Living our past

Chapter one

 

ALEX SMITH WALKED IN DOWNTOWN TOULOUSE. HE ADMIRED THE BEAUTIFUL SUN SHINING brightly in the transparent blue sky. He wandered alone, rendered small near the vast structures illustrating the center of Toulouse. People were everywhere. Everyone was cheerful; they were laughing, smiling, talking to one another – several of them were even screaming in happiness. He wondered what made them scream like that.

He was heading for Starbucks (in Rue de Strasbourg) to get a coffee and meet Amy – his best friend – in the Café des Artistes.

He walked straight ahead, turned left and then turned right after two hundred meters. The Café des Artistes was not far.

"Alex!" he heard someone say.

It's probably not me. I'm not the only one named Alex here, he thought.

"Alex! That's really you!" the same voice said once more.

Alex turned around to see one dark-haired man standing in front of him. He was two inches taller than Alex's 5'11'' fit body. The man facing him had dark brown eyes matching his hair, and a straight nose highlighting his symmetrical face.

Alex recognized him at once.

"Jason Winchester," he started. "What are you doing here? It's been so long since the last time I've seen you!"

Jason took Alex in a warm and tight embrace. Alex rested his face on his shoulder and they stayed in the same position for several moments before finally letting go.

"You don't know how much I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Jason," Alex admitted with a warm voice.

"It's really been longtime. What have you been up to? I thought you weren't here anymore," Jason continued, smiling.

"Yeah, well, I'm here," Alex replied, smiling and revealing his white teeth. "Do you have anything to do?"

"Nope, I just wanted a coffee. I was going to Starbucks."

"Would you like to come over? My car is not far from here."

"Of course, I would love to," admitted Jason.

"Great! We have a lot to talk about."

Jason followed Alex, scrutinizing him all the while.

Alex took out his smart-phone and typed the following text message:

I'm sorry, I have to postpone.

I just saw Jason, can you believe that? I love you. Bestie.

While Alex was sending a message to Amy, Jason was analyzing him. Alex was more fit than what he remembered when they were back in Castelnaudary. He was slightly taller and his body seemed perfectly healthy. He really was in a good shape. Alex's brown hair was cut short on the sides and a bit longer on the top. He still had rosy cheeks and a small nose in the center of his oval-shaped face with precise cheekbones.

Alex looked up at Jason and they both smiled childishly.

"LOVELY FLAT," JASON SAID. HE THREW HIMSELF ON THE COUCH INSIDE THE SMALL, CLEAN LIVING room. Alex's place was perfectly tidy.

"Thanks, I moved out from my parents' place two months ago," Alex said coming into the living room with two beers.

Jason grabbed the beer and thanked Alex with a barely audible voice. "I still remember our days in high school. It was astonishing and I never thought I'd see you again. It was a shame you left in the first place, but I understand, you had no choice... anyway, here you are again!"