waterfalls -an ian carter fanfiction-

chapter three

song of the chapter: arctic monkeys, i wanna be yours

i wake up with a throbbing headache, as if i had been drinking, but i knew i hadn't... don't think about that right now. i walk toward the bathroom on the search for something to get rid of the pain in my head. i know what i need, but i also know what i want. advil, it's never strong enough for me. but i have to take it, as its this, or nothing. i pop the lid and two pills come tumbling out. it's good enough for now. i lean back my head and take them dry. i stare at my state in the mirror. disgusting. my eyes are bloodshot and red, and my face is pale and sickly. i look like a vampire. i walk towards my room and scrounge the closet for semi clean clothes. as i find an outfit and start slipping them over my skin i hear my phone ring. i go and pick it up.
"hey ian, it's julia."
"oh, hey. is everything alright? is mom okay?"
"ian, you're always such a worrier, she's fine. i was just going to tell you that i think i might have found you a date!"
"jewel, you know my problems with dating. are you sure?"
"just calm down, sweet brother, i know you well. what day would would work well for you?"
"is tonight alright?"
"i'll set it up. i know your going to enjoy yourself."
"alright. i'm trusting you. don't fuck this up."
"just chill out ian. have fun in your date, i'll text you the info. bye!"
she hung up. why did i agree to this? i look down at myself. who could possibly want me? i glance the clock. 7:34. shit. i put on my shoes and run out the door. i run through the apartment lobby not even greeting the poor front desk person. i run out and hop directly into my father's car. hoping he won't say much this time. he looked me over and chose to pay no mind to my body. that's the problem with this fucking family. It's all smalltalk and "honey, did you get the steak for the barbecue?", or "did you see MaryLou's mother at the school play last night, what a whore." it's either just small talk dribble, or insulting other people's family's rather then addressing our own. i hate it all.
"you know how to clean a pool?" he blurts out of nowhere.
"yeah. we had one, remember?"
"of course. can you do it today? we have a new customer."
"sure."
it was silent all the rest of the way there. i watched the houses drift away, each getting bigger and bigger until we arrive. we pulled into a ginormous house, clearly owned by someone wealthy.
"go." i freeze.
"your not coming with me?"
"it's time you learn on your own." he's just being lazy i fucking know it.
"they have all the stuff you need there. just go. i have another home to go to."
i open the large white van door and walk out. as i ring the doorbell and wait. i think to myself, "why is a plumber cleaning a fucking pool?" whatever, money is money.
the door creaks open and a very handsome man greets me.
"hey, i'm michael. you here to clean my pool?"
"uh, yeah." he moved over and gestured me in. as i start in a dazzling chandelier lights up the entrance.
"wow." i thought i just whispered to myself. clearly not.
"yeah. i paid good money for that, and even I'm still dazzled by it everyday." i look at him and am immediately attracted. but i'm not gay, right? i guess i started for too long as he smirked and said, "like what you see?" and proceeded to touch my arm.
i pull away and look down.
"sorry." i quickly apologize.
"i'm just kidding, i'll get your suit." he was still in a seductive smirk despite his "joking" nature.
"stay here." he ran up the stairs and i stood awkwardly in the middle of the hall. he finally came back with what looked like a red speedo. great.
"it's my baby brother's, so sorry if it doesn't fit super well. the bathroom's over there." he pointed to the right down a hallway.
"thanks." i look down and quickly walk towards the door. finally i get in the bathroom. i turn on the lights and start undressing. i stand in my underwear examining the small speedo. i look down and sigh, slowly peeling off my underwear and replacing them with the red disgrace to all fashion. once i get it on i stare myself down in the mirror looking down at my body. i look away and gather my clothes in a mound and push them to the corner. i start to walk out and am immediately confronted with michael's unnerving face. "it fits well." he says with his sex eyes staring me down. before i could say anything he shooed me off.
"the equipment is the shed in the back, now go." he smirked and went to god knows where in this huge home.
i walk towards the back yard and gather everything and start to work. he comes out and sits in a lounge chair next to the pool. i can feel his eyes peeled on me. he watches every move i make. i feel so humiliated with such a small amount of skin covered while being eyed like a hawk.
"want a drink?" he called out, finally noticing my parched state.
"yes please." i respond, relieved for something cold. he comes back with two yellowish slurpie looking drinks with water already dripping off the sides from the extreme temperatures outside.
"do these have alcohol in them?" i ask, hoping they don't. i can't go down that road again.
"yeah, why?" shit.
"i'm sorry to be a nuisance but i, uh, can't drink that..."
"aren't you over 21?"
"i am, i just can't drink alcohol, i'm sorry."
"oh, it's alright. i'll just get you some water then." thank god he was fine with it. i just can't do that again.
i start finishing up on the pool as he comes out with water. he hands it over and i smile in return. i finish cleaning and i hop out of the water.
"done already?"
"yeah, i had a pool as a kid. it's second nature to me."
"well here's a towel. thanks for doing this. i already paid your dad, but here's a tip." he slid it into my hands and lightly pushed me towards the door, i'm assuming to tell me to get dressed. i walk toward the bathroom and unstick the speedo from my skin and struggle with my clothes until they were on my wet skin. i put the money in my pockets and walk out of the bathroom. michael was around the corner.
"i never caught your name."
"it's ian."
"see you again ian." i start to blush so i walk quickly out. why did i blush?