Special Chapter - Mick's Birthday

This story takes place a few months after the events in The Mick Diaries. 

"Ma, may I spend the night at a friend's place?" Mick asked tentatively over breakfast. He held is breath in hope.

His mom frowned. "But it's your birthday dear. We're going out for dinner, remember?" Birthday dinners for their tiny family were always celebrated at Sizzlers, and although Mick appreciated the thought, what he and Om had planned for was way more exciting than yet another meal at a chain restaurant which they always had three times a year.

"Yes, after dinner I mean. I've got band practice tomorrow anyway, so we might as well go together," Mick said matter-of-factly.

"Well, whose house is this? You've never asked before," his mom asked.

"It's p'Om. The music club senior. You met him remember? He's come around a few times," indeed, Om was now quite a regular at their house, though he always politely refused Mick’s mother's invitations to stay for dinner. And Mick’s invitations to stay the night, he added silently.

Probably for the best, he thought. His mom was likely to grill poor Om with uncomfortable questions, like why don't you have a girlfriend yet or can you find a girl for my son or are you sure he’s not being too weird?

"Oh that nice boy. Yes, of course I remember. But...isn't he much older than you?"

Mick rolled his eyes. Om was only two years older, and besides, they had been secretly going out for months now. "No he's not, Ma."

"Don't think I can't see you rolling your eyes at me, young man. Will there be others there as well?" His mom said even though her back was turned to him as she did the washing up.

"I think so. They want to celebrate with me too, I guess," Mick said, picking at his cereal. This was a deliberate white lie. He knew Heng and Loy would be sleeping over, but they'd be at Mum's - Om's neighbour. Mick nearly wanted to cry, he didn't think it'd be this difficult to ask for a sleepover. Heng and Loy, his other friends from the music club, seemed to spend entire days at a time at their friend Mum’s place without even needing to ask permission, seemingly. And here he was getting interrogated as if he was a terrorist. He hated lying to his mom, but she was getting a bit too nosy and he desperately wanted to be with Om tonight. Especially tonight. 

"I'm just trying to make sure you're safe, honey," his mom said, reaching out a hand to cover his. "You and your sister, you're all I have."

Mick nodded and squeezed her hand in return. "Don't worry about me, Ma. I'm not gonna do anything crazy." Except possibly, maybe, lose my ity. That’s all.

"Oh I'm sure. But I know what it feels like to be a teenager, you know. I wasn't born old," his mom said. "It's how I got your sister in the first place," she muttered. 

"Ma!" The last thing Mick wanted to hear on his birthday was how his sister got conceived.

"Okay, okay. You can sleep at Om's. I'll drop you off after dinner. But make sure you leave your phone on and call me before you go to bed."

Mick nodded vigorously and gave a huge smile. "I will! Thanks, Ma, you're the best!"

He immediately grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to Om.

Operation: Sleepover is a go! Yay!

Om immediately sent back a sticker of a bear jumping for joy. As usual, his boyfriend was a man of few words, even in texts.

His boyfriend. Mick closed his eyes and savored the thought. It's had only been a few short months since the Live Show and the incident with Mum, but to him he felt like it was only yesterday that Om had admitted to having feelings for Mick. Since then they'd been pretty much inseparable, even to the extent of other club members and seniors talking about them, and the inevitable teasing.

But Mick didn't care about all that. He didn't even mind all that much that Om wasn't willing to tell anyone about their status, even his best friend Noh seemed to be in the dark, although Noh had his own "are-they-or-aren't-they" relationship with Phun, the handsome Student Council secretary and arguably Friday College's most eligible bachelor. 

"What are you smiling about?" His mom asked, interrupting Mick's daydreaming.

"Nothing, Ma. Just looking forward to tonight, that's all."

***

Mick was determined for tonight to be special. All these months they'd done nothing more than hold hands and kiss, which was awesome but Mick was now sixteen and he felt he was ready for more than that. Being kissed by Om made Mick feel out of this world, but he knew there was much more they could do, and he could feel Om's desire too. Every time they touched he could feel Om physically restraining himself from letting his hands wander all about Mick, despite him telling Om that it was okay. 

"I...just can't, Mick," Om had said the last time they'd been alone together, in Mick's bedroom. "You're too young. It...just doesn't feel right."

"I'm not too young!" Mick pouted. "You should listen to the other guys in my class. The way they've been talking, it's as if they've slept with half the convent next door."

"Yeah, I don't care about them. I care about you."

"Don't tell me you've not done stuff with girls when you were my age," Mick retorted. They'd never spoken of it, but from what he could glean from Mum and the other music club members, Om had been quite the playboy, at least until recently.

"I have, and it's precisely why I want you to wait," Om said, taking Mick's hands in his. "I was foolish and reckless and felt like I needed to prove something. And people - yes, girls - got hurt because of it. I don't want to go through that again. I don't want you to feel pressured into doing something just because I want you to, or because it's what everyone else is doing."

Mick shook his head stubbornly. He wanted Om not because of peer pressure or because he felt obliged, but rather he wanted to give Om all of himself, and everything a boyfriend had to offer. 

And yes, he was . Every time he was close to Om, every nerve seemed to tingle, and whenever they kissed, he almost always had to take a cold shower after. He knew Om felt the same way too, the way Om's breathing became ragged, his kisses becoming more probing and insistent, and the way his blue shorts bunched up...

