for putting up with me and for giving me the opportunity to say I'm dating an older woman. Yours always, Charming. I love you."