Left Abroad

Chapter 2

                               ###
           Pic of Micheal Alvarez
                              ###

   I just stared at the house in front of me, I couldn’t keep my mouth closed. This was no house, this has to be a mansion!

   “You know, it’s fly season,” Micheal joked.

   Finally, closing my mouth, I followed him up the driveway and to the front door. This looked like the house of my dreams, only like 5 times bigger. Beautiful garden that kind of looked a little jungle against the house, the rest manicured lawns with flowerbeds hear and there. The house was modern which was beautiful to me. Large floor to ceiling windows here and there, the whole exterior raw cement.

   Going in only made me a bit envious, it was even better looking on the inside, mostly decorated in a modern way but traditional touches  here and there. We went up the stairs, each step went into the wall, giving that illusion that it was floating. There were 5 doors on the second floor. All bedrooms apparently, his and his parents were the first 2 doors, then my parents room for the duration of our trip and then mine was the farthest.
   “Want me to help you unpack?”

   “Uh,” I was at a loss for words.

   “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said giving a small laugh.

   “I missed us,” he said turning serious, “ we were great friends back in the SA and I think I forgot why, but just seeing you again I remembered the feeling of fun and brothership we had.”

   “That’s what it was, I actually remember now.”

   As he went through one of my bags, he took something out and did his usual ‘it’s drawing time’ comment as I saw he had my sketchbook. My eyes widened and just as he was about to open it, I tackled him and the book went flying to the other side of the room.

   “Wait, you could never do that. Someone’s been working out,” I shrugged in response, “What didn’t you want me to see?”
   “What, nothing,” I said but I couldn’t keep the urgency out of my voice.

   He eyed me for a moment, he was so not going to let this go and he was going to do what ever it took to look at that sketchbook no matter what might be inside. I just hope there is enough hiding space in this room. He pushed me off of him, how did I not notice I was still laying on top of him. I blushed a bit looking away.

   “What ever happened to no secrets?”

   “Nothing Mic, I’ll tell you later okay.”

   He nodded but I knew he was a bit mad, even if only a tiny little bit, because he left the room without uttering another word. I finished unpacking and placed my sketchbook with my sketching stuff underneath my clothes in the closet, it would have to do for now. I went down stairs and saw everyone sitting in the living room. As I went closer, Micheal motioned me through the huge sliding doors and I followed him outside.

   “That must be one of the most boring conversations I have ever heard in my life,” he said giving a fake yawn.

   He sat in one of the chairs but I made a quick move to the hammock that was just 2 feet away from the chair. It swayed a bit and it was totally relaxing. The thing was, it was a bit too relaxing and I couldn’t hear a thing Micheal said as I dim and brightened. Then when I blinked I didn’t even bother to try and keep them open. After a few minutes, I heard footsteps and then the hammock gave way under me. I fell to the ground as he started to laugh. He laughed harder and harder and the tears started to flow. Soon I couldn’t help but laugh with him.

   Our parents came out with puzzled looks and didn’t understand what was so funny. By this point I was sitting on the floor and Micheal was rolling around. Don’t ask me why it was so funny but we just couldn’t help ourselves. Another minute passed and I got up, my laugh was gone, but I couldn’t help but keep smiling. I made my way back to my room and laid down on the bed and soon sleep took over without even a thought.

                          *******

   I was ripped out of peaceful sleep when the bed shook violently and when I opened my eyes, there was Micheal with my sketchbook in hand.

   “Don’t,” I sneered at him.

   “Gimme one good reason son,” he said.

   “Just, please. . . Mic, you don’t understand what you’re dealing with-“

   To late, he opened it and as I came at him, he moved to the side and I fell defeated to the floor. All I could do was watch intently for changes in his expression. He didn’t look mad, sad, hurt. . . I couldn’t really make it out, he basically looked kind of emotionless.

   “Are these. . . “

   I stood up and looked over his shoulder, it was the first one I drew in the book. It was harmless, two guys, both shirtless, one laying on a couch and the other laying between his legs with his back to his chest. He flipped through the rest of them and stopped at the last one, the one I drew the night before the flight when I couldn’t sleep. It was a rather simple one, two guys walking on a beach, one had his arm around the other and that same hand held the other guy’s hand. The second guy’s head was also resting on the first guys shoulder.

  “They’re really nice, you haven’t lost your talent,” he said turning around and looking deep into my eyes.

   It was one of those looks that made you feel like you were made of glass and the person could just see everything about you. All your secrets, insecurities, hopes, dreams. . . Everything that made you, you.

   “I think you should meet my best friend,” he said giving me a knowing look and then walked out, but stopped just before he was out of the room.

   “We’re going to a formal dinner, you need to get dressed and a suit would be your only choice.”

   “I don’t own one.”

   He motioned me to follow him. We went to his room and into his rather large closet he fished out 3 suits.

   “These are just a tad too tight for me so they would fit you just right,” he said and shooed me off to my room.

   I gave them all a look over and decided black would look best, also being my favourite colour. Lets see, black pants, jacket and vest, white shirt and black bow tie. I decided I wouldn’t shave and started to work on my hair. It took me quite some time but when done, it was true comb over brilliancy. I gave myself one last look in the full length mirror in the bathroom.

   There was a knock on the door when I was going down the stairs.

   “Can somebody get that,” Mrs. Alvarez shouted from her room.

   “I’ll get it.”

   I made my way over and just as I opened the door Micheal was already by my side. I looked out and saw. . . I saw. . . One of the hottest guys!