{please i beg of you don't read the ending if you are super innocent and don't go commenting stuff like "ew gross" etc. this is wattpad in 2017 for christs sake! there is no room for innocence anymore!... enjoy :) }

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"I hear it's your birthday," Brandon says, the tattoos on his arm on complete exposure today with his sleeveless shirt.

"That is correct. It is indeed the day i was born – eighteen years ago today. Oh shizzle! I'm eighteen?" The news just sinks in. Damn, I'm old.

"Are you asking me or yourself?" He tilts his head, his shiny silver ear piercings coming into view. I wonder if all those piercings and tattoos hurt. Of course they hurt. Maybe not to Brandon though. He's like some kind of mutant that can't feel pain. I wonder if I punch him...

"What was that for?" He rubs his arm where I hit him.

I burst out laughing. Oh lord why am I like this?

"I liked you a lot better when you were moody and sad over Zeke."

"I was never moody nor sad over Zeke!"

"Just 'cause you say it with weird smart people words, don't make it true."

Is he talking about the word 'nor'?

Brandon's eyes avert to someone behind me. "Uh-oh. You better step back from me."

"Wh-" My question is answered when Zeke slings a possessive arm over my shoulder.

"Hey, nerd," he says then looks at Brandon, his expression hardening. "Brandon."

"Blakely," Brandon says in the same tone Zeke used, his arms crossed and a devilish spark to his eye. They stare at each other for a moment then Brandon moves up in the lunch line, grabbing his food and walking away.

"Why are you guys like that? He's my friend." I take my usual sandwich and glance over the desserts.

"I don't trust any of them." Zeke steps away from the line to let others get their lunch. I give him a look that says you're eating something and take a burrito for him.

"Is the birthday girl only going to have a sandwich for her special lunch?" He takes his burrito in one hand and holds my hand in the other.

"Making me have anything more would be torture. I'd rather not get food poisoning on my birthday." We sit at our table where Cole, Isaac, Maggie and Zoey already are sat at.

"And yet you force me to eat this crap," he rolls his eyes.

"No rolling your eyes at the birthday girl!" Zoey says, giving Zeke a warning glare.

"So what are we doing tonight?" Isaac asks.

"I thought we could go to an art gallery because Marnie likes-"

"Bohoooring," Cole interrupts Zoey. "Let's do something fun. You don't wanna spend your birthday looking at naked babies or naked women with curly red hair, do you Marn? I mean there's no in between with that shit." He looks up at the ceiling. "All we ask is for a detailed painting of a hot blonde babe in thongs."

I notice Zeke hasn't touched his burrito so i pick it up and hit him in the cheek with it while Zoey and Cole argue. He gives me a look then finally opens it, picking out the meat and vegetables inside it but not actually eating anything. I give up. Jeez, how will I have the patience for my children if they are fussy eaters? You will eat this cereal or you will starve, child!

"It's Marnie's birthday! She can decide what we do," Zoey argues back to Cole.

"I thought it was annoying when they were together because of all the sweet talk and making out; but this is worse," Zeke states and wraps up his disheveled burrito then throws it in the nearest trash can.

"Well Zeke, me and Isaac put up with you moaning and being depressed over Marnie for months and we didn't say shit so go fuck yourself." Cole says and everyone except Zeke is surprised at his outburst.

"Isaac and I." Zeke corrects which only infuriates Cole even more. "Now, you guys can do whatever the hell you want. I am taking Marnie somewhere. Just us. Not you guys." He leans across the table, whispering the words.

"You are?" I question, having no idea what he's talking about or where we would be going.

"I am," he nods.

"The only place ya'll will be going is to his bed," Cole scoffs. "Just hang out with us instead, Marn. We're better."

"Let her spend her birthday with her boyfriend, Cole. The world doesn't revolve around you," Zoey crosses her arms.

Cole growls at her. Yes, growls. Like an actual dog. Maggie laughs while everyone else just ignores him.

Zeke walks me to my class after lunch, and I listen to him talk about the time he caught one of the cooks smoking weed in the kitchen, and how he suspects that they use dog meat.

"I don't know," he continues. "I just would rather not eat a cute little puppy."

