Birthday Boy
“Wake up, birthday boy...”
These taunting, playful words rang through the unconscious young man’s thoughts. Though this voice, which was unmistakably masculine, was still masked with the sweet harmony of a girl’s voice. While the young man continued to dream about this mystery girl who appeared in front of him with a smile, he ignored the threat of being awakened by his roommate.
Captivated by this girl, time and time again he wanted to know more about her than just her appearance alone.
Her hair, the color of his own, was a vibrant orange. Her structure was frail and skin oh so pale... not much different from him at all. Almost like they were twins. In a strange way he felt connected to this girl. She aged as he aged, like they were linked by an unexplainable telepathic wave, or better put, they were one being separated from one another by a different body.
He knew this was just his imagination getting the best of him but even with this realistic thought he just couldn’t help himself. He had become obsessed with her in a way, she was the woman he longed to meet. Since he was a child, constantly visited by her in his dreams she never left his thoughts.
Staring at her, he was filled with wonder like always, but her smile curved this wonder in a strange manner. It was different than usual, throwing him for a wave of mixed emotions as it made him feel uncomfortable. He had this strange feeling that she knew something that he did not; her smile, usually soft and alluring, was strong and, dare to say, dangerous.
But why was it today of all days that she smiled differently at him?
Why was it so strange for her to take his hand and get close to him now?
They held hands many times in his dreams while they were growing up, and she never made him feel like he needed to run away from her.
“Kiss,” she spoke as she leaned over to him.
He couldn’t move; these words startled him. She never spoke before, and not only that, but the look in her eyes, the dominating, demanding gaze that he was going to kiss her no matter what, scared him.
Her face was so close, the same fear her eyes gave him sent a chill running down his spine, making him close his eyes, not wanting to look her in the eyes any longer. Her warm breath touched his lips, making him realize what she was about to do.
“No, don’t!” Raven yelled as he forced his eyes to open...
*****
“If you don’t wake up, sleeping beauty, I’ll have to give you a kiss to wake you from your curse.” The masculine voice of his best friend spoke to wake him yet again.
Though this time his words carried a serious threat that wasn’t going to be taken lightly. Raven’s eyes sprang open to see Carson’s lips coming ever so close to his own in a taunting manner. Carson’s teasing always made Raven question why he was friends with such a man. Since Carson seemed the type that would hate the thought of kissing another man, with how much he chased women, Raven thought that things would be safe around him, but a kiss didn’t matter to him.
So in the end, he could kiss a man and wouldn’t even worry about his sexuality; he was that kind of confident male. This forced Raven to be always on guard, even after they had already gotten so close. Raven wasn’t the only one he threatened with this, so it didn’t bother Raven as much since Carson had never kissed another guy before, even with his threats.
“No, I’m awake,” Raven’s voice cracked out when Carson didn’t seem to stop, though he had already opened his eyes. “I’m awake!” He snapped and slid back till his head hit the wall behind his bed.
Carson let out a chuckle at Raven’s expense, leaning back off the bed, running his fingers through his short, spiked, black hair. Moving his hand to push the loose bangs that had yet to stiffen from his face because he was looking down, his gaze taunted Raven before he even spoke.
“Raven, you really have to get rid of that fear of kissing or you’ll never get anywhere with your dream girl,” he finally taunts after leaning off Raven’s bed, walking back over to his side of the bedroom.
Raven glanced his way but then looked away, having almost forgotten about what the dream girl had put him through just moments ago. He wondered if that was her trying to warn him about Carson’s kiss, but somehow it just didn’t feel like a warning, not with the way her eyes spoke to him as well.
Raven rolled his eyes at what Carson claimed. It was true that Carson knew more than anyone else did, but what he didn’t know was that it wasn’t really a fear, but more like a curse. Being half-demon, though he loved his mother, Raven would not become like her. As long as he didn’t feed off of anyone’s energy until his eighteenth birthday passed, he would never become one. Then he would get to start a life as a normal human like his father, excluding having a child with a demon, of course.
So to prevent his change, he went to an all-boys school just at the beginning of freshman year. Foolishly unaware of the attraction men could have for one another, having been pretty sheltered at home for most of his life. He ended up in a room with one of the more popular athletes in the school, whose popularity included the local town girls who went to the public school.
Carson’s presence made avoiding girls almost impossible, but even with Raven’s condition and how much of opposites they were. Carson attached himself to Raven, and they became best friends. Sometimes, Raven felt like he was originally taken on as a charity case, like one of those popular high school dramas where the popular kid tries to help the nerdy kid out in exchange for tutoring to pass some test. Though since Raven was anti-social and nowhere above average in test scores, there wasn’t really much to gain on either side of their odd friendship.
“You suggesting I practice with you...” Raven snarled, sitting up, trying to get some negative response from Carson.
This attempt fails as he only chuckles at Raven’s statement as if that was exactly what he implied. This made Raven uncomfortable, as if Carson’s thought about it before.
Another snarl leaves his slender lips looking away from his friend and around the shared room, somehow feeling motivated just wasn’t in him today. All he wanted to do was sleep through the day so that when he woke, the curse of his birth would finally be over.
Raven’s thoughts of maybe calling in sick for the day were interrupted as he noticed Carson going through his things. This usually meant they were going out after school and likely to meet up with girls, which Raven just wasn’t in the mood to indulge him this time.
“Get dressed, hurry up,” he said as he tossed the uniform at Raven while placing casual spare clothes in his bag.
Dodging the flying garments, allowing them to hit the bed behind him, “I’m going back to bed.”
Carson turned around, looking over to Raven as he pulled his tank top over his shoulders, exposing his very masculine fit physique. “What are you whining about now? You know how many people want to see you today.”
Raven glared not budging even for the classmates that had become his companions by default he didn’t care for their happy birthday wishes either, “I don’t care, I’m not going” He enforced his response making it clear he was not about to budge.
Carson let out a sigh as he kept his gaze on his friend, clipping the buckle on his belt, “Raven…” He gave a scolding expression across the room.
Raven knew he was about to do something, but he didn’t want to budge on this one time since it was the most important day in his entire life so far. Looking at Carson and down at his blanket, he and Carson then began to have a stare down as if they were daring each other to make the next move.
Refusing to give in, Raven was the first to make his move, “No!” he shouted, grabbing the blanket, then proceeding with his response like a child and covering himself with the blanket. Curling onto the bed, clinging to the blanket like it was a lifeline to protect him from Carson’s coming attack.
Carson snorts as he cracks a grin, glancing away from Raven’s childish behavior, almost in disbelief that this guy was turning eighteen today, “Oh, someone is looking for that birthday kiss.” Carson picks around lightly.
His feet tap across the floor, and Raven can hear as they pick up speed till they leap into the air, lunging onto the bed over Raven. Raven lets out a yelp from the sudden impact of such a large body, “You idiot, you’re trying to crush me!” Raven coughed out but held the blanket firm.
“If you’re still talking, you’re fine,” He stated in an arrogant manner, then began to make kissing sounds, pulling the blanket from Raven’s face.
