I'm Not Like Him [boyxboy]

Chapter 1

I walk down the street, shoving my hand into my pocket and feeling for my pack of smokes. I light one and suck on the end, taking a long drag. I watch the smoke spiral away from me into the night sky as I blow out. I get to the apartment block and take one last drag before dropping the remains of my cigarette and putting it out with the toe of my boot. I walk into the building and go up to my apartment where I know she'd be. My hand rests on the doorknob as I watch boxes being piled on top of each other outside the apartment opposite mine. One topples over, making a loud metallic crash sound. I would have gone to pick it up but I thought better of it.

“Hey, be careful!” I hear a voice yell. I turn my head towards the sound and see someone walking towards me with a box in their hands. Actually, the person isn't walking towards me; he was going to his new apartment I presumed. I couldn't see his face as it was turned the other way.

Why was I even watching this? I had better things to do than see my new 'neighbour' unpack his shit and get settled in. Besides, they were all the same; mean and ignorant. For the past two years I've lived here, I've never had nice people live across from me. I doubt he would be any different. I twist the doorknob my hand had been resting on and go in, calling out her name.

“In here!” I hear, walking towards her voice. She was sitting on the bed, laptop in front of her. She wore a white tank top and grey shorts, looking like she'd come out of the shower as I could see that her hair was wet.

“Hey.” I speak, going over to kiss her. She returns it as I feel her warm hand on the back of my neck.

Taylor was my better half. I suppose she was my girlfriend to onlookers although we had never established labels for our relationship. The thing about Taylor was that she'd fuck anything for a favour and I knew when that was. She'd come home with bruises and swollen lips but I didn't really care; I was exactly the same. We're not ones for monogamy. She was a good fuck and paid her way to stay with me. I offered her a place willingly as she had nowhere to live as she'd got kicked out of her house by her landlord. Besides, solitude was getting a little predictable.”How was work?” She asks me, raising an eyebrow.

“The same, nothing ever changes in that goddamn place.” I reply tersely, going to get a beer from the fridge.

“You'll find something.” She reassures half-heartedly because she knew it wasn't true. I wanted to be a musician and to tell you the truth; I was a damn good one. All I needed was a chance but instead, I was stuck doing a dead-end nine-to-five job in the local music store. I dealt with stupid people who thought Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber were real music. The odd people came in asking for AC/DC and Bowie but that was rare. Besides, I had to turn them away as John, the store manager, didn't carry them.

Mainstream fucker.

I look down into my beer bottle, past the green rim and sigh. I truly was going nowhere with my life and I knew it. I'd been searching for my big break for two years, the main reason I'd moved to sunny California. I met Taylor here, though so I guess that was some sort of bonus.

There was a sharp knock on the door, disturbing my thoughts. I cast a look at Taylor, telling her to open it but she shook her head.

“Go and open it, Alex.” I roll my eyes and stand up, making my way to the door where the person knocked again.

“Alright, I'm coming!” I pull open the door reluctantly. I hated socialising with people. God knows how I haven't been fired yet since my job involves smiling and talking to the customers.

“Hey, I'm River. I've just moved in opposite you.” The boy told me. He looked to be around my age. He stuck his hand out and I looked down at it and then back at his face. I take his hand and shake it, raising an eyebrow. He had blue eyes and dark, almost black hair, the opposite to my features. I had green eyes and light brown hair.