Hot Naked Guy As A Gift novel Chapter 2

"What is it? Condoms? You know Dad grounded me when he found those in my bathroom? I couldn't leave the house for a week." He chuckles and nudges me to open the box. I pull the bow off, the lid and stare at what's inside, pushing away the tears.

"You like it? I know how you wear Mom's charm bracelet all the time and you don't have many charms for it so I figured I'd get you one that'd remind you of Mom." I grin up at him, holding out my wrist and the small silver charm. A ballerina, Mom was a ballerina before the crash, Shawn knew I'd always wanted to be a dancer too, but I'd never had the coordination for it.

"I love it, thank you. Its real silver isn't it, Shawn this must have cost a fortune." (A/N I don't know how much charms are worth or if they're made of real silver or whatever so this is probably wrong.)

"Nah, I figured I'd get you something you'd really love so you wouldn't call me a cheap ass again." He looks at his watch, grimaces and gives me a hug, again. "Dammit, I gotta go. I got work in the morning and with Tessa on bed rest I gotta get, Bradley from school. Happy birthday, squirt, love you." He hollers working his way back through the crowd and out the door before I can yell back at him.

This is our tradition, as sucky as it is, its all either of us have time for. One night a year, for, a couple of hours if we're lucky, a little bit we visit each other. I hate it, but its all Dad will allow.

"Hey Anna! We're gonna go, thanks for the booze!" A couple yells from the door, leading the others out, with similar calls. No one says happy birthday, no one knows its my birthday, no one cares that its my birthday and this is the way I want it.

I don't bother calling a cab for people like I told Eva I was gonna do. Its not gonna be my fault if the drunks crash, they should know better by now. Instead, I stare out the kitchen window at the moon, my hands itching to draw it. I'm not a good artist but that doesn't stop me from drawing, even when everyone tells me I should.

"Ari? You alright, girlie?" I nod, watching Eva and her date carry Nessa out of the house, not saying goodbye when they leave. Eva knows today was my birthday and she knows how much I hate it, so she says nothing about it.