One Drop of Golden Sun

Ch. 9 Eavesdropping Becomes Him

*Lokela

Lokela showered, dried himself off, brushed his hair and teeth all on auto-pilote, keeping his hands busy while his mind drifted far away from the small house and even the city of Honolulu.

He followed his plans for the future out the door, down the streets, past the family shop where he was scheduled to work for the rest of his life, and off the island. His thoughts plunged into the endless sea. There was so much left to explore. Trenches, rolling plains, and sunken treasure buried in a watery grave and thick mud. Formed layer upon layer for millennia and populated with strange creatures from the most twisted fantasy stories.

That was where he wanted to go. But in his own twisted stories. There would have to be heroes. Or better yet, heroines to lead the way. Readers loved a good heroine. Tragic backstories, grit and determination, backbone and spunk. A heroine to face horrors from the unexplored depths.

It was Lovecraftian, sure, but it could be great.

She could even be fake blond to break a few stereotypes. With a sharp tongue and brown eyes that didn't allow a single detail to escape them. Of course she had to be smart. Smart was sexy as hell. Mix up deadly adventure and a killer that may or may not be human and there could be a good story. But not too much romance.

Blonde and smart might be pushing the envelope too far, but if she fell for some jack-ass hero and wound up waiting to be saved when stranded in a deep-sea submarine, the whole thing would be ruined.

She couldn't fall for a jack-ass. Those eyes would never be fooled.

Shit.

Lokela wrapped his towel around his waist, tying a loose knot at his hip. She couldn't fall for that jack-ass.

Zach was his friend for the last three years, sure and they had had some great times together, but the guy was a jack-ass at heart. Not the mean kind that you have to watch, but the always looking for the next best thing kind.

Lokela was something of a jack-ass, too, he recognized it when he saw it.

Ray didn't need jack-asses in her life, no matter how annoying. In fact, because she grated on his nerves, he should help steer her clear of them. He could hear the whining and crying now when Zack wandered off to find something new and shiny to play with and left her alone, broken hearted.

Yeah. Lokela would do the right thing and make her understand that Zach wasn't for her.

In his room, he threw his sheet back on his bed in a semblance of order, picked up dirty clothes for the basket, started shifting through his notebooks and papers for class. And basically procrastinated. He should talk to her.

Someone knocked on the door next to his. He put his ear to the wall that separated his room from Ray's.

"Hey, what's up? I was just on my way out," she said.

"Real quick, I have a class later and I need to impress a certain special person. Hawaiian shirt with red hibiscuses, or blue polo?" asked one of the guys. It was probably Doug, but Lokela couldn't be sure when eavesdropping through the wall.

He mentally kicked himself for being an nosy spud.

"Personally I like the polo, I think guys always look good in a fitted top, but this special person might like the relaxed, vintage style of the Hawaiian shirt. What can you tell me about him?"

There was a pregnant pause where neither spoke and Lokela held his breath. Him? Did that mean Doug was gay? A gay dude in their house with them?

"Can I come in?" Doug asked so softly, Lokela almost missed it.