"Alright, how about we take things further after your birthday? It's in a few weeks' time, right?" Om said finally.

"Really? We can?" Mick's eyes widened. 

Om nodded. "We'll take it slowly, of course..."

No we won't, Mick thought to himself. And it'll be on my birthday, and not a single day after.

***

Friday passed excruciatingly slowly for Mick. He kept staring at the clock, willing it to move faster so the day could be done. He'd kept his eye out for Om during the morning but they studied in different buildings so he didn't see the handsome senior until lunch.

In fact, Om came by specially to Mick's class before he could head to the canteen. 

"P'Om! What are you doing here?" Mick asked, surprised but pleased.

"I'm your for today," he said. "To fend off any potential predators."

"What predators?" Mick asked, just as he spied Mode lurking around in the next building. The creepy 12th grader was carrying a present under his arm, and looked as if he wanted to walk over to Mick but Om gave him such a fierce scowl that the senior just turned and walked away, dejected.

"Aww p'Om, are you jealous?" Mick said teasingly. "That looked like quite an expensive gift."

"Well you're welcome to run after him if you want," Om said casually, before leaning in to Mick's ear. "Just don't expect any presents from me tonight if you do," he whispered huskily.

An electric thrill shot up Mick's spine on hearing that. He grinned at Om and shook his head and they continued walking to the canteen.

"What would you like? Spicy noodles?" Om asked. They were his favorite but Mick thought he'd better lay off the spicy food today, just in case. 

"Just fried rice, please," he asked, and took Om's bag as the latter went off to purchase food. 

By the time Om returned, an embarrassed Mick was sitting amongst a small pile of gifts and snacks, and someone had even given him a rose. 

Om scowled and looked around, but Mick's admirers had scampered away. "I can't even leave you for a minute, can I?"

"I'm sorry, p'Om, I really tried to refuse them," Mick said. "But they insisted."

Om sighed. "I guess I just have to get used to the fact that you'll always be the prettier one in this relationship."

"If only you'd let me tell them about us," Mick said softly. "I'm sure they'd respect that."

Om kept quiet. They'd had this conversation before, and it always ended the same way, so Mick put away the gifts and started on his own lunch. 

"Are you afraid I'm going to dump you and go after some girl? Is that why you want me to tell the whole world?" Om asked.

"It's not like that, p'. I'm sorry I brought it up," Mick said miserably, picking at his fried rice, all appetite lost now. It was rare enough that Om would have lunch with him, and he just had to go and bring up the one topic that always led to an argument.

He heard a sigh, and Om's hand rested on his briefly. "I'm the one who should be sorry, Mick. I shouldn't have snapped at you. Let's just enjoy our lunch, okay?"

Mick nodded, and smiled at Om. He knew the senior was just trying his best. Months ago, he wouldn't have even considered dining alone with Mick in full view of his friends, so what they had now was already a huge improvement. 

Speaking of which, a few of Om's friends were headed to their table with devious smiles on their faces. Om eyed them warily. "What the hell do you guys want?" He asked rudely at the pack.

"Why do you assume it's you we want, Om?" Noh said, just as rudely. "I'm just here to wish nong Mick, that's all. Happy Birthday, Mick!" The music club president said, and several others chorused their wishes as well, sniggering as they did so. They were all Om's good friends, and Mick never minded their teasing, although it always seemed to get on Om's nerves. Mick smiled and thanked them with a wai.

"Ok now get lost. I'm trying to eat here," Om said, turning his back on them. They showed no signs of leaving, though, and continue to pester Om about his plans to celebrate Mick's birthday.

"Oh wait, p'Noh, I have something for you," Mick rummaged through his gifts before presenting the surprised senior with a box of chocolates another admirer had given him earlier. They were from Leonidas, a Belgian chocolatier and were quite expensive. "I can't finish them anyway, why don't you share these?"

As he suspected, Noh grabbed it without a thought. "See, Om, why don't you learn some manners from nong Mick? That's how you should treat your friends!" Om just gave him a sour look while Noh laughed. "Thanks Mick! Hey guys let's leave these two, uh, alone okay?" 

Om watched with narrowed eyes as the group finally left them. "Good timing, Mick. Noh always thinks through his fat tummy."

Mick didn't think Noh was fat at all, but he smiled anyway. All of the music club members were the same, really, including his own Om. They all acted like a ravenous pack of wolves, especially when free food was involved.

"So...I'll see you after your dinner?" He asked Mick. The younger boy nodded and beamed at Om. 

"Yeah. My mom will drop me off at your place right after."

"So are you ready for what's going to happen tonight?" Om asked in a low voice. Mick felt a deep, dark thrill shoot through him at those words. He blushed furiously despite himself.

"Oh, p'Om..." He stuttered.

"I know Mum and his gang are, they sent me pics of all the liquor they've been dying to let you try," Om continued with a grin.

"Argh! P'Om! You let me think...never mind," Mick said sulkily, pushing away his food and pouted. He wasn't really angry of course, but Om liked his little jokes and Mick liked to play along.

As expected, Om laughed, and covered Mick's hand with his again. "I was just kidding. But if you're really nervous..."

"No, I'm ready, p'Om," Mick said quickly before Om could finish his sentence. "I can't wait."

Om gave Mick's hand a happy squeeze. "I can't wait for it as well," Om said in a low voice and a hungry glint in his eyes that sent shivers of delight down Mick's spine.

Tonight...

To be continued