Love in Unexpected Places

Preface

He held his hand out to me, offering me his help, yet I wouldn't take it. For taking it might make me fall even deeper in love with him.

Chapter One

My alarm clock blared at 5:30 am just like it did every morning. It was still dark outside but the light radiating from the garage was bright enough to seep through my black curtains. I automatically knew what it was, it was my brother working on his car, just like he did every single or ing si ce he got the idea of building Dads dream car. At first, he could barely make it into the garage, the memories hit him as hard as they hit me every time i walked into my mothers sewing room.

Dustin and I where on our own. Our parents had died 6 months prier to that day after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. I knew kids who had lost one parent, even both, but none of hem had to watch their parents slowly die in front of them and wear a brave face so you don't upset them. No one should ever have to go through anything like that.

I got quickly up from the bed, so fast it gave me one of those headaches you get when you get up too fast. I sat still for a moment, hoping it would pass even though I knew it wouldn't, and started to wander what Dustin was going through right now. He'd told me that every time he walked through that threshold it got a little easier, but I knew that he still felt the same of pain I felt in every room of this house.

It seemed like an eternity had passed in the few moments that i thought about his struggles, though it had only been seconds. I got out of bed and walked over to the light switch, that was when i got this weird feeling inside, like something was going to happen. It was warm and fuzzy, comfortable, soothing. it passed as quickly as it had come, leaving me with a strange feeling of loneliness accompanied by a strange emptiness within me.

I was temporarily stunned, unable to move in the dark with my right hand on the light switch. I didn't know what the feeling was and the though of uncovering the name of this amazingly strong emotion scarred me deeply. I took a few minutes to comopose myself before i got dressed and ate breakfast. i kept trying to forget about the experience, but it kept nibling at the edges of my mind. evey time i thought id chased the thoughts of what it could have been, another threory slipped through the berrior.

by the end of my peanut butter toast and milk, i had worked up enough strength to build up a wall strong enough to last until i got home from school, then i would have to deal with later. i put my plate in the sink just as Dustin walked through the screen door. he was completely covered in grease and oil, just like every morning. he was trying to mask the pain of the memorys on his face, but once he saw my expression, which must have given awaymy distress, he focused on that.

" whats wrong with you?" he asked.

it took me a while to answer, but dustin remianed patient. thats just the way he was. i could have asked him to wait the entire day for my answer and he would wait without a single complanit. thats one of the reasons we got along so well, i wasnt one to quickly answer a questine, especially not personal questines, and he could wait for me to answer.also he didnt hover,i liked that.

" nothing, justa little tired," i answered, but he wasnt fooled.

dustin was a patient, calm,and understanding person, but hw wasnt stupid. he gave me a strange look before he continued.

" you know i know your lying"

"I know"

"then what is it?''

i decided to tellhim the truth,well most of it. not that i would be inbaresed by telling my brother how i felt, there was no emothional or sicological thing we couldnt share with each oher, but i didnt knoew how.