Ariel

Slipping into the backseat of Faithful's battered car, I grin at Ryder who closes my door than climbs into the front passenger seat.

Faithful turns to smile at me from the drivers side. "Happy Bir-"

I hold up my hand. "No happy this or that. We are passing my birthday by doing boring normal unbirthday stuff."

Faithful nods and starts the car. "Sorry. I forgot you don't like birthdays."

Looking out the window and watching my apartment block disappear as we turn a corner, I shrug. "It's not that I don't like them, I just don't want to celebrate it. It's a normal day like any other, the only difference is, I can say I'm eighteen rather than seventeen."

It's true, I don't hate birthdays. I love celebrating other people's birthdays. I love other people's birthday parties. I love presents. I don't have a phobia of them or flashbacks due to a traumatic experience. I've simply had so many birthdays where I made wishes and was hopeful for change only for everything to stay the same. It made me realise early on, the only point of a birthday is to signify you being a year older.

Now, every year, I cut a cake with my mum and the twins then I'll do something boring with Ryder. I don't expect anything more which means I'm never disappointed. I don't start the first day of being a year older with pointless dreams and unrealistic expectations. I start it like every other day and expect the year to be similar to the previous one; a struggle with elements of good and bad.

Today, however, was mainly bad. Taylor was a hot topic of conversation which she was clearly not enjoying. She barely spoke through lunch, then again, neither did Kayla which really irritated me.

If Kayla never wants to kiss me again, fine don't, but at least talk to me like you always have; don't ignore me and make it awkward. The thing I don't get, she made the first move not me. Was I so bad she didn't want a repeat performance? I thought it was really good.

"Do you think one person can think a kiss is great while the other thinks its shit?" I ask, turning away from the window.

Faithful and Ryder glance at each other. They both nod. "Yeah."

I frown. "If someone was a bad kisser, would you never kiss them again and reject them and stop talking to them?"

Faithful furrows his brow as he focuses on the road while Ryder looks over his shoulder at me. "If you're into her, you wouldn't."

"The kissing may have been bad because of nerves or it being their first time," Faithful adds.

It wasn't my first time and I didn't feel nervous. Maybe, I'm a bad kisser. Ugh, have I always been terrible but no one had the heart to tell me? I need a second opinion.

"Ryder, will you-"

"No, not happening," Ryder says flatly.

I huff then turn to Faithful hopefully. "Faithful, can you kiss me and tell me if you think I'm good or bad?"

Faithful laughs. It's his deep rumbling make me feel good laugh. "No."

I slump back in my seat and pout slightly. "It's my birthday, you two should do what I want."

"I thought we weren't celebrating your birthday," Faithful says.

"We are celebrating it by doing boring and normal things."

"Kissing us isn't a boring or a normal thing to do." Ryder laughs.

"Normal, no. However, the boring part, you should let me be the judge of that. I know how false rumours can be so I don't believe all the gossip surrounding your magical panty dropping kisses."

"I'm not kissing you, El," Ryder says firmly.

Faithful stops the car next to a park which has several people walking their dogs and a few lonely runners. I do not understand people who run, it looks so boring. I only run when absolutely necessary, which is never.

"What are we doing then?" I ask.

"Checking out the competition," Faithful says quietly.

Ryder scowls at him before looking at me. "A possible dealer that we want-"

"You want," Faithful interrupts.

Ryder rolls his eyes. "That I want to check out."

"How long have you been watching this person? What's the deal? Are you making a move tonight?"

"No, just watching who goes in and out of the building there." Ryder points in the opposite direction of the park at a fancy looking apartment block. He grabs a bag by his feet and drops it into my lap. "Here's some snacks to keep you busy and your present is in there too."

Opening the bag, I ignore the chocolate and sweets going directly for the envelope at the bottom. I open it, pull out two tickets and shriek.

"You're so fucking amazing, Ry." I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss the back of his head.

"They're from me and Faithful."

I lean over Faithful's seat and hug him tightly. "Thank you."

"No worries."

"You could take the girl who rejected you for your bad kissing. She might be willing to kiss you again after seeing some fancy art." Ryder winks.

"Fuck off," I say jokingly, hitting him on the shoulder. "I've only got two tickets, which one of you am I going to take?"

"Neither." Ryder and Faithful both say simultaneously. They laugh and fist bump.

I roll my eyes. "Fine, I'll take Taylor, hopefully, she'll appreciate abstract art more than you two."

"I'm sure Ryder will give you a lift." Faithful smirks.

"We can catch a train, thanks. I only go on that motorbike when I absolutely have too, it's got bad karma."

Ryder shakes his head. "No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does. That was your brother's bike and everything he touches turns to shit. Faithful knows it, I know it and you know it. Also, that bike was bought from money he earnt being a fucking leech on society."

"Tell me what you really think, El," Ryder says dryly.

"Sorry, I know you love him but it's true." I shrug, lean back and look out the window. "So this dealer, are they female or male? And what is the plan?"

"You don't need to worry about that. It's better you're not involved in any of this, remember?"

"I always am involved though, because I'm here like all the other times. And usually, you tell me your plans and I tell you why it won't work." I arch an eyebrow as he looks at me in the rearview mirror of the car.

"This time it's better if you stay out of it," Ryder averts his eyes.

"You're up to something I won't be happy about," I say accusingly.

"El, I bumped into Taylor after school. She was getting bothered by two basketball players today," Faithful says.

"They've been hassling her all day. Your comment made no fucking difference, Ryder." I sigh.

Ryder stiffens however he doesn't say anything as he looks out the window.

"Taylor lives in a nice house. Why is she dealing when she obviously doesn't need money?" Faithful asks.

"Who the fuck knows? It hasn't exactly popped up in conversation." I pull out some strawberry laces from the bag and offer them around. Both of them take one and we chew on them in silence.

Taylor has never mentioned drugs to me. I wonder if I should bring it up and see what she says. I'd have to do it when Kayla and Sydney aren't around. Getting rid of Kayla probably won't be difficult, all I need to do is look like I'm going to kiss her and she'll run away.

I can't wait till I leave school behind me. Soon Kayla, Teresa and all the teachers with their preconceptions will be part of my past. In a couple of weeks, exams will start and once they're over I'll be released into the big wide world. Now, I just need to work out what the fuck I'm going to do with my life.