Dirt

24

Princeton

"Happy birthday bitch!" I scream, the whole car cringing at my volume. Cedar and I ignore that, him bouncing in the front seat of the shit-mobile as he slides over to let me in. 

We're all totally cramped, we've stuffed the total amount of people the shit-mobile can take, cramping everything. Roger's scowling hard in the back -well actually all three in the back are beyond pissed. I shoot a cocky grin at them all while I get in.

"Happy birthday to me, bitch!" Cedar does his shoulder dance, trying to shuffle in the tiny space. Raine scowls, shoving Cedar harder into me.

Neither I nor Cedar pay any attention as we begin to start singing our birthday song. It consists of 'Today's my birthday. I hope I get laid. Todays my birthday. I'm going to get shit-faced' over and over again. Raine shakes his head, driving us to Cedar's chosen location.

"Oh my God, stop!" Our birthday song is cut off by the demand from the back seat. I twist in my seat, sending my harsh glare at Knox. Knox tilts his chin up, shaking his head with an equal glare.

"You don't get to stop the birthday song. It's Cedar's birthday."

Cedar hums in agreement beside me, twisted and staring at Knox too. Cedar and I have sung this song since we were thirteen. We neither got laid nor shit-faced. Actually, we all five did share two bottles of vodka I stole from Dad. The other boys never sing along, but Cedar and I always sing it to them.

Basil slowly loses his scowl, amused by the oncoming fight. Roger looks...interested. Neither excited yet without his normal frown. Knox narrows his eyes, lacing his fingers in his lap.

"Congrats to Cedar. That song is a horrendous disgrace to both birthday songs and all our ears in this car." I narrow my eyes, ignoring the way he's slowly inking back into himself. Bit by bit.

Basil cracks a grin, Raine whistling in the front before a low chuckle fills the tension, "Damn, kids, guess we're done with that song. Not soon enough.

Cedar whips to Raine, whining loudly in his ear, "Raine! How could you say that? It's the birthday song! We sing it on your fucking birthday! I'm hurt. It's my birthday," Raine cringes, leaning his head away. The shit-mobile bumps and jolts as we enter the back road to the college town.

I focus back on Knox, who looks slightly smug, "Who the fuck are you to dictate our birthday song? Is it because you're jealous you didn't get it? We can sing it later. Envy is no valid reason to degrade our song. Boohoo bitch, shut up and quit the moue."

"Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?" I dart my glare to Roger.

"A customer spilled hot coffee back on me so sit down."

"Your birthday song is just hard to listen too. Not only does Cedar have the voice of a dying crow," Cedar scuffs next to me, Raine snickers, "It also has like no harmony or even rhythm? How could you not know how much it sucks?" Knox shakes his head again. 

I'm pissed he's pulling out fancy music terms to bash our song. He gets it off just a bit, the way his freckles are filling back in, his plump pink lips in a confused quirk. I faintly imagine what's hiding under the sweatshirt he's wearing.

"Knox, I don't know if you know this but 2/3s of this car has failed at least one class a year since freshman year," Basil begins to whine against the claim but we both ignore it, "We haven't a clue about good music. You literally have a playlist dedicated to override Roger's music choice in his car," Roger scuffs, Knox sits with a pompous smile, "You can't come banging in here with fancy-dancy term and bashing the birthday song. I'll sing it later for you so you can live in all its glory but for now, keep your musical pain to yourself."