Rubies And Wine

V-2

Drew, despite the fact that everyone can't help but love his charm and whit, has four close friends. So close, in fact, that they came up with this 'brotherhood' they call The Wolf Pack. The five of them, Jasen, Aaron, Leo, Kurt, and Drew himself, all got accepted to San Diego State University. I still remember Drew feeling guilty that we'd go to different colleges as I was jumping up and down for him.

Anyway, the five of them decided that they all want to stay together without being scattered in two pairs--not to mention risk being the unlucky fifth--across dorms. So, the only rational reason in their minds were to rent a beach house. I thought they meant some cozy cabin close to the edge of town in a retirement community. By 7:30pm, I found out I was very, very wrong.

The house is on the side of a hill that looks over a beach about a quarter of a mile down and across a few shops and restaurants. Riding up here on a bicycle must be hell. Anyways, the house has stark white walls with teal-like glass on the windows and balconies. We head up marble steps to the glass double-doors. I ring the doorbell next to the round, brass, steampunk-looking mailbox mounted on the wall under the archway. It doesn't take long before Leo, a lean yet strong man with a crew cut wearing a Navy, blue shirt.

"Hey, guys," he says with cheer and a tad bit of gravel in his voice. I love the way I notice how his eyes aim to Suzanne more so than myself. 

"What's up, Leo?" Suzanne says. "The other's around?"

"They're all up stairs in the lounge. Go right ahead." He opens the door up wider to reveal a home much more elegant and modern than anything I lived in before.

To my right is what seems to be a living room. A couch spans the length of the wall along the door and the wall to it's right. Tall windows leave an excellent view of the beach down below. Across from the couch is a mounted TV over bookshelves with a glass door to it's right leading to a large, grassy yard. In front of me is a long hallway that seems to lead to at least four bedrooms, a garage, a bathroom, laundry room, and another way to the back. To the right of the hall is a small bar to store various alcohols. Between the hall and bar is a spiral staircase with glossy, wooden steps.

Suzanne and I follow Leo while trying to watch our step in the midst of our awe. Above us hangs what appears to be a suspended, copper sculpture of a jet engine. The orange-brown metal gleams in the sun coming from the sky-light over our heads. Once we reach the top, it seems like a new house entirely opens up before us.

To my left, I look at a large beautiful kitchen with marble counters and tall wood pantries and a door leading to a balcony over the yard a little further back. A large copper pipe opens over the stove before connecting into the wall although it appears to be more decorative than have an actual purpose. In the corner I see a dining table able to seat eight. A balcony door and a mahogany desk looms a few feet in front of me. To the left of it is several sofas and recliners lined up to create a sort of pathway to a fireplace on top of a step with another TV mounted above it. Along the stair well to my left is a open bathroom door and a door on the wall behind me that I'm almost certain is a master bathroom. In my eyes, this has to be the largest home I've ever step foot in.

Snapping me back to reality, I hear steps run up from the kitchen as a pair of arms wrap around my waist to give me a quick shock.

"Jesus!" I say while jolting my hands down to the mysterious hands. It's only after I recognize how they feel that a delighted smile comes across me. "You know this scares me, Drew."

He only laughs while kissing underneath my ear. "And you know I love holding you." I turn my head and kiss his lips.

I look over my surroundings once more before seeing the two other guys and two girls between them. The ladies seem to smirk at Drew and I as we begin towards them.