I roll my eyes as I stop at the door to my history class. "Zeke, I love you, but you have got to stop criticising the cooks. They're actually really nice pe-"

"You just said you love me."

I mirror Zeke's frozen expression, not realising the words had come out of my mouth. I didn't say it back to him last week at the cliff, but I do. I love him.

I step closer to him, my heart suddenly racing, and he places his hands on either side of my face. When he leans down and kisses me, I forget where we are. I forget everything for that moment.

"Get a room," a girls voice scoffs. Zeke and I part and are met with Aubrey.

"What, like, the bathroom?" I question, recalling the time I caught Zeke and Aubrey in the bathroom, about to do some business.

She gives me a disgusted glare, as if just looking at me makes her want to vomit. Before she can hit back with a snide remark about how she's better than me, Zeke says something.

"Hey," he pulls me closer, looking at Aubrey. "Stop looking at my girl. She's mine."

Aubrey goes red. "Shut up."

"Oh, you don't want the secret to get out that you like chicks-"

"I said shut up!" She pushes past us and walks into our class. My jaw drops.

Aubrey is bisexual. Yet I recall her bullying other kids for being gay. I guess it's true that when you hate a person, you really hate something in them that is part of yourself.

"See you after school," Zeke says. He leans in and kisses me one more time. "We will continue this later." He winks, sending a shiver through my body.

+++

"Remember to tell me where Zeke takes you! I need all the info," Zoey calls to me as I get out of her truck.

"I will," I promise and say goodbye, then close the door and walk to my front door. There is a pink birthday banner on the door that displays the words BIRTHDAY GIRL! It's the kind of thing meant for 4 year olds birthday parties, but my mom puts one up for me every year. I wonder if I'll still see this on my door when i'm 90. Except my mom most likely wouldn't be alive when i'm 90. Heck, she'd still find a way to put this bastard up.

"Happy b-day, Barnie!" Joey yells when I step inside the house. He runs over to me and lifts me off my feet in a tight hug.

"Hey, Joey. I've missed you," I laugh and he puts me back on the ground.

"You too, sis." He ruffles my hair then leads me into the living room that is decorated with pink balloons and more banners. A chocolate cake is sat on the coffee table, my mom in the middle of lighting the candles.

"Joey! I told you to not let her in until I was ready," my mom scolds him. Joey just shrugs and plops down on a couch. Her expression turns to a smile when she looks at me. "Have you had a good day so far, Marnie?"

"Yeah," I sit down beside Joey. "I hope you don't mind, I'm going out with Zeke later."

"That's fine sweetheart – it's your birthday, you can do what you want. Where are you two going?"

I shrug. "He won't tell me. It's a surprise."

"Ohh, how romant-"

"Creepy," Joey cuts her off.

I shove his shoulder and my mom shouts Charlie to come downstairs. He emerges through the door carrying a couple of presents in his hands.

"I told you guys I don't need anything," I frown. I always feel guilty when people spend money on me.

"Hush child," Joey says. "Open them so we can eat cake already."

I do as I'm told and begin to unwrap the gifts. A couple are some outfits my mom got for me. Usually you'd hate the clothes your parents chose for you, but my mom knows what I like and she has good taste. One outfit I particularly like is a black denim skirt that goes with a white sweater. I decide to wear it out tonight, so after i'm done with presets and cake-eating, I go upstairs and get dressed. The doorbell rings and I quickly apply some mascara and lip balm to make my lips rosey, then slip on some white converse and head downstairs.

Zeke and Joey are talking at the front door when I get to the bottom of the stairs. Zeke is silenced when he sees me, his dark eyes skimming my body. I feel hot.

Shit, pull yourself together Marnie. You have only been in the same room for three seconds.

He looks sexy in his usual black jeans, wearing a blue shirt and showing his muscular arms. Hot hot hot.

"Get out of here before I throw up," Joey demands. I kiss his cheek and shout goodbye to mom and Charlie, then walk outside with Zeke. Joey closes the door behind us after warning Zeke to 'keep it in your pants'.

"You look sexy," Zeke tells me as he opens the passenger door to his car.

"This outfit could not get any more innocent and yet you still see it in a sexual way."

"It could get a lot more innocent if your legs were covered."

