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hold the phone in my lap. “I thought you were saving for another bike.”
    “I’ll still get my bike. I’ve just gotta do a few more gigs. No problem.”
    His smile is so soft and his brown eyes are so hopeful. I can see that all he wants to know is that this gift made me happy.
    “Thank you…. This has been the best birthday… I’ve ever had.”
    He reaches up and brushes away the tear that’s about to fall from my eye. “You deserve the best.”
    I smile and take a deep breath, then I hold out the phone to him. “Can you autograph it for me? So it will still be worth something when you’re rich and famous.”
    He smiles as he reaches up and softly places his index finger on my lips. “I’d rather put my signature here.”
    My heart pounds as he leans toward me. This is it.
    His lips land softly over mine and I breathe in the cinnamon scent of the churros we ate earlier. His lips linger there for a moment and I have to remind myself to breathe. Then he kisses me again, parting his lips just a little bit this time. With each kiss, he opens his mouth just a little wider. Until, finally, he slips his tongue into my mouth.
    The first thing I taste is sugar, then cinnamon, then the soft metallic flavor of the metal stud in his tongue. That’s when I know this is real.
    His tongue brushes against mine and I try to mimic everything he does. And I think I’m doing pretty well when he lets out a soft moan. This spurs me on and I reach up to hold the back of his neck.
    We kiss like this, just sitting on the grass under the oak trees, for a while. But it’s not long enough. When he finally pulls away and lays a soft kiss on my nose, I think my lips are a bit numb.
    “Happy birthday, Claire.” He plants another kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I love you.”
    My entire body feels so light and warm, like a hot-air balloon ready to take flight.
    I wrap my arms around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder. “I love you, too.”

Chapter Eleven
    Chris
    Forever Addicted

    I tumble out of bed and drag myself out of my bedroom and into the hallway. When I push open the bathroom door, my eyes widen at what I’ve stumbled upon. Claire is standing next to the toilet, holding her new cell phone over the toilet bowl. Her lips are pressed together in a hard line across her delicate face.  
    “What the fuck?” is the first thing that slips out of my mouth.
    “I don’t want this thing anymore.”
    “Please don’t drop it in the toilet.”
    “What is the point of having a cell phone if you never answer it?”
    Oh, shit. She’s had this phone two months and it’s turned her into a crazy person. I don’t dare say this out loud, but I’m beginning to wish I’d gotten her something else for her birthday.
    If I don’t call her back within a few minutes, she accuses me of playing games. If she doesn’t call me back right away, it’s because she was busy. I don’t think she even realizes how insane this sounds.
    “What do you want me to do? Just tell me what you want and I’ll do it.” I inch closer to her and she smiles when she realizes she has my attention. “You want me to promise I’ll never wait more than five minutes to call you back? Would that make you happy?”
    She loses the smile and purses her lips. “This phone has turned me into an addict. I look at it every two minutes to check for missed calls and texts from you. It’s sick!”
    I reach for her wrist and slowly move my hand down until the phone is in my hand. I place it gently on the bathroom counter, then I look her in the eyes.
    “Babe, you’re not addicted to your phone. You’re addicted to me.”
    “Shut up!” she smacks my chest and I try not to laugh too loud.
    I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her against me. She’s breathing hard as my lips hover over hers. “Don’t you have to get ready for school?”
    “It’s a late day. I don’t have to be at school for two and a half hours.”
    I smile. It actually makes me happy