Chapter 9: Birthday Girl

"Oh god."

Lina gasped and arched under Sean's touch, her body filled with a delicious heat as his fingers teased in the most intimate of ways, while his lips brushed against her neck. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sighed into him as her hips moved along with his hand, cursing softly. She had to hand it to him, the guy knew what he was doing.

Sean kissed her lips gently and eased his hand out of her underwear, making Lina squirm with want, "Happy Birthday." He murmured against her lips.

Lina's eye's widened slightly, realizing that he was in fact stopping and gently grinned back at him, unwrapping her arms from his shoulders. Okay, so he was good –but he didn't let her finish when she was so close. Heat flooded her face as she sat up on her bed, straightening her clothes out, "Thanks." She replied softly. Had she done something wrong? This was ... awkward.

"So what's the big plan for today?" Sean asked, leaning back against her headboard.

"I think Ebony wanted to take me out tonight." Lina replied, pulling her hair back into a loose braid. "Did you want to come with us?"

Sean shook his head, "Nah, I'll let you have your girls night." He grinned, "Besides, a couple of the guys wanted to hang out tonight."

Lina's brows rose, her lips pressing together slightly, "Alright." The response was simple enough, even though there was a nagging pull at her stomach. "Is everything okay?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Yeah." Sean threw her a lopsided grin, "I just have to get over to my dad's office."

Lina arched a brow but said nothing. "Okay," she smirked. Sean leaned over and kissed her lips gently. She couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she had done something wrong.

She sat against the headboard and watched Sean disappear from her room, then listened to him softly thump down the stairs, and out the door. Biting her bottom lip, she sighed heavily and looked around her room, feeling a little lonely all of a sudden. She wanted to scream and cry –Brad was not right about him. There had to be something bothering Sean –he was acting weird, after all.

Ebony was perched up on the kitchen counter when Lina came downstairs. The blue haired girl was reading the comic section of the newspaper, a baggy full of carrot sticks beside her. Ebony only read the comic section of the newspaper. She always said it was the only part worth her time, because she hated gloomy news articles and the boring weather section.

"Why so glum, chum?" Ebony asked, keeping her eyes on the newspaper. "It's your birthday, after all."

Lina leaned on the counter next to her best friend and took a carrot stick from the baggy, munching on it quietly, "Oh, I dunno." she sighed, "Sean's just acting weird."

Ebony glanced over at Lina, eyebrow's raised slightly, "I'm not even going to touch that one." She responded, "Every time I do, you get pissed at me."

A flush with light embarrassment took over Lina's face. "So what are you planning for tonight?" she asked.

"I thought we'd go to a club or something." Ebony said off-handedly, flipping to another page of the comics. "Just because I know you never get to dance like a slut-cake."

Lina threw her head back in laughter, "Sounds fun!" she grinned broadly.

The truth was, Lina always felt bad for getting mad at her best friend for whenever she tried to 'warn' her about Sean. She knew that Ebony was only trying to protect her, and be a good friend, but there was no need to –so what, he was having a bad day? Everyone had bad days –maybe something at home was bothering him. Lina realized she was pulling excuse after excuse for Sean, but she wanted to make it work with him ... and not just to prove a certain dark-haired photographer wrong.

It was her eighteenth birthday, damnit! She was supposed to go out to a club, dance like a slut and buy a pack of cigarettes just because she could. She wasn't supposed to be standing in her kitchen moaning to herself about how her stupid boyfriend was not doting on her every wish and need –she could take care of herself.

The house phone rang loudly, pulling both girls out of their thoughts with a jump. Lina hurried over and cradled the phone to her ear, greeting whoever was on the other side of the line pleasantly.

"Hey doll baby," her father's voice replied. Lina smiled.

"Hey daddy, how are you?" Lina asked. Ebony raised her brows, continuing to munch on her carrot and sighed, shaking her head. Ebony wasn't a big fan of Lina's parents –mostly her mom. And it was only because they had left Lina alone to fend for herself for such long periods. According to Ebony, Lina's mom could have at least waited until her daughter was old enough to drive before devoting herself entirely to true trophy wife status. Lina agreed.

"Oh doing just fine. Just calling to wish you a happy birthday is all. My little girl is growing up." His voice sounded like he was grinning.

"Aw, thank you daddy," Lina grinned and shrugged to Ebony who was giving her an odd look.

