Gio

The cool, cloudy winter afternoon light is dimming my room already. The time we have to be alone together is slipping by too quickly. She is in the midst of putting her shirt back on after our little Thursday afternoon makeout session when I come up behind her on the bed and wrap my arms around her waist. I have some big news to share with her.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something," I say low, kissing her neck. "It's my 16th birthday tomorrow, and—"

"YOUR BIRTHDAY!" she nearly leaps out of the bed. She spins around and tackles me till I'm lying flat on my back, and she's straddling me. I'm startled by her surprise ambush but grinning.

"What! Your birthday is tomorrow?!"She punches me on the shoulder. " Why would you wait so long to tell me?" She hits me a few more times to make it seem like she's mad, but I kinda really like it. It's kinda fucking hot. Hit me again, Ren, my brain smirks.

She must sense me enjoying myself because she then socks me one much harder.

"Ow. Okay, okay. I get it. I'm sorry." I put my hands up. "I don't usually make a big deal about my birthday. I've never liked being the center of attention. "

It's true.

"I like this position, though," I grin.

She grins back as we weave our fingers together, playing a push-pull battle of arm strength.

"Anyway, since it's on a Friday, a bunch of us are going to party in the cemetery up on the hill... and I was hoping you could come."

Her eyes go wide. "Of course, I'll come. I would be mad if I missed it!" she grits, exasperated, and pushes my hands down till they're all the way back in a submissive position on the mattress.

She smiles deviously. "I like this position."

Damn, that's so sexy! "Oh yeah? You think you got me?"

"Yeah. Try and escape."

I quickly flick my wrists to free my hands, and she tries but fails to get them back. Then I grab her and flip her over till I'm on top of her, holding her wrists down on the mattress in the exact same pose. We laugh as she tries to wrestle me. She's wirey and pretty strong, but I know I'd win if I really tried. I don't, though—I let her win, and she climbs back on top of me again, smiling victoriously.

Her hair hangs in a dark auburn curtain around her face, and her ocean eyes are dancing.

She's so fucking beautiful.

I lock eyes with her and swallow hard—my Adam's apple seems to have grown twice as big and fucking sharp. My heartbeat is already up from wrestling with her, but now it's thumping so hard it's all I can hear.

There's another reason I haven't mentioned my birthday yet. I have something important I want to ask, something I want to do on my birthday with her, but I just haven't gotten up the nerve to say it. But I have to now. I'm out of time.

I clear my throat. "Um, Ren?"

"Yeah?"

She's looking at me all innocent and shit. Fuck. Okay. How do I ask her?

"Um, so tomorrow night, uhhhh." Shit, my heart is pounding so hard. "Um, I'm also hoping, maybe you can... sleep over here with me... all night."

I hold her eyes with all the intensity I'm feeling and unconsciously bite my lip.

She nods happily. "Yes, I was thinking that, too. I definitely shouldn't drive home if we are going to drink."

Fuck. She didn't get it. She never gets it when I am being subtle about stuff. She makes me have to spell it out.

Her face lights back up. "I can't believe it's your birthday tomorrow! I don't know what to get you for a present!"

"I can think of one thing..."

Her eyes soften, "What is it?"

Why is this so hard? I bite my lip again and hold my breath, trying to communicate to her with my eyes that this isn't easy for me. She looks at me, confused. She must be wondering what my problem is. Just spit it out, Gio!

"I want to have sex with you. On my birthday," I blurt.

My heart is choking me in my throat, and she's just staring at me.

Fuck. You idiot. Why'd you say it like that?

She slides off my crotch and sits next to me, her back propped up by the wall, and I scramble up a little more in bed, too, and start chewing on my thumbnail.

Damn it, she looks nervous now. What does that mean? You fucked it up, dipshit.

I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack. "Ren! Say something!" I plead, turning on my hip to face her.

She shakes her head like she is far off somewhere else, then looks me in the eyes, "Yes!"

YES? Yes! The intense pressure I held in my chest deflates, my back slides down the wall with it, and I melt into a puddle of relief.

She smiles, inhaling deeply. "Yes, Gio, I want to have sex with you, too," she reassures me, putting her hand on mine.

YES! YES! YES!

Then she pauses again! "But..."

Suddenly, my anxiety shoots right back up. She withdraws her hand, and now I'm really fucking worried.

