Chapter Eight: Happy Birthday to Me
"Here, bro, happy fucking birthday," Kenny threw a wrapped box in my face, which thankfully I was able to grab before it smashed my freaking nose. It was heavy.
"Don't drop that! It's fragile," my blonde doppelganger teased.
It was a new thing in our Boardwalk Bros media, comparing me and Kenny. A side by side thing. We were just about the same height, the same build. Tall, lanky, but with lean muscles. The same longer loose wavy hair. But he was blonde and tan. I had dark brown hair and was pale. We'd had fan edits of sun and moon, good and evil, angel and the devil. He was the devil, by the way. I was always the angel. Our followers loved pinning me as the sweet, innocent one of our group. It always made me frown seeing what they thought of me, compared to how I saw myself these days.
We posted our own responses, spoofing their edits with a series of Sammy and Jeremy side by sides. Jeremy being tall and built, his shirt up, abs on display, biceps curled, his sexy smile, his dark hair and darker eyes. Laughing or drinking boba somewhere. Sammy barely came up to his shoulders. Thin, pale, soft. Longer blonde hair, more like Kenny's. Frowning. Grouchy. Book in his lap. Hoodie up. In the library.
Kenny and Jeremy planned all that shit out. I was just trying to keep my head above water. Drowning in boobs, used condoms and booze. Trying to not flunk my classes. My parents had already given me the talk. They were worried that the internet stuff, as they called it, was sidetracking me from my goals in life. I tried to listen to them, to take what they said seriously, but it was hard, when I was so hungover from the night before. And I kept having to move my phone so they wouldn't see the girl naked in my bed.
Sammy of course could care less. He just put his foot down at participating in any kind of overt boys love stuff in our content. He was okay being the butt of jokes, pulling harmless pranks, the TikTok dances, the questionnaire format, whatever. He just didn't want to get into the touchy stuff that Jeremy and I posted. It kind of left Kenny out of it, but instead he made content of trying to get with Sammy, and Sammy shooting him down. It was funny. Kenny knew how to edit for laughs.
I was totally unsurprised when I ripped open my present to find a new camera, the most expensive one out there, created specially for vlogging.
"Thanks, man," I hugged him. Of course he was filming it. I smiled at the camera, holding up the camera. Kenny kissed my cheek and smirked. He was always hoping people would ghost ship us, but no one seemed interested.
"Turn it off, for a second, okay?" Sammy said, pushing back his chair.
We were at the kitchen table. Eating breakfast, my birthday being a perfect excuse for a cheat day. Sammy surprised me by ordering all my favorites. It was a total pig out, literally. Filipino breakfast burritos, stuffed with eggs, garlic fried rice, longanisa sausage, sisig, bacon and hash browns, drenched in calamansi vinegar. French toast dripping with syrup and Nutella. Huge cups of black coffee. Pizza sized slices of juicy pink watermelon. We'd already filmed enough for a couple of shorts and a longer mukbang video. My stomach was simultaneously happy happy and uncomfortably ready to burst. It was easily the most I'd eaten in six months.
Sammy came back and sat down with a small box. He grabbed a stack of napkins and threw them at me. "Clean up. It's expensive."
I nodded, starting to feel something like apprehension. I wiped my hands and face.
"Bro, jeez, you still got...what a pig," Sammy shook his head in exasperation.
He grabbed a napkin, dipped it in a cup of water, and cleaned my face carefully. I looked up at him, as he leaned over me. When our eyes met, I felt something else, nervous, but...it was...and I...but.... I looked at his lips for a second. Just a freaking second! Not like I stared at them or anything. He totally needed chapstick! I mean it was winter, and they just looked dry!! I was just trying to be on the lookout to help my bro! That's all!!
"Damn. You made me stop filming? Fuck. We could have gotten so many views for that," Kenny muttered under his breath. "I gotta take a shit," He left the table, winking at us as he walked towards the bathroom.
I tried to laugh it off, but it came out as a kind of strangled snort. Which made Sammy laugh. Which made me look at him and smile. He had a nice laugh. I haven't heard it a lot lately.
"Open your freaking present, bro," he ran his hand through his hair. He was blushing which was weird and kind of wonderful.
It was a necklace, a medium weight silver chain necklace. It slipped through my fingers like water, and I was so glad I'd wiped my fingers.
It was beautiful.
I glanced up, and I know I must have looked like some kind of dumbass, because Sammy turned his head, taking a huge gulp of coffee. "Glad you like it," he mumbled.
I tried to put it on, but my fingers weren't working. He didn't say anything, just took it, and stood up behind me, fastening it. I could feel his fingers on my neck. He sat back down, and this time he was staring back at me. I touched the necklace, not looking away. His sister was right. He had the nicest eyes. Gold with like copper flecks.