"Well, I thought I'd tell you what your birthday present was, since you're turning eighteen today and everything," his voice wavered a bit, causing a pull in the pit of Lina's stomach, but she tried to push it out of her mind.

"Okay," she replied, a bit confused.

"You're mother and I are in Arizona and we've found this beautiful piece of land with our name on it," he tried to sound excited, Lina noticed. "Anyways, Lina ... the point is, we've decided to give you the house."

Lina paused for a long moment, trying to form any kind of words, but the only thing that came out was the confused, and sneering exclamation of "What!?" at which her father tried to explain further, but Lina uncharacteristically charged over his voice, "You've just up and decided to move to Arizona and give me the house? Do you understand how crazy this sounds?" Ebony's head whipped around towards Lina, her brows pulled together in a tight frown.

"Listen doll baby, we have thought long and hard about this. We know you're mature enough and responsible enough ... plus, you are almost done with your senior year."

Lina was pacing the kitchen like an aggravated lion, "Dad!" she exclaimed, shaking her head, "This isn't normal! You can't just dump the house on me like that –how is this well thought out? How is this making any kind of sense in your head?"

"I does, Lina. It does make sense." Her father replied, "And of course, you are completely welcome to come out here with us, after graduation."

Lina's eyes went wide, "And why in god's name would I want to move to fucking Arizona?!" her voice rose angrily. Both she and Ebony gasped simultaneously, Lina never cursed in front of or to her parents.

Her father paused, a dead sort of air hung for a long moment on the phone before he spoke. "Lina, please try to understand..."

"No." Lina seethed, "I understand completely. I get it. From the first time you and mom left me alone for three weeks, when I was thirteen, I've understood." She ground out, "You two never wanted me, it's a wonder I didn't get shipped off somewhere. I understand" she hung up the phone and sighed heavily, looking at Ebony, whose mouth was hanging open.

"Oh my God Lina" Ebony sighed, hugging her friend tightly. "I'm so sorry ... we don't have to go out tonight..."

"No" Lina said tightly, "I want to ... I need to go out tonight."

Lina sat at her vanity in her room, staring at her reflection –she didn't look any different and she didn't feel older. It wouldn't make sense that she would anyways, but Lina had always imagined that on her eighteenth birthday there'd be some kind of a difference. But the only difference she could think of was her boyfriend was being weird, and her parents left her for good this time –on her fucking birthday. Typical, honestly –like she would expect anything more from them?

Her mother had decorated her bedroom ... well she had hired someone come in and decorate it, anyways. It would have looked lovely in a magazine, but it lacked warmth, and the shabby chic styling just wasn't her thing. She'd have to change it –especially since it was her house now, and she wouldn't feel guilty about changing it without her mother knowing.

"This is gonna look hawt!" Ebony's voice rang from Lina's closet.

Lina rolled her eyes playfully, but let the smile crack on her lips, "What did you find?"

Ebony bounced back into the main part of Lina's room and held up the outfit. "Trendy crop top and bodycon skirt?" she suggested, eyebrows wriggling suggestively, "I bought you this freaking top ages ago and you haven't worn it once!"

"It shows my stomach!" Lina defended; her green eyes went wide.

Ebony rolled her eyes, "It's longer in the back though. Plus, you have a flat stomach –come one, slut it up just this once." She groaned.

Lina smirked, taking the clothing from her blue haired friend and pulled on the black bodycon pencil skirt. It clung to her every curve and was short –there would be no bending over to pick anything up that night. She had only worn the skirt a couple times before, but paired with the loose-fitting crop top, she felt sexy and daring for the first time in a while. The top was fun, and just like Ebony said ... trendy. Lina normally wasn't trendy, but she didn't care, she deserved some fun. She pulled on a long, simple necklace and the ankle booties Ebony set on her vanity. Yeah ... she felt sexy.

"And don't you dare put your hair in a freaking braid." Ebony warned as she pulled on a pair of leathery looking short shorts over her fishnet stockings, then pulled on her usual pair of worn-in combat boots –her loose tank crop top was brilliant purple, decorated only by the many titanium chains Ebony always had hanging around her neck.

Anyone else would have looked cheap and ridiculous, but not Ebony. "You look amazing." Lina grinned.

