Author's Note: I got the idea for this from the writing-prompt-s blog on Tumblr.
Children only grow up when they want to. Your last surviving sibling is begging you to finally have your 13 birthday.
"Please," Terry begged. "Think of it as birthday present to yourself!"
Eddy cocked a brow.
Behind him, his like named friends shifted uncomfortably.
The rest of the kids in the cul-de-sac and the Kankers lightly held their breaths as they awaited his response.
Unlike everyone else in the cul-de-sac and the Kankers, Eddy's family had their own business. If he grew up, he would have to take over it.
His niece married into another family that worked for a huge conglomerate, thus, she didn't have to help.
His nephews were fucking clueless and the business had been in the red for decades.
He could save them, but only if he wanted to.
His birthday was tomorrow.
And he had plans.
But none included blowing out the thirteen candles that would age him and make him grow up.
For years, all he had ever wanted was to have all the cool trappings of adulthood; money, power, respect, a gaggle of hot chicks willing to stroke him and his ego.
With every failed scam, reality set in.
It just wasn't worth it.
And the day his chickens came home to roost, he nearly lost everything. But in the end, he gained so much more.
To blow out those candles, he'd lose everything to save something, that in his mind, wasn't worth a damn cent.
Not even a quarter.
Especially not a quarter.
"Nah," he laughed and his friends let loose huge sighs of relief as Jimmy and Sarah actually cheered. "I've got better things to do."
With that, he and his friends headed to the park to play like the kids they were.
For forever…