"Ummm...Jimmy...I've wanted to talk to you..I need to tell you..."
My bedroom door slammed open and Jeremy walked blearily towards the kitchen in only his boxers. All of a sudden his skin was on mine, rubbing his cheek hard against my hair, his hands on my chin and over my ears. He smelled like sex and sweat and Jeremy and I tried not to die. He kissed the side of my face before sitting down in Kenny's chair.
"Damn...what the fuck is all of this food for?" He looked amazed at the table. "God, baby, give me a huge freaking cup of coffee. How can you guys want to eat all this grease so early in the morning? All I fucking want is a piece of toast."
Sammy gave Jeremy a look that would kill a charging T Rex.
"What the fuck is your problem, mini munchkin?" Jeremy gulped the coffee I poured him. "Damn that's good, babe. Thanks." he grabbed my hand and nibbled on the inside of my wrist, which made me full body twitch, almost spilling all the shit off the table. Jeremy smirked at me, and took another sip of his coffee, looking back at Sammy smugly.
"You do know what today is, right?" Sammy spat.
"Of course! Of course I do! We have finals today, right? Last fucking day before winter break? I studied, Mr. Boring. I'm going to do just fine." He sat back in his chair, completely unbothered. "Let me have a bite of your burrito babe?" I nodded and he took a huge bite, licking his lips slowly, wiping the grease with his fist.
"Hey, Jimmy. Nice chain!! You going hard today for some chick? Is it for a vlog?" Jeremy reached over and tried to touch it. But I shrank back and covered it with my hand. I didn't want him to touch it, for some reason.
"Get your greasy ass hands away from my perfect skin," I teased, forcing my voice to sound as normal as I could make it.
Jeremy nodded, trying to play it off, but he was obviously upset.
"I gave it to him." Sammy said blandly.
"What the fuck?" Jeremy wasn't joking now. He was angry. I tried to touch his forearm but he shrugged me off.
"For his buh..irth...day." Sammy enunciated each syllable clearly. "Which is today. December 14th. Jimmy's birthday."
I watched Jeremy carefully. But he winked at me.
"Baby, I did not forget your birthday, as much as this little shit wishes I did. I'm waiting to give you a very special present tonight. I've also planned a huge party. Everyone's coming over. We're going to make it a night you'll never forget."
I grinned. Kenny came back and we filmed some more, now that Jeremy was with us. Sammy's laughter seemed a little fake, my smile seemed a little more strained than normal. Jeremy touched me a lot more than he even usually did. Kenny was as big of a brat as he normally was.
Of course he wouldn't forget my birthday. He was my fucking bro, my best friend.
My best friend.
===
The whole crowd sang happy birthday to me. Like thirty people crammed into our dorm apartment. None of whom I really knew. A few faces I recognized. I'd fucked most of these girls, but that's not to say I knew them. I didn't even know most of their names. There were a few kids from some of our classes too.
Jeremy walked out of the dark kitchen carrying a huge ass cake. I already knew what it was, because it was the same flavor I asked for every year. Carrot cake, no raisins cause yuck, with thick sour cream frosting. He set it down in front of me, candles blazing, a huge nineteen written on it. Kenny sat back, vlogging every moment, as I leaned over, holding my new chain carefully away from the frosting, and blew out all of the candles. Everyone cheered and the music started blasting again. People got up to dance, hands holding their red solo cups with my booze of choice, cranberry vodka. Kenny got some girl to bring two cases. And there was always beer. And plenty of weed to make it a fun night. Jeremy tried to get me into some other stuff, but I put my foot down and said pot was as far as I'd go after my bad experience on Halloween.
Kenny nodded to Jeremy, and my best friend grabbed my face and pushed it hard into the cake. Everyone who saw it started laughing. I could hear them. The shrieks of the girls over the music. The snickers from my bros. I knew it was funny, but some of it got in my eye and It was burning and I hated it and I wished...
"Look up, Jimmy."
Sammy was there. God, thank fuck for Sammy. He wiped around my eyes, getting the shit off me.
But then Jeremy pushed him out of the way.
"That's not how you get it off his face, Sammy my man. Let me show you how it's done."
And then Jeremy licked me, from my collarbone to my jaw. Swallowing and licking the cream from around his own mouth. Then bent again, and licked me from my jaw to my hairline, his tongue in my ear.
Then he just smiled slowly at me, handed me a towel, and walked into the crowd.
=
An hour later I was dancing in the living room, surrounded by tons of people, just like on Halloween. But thankfully, this time, I had my clothes on. I wasn't completely wasted, but I was definitely on the road.
Some girl had her arms around me, grinding against my dick. I'd probably fuck her later, but right now I just wanted to dance and try to forget that moment with the cake.
