I rolled over and cracked my eyes open. I reached around blindly for my glasses and let out a groan.

                “Mitch!” I said, elbowing him.

                “What?” he snapped. Oops, I forgot Mitch wasn’t a morning person.

                “Where are my glasses?” I asked.

                “I don’t know. Find them yourself,” he grumbled, pulling the covers over his head.

                I yanked the covers back down. “Why do people always say that? How am I supposed to find my glasses if I can’t see without them? Quit being a shitty best friend and find my glasses for me!” I commanded.

                He sat up and shoved me so that I was laying back on his bed again. He leaned over me, slapping around for my glasses.

                “Seriously? And I’m the blind one!” I said hopelessly.

                “Shut up. I just woke up,” he growled.

                His bedroom door opened and someone came in. “I should probably be concerned that my boyfriend is on top of Rio,” Jace said.

                “We were being scandalous,” I said.

                “Do you see his glasses?” Mitch asked.

                “They’re on the floor,” Jace said, walking over and picking them up. He handed them to me and I put them on, turning Jace and Mitch from awkward blobs to sexy boys.

                “Much better,” I said with a grin.

                Mitch got out of bed and I copied him. I pulled on some clothes and stretched, rubbing at my eyes.

                “I’ve got a boyfriend to cheer up, so I’ll see you all later,” I said.

                “See you later Rio,” Mitch said.

                “And next time I text you, you better reply!” I said, even though I knew that would never happen.

                “Yea, sure,” Mitch said, confirming my thoughts.

                I sighed. “Whatever. Shitty best friend.”

                I left his house and went back to mine. I got to work, spending about two hours running around town setting up for Ezra’s surprise.

                When I was done and ready for everything, I went to the wall and climbed up onto it. I texted Ezra and grinned, waiting for him.

                                                                                ***Ezra’s POV***

                My phone buzzed and I picked it up. I smiled a little, since it was a text from Rio.

                From: Rio

                Come to the park. Go to the swing we were on last time.

                I stood up and left my bedroom. My dad had texted me once, saying happy birthday, but hadn’t bothered to call. I guess I should count myself lucky that I even got a text from him.

                My chest was constantly feeling tight, and I always felt on the edge of an anxiety attack ever since my breakdown the other night. Rio may have been the spark, but he was also the walls preventing the wind from blowing away the ashes I had burned down to.

                “I’m so poetic,” I mumbled.

                I reached the kitchen, where Rachel and my mom were sitting. Rachel wasn’t being a total bitch to me today, so that was a plus. I didn’t need her attitude when I felt like this.

                “I’m leaving,” I said.

                “Where are you going?” mom asked, a suspicious look in her eyes.

                “To the park,” I said.

                “With who?” she asked.

                “Rio. It’s my birthday,” I said, as if that justified my sexuality. My mom was a homophobe who figured all gays were going to hell, along with people who got piercings and tattoos. Go mom!

                “Alright,” she said, probably because I had played the birthday card. Speaking of birthday cards, I had the one she had hastily bought me yesterday thrown on the floor in my room. She had signed it “Happy 19th birthday Ezra! We love you! Love, mom, dad, Rachel.” Yea, I’m sure my dad was involved with that when he was currently out of the state.

                “Catch you later,” I said and hurried out of the house, eager to see Rio.

                I made my way to the park and looked around, frowning because Rio wasn’t there. I went over to the swing we had been on last time, and something caught my eye.

                I flipped the swing over and grabbed the paper and little gift that were tapped excessively to the bottom of the swing. I smiled a little as I opened the gift and the note attached.

                The gift was a little ring that was big enough to fit my thumb. It looked similar to the thumb ring I always wore. The one I was currently wearing was a little worn out.

                Ezra,

                Welcome to part one of your birthday surprise. I noticed your thumb ring was looking pretty shitty, so I bought one that was as close as I could find to it. Part two of your surprise is waiting for you up in your favorite tree. Get climbing monkey boy.

                -Rio

                I stuffed the note in my pocket and slid my usual ring off. My thumb always felt naked when I wasn’t wearing it.

                I slid on the one Rio had bought me, surprised by how perfectly it fit. I smiled a little and left the park, walking to the little forested area I had taken Rio so long ago.

                I went to my favorite tree, pleased that Rio remembered which one it was. I swung myself up onto it and began to make my way up easily, the tree familiar to me by now.

