Never Too Late

Chapter Fifteen

"You're going home early today?" Luke asked his brother as they stood outside the main entrance of the school.

"Yeah, I have things to do," Johan said nonchalantly but he could see veiled concern on his brother's face.

"Remember what happened when you stayed out late with your friends? Dad might not let you off like last time." Luke warned, but Johan didn't respond; he had already made his mind up, and he departed from his brother soon after.

After a long journey across town, Johan made his way through a sleepy neighborhood in the lower middle-class area of the city. Note in hand, he looked at the address he was given by his friend while at Asher's place, before folding it and sliding it back in his pocket. With each step, his breath quickened, and his heart raced a bit, but his face remained stoic.

After walking for a while, he made his way up an avenue before stopping outside an apartment complex that had peeling orange paint. Small plants protruded from cracks in the building, and the courtyard was nearly barren except for a few weeds, but the clothes strewn over wires in the yard showed that people did occupy the building, although it seemed vacant.

Slowly, he ascended the stairs to the second floor, where he found the door with the apartment number he was looking for. After knocking, he waited and heard shuffling before the door swung open and a girl wrapped in a towel stood there. Seeing who it was, her brown eyes widened and she embraced him joyfully.

"Oh, Johan I can't believe it's you!" She cried in her familiar soft voice that made him swallow hard before she pulled him into her apartment.

Her home was just as he was expecting. For starters, it wasn't huge, but it was clean, bright, and felt warm - just like she was. Her home was like a reference to her, from the mismatched pillows on the couch, vintage books on the bookshelf, which were half-filled with various figurines, to the faint scent of perfume that he couldn't quite place.

"Liz, it's been a while," Johan said as he locked eyes with her, a silent moment of tension passing between them before she smiled and turned away.

"How did you find me?" She asked, pretending not to notice the momentary friction, as she poured him a cup of tea from her flowery ceramic teapot.

Johan took a seat on her velvety couch and watched her silently, then after taking a sip from his cup he answered her.

"Friends, more importantly, when did you get back? I thought you said you and that guy Ryan were going to live together." Johan spoke as he eyed her quietly.

"Well, it didn't work out," Liz told him as she toweled down her damp, bronze-colored hair. "I'll be right back, you caught me just as I was getting out of the shower."

Johan nodded, allowing her to leave but his mind was occupied by thoughts and memories of the past. He had known her well for the past few years, but she still had the same effect on him as she always had. Her alluring nature, the way she whispered her words and made his heart race a little, and the way she'd tease him, but he was only there to talk. He just wanted to find out how she was doing, tell her about his family, and, most importantly, return something of her's that he'd held onto for a while.

"Johan, can you come in here a minute?" Liz called from the other room and he promptly walked over. "Can you please help me zip up this dress?" She asked in an alluring tone but Johan remained stoic and did as she asked. It was a bit difficult at first since she was a little chubby but her curves evened out the issue. Her dress was cotton and floral but it was so soft he could almost feel her skin which made him suck in his breath. He knew her games well; she had always been like this from the first day they'd met. The way she'd fain innocence and act oblivious to what she was doing stirred erotic emotions in him. Even the way she sat across the bed as the setting sun poured in from the blinds and illuminated her rosy complexion, reminded him of sensual moments when their bare bodies were entwined together.

"There, I'm done." He said, taking a step back from her.

"Oh, thanks." She said, sounding disappointed, but her eyes never left him. "So tell me, what have you been up to?"

"I will, but first, let me give this back to you," Johan said, handing her a ring, "I got it back from those guys you sold it to."

On seeing the piece of jewelry, she grabbed it excitedly, and once confirming it was her's, she jumped up and hugged Johan.

"How did you get this!? I thought I'd never see my mother's ring again!" She said elated as she put it on her finger.

"I knew it meant a lot to you, so I bought it back, but before I could return it, you moved." He said smiling. It had actually been a lot harder tracking the ring down, and it had taken a lot of bargaining to get it back; plus, he had to hide it from his foster mothers, but her happiness made it worth it.

As they sat and exchanged words, Johan revealed everything that happened to him leading up to the current moment and she stared at him in utter disbelief before expressing how happy she was for him.

"I always knew you were different Johan, you always had an elegance about you; not like these riffraff you see on the street and to think your folks are wealthy, you were born lucky!" She said combing her fingers through his hair since he was now leaning against her.

Johan smiled softly; Liz provided the warmth and comfort he always needed and was never judgmental of him, and best of all, she was a good listener. The only problem was that so many others knew this too and her heart was so big she let them all in.

"It's getting late, I have to go now," Johan said, rising from beside her.

"Can't you stay a little longer?" She asked in an alluring voice, her hand resting on his thigh.

Shaking his head, he got his school bag and headed for the door, but at the last second, she held his hand and tilted her head, her eyes glowing with a need for physical affection, but he knew all too well how easily they both could be hurt and had been before.

"You'll come back another time right? We are friends after all?"

"See you later, Liz," He told her after nodding, but even while leaving, he knew he was treading on dangerous ground.