Matt

That evening, I hobbled down the stairs freshly showered and clutching onto the railing for support. "Ouch, ouch, ouch," I muttered through clenched teeth as I slowly took the steps one at a time. I felt like an old man instead of a 17-year-old teenager.

My dad came around the corner shaking his head in disapproval as he eyed me. "Matthew, maybe this will teach you a lesson to wear sunscreen the next time you go to the beach. You look like a lobster."

There wasn't a part of me that wasn't red which was probably a good thing because I was still feeling flustered around Vanessa after what had happened earlier and didn't want her to catch wind of the embarrassment playing out over my cheeks whenever she got within two feet of me.

I moved at a snail's pace until I reached the dining room table, gingerly perching on one of the cushioned chairs. No sooner had I sat my ass down, did the doorbell ring. "Matt, can you grab the door," my dad called out from the kitchen. I groaned as I pushed off the table. "Ouch, ouch."

My father, who was nowhere near as funny as he thought he was, let out a loud laugh from the other room. "I'm just messing with you, son. I'll get it. Just continue to rest in that pot of yours and boil yourself some more."

I rolled my eyes. "Har har, Dad."

Sitting back down, I heard the sound of Addison's laughter as she and Vanessa walked into the house. My dad had invited them over for some cake even though I insisted that I wasn't ten and my friends didn't need to witness me blowing out my birthday candles. However, Addison lapped up the idea of having new ammunition to tease me with and readily agreed.

She stopped short and covered her mouth when she strolled into the room, followed by Vanessa who gasped when she saw me. "Oh my god," they exclaimed in unison.

I held up my palm, silencing them. "Shut up. Don't say anything." My gaze wandered over to Vanessa. She was back to wearing her usual ripped denim jeans and knotted t-shirt but my brain couldn't shake the image of her nearly falling out of that teeny bikini from earlier. She tucked her hair behind her ear and I noticed the small studs that pierced her lobes. Had she always had her ears pierced?

She took a place at the seat across from me while Addison sat down next to me. Propping her head in her hands, Addison's eyes twinkled as she studied me. "It's nice seeing you in a color that's not black. Red is my favorite."

I made a face at her as I clapped my hands, instantly regretting it as I grimaced in pain. "Congratulations, Addie, you know your colors. I thought the only one you knew was pink."

"So shoot me, I like pink but unlike you, I don't just stick to one color palette." I slid my gaze down past her light wash skinny jeans, giving a pointed look at the pink heels she was wearing. She rolled her eyes. "That's just coincidence."

I didn't have a chance to respond before my dad dimmed the lights of the dining room and began singing "Happy Birthday" as he walked into the room carrying a chocolate frosted cake with many a glowing candle stuck into it. I dropped my head into my hands. "Oh, lord," I muttered.

With a beaming smile, he set the cake in front of me. "Go on, Matthew," he said clasping me on the shoulder. "Blow out the candles."

I shook my head vehemently. "No. No. I don't want to."

Addison poked me in the ribs. "Don't be a buzz kill, reaper. Make a wish to collect more souls this year and then cut your cake with your scythe." I leaned forward, quickly blowing out the candles just to shut her up and she clapped me on the back, hard. "Atta boy."

I shot her a glare as pain radiated throughout my skin. "Fuck, Addie," I said through clenched teeth. "You really are the Devil."