Slugger

19: Happy Birthday

"I can't believe you bought your boyfriend a child's toy," Tyler says for the umpteenth as we pull up on Dante's street.

I roll my eyes, mostly because he's been making me feel self-conscious about my oversized Mufasa plush all night but also because a little part of me can't believe I did this either. What if he hates it? And all his friends see it and think that I am a terrible girlfriend just because they know that this was a terrible gift? Oh my God, I'm going to embarrass him so bad and Nicole will never let me live this down when she hears, I'm going to –

"Kennedy, get out of the fucking car," Tyler snaps, pulling me out of myself. "Simba isn't going to carry himself,"

I sigh and get out of the passenger seat. The teddy's sitting in the back seat, all seat belted up and everything. It's so big, I don't know what I was thinking. Dante wouldn't want this, he's eighteen, not eight!

"It's Mufasa! And...do you think he'll hate it?" I ask Tyler, very self-conscious. He gives me an exasperated look and for once in his life, keeps completely silent. "Oh come on Tyler! Where is that big mouthed opinion of yours when I need it?"

He puts his hand to his chest and feigns offense. "Rude."

"The truth hurts but a lie's so much worse," I recite and lift Mufasa out of the car.

Unimpressed, he begins walking away from me. "Whatever Nelly Furtado,"

I hurry to catch up with him but Mufasa is as heavy as hell. This really was the biggest mistake of the year.

Of course, Tyler gets to the door before me and doesn't even bother to wait; he knocks, it opens and he goes inside without me. When I finally get there, any traces of human life has already disappeared and the door is firmly closed. He really is a dickhead.

Somehow, I manage to ring the doorbell and wait for someone to come to my rescue. Hopefully it's Dante so I can offload the king of the Pride Lands. However... if it is Dante, he'll see this stupid thing early and then I'll see the disappointment on his face when he finally realises how much of a mistake he's made by dating me.

Oh what have I done?

The door opens just as I decide it's time for me to run away. "Kennedy?"

Ah. I turn back around again and grin. Dante's standing with his hands in his pockets and his mouth wide open "Oh hey?"

"Holy shit," He says slowly, eyes wider than discs. "Is that Mufasa?"

"Um, yeah?" He doesn't say anything. I wince and feel the life force drain out of my arms. "Don't tell me you hate it,"

The exasperated look he gives me mirrors the one Tyler gave me earlier, confirming my fears and making me want to run away. "Kennedy, be serious. Is this for me? Because, wow – Hey, Victor, come see this!" His brother comes to the door with a glass cup and decorated straw in his hands. His eyes also widen when he sees me. "Look what Kennedy got me for my birthday,"

"Shit then. Hey Kenny,"

"Vic," I smile hesitantly, not knowing if they're being serious. "Um, happy birthday!"

He grins and all my fears finally begin to dissipate. "Thanks Slugger,"

Victor takes a sip of his drink. "Why do you call her that? That's so extra,"

Dante glares at him but ignores the question. "You wanna come in?

My arms are dying. "If that's okay?"

He moves out of the way, smiling once again. "Of course it is – here, let me take that from you,"

With virtually no effort, Dante takes Mufasa out of my arms and holds him under one arm as though he's not bigger than me and weighs nothing. I step inside his house and look around, shaking out my arms so they regain life once more.