HIDDEN [SAMPLE] [BOYXBOY]

THREE

ERIC SANDERS

Life couldn't have been better.

 I'd woken up with renewed enthusiasm, and it only continued to grow when I pushed the curtains open and stared down at the busy city street. People were everywhere; rushing down the sidewalk, strolling into buildings, stepping into cabs, walking their pets, and shouting over the loud, congested crowds.

Exactly how I'd imagined it.

 Smiling to myself, I skipped to the bathroom, preparing myself for the lovely day ahead. Although Dina would've liked to show me around, she had family obligations for most of the day. Regardless of this rather disappointing fact, I would still make the absolute best of the day ahead.

I hopped into the shower after hurriedly undressing, allowing the warm water to sooth my muscles. Not more than two minutes later, I stepped out, putting on one of the luxury robes that had been hung near the towel rack.

 The soft fabric brushed gently over my bare skin, and I'd made a mental note to take one for home.

 The bathroom had definitely been made of the finest materials; the toilet and sink were made with the cleanest, creamiest ceramic I had ever seen, and the mirror above the sink possessed an impeccable sheen as I trotted past it and into my bedroom, which was definitely my favourite room by far.

Covering the tiled floors had a fairly large navy blue shag-like rug that tickled my toes as I stepped onto it, causing a faint smile to flash onto my face. A king-sized bed lay in the middle of the room, the sheets a faint, almost denim blue, matching perfectly with the carpet and the three greyish walls.

 The most remarkable part, though, had been the wall made entirely of glass, looking over the New York streets. It took my breath away faster than even I could tell. Despite my fear of heights, I stood as close to it as possible, staring at the people as they inched past each other, some in a hurry, others seeming to have all the time in the world.

A grin plastered itself onto my face as I began to list everything I would do out loud.

 "Visit the Empire State Building," I muttered, pulling on my blue and black flannel shirt, light brown trousers, and sneakers. "Take a walk in Central Park, have some horrendously complicated latte at Starbucks, try not to die."

In my opinion, my list seemed rather brief and to the point, and would definitely be easy enough to manage alone. Even though I had a terrible habit of losing myself in crowds, I could deal with this. After all, this is New York; the place I'd been dying to simply exist in.

 I would make this work.

Grinning widely, I grabbed my messenger bag, tucked my phone into my pocket and strolled to the front door, twirling the keys with my fingers. Before I could reach it, though, a faint knock emerged from the door, accompanied by a familiar voice resounded through the apartment.

 "Room service!" Connor boomed.

I don't remember ordering room service. I thought, sighing slightly while making my way to the door. With a click, the door unlocked and I pulled it open, smiling at Connor's beaming face.

 "Breakfast?" he inquired, his smile ever-so bright as he pushed the cart holding a single plate and bowl, cutlery for one, a few condiments, and another plate covered by a lid.

"I didn't order any," I pointed out, shutting the door and strolling after him.

 "Your parents did," he explained, pausing at the immaculate granite kitchen counter. "Not to sound rude, but I find it odd that they would something like this, even though you're probably fully capable of ordering food all by yourself."