This is the outtake of Claire's 13th birthday. If you've read What Happens in Morganville, Shane has a flashback from this in chapter 4.
This chapter does in no way earn a M rating, but I've labeled it M since I don't know what outtakes I might post in the future
(also I don't really understand the whole rating system in the US, it isn't nearly as harsh over here - so I just want to be safe)
I hope you like it.

Disclaimer : Rachel Caine owns the Morganville Vampires, I just like to play with them

Happy 13

Today I'm turning 13. I've been looking forward to this day since forever. Hopefully this will be the day Shane realize I'm not a little kid anymore. A girl can dream, right?

My mom and dad wake me up around 8am by singing Happy Birthday to me. This is a tradition every year. Of course when I was younger I'd always be awake before they even got up, just bursting with excitement. Now, even though I am still excited, I just slep until they come in to sing for me. It's rather nice actually, to wake up this way. Well, my parents aren't really the best singers in the world, but they have wide smiles on their faces and are in a great mood.

"Happy birthday sweetheart" it comes from my mom as she hands me my present.

It's a pretty small present. Not jewelry size but not huge either. I have an idea about what it can be, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I gently unwrap the present and let out a high pitched scream before jumping out of bed to hug my mom and dad. I tell them it's the best birthday present ever before opening the package containing a Nokia 2760 fold cell phone and quickly ensembles it and plug in the charger.

My mom leaves my room, probably to make breakfast, while my dad is just standing there laughing at me before he ruffles up my hair and go join my mom in the kitchen. I'm too busy with my new phone to care.
I've been wanting a cell phone for a long time because all my friends have one, but my mom and dad didn't think it was necessary for me to have one when before I got older. I guess I just got older

As soon as the phone starts to charge I turn it on and start to enter the phone numbers I have memorized. That of course includes Alyssa, Eve, Michael and Shane. I figure out how to send a text to everyone at the same time.

Hi guys. Guess what my mom and dad just gave me :) Luvs Claire

YAY your parents finally gave you a phone.. imma text you all the time. Hugz Al

OMG.. Im such a bad friend. HAPPY BDAY C! Hugz Al

Happy birthday C. Congratulations on your new phone. That's awesome. Are Al and I still coming over early? Hugs and kisses, Eve

Hi Al, Thank you It's so awesome… and RED… I love it. Lots of txts coming your way. Btw are you still coming over early? Luvs Claire

Let me guess… a cell phone? That's great. Happy Birthday. Michael

Of course I'm coming over early so we can get ready for the parteee 2gether. Should I ask Michael and Shane too? Michael is here now. Hugz Al

Sure if they want to come early that'd be cool. C

Eveeeee…. Al is still on… She's asking Shane and Michael too. 2pm? Party is at 5pm. Luvs Claire.

Hi Claire. Happy birthday. U got a phone? That's really great. Just talked to Alyssa, is it okay If Michael and I come early 2? Love Shane

Thanks Shane. Of course it is silly.

Awesome. See you later. Love Shane

He wrote "Love Shane"… Twice… What does that mean? Does he write that to all girls? I've only ever seen a couple of texts from Shane to Alyssa but on those he didn't even write his name. I decide that it's probably just his typical signature and if that's the case I can write it too…. Without changing it to "luvs".

Can't wait. Love Claire

"Claire, breakfast's ready" I hear my mom call and send off quick messages to Eve and Alyssa telling them I'll see them later.

After breakfast I hurry up to my room. I'm both happy and freaked out by the fact Shane is coming early. It shouldn't be such a big surprise to me since we usually hang almost every day. I'd just hope to be all dressed up before seeing Shane today. I decide to take a shower but wait with all the rest until Eve and Alyssa is here, seeing as they'll probably bring their clothes over and change here. We'd all gotten new clothes for this party. My mom had taken us to the mall last weekend and we'd made a day out of it. I've never been much of a shopper, but we were just goofing around and doing the whole catwalk thing for each other. Eve had decided that she would only try on black clothes, Alyssa mostly tried on pink clothes and I just tried on whatever they thought looked good. It'd been great fun.

Once I'm done in the shower I put on my grey Everlast sweats and a white tank top. I look myself in the mirror. My boobs are getting bigger, but they're still small. I wish they were bigger but my mom says it's only a question of time now that I've started getting my periods and that I shouldn't worry about it. I still do. I think I deserve it if I have to go through a world of pain every month. Also, I want to look beautiful instead of just being average…. and I want Shane to notice. At least Shane doesn't seem to look at other girls either.

There's still over an hour until my friends arrive and I go down to the kitchen to ask my mom if she needs any help. She has everything covered, but I help her set up the living room with a few balloons and some glitter. Some part of me doesn't like that my mom has bought balloons and glitter, but another part of me loves it. I just hope Shane and Michael won't give me grief about it.

When the doorbell rings I hurry out to get the door. Eve arrives first, but we barely have time to hug before the doorbell rings again and the rest of my best friends stand just outside the door.
Alyssa practically jumps me and yells Happy Birthday into my ear. Michael is calmer but still gives me a big hug and tells me Happy Birthday too. Shane is last to enter and I get a chance to get a got look at him. His hair is messy, like he's run his hands through it a hundred times before they got to my house. I love his hair when it's like that… I just want to run my fingers through it.

Shane smiles at me and gives me a hug. The hug lasts longer than any other hugs I've ever gotten from him. It's also a bit tighter and he whispers Happy Birthday into my ear. I love the way I can feel his breath on my ear, it'd oddly comforting. When Shane lets go he looks at me and tells me I look pretty. I blush and look up at him confused, seeing as I'm still just wearing my Everlast sweats and the white tank top. Shane almost looks like he's blushing too, but he can't be. Shane never blushes unlike me who blush all the time. Then of course he has to ruin it by messing up my hair. Ugh, boys! At least I haven't done anything with my hair yet, so it isn't so bad to have Shane's hands in my hair.

