Xerxes was not getting off the hook that easily. As hard as he tried to get Cecelia off the topic of his birthday gift, he failed every time.

"I just don't know what to get you," she laughed as she was buying flowers for her parents' anniversary, or a visiting aunt within the next few days.

"I don't want anything," he'd reply, yet to his dismay, she scolded him every time.

"People got presents on their birthday. I want to get you a present." Cecelia's voice would get warmer, and her cheeks would show a certain redness as if she was enjoying the continuous argument more than she should.

Xerxes shrugged. "Most of the time, I don't know what I want until I see it. Sorry, I'm a hard person to buy gifts for," Xerxes tried to get out of it again, laughing off a blush.

Cecelia's face lit up, and she grinned. "Let's go to the mall." She suggested.

"Why?" Xerxes couldn't fight the blush that came on this time; probably because Cecelia had asked him out.

"So that we can go shopping. When you see something you like, I'll get it for you, and that will be your present."

He considered his options: say no, and miss out on being with Cecelia, or say yes, and have to go through receiving a gift.

Xerxes was very uncomfortable accepting things from people. He felt rude when he let someone pay for his lunch, never mind asking them to buy something for his enjoyment.

Cecelia loves giving gifts. She enjoyed watching people's eyes light up when she handed them their gift, and she loved their reactions when they opened the carefully-picked present.

"Please?" Cecelia's voice turned serious. "Let me get you something. Please." The look of solemness was enough to make Xerxes cave.

"Fine," he sighed, "when are we going?"

The next day, Cecelia picked Xerxes up after his shift at Smell The Roses. Bubbly and excited as ever, she talked about school and told a few funny stories about Ruben.

The two arrived at the mall with highly contrasting emotions. Cecelia, brimming with excitement, and Xerxes, barely tolerating the exchange for her. He hid it well, and Cecelia began to drag him through different stores.

"How about a nice shirt?" She suggested.

"No, I've got enough shirts." He shook his head, politely.

Cecelia jokingly dragged him to the kid's section. "What about this?" She held up a pink-clad Barbie doll, waving her hand under it for display.

He grinned. "How did you know?" Taking the boxes toy into his own hands, he wiped tears away from his eyes. "It's everything I've ever wanted."

The gig ended when some judgments moms looked at them the wrong way.

The pair made their way through the mall and Xerxes was finally loosened up. So what? If any of his friends were to get him a gift, it might as well be Cecelia.

He glanced sideways at her as they walked, and he saw the exact moment when her eyes lit up.

"I know what I'm getting you!" She exclaimed, pointing ahead in excitement. Xerxes followed her finger, and his gaze fell upon the entrance to what seemed to be a botanical garden.

His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened, an awestruck laugh escaping his mouth as Cecelia grabbed his arm and jumped up and down like a child.

She pulled him towards the entrance and paid the fee to enter, and then the two began to walk around the garden.

"We have these flowers at the shop." Xerxes pointed out. "They smell great, but they usually die quick."

Cecelia was looking at him, but she wasn't listening. She was happier watching him ramble on and on about different flowers and what they're like and how to take care of them.

"This is so beautiful," She muttered, running her hand through the water of the pond in the center of the garden.

"It is," he agreed. He had to stop himself from telling Cecelia that she was beautiful, too. It seemed too forward at the moment.

They sat under then bench shaded by a bunch of vines, and the two closed their eyes, listening to the running water and enjoying the silence.

"This is the best present ever," Xerxes smiled at her. "Thank you."

"It's not a problem. Kind of a strange place to have in a shopping mall, don't you think?" Cecelia cocked her head to the side and grinned. "People in malls go out to eat and buy clothes and make wishes in fountains. They don't usually sit in gardens."

"Do you feel like making a wish right now?" He looked at her and reflected her smile.

"I'd love to."

They left the garden hesitantly, and sat on the edge of the water fountain, each holding a quarter and squeezing their eyes shut.

As the coins sank to the bottom with small splashes, Xerxes turned to the girl next to him.

"What did you wish for?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I can't tell you, or it won't come true."

Xerxes sighed and nodded. "I'll tell you what I wished for." He offered.

Cecelia looked at him expectantly. "Okay. What was it?"

"That Barbie doll. I still can't believe you didn't get it for me." He grinned.

Cecelia laughed. "That one's not coming true, sorry."

"How do you know?"

"We'll call it a gut feeling."