"Wake up, Lizzy! Wake up!" The voice of my twin brother, was far too loud in the mornings.

I groaned and rolled over. "Go away, Jay," I said, my voice muffled by the pillow.

"Lizzy, we're getting the day off school because it's our birthday. Don't waste it by sleeping all day!"

"It wouldn't be a waste at all," I replied, not opening my eyes.

"Come on! At least go downstairs. I can't open my presents unless you're there, too! Besides, we shouldn't let the guests get bored."

"You invited your friends, didn't you?"

"Yup!"

I sighed. "Okay. Let's go, then."

I reluctantly stood up, and didn't want to open my eyes. I started walking, and Jay grabbed my arm to make sure that I didn't crash into anything as I made my way downstairs.

I walked into the living room, or, rather, was led there by Jay, and planned to fall on the couch and "accidentally" fall back asleep. However, the moment I stepped into the room, I couldn't even make it to the couch before being hit in the face by what I assumed was a balloon.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone besides Jay and I shouted. I winced. It must have been louder than ten thousand gunshots and two hundred cannons firing all at once.

Who needed ears, anyway?

"Thanks, guys," I muttered.

"You have to open your presents!" Someone said.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"The kitchen."

I turned and started to walk to the kitchen, but I was still too lazy to open my eyes. Apparently, I didn't know the house as well as I thought I did, and I crashed right into a wall.

I heard a couple of muffled laughs, and I decided that maybe I should just open my eyes.

Once my eyes opened, I saw a hand in front of me. I grabbed it, and was helped to my feet.

"Thanks," I said, and looked at the person who had helped me up. I recognized one of my only friends. "Alexia?"

"Yep, it's me," she replied, smiling. "Now let's go to the kitchen, preferably without crashing into any more walls."

I blushed in embarrassment as I followed her to the kitchen. "It's not my fault the wall was there."

"You should have used echolocation or something," Alexia replied. "That would have been super awesome."

"I'm sorry that I haven't mastered acting like a bat, yet," I said dryly. "I'm still stuck on the part where I learn how to fly."

She laughed. "Well, time to open your presents. I think that you're going to like my present."

"I'm sure that I will." I walked over to my presents, and Jay and I took turns opening presents.

About seventy five percent of my presents were books or gift cards for books. Or both.

I like to read, and most people know that, so I'm apparently very easy to get presents for. Unless I had already read the book, but I could donate the book to a library or something in that case.

Twenty something percent of the rest was birthday money and games from relatives and friends.

I saved Alexia's for last, mostly because she was excited for me to open it and I wanted to annoy her. I had less presents than Jay, obviously, so I let him finish all of his before opening Alexia's. Unfortunately, Alexia didn't seem at all annoyed.

Jay was just opening his last present. I saw that is was my present for him. He opened the card I wrote for him, which had a gift card for haircuts in it. He smiled at me in thanks, and I gave him a thumbs up. He ripped off the paper, showing it no mercy, and then he gasped.

Suddenly, I was tackled in a hug by my twin as he thanked me repeatedly for getting him his very first chest binder.

I smiled as he ran out to go try it on.

He walked back in a couple of minutes later, with his new chest binder on under his shirt, and he seemed to me like he had just had a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders.

"Actual binders really do work much better than the ways I've been using to bind," Jay said happily.  "Thank you so much, Liz!" He used the nickname for my nickname (my full name is Elizabeth), which he only ever did when he was extremely happy.

I smiled at him.  "I support you all the way, Jay, just like everyone else here.  I've been saving up for this since you first told me, and Riley helped me pay for half of it." I gestured to Riley, who was Jay's partner.  Riley identified as agender and was one of the main reasons Jay was able to tell everyone he was transgender.  I had always gotten along with Riley rather well, and counted them as my only friend besides Alexia.

Jay hugged and thanked Riley, who smiled at him.

I finally opened my last present, slowly.

Inside the present was a phone.  I looked up with wide eyes.

My moms (one is genderfluid and named Sam, and is currently identifying as female, the other is a pansexual female named Lauren) stared at the phone with wide eyes, then glanced at each other.  I knew that they would be talking to me about the phone later, but since it was a gift, they probably wouldn't actually take it away from me or anything.

"Thank you, Alexia,"  I said, smiling.

"You're welcome, Lizzy," she said.  "Here, let me put my number on there for you."

"Okay." I handed her my phone, and she quickly entered her phone number and stuff. She handed it back and then texted me.  I texted back.

Alexia: Hi!!

Me: Hi! Thanks for the phone.  Did you pay for it?

Alexia: Only some of it, my parents paid the rest of the money.

Me: Oh, okay.

I traded numbers with Riley, as well and we had a short text conversation.

Me: Hi, it's Elizabeth.

Riley: I know, Lizzy.  This is Riley, but you know that.

Me: Yup.

Riley: Well, I want cake, so let's stop texting and go do that.

Me: Agreed.

And that was that.  I asked my moms when we could eat cake.

"We'll get it ready, you all go do something," Lauren said, and went to get the cake with Sam.

Alexia, Riley, and I walked out of the room, and I immediately heard all eight (not counting Jay) of my siblings grabbing our presents.

I rolled my eyes.  I gave up on trying to stop them from snatching my presents a long time ago.  I was glad I had my phone in my pocket.  It's hard being the oldest of ten kids.

After about five minutes, my moms called us in for cake.  Everyone sang Happy Birthday, and then Jay and I blew out our candles, before the cake was cut and we started eating the cake and talking.

Afterwards, everyone kind of went their separate ways, enjoying being at a party instead of at school like everyone else.  Alexia and I went over and sat on the couch.

"I didn't think you'd actually be able to come,"  I said.  "And thanks again for the phone."

She smiled at me.  "Of course I came! It's your birthday, Liz.  But speaking of the phone, I have one more present for you."

"Really?"

"Yup!  Here let me give it to you."  She went and got her bag from somewhere. I had no idea where it was.  She started looking inside of it, but seemed like she was having trouble finding it.

I looked over her shoulder.  "What are you looking-" I was cut off as Alexia turned her head and placed her lips on mine. I froze, but then slowly reacted and kisses back.

There were no fireworks. No cheering. Just us.  And I loved it.

This was far better than how anyone had ever described their first kiss to me.

She pulled away after a couple of seconds, and we were both blushing.

"So what were you looking for?"  I asked curiously after a moment.

"Nothing," she replied.  "I was pretending so that I could give you the real present.  Which was the kiss."

We both blushed harder, but we smiled, too.

"Not to mention, who would have thought that you and your brother's birthday is on Valentine's Day?"

"Weird, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Alexia!"  A voice called from the other room.  "Your mom is here to pick you up!"

I looked at her.  "Wait, you're leaving?"

She looked sad.  "I have to leave early today.  But I'm glad I could come... I'll see you at school tomorrow, though, right?"

I nodded.  "Bye, Alexia."

"Bye, Liz.  Text me later, okay?"

"I will."

We hugged once before she left.  I got up and walked to the front door with her, and waved to her as her car drive away.

I stood their for a couple of seconds before pulling out my phone, not to text her, but to change the name that I have her as.

Afterwards, I smiled at the heart now after Alexia's name.

Alexia❤