“It’s okay, man,” Jack said, patting Sam’s shoulder.
“I never told you that my birthday was on the Fourth of July,” I said to Sam.
“Oh,” Sam said. “I guess you didn’t.” He paused. “But Imean, your name? And you invited me over tonight for cake?” He looked confused, his brow furrowed and his eyes searching mine. It was adorable. “Your parents are inside getting it ready?”
“Oh my gosh,” I said, putting both of my hands over my mouth. “I did say that, didn’t I?” I patted his arm. “I meant this giant cake that looks like an American flag that my mom always makes. You know, with blueberries for the stars and strawberries for the stripes and she puts sparklers in it...” I trailed off. “That’s what they’re inside getting ready. I’m so sorry.”
“Um...” Sam looked at me, still gripping the box. “So what dayisyour birthday?”
“Well...” I let my voice trail off. “My birthday’s not even in July.”
“Wait.” Sam shook his head. “What?”
And then, because I’d answered the next question a million times before and could anticipate it, I went ahead before he could ask. “I was born in May.”
“But—”
“I know,” I said. “That month is also a name. But my parents didn’t use it.”
“Why not?”
“Iwasdue on the Fourth of July,” I told him. “I came way early. May thirty-first. But my parents had been calling me July for months. By the time I was born my parents—my mom especially—were so used to the name, they didn’t want to change it.”
“Don’t feel bad, dude,” Jack said. “So many other people have made the same mistake. She’s basically running a racket.”
“And you really don’t have to give me a gift,” I said. “You didn’t even know me back in May.”
“I feel like I’ve always known you,” Sam said, perfectly deadpan. “Go on. Open it.”
Carefully, I untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a delicate gold necklace with a small gold circle. A tiny red stone was inset in the middle of the circle, and my initials,JF, were stamped on the other side.
“It’s beautiful,” I said. My voice was soft. I hadn’t expected something so nice.
“Ooh, what’d you get?” Jack asked, peering over my shoulder. “Fancy.”
“Thank you, Sam,” I said, trying to ignore my brother.
“I can’t believe you’re letting her keep it,” Jack said. “When it’s not her birthday.”
“I’m a really great guy,” Sam said. “Also, I don’t think I can return it. It’s kind of, you know, specific.”
“Okay, now I feel bad,” I said.
“Don’t,” Sam said. “It’s my fault for assuming it was your birthday. And everyone wants a necklace with a stone that’s not actually their birthstone.”
“Is it real gold?” Jack wanted to know.
Sam laughed. “Kind of,” he said. “It’s gold-plated. And the ruby is super small, but it’s real.”
“Wow,” Jack said.
“This is the first real thing anyone other than my family has ever given me.” The gift meant a lot to me. I knew how hard Sam was working, trying to supplement his scholarship to Howell.
“It’s not like the stone isthatbig,” he said, which cracked meup, and he flushed. “I mean, I bought it because I thought it was pretty. Because it seemed like you.”
“This is going amazing,” Jack said.
“I love it.” I handed the necklace to Sam so he could put it on for me. Lifting my hair up, letting him brush the chain and his fingers against my neck, felt more intimate than a kiss.
