Shut Up And Kiss Me (gxg)

27. Happy F*cking Birthday

        "ARE YOU TWELVE . . . ARE YOU thirteen . . . are you fourteen . . ."

        "Stop!"  Claudia said, clapping her hands together. 

        The room broke into cheers. "Fourteen! Happy fourteenth birthday!"

        Next to me, Claudia inhaled a deep breath.

        "Make a wish," I whispered. Her face was lit by the flickering orange glow of the candles, and her long lashes casted shadows that danced over her cheekbones. Eyes closed, she pursed her lips.

        I wasn't sure what she wished for, but finally, she exhaled a breath that extinguished all fourteen candles in one try.

       "Congratulations," I whispered, once the lights were all turned on and our parents started slicing the cake, offering it to all our family members around the table. "You've just reached level fourteen."

       "What game?"

       "Life." I winked, and felt Aaron's hand cup my hip. Considering he was our next-door neighbour, and my best friend of six years, it wouldn't have been weird that he'd been invited—if it had been me who had invited him.

       But Mom had actually gone out of her way to bring him. I was beginning to think it was some kind of plan of hers, to get me and Aaron together. 

       At this point, I think my parents would be the happiest people on earth to know I was dating him for real.

       "That's . . . anti-climactic."

       Eventually, Claudia was swept away in birthday wishes, and I was left alone in a corner with Aaron.

       Holding a paper plate heavy with vanilla-chocolate cake, I said, "There's old Aunt Ruth, who has a creaky back she's always complaining about. Her kids are . . . right there." I pointed to a woman with a mane of curly red hair, the bright ringlets bouncing down her back. "That's Whitney. She lives in Houston with her roommate, Elena."

       Aaron followed my gesture to the woman with blonde hair cropped to her jaw. "That's Elena?"

      "Yeah," I said. "I think they've been living together for fifteen years. My mom says they just like each other's company better than anyone else's."

      "Hm. Interesting."

      "And over there, that's Grandma Beth. My mom's mom. She's really nice, and she spoils me and Claudia a lot. And . . . on the other side—do you see behind the armchair? Talking to the guy with the mustache? That's my dad's mom, Grandma Leila. She only speaks Arabic, but she's friendly, too."

      "Where's your uncle Harris? You always talk about him."

      "Oh," I said, setting down my cake onto a nearby table. "That's the one with the mustache. He's really friendly, but not in a creepy way—he just loves giving hugs because he says people need them more than you know."

      "That's really sweet, actually."       

      "I know. He's great." I grabbed Aaron by the hand and led him towards Aunt Whitney and Elena. "Come on. Let's talk to my favourite relatives."

       "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE A boyfriend," Aunt Whitney said for the third time.

       "Shh!" I warned. "Not so loud. My parents don't know yet." I glanced over my shoulder, but Mom and Dad were occupied talking to Aunt Milly and Uncle Tom. "I'm going to tell them on Thanksgiving."