High Tide (boyxboy)

Chapter 2: The saviour

"By the way, he's called Kai and he's been invited."

☆

Stan isn't aware of how much time has passed, when he finally opens his eyes. But he is aware of a few things. He thinks he is most definitely alive. The cool evening breeze is blowing over his wet clothes, making him shiver. He can feel the soft sand beneath him and the sound of the waves close by is almost deafening. But that isn't what is getting Stan's attention the most...

There, just a few inches away from Stan's face, was a boy. He didn't look much younger than Stan himself. But this boy seemed a little strange. His hair was a flame orange. It hung over his face like a pair of curtains blowing in the wind. His skin seemed to glisten, a sheen of a mix of a green, or was it blue? Possibly silver. But what caught Stan's attention the most were the eyes. A bright aqua colour, as if they were the ocean itself. 

The two seem to stare at each other for a time before the boy puts a hand on Stan's hair, stroking it softly, as to lull him into a kind of sleep. Stan reacts to the touch, it makes him feel so relaxed, he cannot help but close his eyes and drift off into a hazy slumber. 

"Stan. My baby." Stan is suddenly shaken awake by a very frantic lady, leaning over him. 

"Mm...mum?" He feels disoriented. Where was the boy? the flame haired boy? Did he just imagine it all? "Boy?...where?"

"Darling you're not making any sense." She pulls him up in her arms. Stan sits up a little to see Nathan stood a distance away. 

"How did you get out of the water?" He calls in confusion.

Stan says nothing. He doesn't know how to answer. "You're safe now. That's all that matters. His mother says. 

Stan looks at Nathan as equally confused as Nathan does. He can't get the image of the boy, that flame haired boy from his mind. He needed to know he wasn't crazy. He needed to find him....

...And that's what Stan tried to do. Every single day, at the same times, morning and night, Stan would go to that spot. The place where he woke up and saw the shiny skinned boy looking over him. He even went back to the cave. Waited by the deep cavernous hole until the tide came in, but it was no good. Stan didn't set eyes on him again. 

The only person he told his experience to was Nathan. He had witnessed how he had become stuck in the cave. There was no way he could have freed himself. Eventually, Stan came to the conclusion that maybe it was his imagination. There was no boy, no saviour and in the end, he gave up looking.

***

Present day...

The code to the front door releases the handle and Nathan pushes it open, holding it wide for Stan to follow with a heavy cardboard box in his hands. He places it on the floor and stands up, straightening his back. 

"This is going to be so epic." Nathan says with both hands up in the air. "We can drink, party, drink some more..." 

Stan lets out a dry laugh. "Yeah. I need to work too. I'm not going to be making that much money to start with." 

"That's why you're staying with me duh. My dad pays the rent....besides, when you do make it as a famous musician, you can buy me a sports car and a mansion."

Stan smiles. Does he even dare to dream?

"Anyway...we are definitely having a welcome party tonight. I've already invited everyone on this floor and the floor below. 

Stan sighs. "Really? You know I was hoping for a quiet night, maybe just a few beers?" Stan was never a fan of big social gatherings with people he did know, let alone people he didn't.

"Just relax will you. Just enjoy it." Nathan pats Stan on the back before heading to the spare room, soon to be Stan's, picking up a cardboard box on the way. 

Stan breathes a heavy sigh as he makes his way to the double doors leading out to the small balcony. He opens them up and steps outside. The wind hits his face as he does so. He takes in the view...the big city. A far cry from his sleepy seaside town.

Stan closes his eyes, taking in all the noises which surround him. The constant hum of the traffic, the odd horn beeping. A shout every so often. It all sounded so different from the sound of the waves rolling in and out, but the continuous noise did remind him of home, of the noise of the relentless waves over rocks and sand. 

Stan opens his eyes again, looking out to see the high rise buildings in the distance. Already some of the neon lights were shining as the sky was slowly fading to grey. Stan looks across at the line of balconies adjacent to his. This building was very uniform, each apartment designed with the same floor plan. 

Stan's eyes suddenly stop, as they fall on a figure, three balconies across. The figure is of a man. He is wearing a smart black suit with an open top white shirt. His dark brown, nearly black hair blowing in the breeze against his face. He had a glass in his hand and looked to be drinking some kind of alcohol from it.

The man was leaning against the rail of his balcony, holding on with the other hand. Stan silently watched. The man oblivious to his stares, was inhaling deep breaths, eyes closed. A little like what Stan had just been doing when he was tuning in on the city's sounds. 

"Enjoying the view?" Stan jumps slightly to the sound of Nathan's voice as he joins him on the balcony. Stan quickly looks away from staring at the man, still oblivious. 

Stan redirects his gaze back to the city streets. "It's so busy down there, I'm just taking it all in."

"A little different from home I bet."

"Sure is.' Stan smiles. He again side glances at the man at the balcony, but he's not there any more. Stan momentarily stares into the space where he had been standing, before Nathan's voice again snaps him out of it. 

"I'm going in, it's getting cold and we've got a house party to get prepared for." 

Stan nods in recognition before again looking straight out ahead. 

"Oh and by the way..." Nathan adds. "He's called Kai and he's been invited."