We all go into the living room and the boys turn on the TV. They've been to my house so many times that they just act like they're home. The girls want to start getting ready so we leave the guys in the living room and head up the stairs to my room. Like I predicted the girls both brought the clothes they're going to wear tonight so we all need to get ready. We put on some music and just talk and goof around. I'm pretty sure they both know I have a crush on Shane. Neither of them have ever mentioned it and I haven't either, but they keep talking about boys and I can't help but reveal that I'd love to get my first kiss today. They're both supportive of that and help me put on a little mascara and eyeliner. Not a lot, my mom wouldn't approve of that, just enough to highlight my eyes a little.

"Hey, who's gonna be here tonight?" Alyssa asks casually. I'm pretty sure she's only asking because she hopes Gabe will be here.

"Lillian, Jane, Leah, Chrissie, Thomas, Sean, Todd and a bunch of other people"

"Monica isn't coming, is she?" Eve actually wrinkle her nose when she asks. None of us like Monica. She used to be pretty nice, but now she's just stuck up because her dad is running for mayor. I'm also pretty sure she has a thing for Shane, which makes me dislike her even more. I know it's shallow, but what if Shane turns out to like her and not me? She's way prettier than I am, especially with her long blonde hair and the fact that she already has boobs.

"No, my mom said I had to invite her, but luckily she couldn't make it" Both Alyssa and Eve seem relieved.

"But guess who is coming….." I trail off for dramatic effects and it works because they both start asking about who it is.

"Gabe" I say while wiggling my eyebrows at Alyssa through the mirror I'm standing in front. Alyssa blushes but quickly tries to turn the attention back to me.

"So Claire, are you excited that Todd's gonna be here?" Dammit! I knew I wouldn't live that one down. Not too long ago I might have had a VERY SMALL crush on Todd. It didn't last long, but the girls still teased me about it.

"Alyssaaaaaa, please. I don't understand why you're so set on setting me up with Todd. I mean, he's nice and all but I'm totally not into him"

"But I thought you said it'd be nice to get your first kiss today?" Of course Eve has to join Alyssa.

"Oh.. yeah, but I don't really want Todd to be my first kiss" both girls seem to think about that for a minute and I take the opportunity to put on some lip gloss.

I turn around to look at the girls who are both standing up now, getting ready to go downstairs. Alyssa suddenly squeal.

"I know who you want to be your first kiss – it's…" She never gets any further because she's at the door, which is slightly open, and when she opens it completely Shane is standing right outside. He looks like he's just been caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

He looks at me and blurts out "Your mom's using the downstairs bathroom so I had to come up to use the one up here". I'm mortified to think about what he might have heard and I can't help the blush that suddenly colors my entire face. I don't know what to say, but luckily Eve comes to my rescue, she sounds pissed.

"Yeah, well this isn't the bathroom, so move along dude".

Shane quickly moves away from the door and I look at Alyssa with wide eyes.

"Do you think he heard?" I ask her.

"Don't worry about it C. It's not like we talked about anything incriminating"

"WHAT?" I'm practically yelling "We talked about me getting my first kiss.. and Todd… and… Omg, I'm going to die" At the moment I really do feel like I'm going to die.

Both Eve and Alyssa assures me that everything will be fine, but that doesn't keep me from avoiding Shane as much as I can without being too obvious when we get downstairs.

I can't believe I'm actually running around trying to avoid Shane. Here I was hoping tonight would be the night he'd finally see me as something more than his friend or his little sisters best friend or whatever he saw me as and now it's all ruined just because I couldn't keep my mouth shut about wanting my first kiss tonight. I'd been day dreaming about how to do it too, but now I can't get myself to do any of the things I'd dreamt about. That sure dampen my mood, but I'm still having a pretty good time.

I'm dancing with Eve when I see Michael and Alyssa whispering the corner just before Alyssa comes over and tells me that I don't have any more lip gloss on and suggests that I go upstairs and freshen it up. It sounds like a good idea to me, but I wonder why Alyssa is telling Eve she needs to talk to her when Eve is about to go with me. I just shrug and tell them I'll be back in 2 minutes.

I'm standing by my dresser re-applying lip gloss when I hear Shane's voice call out my name. I'm surprised that he's followed me up here, so I just yell out a "yeah". He takes a tentative look into the room before he enters, almost like he's afraid something or someone is going to jump him. He's probably worried Eve's going to yell at him again.

He looks straight into my eyes. I see his eyes change from nervous to something I don't recognize - and he takes three long strides towards me, bends down and kisses me. It's the best feeling ever. Shane's lips linger softly on mine and I get lost in the feeling. All to sudden the kiss ends. Shane hands me a present, tell me Happy Birthday Claire in a soft voice and leaves my room.

I'm baffled and don't know what to think. I can't believe I just got my first kiss from the guy I really wanted to be my first kiss… and then he just leaves. I look down to my hands which are still holding the present he gave me. I tentatively un-wrap it, making sure I don't rip the paper. Inside is a silver necklace with a butterfly pendant. I really love it and I'm fighting to keep from crying. This is the best present I've ever gotten, even better than my new cell phone. I put on the necklace and fold the wrapping paper very carefully before saving it in my dresser. I know I'm being ridicules with keeping the wrapping paper, but I'm just not ready to throw it out.

I make my way back downstairs to all my friends. This might be the best birthday ever.

I haven't really set a timeline as such for this story... but in my head this happens before the iPhone comes out, otherwise she'd have gotten an iPhone. I love my iPhone ;)

I hope you liked it, let me know what you think?