The Changeling

Chapter 2

My head snaps upwards toward the voice, and I am intrigued by the man I see starring back at me with a wide smile on his lips. The man is absolutely stunning with his short dark brown hair that styled in a quaff, sparkling dark brown eyes, a brown goatee, naturally tanned skin, muscular build, and looks to be about 6'1".

He raises his right eyebrow at me since I haven't responded to his question, and I just stare at him with my mouth hanging open slightly.

Blinking out of my stupor, I quietly reply; "Hey, I, um, I am Alaska. Who are you?"

This is when I fully realize that he is at the empty house next to ours, I wonder if he has bought that rundown house, and if so, why.

His smile widens; "I am Bronx, it's nice to meet you, Alaska. I am your new neighbor. I just closed on this house a couple of days ago, and I am moving in today."

Tilting my head to the left slightly as I ask; "Why that house, it is a dump?"

Bronx lightly laughs at my comment; "It is a dump, but I like a challenge in fixing homes that need it."

Humming in response, I fidget with my pencil as I gaze at the fence between his hands below his face.

"So, why are you out here alone on this beautiful Saturday instead hanging with your friends?" he asks, and I bring my gaze back to his, and he seems truly interested.

Shrugging my shoulders, I tell him the truth; "I only have one friend besides my brother. Gil is spending the day with his other friends, and my brother is having a friend over."

He says something, but I can't hear him, so I say; "What was that? I am hard of hearing."

He looks surprised for a second before saying; "I said that I am surprised you only have one friend, and your brother. Why is that? Oh, and I am sorry about your hearing problem. What caused that?"

"I have never had lots of friends, but I had a few more before I came out as gay a couple of years ago. Gil was the only one who stayed my friend after that. Arizona and I have always been close," I reply with pink tinted cheeks at word vomiting to this handsome stranger.

I am prepared for him to lash out or be weird with me now about my sexuality, but when he doesn't say anything, I continue; "My hearing loss is because of damage from having too many ear infections when I was little."

He frowns, opens his mouth to reply when the slider door opens, and Arizona and Mason enter the backyard, loudly laughing. Bronx and I are now focused on them, and neither boy notice our new neighbor.

"Ka, Mason's here!" Ari loudly laughs as they sit down on the grass next to me, both on my left side with Arizona between Mason and me.

"I see that," I chuckle with a fond shake of my head. "Hi Mason."

"Hey Ka, what are you drawing?" Mason returns as he leans forward to look at me around Arizona with a smile.

"Nothing yet since I have been talking with our new neighbor," I reply with a head nod toward the fence where Bronx is.

They quickly focus their attention on Bronx, who smiles at them with a small wave, but neither boy returns either gesture.

"Why are you talking with my brother? Aren't you a little too old to be talking with a teenager?" Arizona growls protectively even though I am older than him.

Arizona has been extremely protective of me since we were little, and I have no idea why either.

"I am not that old," Bronx scoffs with a frown. "I am 22-years-old. How old are all of you?"

"I am almost 18-years-old, and Mason and Arizona are almost 17-years-old," I answer for the three of us since it is obvious neither Mason or Arizona are gonna answer.

Bronx nods in response as Arizona and Mason continue to silently glare at him.

"Behave," I hiss lowly at them with a soft glare, and they are now pouting at me.

"Fine. Nice to meet you, I am Arizona, and this is Mason," I my brother grudgingly greets, and I roll my eyes at him.

"Don't roll your eyes, that's rude!" Bronx snaps at me, and my eyes widen in shock for a second before my eyes fill with tears that I quickly try to blink away.

Sniffling softly, I stand without a word, leaving my stuff behind as I quickly head toward the back door of the house. A single tear slips down my cheek as I enter the house, and run to the bedroom where I hide in the closet. Settling my back against the furthest wall from the closed door which I face.

Wrapping my arms around my bent knees, pulling my legs closer to my chest, and bury my face into my knees. I let myself cry, my knees muffling the sound. I have always been extremely sensitive to being scolded or yelled at, also anyone could look at me wrong, and I would become an emotional wreck.

A few minutes later, there is a gentle knock upon the closet door with Arizona's soft voice calling out; "Alaska, can I come in?"

Sniffling, I lift my head to call back with a rough voice; "I am okay. Go hang out with Mason, I promise I am okay."

"I am coming in, Ka!" he calls back just before the knob turns, the door opens with him and Mason entering.

Great, now both get to seem me as a damn mess. Mason shuts the door behind them, and they sit down across from me with gentle smiles.

"I yelled at that asshole for scolding you," Arizona proudly states with a huge grin. "His expression was priceless when I did."

Mason lightly chuckles as he agrees with Arizona's comment about Bronx's reaction to Arizona yelling at him; "Ari was awesome!"

Wetly laughing at them while cleaning my face off with the sleeves of my shirt; "You guys are the best!"

"We know, but thanks for the reminder," they reply together with loud chuckles.