Falling From Life

15

          On the way to school, we listen to the playlist Viviann made for my birthday last year. It's full of all of the songs that I like and she can tolerate. When I hear the beginning beats of Whatever it Takes by Hollywood Undead, it hits me finally.

          "Holy shit, it's my birthday!" I stare at her, my eyes wide, "Why didn't you say anything? I looked like an idiot all morning!" I whack her arm playfully, almost laughing. She's laughing so hard at me she almost has to pull the car over. 

          "It's about time you figured it out!" We finally pull into the school parking lot and into her space. She parks the car and turns to grab a bright pink bag from the backseat. I jokingly gag at the color and she rolls her eyes at me. I reach in and grab a black gaming controller.

          "But I don't-"

          "Not yet you don't, just wait 'til we get home! Why else do you think mom and dad were out so early this morning? They don't have work today." I stare at her in shock and she laughs, "Don't thank me yet, you haven't gotten it all." She's stifling laughter so this outta be good. I reach in the bag and pull out a suspicious looking box wrapped in atrociously pink paper. When I give Viviann a side eye she bites her lip smiling looking at me then the box and back again. 

          When I open the top my face flushes and I throw the box back into the bag and throw the bag into the backseat again. "Viv," she starts to laugh at me, "There is absolutely no reason for me to need condoms! Stop getting your hopes up!" I cross my arms and sink into the passenger seat trying not to laugh and encourage her. She starts crying from laughing so hard. 

          When she finally calms down enough to speak, she says, "I figured you and Mark could use them!" which causes her to burst out into another fit of giggles. I reach behind me and open the box, grab one out, open it, and whip it at her. She proceeds to laugh harder and I join in. We hear a knock at Viviann's window and we turn to look, the condom still stuck to Viv's left boob. Jacob and Brianna are outside the car giving us wild looks, Jacob looks from the condom, to Viviann, to me and turns red. We laugh harder as Viviann rolls down her window and I get out of the car. When I walk around to greet them I see Viviann throwing the condom in her backseat. 

          I stand in front of the Burnes siblings trying to quit laughing. "Mornin'!" I say and they both crack huge smiles. 

          "Happy birthday!" They say in unison. Jacob hands me a box and when I peel the top of the paper off, I see that it's my favorite candy. 

          "Oh my god, yum!" I tear the rest of the paper off and throw it in Viviann's car on top of her. She throws it in the backseat and I give Jacob a hug, "How'd you know these were my favorite?" 

          "Lucky guess?" He winks at Viviann and I laugh when she gets flustered over it. Brianna moves forward and gives me a hug as well.

          "I can pierce you wherever you want." She whispers into my ear. I laugh at how ominous she made it sound and when I pull away I tell her I'll think about it. We enter the school building and go about our day.