A Touching Of Lips (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 2. The Beginning

This is how it all started.

It was three weeks ago that my brother Moon was hosting a party on a yacht that sat at anchor just outside the harbour jurisdictions. The boat was quite crowded with many local dignitaries. My father and Sun were there along with Moon's fiancé June. My mother wasn't as she was with Star, who was in hospital, about to give birth to her second child.

The party was being held, supposedly to celebrate another sales deal completion by Moon, but it was becoming clear my father was taking the opportunity to celebrate his campaign manager's birthday. He had already presented her with an expensive piece of jewellery and was constantly touching her, either by putting an arm around her waist as they talked, or brushing her hair from her face. The more champagne he drank, the more touchy-feely he became. She in return fluttered her over made up eyes at him and acted in a coquettish and flirtatious manner, often feeding him titbits from the party food being served.

It embarrassed me. It angered me too. How could he be so disrespectful to my mother?

I carried on taking photographs with the camera that I always had slung round my neck, and moved towards the empty bow of the yacht to try and disassociate myself from the inappropriateness of it all, and took some photos of the jet skis that were zooming around the harbour to distract me.

My mobile rang. It was Pang.

"Hiya Tich!" She said as soon as I had put the phone to my ear. She often called me that because when we were younger I was not as tall as her. It sounds strange now because I am way taller than her. "Are you having fun?"

"If you can call fun seeing your dad make a complete arse of himself, then no!" I replied, shouting slightly over the noise of two jet skis that were getting much closer, as I moved up the bow to its furthest point. I put my hand over my free ear and tried to hear what Pang was saying.

Right at that moment there was a tremendous explosion from the stern of the yacht. The force of the blast stunned me and sent me hurtling over the side, my camera and phone following me down into the water.

I felt myself sinking, lower and lower, and couldn't do anything about it. I sensed I was drowning.

I saw strange, shadowy figures approaching me. I thought at first I was hallucinating but when I felt my arms being held, and being propelled upwards, I knew it was for real.

Everything became blurred as I slipped into a semi conscious state.

I felt lips pressed up against mine and air being forced into my mouth. It brought me round and I opened my eyes to find this girl's face right in front of me. The arms holding me suddenly released me. I started to drift downwards again. I closed my eyes and felt at peace.

I felt my arms being held again, more firmly and much rougher than before, checking my descent. Once more I felt lips pressed up against mine, and air being forced back into my lungs.

I opened my eyes once more and was greeted by a boy's face as we began to travel upwards, his lips firmly fixed on mine. I must have totally passed out as the next thing I can recall is lying at the water's edge on an empty beach. I was alone with no sign of my rescuers.

Help came really quickly and, as I later found out, Pang had used the location of my mobile phone, which was miraculously now in my pocket, to find me. How did it get there? I knew I had dropped it. I remember seeing it falling down with me along with my camera, which was now back around my neck. That was the weirdest thing. I knew I had seen them fall. Had my rescuers found them and returned them? More to the point, though, who were they? Where did they go? Why did they not stay with me? Did I really see what I thought I saw?

So many questions that I cannot get an answer to. So frustrating.

Now you know why I have asked you not to prejudge me and write me off as insane.

The explosion was no accident. One of the jet skis, loaded with explosives, had crashed into the back of the yacht, killing almost everyone. The target had been the Governor of the Province and the other leading dignitaries, including my father. The attackers had escaped on the second jet ski with the attack a complete success. My father and both my brothers were amongst the dead or missing. There were no other survivors, me being the only one.

I was taken to the local hospital and treated for minor burns and shock. I was only held overnight and was discharged the next day, still shocked and disorientated, but thankful I had survived.

Pang and Poom made good nurses and looked after me the next few days. My mother was too distraught, of course, to do so, and was juggling trying to support Star, who had just given birth to a baby boy, and doing her job as well. As usual it was left to Poom to care for me, as she had always done since I was a tiny baby.

I'm not suggesting that I have a bad mother. Far from it. Having such an important job, and running a home and family, takes some doing. The thing mother didn't have enough of, for me was time. Love she had in abundance, but the time bit was left to Poom. I know that's why I am so close with Pang.

College starts again tomorrow, which is why I am sitting on this large overhanging rock, gazing down at the very spot they found me, trying to get some answers to the questions that torment my mind. Once I leave it is doubtful I will find the answers in Bangkok, will I?

"Earth!"

I heard my name called out and turned to see Pang scrambling over the rocks, coming towards me.

"I've been trying to get hold of you for ages," she moaned as she sat down beside me, "and your phone is switched off. Are you okay?"

"Yeah! Sorry!" I replied guiltily. "Just wanted a break from everyone asking me if I was okay. I am, and thank you for asking yet again."

"If you keep acting like you have been then no wonder everyone keeps asking you," she hastily answered. "We leave in just over an hour and I thought you wanted to eat first."

"Yes I do, and I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm ready to go now. How did you get here?"

"I used the taxi bike and charged it to your account. It's your fault I had to use it so I guessed I would make you pay. You were lucky that this was one of the first places I tried or the charge would have been much more."

She gave me that cheeky look that she always gave when she felt she had managed to get one over on me.

"How come you knew I was here?" I asked, a little surprised that she had found me so easily.

"I know you too well and you are so predictable. You are still seeking answers and this is the place you think you will get them. Wrong Tich! These sea creatures, if they exist, dumped you here because it is isolated. I hardly think that they would hang around here waiting for you to come back to see them, do you?"

"Guess not, but I just thought I would get some closure, but obviously I haven't." I stood up and pulled Pang to her feet. "My scooter is up top. Call Poom and tell her you have found me and we are on the way back."

We walked back over the rocks and up the small rock face to the roadway and my bike, unaware of the figures in a black car parked further down the coast road on the cliff top watching us.