"But what?! " My mind races with possibilities.

"But... okay." She takes a deep breath to steady herself. "So, do you have protection? I'm not on the pill or anything."

Phew! No problem there.

"YES! I have condoms. Tons!" I flick on my bedside table light, illuminating my room in a soft glow, and slide open my top drawer to show her.

By tons, I mean like ten or twelve. So many places, like the Trinity Theatre, give them out for free in a big bowl, and I've collected a nice little stash. She leans forward to catch a glimpse of what else I keep in there, but I quickly slide it shut again.

Okay. It's not a big deal or anything— just my pipe to smoke weed, a Playboy, and a pair of handcuffs I borrowed from my brother for my Halloween costume last year. Don't tell him I still have those.

"Okay... great," she says, but now she's looking at me all uncomfortable again. "But... do you, uh... do we, um... have to worry about... you know..." she murmurs low, looking anywhere but me. "STDs?"

Oh yeah, right. This is getting more awkward.

She clears her throat and goes on, looking down, playing with the sheet to  avoid my eye contact. "I mean, I've only had sex with one guy, and we used condoms every time, so I think I'm good."

She doesn't have to say who "he" was. I already know. I asked Eddie about it, and he had gotten quite the detailed version from Ryder. Ren was his second, but I cut him off before he told me anything else I didn't want to fucking know.

She pulls her knees up to her chest, tucking into a ball. "Ummm. Have you... with anyone?"

Fuck.

My neck is on fire, and my pits start dampening, so I wrap my fists tightly in them. I was somehow hoping this wouldn't come up, but now it seems like I'm forced to make something up about another girl or tell her the truth.

I'm a virgin.

God, I hate how lame that word sounds when referring to me. There's no way I'll say it out loud.

A "Mm-mm," comes from my mouth, almost inaudibly, feeling so fucking pathetic all of a sudden.

In my head, she's smirking at me like I'm a lowly and inexperienced baby, but as I lift my eyes, she looks... relieved, happy even. What?!

My eyes widen as she traces her fingers slowly up my abs to my chest, her eyes lingering there momentarily before they slide up to hold my gaze. She's smiling friskily at me now.

"Well then, you will get... your present... tomorrow night," her voice low, trailing out like silk.

With the uncomfortable talk out of the way, I feel free to feel excited about the idea and also freshly aroused. Finally, hearing the words I've been waiting for, desire burning within me, I grab her with both hands, pulling her back down on the pillows with me again, and kiss her with such passion that I must be Italian. 

♡♡♡

I have to keep biting my cheeks while setting the dinner table to keep from smiling at Ren with bedroom thoughts in my eyes. She's not helping. Her eyes glitter back at me, and the corner of her lip tilts suggestively.

My mom doesn't seem to notice. She's blabbering on to me about the family celebration she's having at our house with my aunts and cousins on Saturday afternoon while she finishes dinner. She's asking me question after question like I care. The idea that I'm going to have sex for the first time with Ren tomorrow night is currently occupying all my available brain space.

"Gino, what should I make for your birthday dinner tomorrow night?" she asks, flicking her napkin open and placing it on her lap as we all sit down.

My leg bounces like a jackhammer under the table as I load up my fork, trying not to make eye contact with Ren now that everyone's full focus is on me. "I don't know. Anything."

"How about my Penne Carbonera with pancetta? That used to be your favorite?"

I nod in agreement, struggling to stay in the present moment. "Mm-Hmmm."

"Great." She refills her wine glass. "I also made an appointment at the DMV on Monday to take your driver's test after school. I'll pick you up."

My eyes flutter closed as I pump my fists and grit enthusiastically, "Yes!!!"

Ahh! I haven't been this excited about a birthday since I was like six, and my parents took me to Marine World.

"Ren! That reminds me," I get up and pull a folded newspaper from a pile on the counter. "I've been looking for used cars and found these two. I want to know what do you think?"

I show her the circles I've made around two cars in the classifieds. "This one here is a 1986 Blue Cavalier Coupe in pretty good condition for $1100, but this other one is a sexy 1969 Black Camaro Rally Sport for just $700—but it needs a paint job and a ton of work."

Ren's eyebrows raise. "Can you drive it right away?"

"No. But come on! It's a freakin' Camaro! Remember my brother's car? And it's only $700!!!"

