NovaHD ❀City Boy❀

01: Grow up

•"City boy, all you ever knew was walking the walk down that old pavement with your Nikes. Well we ain't got no pavement here so I suggest you chuck on some boots and hope you don't stand in horse shit."•
-Anonymous

~

The house smelled oddly similar to that of an old people's home except more cigarette stained. It was musty and gross with a hint of his aunt's old perfume and Aleks swore he saw a rat scurry across the floor. He thought for a moment about how one way or another he was going to have to get used to the smell, as there was no way out.

With a cringe, he stepped further into the house, his eyes scanning the hallway. "Uncle Petey?" He called meekly, looking around. "It's me, um, Aleks." Aleks bit his lip to stifle a groan of annoyance as he got no reply.

Fucking hell, that old man is stone deaf...

He glanced around at the old looking house; it had the typical granny look to it really. Antique plates lined the shelves and the wallpaper looked oddly feminine with flowers and cute swirly patterns. Aleks saw old family pictures of when uncle Petey and his mother were still young and mildly attractive.

He had always been told that the siblings never got along, but the pictures of them dancing around and smiling always seemed to prove otherwise. It was actually almost nice to see the old memories, seeing pictures of his family, people he once knew smiling and happy.

"Uncle Petey!" He hollered louder with a hint of annoyance, only to hear a man grunting quietly. There was shuffling and in came in an old man, late 50's, potbellied, grey hair and the typical farmers outfit with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"Aleksandr!" The man yelled far too loudly, waddling over and bringing Aleks into an uncomfortably tight embrace. "It's good to see you boy!" Aleks mumbled something with a frown, pulling away sooner than his uncle apparently would have liked.

You'd think Aleksandr's aura would be enough to ward the older away, or at least make him weary of hugging him. But no.

"Um... Yeah..." He mumbled, looking around quietly.

"Here, let's get that bag you got there your room," Petey said, gesturing to Aleks' bag as he led the teenager through the house. "I'm sorry to say, but you'll be sharing your room this summer."

"What?" Aleks frowned, stopping in his tracks. Why did he have to share a room? He had been told he'd have his own privacy!

"You're not the only one who's working here, James volunteers to help me every summer and this year is no different," The old man sniggered, raising an eyebrow. "He's out feeding the horses right now, actually."

"Uncle Petey!" Aleks yelled, sticking his nose up like a brat. "You said I'd have my own god damn space!"

"And you will, there are two beds-." The older was cut off by Aleks' growling. He didn't want to share a room with some creepy stranger, he refused to.

"I don't even want to be here, the only thing I asked for was privacy but instead you gave it away to some old, disgusting, ugly redneck assho-..." There was a cough behind the boy and he frowned, spinning around and looking up at a man no older than him, with raven hair and an unimpressed scowl on his face.

Aleks felt his cheeks heat up and he instantly lowered his gaze. Oh, shit.

"Yeah, well this 'old, disgusting, ugly redneck asshole' never said you had to sleep in the same room. You can go sleep on the hay bales if you'd like." The man, James stated calmly. Aleks bit his lip, deciding to finally shut his fat mouth, still feeling like an idiot and embarrassed. James simply rolled his eyes with a sigh.

The man looked nothing like the brunette thought; he wasn't in the least bit scrawny, though he was by no means fat. He was strong looking, 6 foot tall and in all honesty was fairly handsome.

"Ah, James, I'm sorry for him, he's just tired." The old man shrugged a shoulder and James turned his attention away from Aleks to smile at Petey.

"It's alright, sir, I got the animals fed. I'll head into town in a moment to grab some things from the market for you."

"Ah, yes, but if you wouldn't mind could you show Aleks to his room?" Petey asked as he grabbed one of the many ash trays littered around and doused his cigarette in it while Aleks folded his arms over his chest. Whether this 'James' was decent or not, he didn't care, he didn't want to spend a minute with the guy.

"Of course," James sent a smile to Petey before pointing. "Down here." James said as he turned and walked down the corridor, not even glancing at Aleks on the way. The boy sighed, following begrudgingly and dragging his suit case behind him.

Aleks stared at the back of the strangers head, frowning slightly as thoughts ran through his head. Why did the guy spend every summer here? What was so interesting when he could be out with his friends? He rubbed his eyes tiredly and sighed. I want out...

The first thing James said when he entered the room shocked Aleks, making him stare up at the taller. "Learn some fucking respect, man." He growled.

"What?"

"You don't talk to your god damn uncle like that, that's just bratty and wrong." James snapped, glaring at Aleks. "Grow up, city boy." He sneered, making Aleks frown. City boy? Was that meant to be insulting?

"Excuse you," Aleks glared. "You think I care? I don't want to be here, dammit. I don't want to be stuck on this shitty farm, I don't want to be around my uncle and I most certainly want nothing to do with you."

"Yeah? Well get over it because you're stuck with me all summer, aren't you? Now unpack and get some damn rest or something, maybe you'll be less of a bitch." James snickered, walking out of the room and firmly shutting the door while Aleks glared at the chipping wood.

He reluctantly threw his suitcase to the floor and collapsed on the obviously unoccupied bed of the two in the room, letting out an upset sigh.

With anger sinking his heart he shut his eyes and rolled over, kicking off his shoes. He tried to think of home, of going to the beach with his friends, of anything that didn't involve being on a disgusting, smelly old farm.

I think I'm going to like this story ;)