The girl giggled and brought hand down slowly between us, squeezing my dick, her nail scraping on my jeans.
"Damn, Jimmy. You getting this ready for me? Want to go to your room?" She was nibbling on neck.
But I wasn't thinking of her. That's not why I was hard.
Which pissed me off.
"Stop touching me, bitch," I pushed her away, and she snarled and yanked my necklace, breaking it. I snatched it before it could fall into the sea of feet, and stood up.
I almost hit her. I almost did. But I stopped myself. Some fucking nice guy. Some fucking prince.
My heart squeezed and I just wanted to fucking scream, but I shoved it into my pocket and tried to get away from everyone around me. I was feeling smothered. I just wanted to breathe.
Someone stopped me, put their arms around me. Held me.
It was Jeremy.
He swayed back and forth, completely at odds with the punk music blasting over our speakers. He held me close while I cried into his neck. He rubbed my back and I felt safe and protected even though tons of people still surrounded us.
I held him even tighter as we stood there together. Trying to calm down. Stop acting like a brat having a tantrum.
But I opened my eyes, and over Jeremy's shoulder I saw Sammy looking at me. He closed his eyes, and put his hands over his face, then sat back and took a sip from a water bottle he held. Some guy sitting next to him leaned over and whispered in his ear. Sammy looked at this guy. Looked at me. Then back at the guy. He nodded and stood up, walking towards our front door.
I pushed away from Jeremy and ran after them.
=
I grabbed Sammy's hand before they got to the main path back to campus.
"Don't go."
Sammy pried my fingers off his wrist. "What the fuck Jimmy?"
"Don't go."
He sighed, pulling his hoodie up. The guy stood behind him, waiting quietly. I vaguely recognized him from our calculus class.
"Why the fuck not, Jimmy?" He asked me quietly. "You know I hate all of that shit. It's so fucking loud. And I just don't want to look at it anymore. It's exhausting."
"Where are you going?" I looked at the calculus guy and back at my Sammy.
"Mateo's letting me crash at his place." He said evenly. "He's a nice guy. You know Kenny's going to want the room, and there's no way I can sleep on the couch after a shit show like tonight."
"It's my birthday. I don't want you to go."
At my words, he looked at my neck. I touched it and felt only bare skin. I realized why he looked so sad.
I grabbed it from my pocket to show him.
"I have it. Some girl broke it. But I have. I'm going to get it fixed right away. I love it Sammy. I'm going to get it fixed. I promise. Don't go."
Sammy stood there, in the cold night. I could see him debating with himself.
"Jimmy!"
It was Jeremy, at our door.
"Get back in here, Jimmy, it's freaking freezing!! You're going to get a fucking cold!!"
Sammy smiled at me, but it didn't reach his golden eyes. "He's right. You're not wearing a jacket. Happy birthday, Jimmy."
And he was gone.
=
It was finally quiet. Jeremy shooed everyone out around twelve. Everyone was cool. It was finals week after all. No one wanted to get completely shit faced.
I lay down on my bed, exhausted and upset for so many different reasons I didn't want to think about too carefully. But sat up when Jeremy came into our room. In his boxers. Wet from the shower.
"I told you I'd give you your present later," he said slowly as he knelt down on the floor in front of me. He sat on his knees looking up at me, then bent over and....
...
...
Grabbed a present from under the bed.
He sat up, laughing so hard there were tears streaming down his cheeks.
"You're fucking face Jimmy!!! Oh my god, what did you think I was going to do??"
He jumped up and grabbed a camera that was hidden on a bookshelf. He turned it off and sat back with me on the bed.
"Oh man, that's a good one! I knew we had to do it, it's totally viral these days on TikTok, but bro, your face..."
I shoved him hard, laughing. "I knew all along, asshole. Just didn't want to spoil your clip."
I didn't know. But what the hell was I supposed to say?
He'd gotten me a game system for our room. So we didn't have to play in the living room I guess.
"Cool, thanks."
"It's a present for both of us! The best kind!" He laughed.
I set it up and we played for a while, but then I just couldn't take it anymore. I could barely keep my eyes open.
"Dude, I gotta go to sleep. Let's play again tomorrow."
He nodded, but instead of going to his own bed, he lay down next to me, tucking himself under the covers. I couldn't move as he held me against his chest, my face tucked into his neck, his hands on my back, his top leg over me. I could feel his dick start to get hard against mine. He slipped his hand down my boxers to rest gently on my ass cheek. He kissed my hair, adjusting a little, then settled down.
"What's...what's happening?'' I asked, barely able to speak.
"Nothing. But this is good, right? Go to sleep. Happy birthday, Jimmy."
===
Author's Note: I think our Boardwalk Bros are all a little confused. It's hard discovering yourself.