Left Abroad

Chpater 1

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Pic of Nathan Shaw

Hope you gues enjoy...
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   On the way to the airport I felt a bit uneasy. It was going to be weird seeing Micheal again. Before he moved overseas we were best friends, and it wasn’t easy. The last month they were still here, even more so. The easiest reason was because I was kind of starting to fall for him. I was always a closeted gay, but when that happened I started to retract myself feeling wrong for my feelings and thinking that it was just wrong. The last two years however made me see that there was nothing wrong with what I had felt and also helped me move on.

   Now we were going to spend Christmas with them thanks to their endlessly deep pockets and them generously buying us tickets. I was excited but also a bit nervous. Would he be the same, would we still be able to be friends? It’s kind of sad that my brother couldn’t come a long, it would have been fun seeing another part of the world with him.

   I wonder what we would do over there, we didn’t know anything except when our plane would be leaving.

   “Nathan, honey,” my mom said and looked at me worryingly.
   “Yes.”

   “Get your mind out of the clouds,” she said with a little laugh, “we’re here, you can get out.”

   We were already parked and they were standing outside my door looking in with their bags in hand. I shook my head and slowly got out, getting my stuff out the back and following them a few steps behind. We went and sat at a terminal and waited for 2 hours. Then we got on and I could feel last night sleeplessness fighting, but I still couldn’t fall asleep on the plane when I tried and then soon gave up.

                          *******

   I got up and got my carryon bag out of the top compartment, my eyes were a bit sore. My limbs felt like a distant thought. We walked off and went to claim our baggage, one very large bag each and then our small carryon bags. We moved through the airport, me once again just following like a zombie a few steps behind. We went outside the doors and my mom waved me to a group of people.

   “You have got to be kidding me. . .”
   They stood there, all as I remembered in front of a. . . Really people, a limousine. They all stood and looked at me.

   “Hi, it’s rally nice to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez. And of course you too Micheal,” I said giving him a quick, shy hug which he thankfully accepted.

   The driver took our bags and put them in the back. We all climbed in and it really was something different. The grownups started to reconnect immediately asking as many questions as possible.

   “-you?”

  “Sorry what?”

   “How are you,” Micheal asked.

   “Eh, I’m fine. Fun seeing you guys again. And you?”
   “Nothing to complain about and the same about you guys. So I’m guessing your brother couldn’t make it?”

   It set off a bit of bitterness inside  me that I knew was not right. I just nodded but couldn't help thinking back. We were best friends but I knew he liked my brother's company and sometimes I thought maybe even more that mine. My phone vibrated just then. Speak of the devil. He might be 6 years older but it didn’t feel like that.

   >Hi Micheal, sorry couldn’t make it. Work shit came up. Hope it won’t be to miserable without me there ; )

   There was also a picture of him with a beer in one hand and a thumbs up from his other hand. Stupid big smile he had on. I passed my phone to Micheal. He read it and got a huge smile. He typed something and then locked the phone and handed it back. I didn’t want to look curious or jealous so I just put it back into my packet and not looking at what he wrote.

   So after that we exchanged some chat mostly about how life was living here in the US of A. The schools sounded fun, a lot more different than the ones back home in SA. Most of the houses also looked different. We talked about the children and about the groups in their school, he talked about a guy rather fondly and admitted that if I wouldn’t tell anyone that he was gay. To which he made a really funny gay joke that wasn’t homophobic, but I didn’t laugh because I never laugh or tread lightly around the words faggot and “moffie”.

   Then the limousine stopped and the grownups all got out. The seats were very low, so when Micheal got up he place one hand on my leg to push himself up to which I almost jumped. It sent a shiver through me. I couldn’t help but think for a moment, why didn’t I ever tell him? We were best friends after all.

   I got up and out, taking my bag from the back, nope driver already did. Okay guess I’ll have to get use to that. Micheal placed a hand on my shoulder and just gave a small laugh. I wish he wouldn’t though, between the two touches, something was going on in my pants and I was very thankful for large touchscreen Samsungs. One was at work in my pocket hiding what was going on.

   I turned and looked up the driveway, my mouth gaped. This was one massive house!