I look down at my bare legs, remembering Zeke's feelings towards them. Oops. I shoot him a sweet smile and get into his car.

"So is this our first official date, Ezekiel?" I ask as he speeds along the highway.

He shoots me a glare when I say his name. "I guess it is."

"Can you tell me where we're going yet?"

"No."

I sigh and relax against the comfy seat. One of my arms reach across to his face, and my fingers trace his jaw.

"If I crash, it's on you," he breathes. My hand runs down his neck and I feel his racing pulse. It makes me feel powerful that I can have this effect on someone.

Half an hour later, we pull into a huge car park surrounding a huge glass building. I read the words on the front and gasp.

CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER

Ive always wanted to go here.

"How did you know?" I say, buzzing in my seat from excitement.

"Know what?"

"That it's my fricking dream to go here!"

He laughs. "I didn't. I just figured you would though, since you're a nerd and love the whole science shit."

I raise an eyebrow. "I mean... the whole awesome science stuff," he corrects himself.

I look at the building then back at Zeke. "This is amazing. But it's so expensive to get in here-"

"Don't hit me with that shit. This is my gift to you. Now I am getting out of this car before you start thanking me." He gets out of the car and I smile to myself and get out too. Instead of thanking him and making him uncomfortable, I just hug him, and give him a kiss on the cheek.

We walk through the Science Center, looking at all the exhibits and trying out the activities. Zeke surprises himself by being interested in some of the stuff, like the skeleton that mimics your actions.

"Can I start calling you nerd now?" I tease and turn around to look at Zeke. He's glaring at someone behind me. Following his gaze, I find a man staring at my ass and legs. Gross. When I turn back around, Zeke is gone.

Oh god.

"Your wife is literally standing right beside you while you ogle my girlfriend," he spits at the man.

People already turn their attention to them, and I rush over and take Zeke's right hand – the one he always punches with, just to take precautions. I really don't want to be kicked out and banned from one of my favourite places on earth.

The man looks panicked as he looks at his wife then back at Zeke. "Look, man, I don't know what you think you saw but-"

"I know what I saw, perv." He looks at the man's wife. "You could do better." We walk away just like that and I feel proud of Zeke for not trying to kill him or argue further.

By the time we leave the center, it's dark outside. Zeke tells me that his mom wants to see me, so we head to Zeke's house, stopping at burger king on the way of course.

"Last chance to change your mind and we go somewhere else," Zeke says when he stops his car in the driveway of his house.

"No way. I love your mom." I get out of the car and wait for Zeke, then we go inside. Evelyn greets me at the door with a hug.

"Hello, Marnie! Happy birthday!" She says enthusiastically. "You look beautiful, wow! Zeke is such a lucky man."

I laugh and look at Zeke. "Oh I know."

"Come come," Evelyn says and we follow her into the kitchen. Maggie is sitting at the table eating ice cream.

"Staying in on a friday night?" Zeke questions her.

"Isaac's busy. Going out without him would be shitty," she shrugs then looks at me. "Sup, carrot-" she starts fake coughing and drops her ice cream spoon. "I mean Marnie."

What is it with her talking about carrots when i'm around?

Zeke angrily takes the ice cream tub and throws it in the trash, causing a painful scream to escape from Maggie's mouth. "YOU CHOCOLATE FUDGE CREAM KILLING MORON!"

"Maggie calm down! We have guests!" Evelyn yells. Maggie stomps over and punches Zeke's chest, then goes to the trash and takes the ice cream out, examining it.

"I'd still eat it," I say in an attempt to make her feel better. I understand her pain. Ice cream and food in general is a very sensitive thing to a teenage girl.

"I feel bad that you have to deal with him," she says to me then walks out of the kitchen with her ice cream.

"What a brat," Zeke mutters.

"I heard that, freak," Maggie shouts back.

Evelyn begins to rub her temples. "They never stop this bickering." I feel bad for her, but I can't help but find their arguing hilarious. "Anyway, Marnie," she smiles. "I got you something." She lifts a gift bag off of one of the counters and hands it to me. Inside is one of those professional looking pencil packs and a note pad.

"Zeke said you're very good at drawing. I thought you could use some good equipment."