                I reached the top, a little disappointed that Rio wasn’t there. But in his place was a balloon tied securely to the thick branch, blowing in the wind. There was a paper attached to the string, and a gift secured to the trunk of the tree.

                I grabbed the present and opened it. It was $100 gift card to the local anime store and a new lighter, and my smile came back. I grabbed the paper, tearing it away from the balloon and opening it.

                Ezra,

                Welcome to part two of your surprise. Since you’re an anime nerd, I got you a gift card. And this was where you showed me you’re a pyromaniac, so I also got you a new lighter in case the one you have dies. For part three, proceed to the Wall.

                -Rio

                I could feel the weight of my lighter in my pocket even now. I kept it, surprised it still worked considering how long I’d had it for.

                I kept it to remind myself about my days of addiction. When I had been a pothead, and started smoking cigarettes. I kicked the cigarette habit fairly easily, but the weed had been hard to drag myself off of. I didn’t like becoming a pothead, though, and had been determined to kick the habit.

                I pulled that lighter out and stared at it. Rio didn’t know that. He didn’t know why I always kept it with me. It was to remind myself how weak I had been back then.

                But I wasn’t weak. I looked at Rio’s brother and realized that I wasn’t weak. Kicking addiction wasn’t easy, and I had done it.

                “Look at that Rio. You’re helping me without even realizing it,” I said with a small smile. I pulled my arm back and threw my lighter as far as I could, watching as it sailed away from me and descended to the ground. I tucked the new lighter away in my pocket and untied the balloon.

                I climbed down from the tree and started walking towards the wall, wondering if Rio would be there. He had gone to a lot of trouble to do all of this for me. And he had spent a lot of money.

                I looked at the new ring on my finger and smiled again. When I first started to realize how much I liked Rio, I had been a little afraid that his ability to love and trust had been irreparably damaged by his brother without him even realizing it.

                But now I knew that he was a lot stronger than I had originally given him credit for. Even after everything he had been through, after everything his brother had put him through, Rio found it in himself to love and trust. He cared about other people. He was such a good person, even if he only thought of himself as dark and sassy.

                It was what I loved so much about him. He underestimated himself so much, but he was so much better than he gave himself credit for. He was an amazing person, and I loved him so much.

                The wall came into view and a smile broke out on my face as I saw Rio sitting up there with a grin on his face. I hurried over to him and he laughed.

                “You kept the balloon? Dork,” he said, shaking his head.

                I easily climbed up onto the wall and perched there, leaning over and kissing Rio passionately. He had done so much for me.

                “Thank you,” I whispered. I felt so much better. I had expected this birthday to absolutely suck, but Rio had made it amazing.

                “We’re not done yet,” he said, kissing me and hugging me.

                “We’re not?” I asked in confusion. What more could he have possibly done for me? He had given me gifts and been thoughtful enough to send me around to all the areas we had our special moments at.

                “Nope. Come on birthday boy,” he said, climbing down from the wall.

                I jumped down and he grabbed my hand, leading me away from the wall. He grinned at me.

                “By the way, I was the present at the wall,” he said with a wink.

                I laughed. “I figured you were!”

                He led me to his house, which I loved going to. Despite his moody, violent brother, Rio had a good family. His parents were kind and loving.

                I knew families weren’t always as they seemed, but I could tell how much Rio’s parents loved him and his brother. They even looked at each other with love. It was refreshing to see.

                We entered the house and I smiled widely at the sight in front of me.

                There was a cake with my name on it, and candles that announced I was 19 today. The candles were lit and the lights in the room were off. Rio’s parents stood there, smiling at us. Hank was sitting on the counter, a fogged over expression on his face, as if he didn’t register what was happening.

                “Happy birthday!” Mr. and Mrs. Snyder said.

                “Happy birthday,” Rio whispered in my ear before kissing me.

                “Rio…thank you,” I said, honestly at a loss for words. No one had ever gone to so much trouble for my birthday before, not even my family.

                Rio pulled me inside and over to the cake. He and his parents sang happy birthday to me and I blew out the candles.

                Rio’s dad turned the lights back on and let me cut the cake up into pieces. We each grabbed a piece and sat down together.

                “How has your birthday been, Ezra?” Mrs. Snyder asked with a smile. Not a fake smile like my mom’s.