"Gino, a car like that costs a lot of money to fix up," my mom tuts.

"Yeah, and you'll want something you can drive right away, right?" Ren adds.

My mom smiles at her. "Exactly."

A long, heavy sigh releases from my lungs. Damn it! They're both right. The Cavalier's a much smarter choice. My lip juts out in a pout. I really want that sick-looking car.

Ren smiles gently at me and puts her hand on my arm. "I'm sure you'll find something perfect. I don't think you should go for it, but the Camaro would be pretty cool."

My smile lights back up. "It'd be so amesome!"

After dinner, while Ren and I clean up, I ask Mom (since it's practically my birthday) if we can watch a movie in the living room instead of studying, and she agrees, as long as it's something Chiara and Ren want to watch too.

I already know what I want: Independence Day with Will Smith. I grab it out of the DVD cabinet and hold it up. But my butthead sister wants the new Romeo and Juliet with Leo DiCaprio. Barf.

That leaves the tiebreaker to Ren. She bites her lip, looking at both movie covers in her hands, trying to feign indecision, but I can see a guilty look written all over her face. Shit.

"Sorry, Babe. I really want to see this one," siding with Kiki to her visible and audible satisfaction, who jumps up and hugs her.

Oh well, it feels good to see Kiki being so sweet to Ren recently—she actually gets along much better with my sister than I do.

Chiara hops into the big recliner chair that has duct tape up the back, and I grab the big blanket and lay down on our ratty old couch, inviting Ren to come lie next to me. I've sorta given up being embarrassed about how crappy our furniture is. She spoons into me, fitting perfectly, and I cover us both with the old afghan. Mom dims the lights for us, though they remain on in the kitchen, where she sits down at the table with her wine and some bills.

Initially, I'm pretty resistant to the romantic movie, inserting hilariously lude comments whenever possible and laughing at them all by myself. But by mid-movie, I'm more into it than I expected to be. Baz Lurman does a pretty good job of keeping it visually and musically interesting.

But the movie is really a cover; I'm mainly entertaining myself by secretly fondling Ren under the blanket. She's doing an excellent job acting like it isn't happening, but I know how hot what I'm doing makes her, and the thought of it is making me excited as hell. Sex with her is once again all that's on my mind.

By the end of the movie, I'm pretty sure we are both very sexually pent up. Mom's already gone to her room, and Chiara turns off the TV and goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth. It's just after nine and way past time for Ren to head home, but I don't want her to go. Maybe we can do my present a day early...

"I want you so bad!" I whisper in her ear. "Come back to my room."

She brings her shoulder to her ear reflexively. "I really have to go."

She attempts to get up, but I hold her tight to me.

"I don't know how I'm going to wait all the way till tomorrow night! What am I going to do with this?" I put her hand on me.

"I guess you're going to have to self-soothe tonight," she gently teases me, removing her hand from my now throbbing kickstand and standing up.

Ugh! You did this to yourself, dumbass.

I groan, burying my head under the sofa cushion dramatically. I hear Ren giggling.

"Haha! That's so funny I forgot to laugh," I recite from below the cushion.

She sits down next to my body, pulling the pillow off my head and kissing me on the cheek. "Come on, walk me out." she prods me. I don't respond, so she shakes me a little. "Please."

Begrudgingly, I wrench myself off the sofa and walk her out to the fence door, where we often say goodbye.

"So... I'll meet you by the busses and drive you home after school tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I say petulantly, still feeling all wound up.

"Actually, I should drop by my house and grab some stuff I'll need for the rest of the weekend. Can you come with me?"

That perks me up. I've been wanting to see her room for forever now.

"Sure! Will your dad be there?"

"Yeah, of course, he'll be there. But I can introduce you." She stops and looks stunned for a moment. "Wow, tomorrow's going to be quite a day!"

"Yeah, just have to make it through a whole day of school first," I whine.

"You'll make it," she laughs breathlessly. "Happy early birthday, babe," and she gives me a long, sensual kiss. "See you tomorrow," her voice low and sexy.

Damn. Now I'm breathless, too. Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

https://youtu.be/vzerbXFwGCE

••• A/N •••

Thank you for reading!

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Can you believe Gio waited so long to tell her about his birthday?

What do you think of his birthday request?