The Birthday Kiss

It was 6 o'clock in the morning and Fred Jones jumped out of bed, it was one of the two days a year he eagerly woke up that early, the other day was Christmas Day, but today was his 9th Birthday.

He ran into his Mother's room, "Wake up, Mom!" Fred exclaimed. Mrs Jones rolled over to face Fred, "Good morning, Birthday Boy." She smiled. "Morning Mom." He said as he climbed into her bed for "Birthday Hugs", as she liked to call it. "How does it feel to be nine?" She asked, "Not much different than eight." Fred said. "Nine years ago today was the best day of my life." She said kissing his cheek.

"Want to open some presents?" She asked as she pulled a wrapped package out from under her pillow, Fred gasped, smiling at the pirate wrapping paper. "This is from me." She said, "Thanks Mom." Fred said as he took the present and eagerly opened it; it was a blue Superman t-shirt, "Thanks Mom!" He exclaimed, hugging her.

"Who wants Birthday pancakes?" She asked. "What topping this year?" Fred asked. "What was last year?" Mrs Jones asked. "Strawberry." Fred said. "Oh yes." Mrs Jones said smiling as she remembered Fred's Birthday last year, and he got strawberry all over his face and pyjamas.

Mrs Jones made blueberry pancakes for Fred, then she put some presents on the table for him. "This one is from Uncle Tommy." She said, as she gave him a present wrapped in blue wrapping paper. "What is it?" She asked as Fred opened it, Fred's uncle Tommy could be silly with Birthday/Christmas presents, it could be something Fred really wanted or it could be a can of worms or a rubber snake, Fred remembered last Christmas and his Aunt Jessie screamed as she pulled a rubber snake out of a shoe box, it was funny to everyone else, but Aunt Jessie must have been scared and annoyed.

"It's a watch," Fred said, "Made of candy."

"Oh, well at least it wasn't a snake." Mrs Jones smiled, Fred smiled too. "There's something else too." He said, pulling out an envelope. "It's for you, Mom." Fred said, reading his mother's name on the envelope, Mrs Jones quickly took the envelope from Fred and put it in her pocket, Fred opened some more presents. Then after he ate his blueberry pancakes, he went to get dressed.

Then he came downstairs wearing his new Superman t-shirt and his new grey jacket from Aunt Jessie and his white sneakers from his grandparents.

"I've got some exciting news!" Mrs Jones exclaimed as Fred stepped into the kitchen. "What?" Fred asked. "Aunt Judy and Alexander are coming to see you and they're coming with us for dinner later!" Mrs Jones exclaimed, excitedly. There's a difference between excited and disappointed; Mrs Jones was excited because her sister Judy was coming to visit with her son Alexander and Fred was disappointed because his cousin Alexander was coming to visit, on his Birthday.

Fred didn't like Alexander, the thought he would as he got older, but Alexander got worse as he got older.

Alexander was 12, 3 years older than Fred. Fred didn't dislike Alexander because he was older, it was because he was mean; Alexander's parents were divorced, Alexander still saw his dad, but Fred's left when he was only a few days old and Alexander constantly teased Fred about it. He often wound Fred up, "No friends, no girlfriend." Alexander teased, at the time Fred was only 7 and he told Alexander that he was too young to have a girlfriend, but he had many friends. "Bet you haven't even kissed by a girl that isn't your Mom." Alexander teased, Fred blushed. "I'm only eight." Fred said, annoyed with him.

What would the "jokes" be this year?

"Mom, I'm going to meet Daphne at the park." Fred said. "Alright, sweetie but don't get your new clothes dirty." Mrs Jones said, Fred nodded.

Daphne sat on the swing set waiting for her best friend, she was so excited to see him on his Birthday, she was eager to ask him how it felt to be 9 as her 9th Birthday was just 3 months away.

The she saw him coming through the quiet park. She ran over to him and threw her arms around him, he was blushing. He wrapped his arms around her. Whenever she hugged him, he felt his cheeks going red and he felt nervous, she was his best friend. "Happy Birthday." She said, happily. "Thanks, Daph." He smiled, holding her tightly. When they let each other go, she looked into his eyes and he felt his cheeks turning red.

"Is everything ok?" She asked. "I suppose," He said. "Mom made blueberry pancakes this morning, and I got this Superman t-shirt and these sneakers and this jacket." Fred replied. "But?" Daphne asked. "But Mom said my Aunt Judy and Alexander are coming for dinner." Fred said, sadly. "Alexander." Daphne said bitterly, gritting her teeth, recalling all the things Fred told her about his unfriendly cousin. Daphne believed every word Fred said, because one time she caught Alexander making fun of Fred; wearing an ascot, having "a girl for a best friend". Though Fred made her proud when he told Alexander "this is probably the longest amount of time you've been in the presence of a girl". But after that Alexander started going on and on about his girlfriends.

"He'll start bragging about how many friends he has compared to me and how many girlfriends he's got." Fred scoffed. "And every-time he sees me he makes jokes about never being kissed by a girl who isn't my Mom. I'm only nine!" Fred exclaimed.

"You can kiss me if you want." Daphne said. Fred waited for her to laugh, but she didn't, in fact she looked serious. "What?" He asked. "You can kiss me if you want." She repeated, "And then you can tell Alexander that you have kissed a girl." She smiled supportively. "Do you even know how?" Fred asked, "You've never kissed a boy before!"

"So, you kiss me, and I kiss you then I've kissed a boy and you've kissed a girl." Daphne said. "But you don't know how." Fred said. "I saw Dawn kissing a boy the other day." Daphne said. "But she's seventeen." Fred said. "People still kiss with their lips Freddie." Daphne said, as she stepped closer to him. "Ok." He said.

Daphne quickly pressed her lips against his, he was slightly confused, but then she pulled away. "Now you've kissed a girl." She smiled, "And you've kissed a boy." Fred said.

"Shall I push you on the swing?" Daphne asked as if nothing happened. "Yes!" Fred exclaimed, and they raced each other to the swing set.

"I can't wait to tell Mom." Fred thought.