                “It’s been amazing,” I said honestly.

                I turned and kissed Rio, catching him by surprise. I could taste the frosting of the cake on his lips, and closed my eyes as he deepened the kiss, putting his arms around me, holding me close.

                “Thank you so much,” I mumbled, burying my face against his neck. I would’ve been miserable all day if he hadn’t done this for me. “Thank you for everything. For the gifts, and the little adventure you sent me on, and the cake…for everything, Rio. Thank you.”

                “You’re getting mushy,” he said, but he had a genuine smile on his face.

                His parents watched us, looking overjoyed for their son instead of disgusted by his boyfriend. I rested my head on Rio’s shoulder as I ate my cake.

                “Hey Ezra, I have one more present,” Rio said.

                “Yea? What is it?” I asked.

                “Cake!” He smashed a piece of cake into my face and I groaned.

                “You jerk!” I said, and found myself laughing as I grabbed a piece and smothered his face with it, getting it on his glasses.

                “No fair! Now I’m blinded by cake!” he whined. He paused and leaned over, getting his lips close to my ear. “I’m in the cake.”

                “Yes you are,” I said and proceeded to smother his face with more cake.

                He shoved me away and the two of us laughed happily. His parents got us napkins and we wiped our faces off. Rio cleaned off his glasses carefully, making sure there were no smudges on them.

                “Sorry. I didn’t think about smudging your glasses,” I said, kissing his cheek as he put them back on.

                “Yea, sure,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You were trying to blind me so you could have your wicked ways with me. I am no giving you birthday ziggy wiggle action.”

                “I don’t want it. I want this,” I said, gesturing at the cake covering us, and his family in the room, and his hand around my waist securely.

                “You’re cheesy,” he teased and kissed me. “And you taste like cake.”

                “I wonder why,” I said, rolling my eyes and smiling. I felt so much better today. Rio had really cheered me up a lot. I was rising from the ashes, and I was rising a lot happier than I had been when I burned down the other night.

                “I love you Ezra,” he said, kissing me again.

                “Thank you for doing all of this for me. You made me really happy, Rio,” I said honestly.

                He smiled. “I’m glad,” he said, sincerity in his eyes.

                We ate cake and ice cream and talked to his parents. Hank absentmindedly watched us, and left the room with his dad when he got a headache.

                “I’m tired,” Rio said as it got late. “Stay the night.”

                “Okay,” I said with a smile, not caring if it made my mom mad. It was my birthday, and I wanted to spend it with my boyfriend.

                I took out my phone and texted my mom to let her know I’d be staying with Rio for the night. I turned my phone off since I didn’t want to argue with her. I didn’t want anything to bring my mood down. Even my dad not calling me wasn’t bothering me as much. Rio was helping me not only keep my mind off of it, but slowly work through it.

                “Happy birthday Ezra,” his mom said with a smile as we left the room.

                “Thank you so much Mrs. Snyder!” I said gratefully.

                Rio pulled me out of the kitchen and led me down to his bedroom. We stripped down to our boxers and I pulled my beanie off.

                We laid down together, me in Rio’s arms. He smiled at me, looking so attractive that I could barely stand it.

                “Happy birthday,” he said and kissed me.

                It wasn’t long before I found myself in a passionate make out session with Rio, our mouth working together, tongues sliding around, hands exploring.

                But the perfect end to this night would be to just sleep comfortably. So I broke away from Rio’s lips, kissed him gently one more time, and curled up with him.

                He kept his arms around me, running his hand through my hair soothingly. He pulled his glasses off and set them on his nightstand, turning the lights off.

                “I love you so much Rio. I really do,” I said.

                He kissed me. “I love you too Ezra. I hope you were happy today.”

                “I was happy,” I said with a nod. I grinned a little. “You lied to me about not doing the cute, cuddly thing.”

                He sighed. “Okay, okay. My deepest darkest secret has been discovered. I like the cute and cuddly thing,” he said.

                I laughed and closed my eyes. “Goodnight Rio. Thank you for today. It was perfect.”

                “Good night my old man of a boyfriend,” he said and kissed me.

                I drifted off to sleep, warm and happy in his arms, slowly rising from the ashes with his help. I just hoped that when Rio finally burned down, I would be able to help him rise from it again before the wind could scatter his ashes.