Ebony brushed through her blue hair with her fingers and sat next to Lina on the vanity bench, while they proceeded to apply their makeup, "Oh, Greg is bringing a friend." Ebony said sheepishly.

Lina paused, eyebrows shooting up, "Why do I get the feeling we're going on a double date? I can't go on a date, Eb ... I have a freaking boyfriend!" Her stomach dropped, suddenly wanting to stay home.

"It's not a double date." Ebony assured her, "He's just an old friend of Greg's. He ran into him the other day while coming to see me. It's no big deal –we'll have fun ... promise." Ebony smiled to Lina, "Besides, they'll probably just hang out by themselves the entire time. Greg says he's a real stand-up guy."

"Okay." Lina shrugged, watching Ebony apply her makeup –she had already finished. Ebony always took longer to put makeup on because she wore more eye shadow than a porn-star ... and was constantly the first to admit it.

"So are you ever going to tell me what happened between you and Brad that one night I left?"

Lina blushed deeply –Ebony knew her too well. "I don't know," she said honestly, sighing, "One minute we're yelling at each other, then all of a sudden..." she groaned, pushing her hair out of her face.

Ebony rose her brows, urging her to continue with her story, "What? All of a sudden what? I want details here!" she chuckled.

"All of a sudden I was pinned against the countertop and he was kissing me until I couldn't think." Lina gushed, blushing terribly.

Ebony froze, her eyes wide and eyebrows rose. "And? Go on." she grinned.

Lina sighed heavily and slouched, "And I kissed him back. And it was amazing. And I can't stop thinking about it."

The blue haired girl bit her bottom lip and finished up her makeup. "I knew it. I knew something was going to happen. The sexual tension was suffocating enough as it was."

"There was no sexual tension!"

Ebony narrowed her eyes at Lina, "Obviously ... there was." She deadpanned.

The club pulsed with the beat of heavy music as Lina walked in, closing her eyes for a moment to take the rhythm in, her body still slightly buzzing from ink etching her skin; Ebony had made a detour to her favorite tattoo shop. A treble and bass clef leaned together on her right hip bone, creating a heart shape. It was simple but symbolized her love for music and dance. Lina fell in love with it, and Ebony had got a matching one on her hip as well. It was quite an experience, but made Lina feel liberated and free.

As Lina looked to the dance floor, where the patrons moved to the beat of the music, she grinned to Ebony. The blue haired girl smiled back and took Lina by the wrist, laughing all the way to the dance floor. Ebony loved to dance too; it was how she got everything out. They made their way to the dance floor and Lina let the music take over her soul, letting her body feel and move without thinking.

She wasn't the biggest fan of the trance and house music that the club played, but Lina had to admit that it was really fun to dance to. It was the first time Lina felt at ease, in a long time. As she danced in the middle of a packed dance floor, with her new tattoo and her best friend, she thought that this is what total ecstasy must feel like. Ebony laughed along with Lina, their natural high taking over their bodies as the song quickened and the crowd of patrons called out and danced their souls out along with Lina and Ebony.

Lina didn't know how long they had been dancing for –it had to be at least twenty minutes. "Thirsty!" Lina yelled over the music, to Ebony.

They were fortunate enough to of snagged a little table with four arm chairs after visiting the bar. Ebony was excellent at flirting with bartenders, so they took a breather with a couple of ice cold beers and watched the patrons of the club as they danced.

"Are you having fun?" Ebony called over to Lina, grinning from ear to ear.

Lina took a big drink from her beer and pulled a face, "Are you kidding?! This is amazing!" She called back, laughing. "Where's your boyfriend?"

Ebony shrugged, "He should be here any minute." Her brows pulled together as she searched the club quickly; "He's probably outside smoking!" she called over.

Lina nodded, and then tilted her head back, feeling the bass of the music all the way down in her bones. She decided she loved that feeling. Then, as if on cue a deep voice ran through the air, calling Ebony's name. Her best friend's eyes lit up as she saw who Lina assumed was Greg, walk up to their table and plant a kiss on Ebony's cheek. His hair was dark and styled into shorter a Mohawk fashion, his clothes consisted of relaxed jeans sloppily tucked into halfway tied combat boots and a dark t-shirt. Naturally, he had full sleeves of tattoos dancing from his wrists up under the sleeves of the shirt. Greg was obviously very fit, under his clothing and had a body equivalent to a swimmer; he was cute, Lina observed.