"Wow, thank you. You really didn't have to-"

"Oh please, it's the least I could do after all the babysitting you did for me. Zeke can be hard work."

Without thinking, I give her a hug. "Thank you. For everything." I don't mean just the gift when I say this. I mean thank you for bringing the love of my life into the world, for raising him to be the strong, kind-hearted guy he is. And for even getting me to babysit him. If she didn't, we probably wouldn't be where we are right now.

Zeke takes me upstairs to his room later, and while he's taking off his shoes, I realise something.

"You've never seen any of my artwork. How would you know i'm good at drawing?"

He squeezes his eyes shut, as if he thought he was going to get away with me not noticing. "I just saw it when I was in the art department."

"You don't take art though."

He sighs and looks at me. "Okay okay. I asked your teacher to see some of it."

"Really? Why?"

"I was curious. And we weren't talking... and the only way I felt I could get close to you was by seeing some of your work."

I feel butterflies in my stomach and walk to him, smiling at my sentimental boyfriend. I really won at life with this one.

My hands go around the back of his neck, and I kiss him. The heat from his breath and his hands on my waist make my knees go weak.

"I love you," I breath against his mouth.

He moans in response as if my words cause him physical pleasure, and he kisses me harder. He walks forward as we kiss and I walk backwards until my legs hit his bed. I pull away from our kiss when I realise where we are: alone in a bedroom. The last time we were in this position, I was drunk in Cole's guest room and we almost had sex. I never thought anything like that would happen again, but here we are.

"We don't have to do anything," he breaths heavily. "I can take you home now if you want."

"Honestly, Zeke. I couldn't think of anything worse than that right now." I pull my sweater over my head and throw it to the ground, watching his eyes fill with lust. His finger trails along my waistline before he slowly pulls off my skirt and I kick my shoes off.

I swear I hear him gulp as he looks down at me standing in nothing but underwear. I press myself against him and kiss him. Shit. I can feel his bulge through his jeans. All I want to do is rip them off...

My hands scatter to undo his jeans and he pulls his shirt off, exposing his perfect body. I sit on his bed while he takes off his pants and is left in only a pair of black boxers. Ugh lord. My head is at the level of his crotch. I hesitantly run my hand over his bulge, feeling nervous. He places his hand on my cheek, and it somehow makes me feel safer and more confident. I pull off his boxers and start to stroke him, hearing a sigh coming from him which only turns me on even more.

Zeke gently pushes me back. I move up on the bed and lean my head against the pillows that smell so strongly of his scent. He hovers over me, his hands sliding under me and I arch my back to allow him to unclasp my bra. He starts kissing my breasts and I run my hands through his hair, and close my eyes.

He reaches under his bed and pulls out a box and turns it upside down. One single condom falls out onto the floor, and he rips it open in a rush. I watch him pull it over his penis. "It might hurt."

"I know," I say while running my fingers along the soft skin on his face. He pulls off my panties and spreads my legs, then leans down and kisses my nose before slowly sliding into me.

I bite my lip and squeeze my eyes tight shut. It hurts, but it's a kind of pleasureful pain. Nothing I expected it to feel like. My hands go to his back and as he moves into me a couple more times, the pain starts to go away, and it feels better and better. A small moan escapes my mouth and Zeke kisses me to stop any more noise getting out, since we are in a house with his mother and sister.

He moves faster and tension builds up inside me, bringing me close. He buries his face in my neck to stifle his own moans. We both finish and he spills into the condom, then simply takes it off and throws it onto the floor. If I wasn't so exhausted and out of breath, I'd make sure he knew all about how disgusting that is.

Zeke falls down beside me, his head turned to the side looking at me. "Are you okay?"

"More than okay," I manage to say.

"Just so you know, losing your virginity doesn't make you any less of a nerd and I still have full authority to call you that."

Only Zeke could say something dumb and ruin a perfect moment like this.

"Just so you know, you're still an asshole."

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aaaaand we have reached the end of the story of the asshole and the nerd.

this is a sad moment. i might cry. this book has been so fun to write, and reading your comments has made all the stress and writers block worthwhile.

please remember to vote, comment and follow to keep up with my other books that will come out.

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