Foolish Games

22. You could come with me

On the morning of the 26th, Joni watched from the upstairs window as his family loaded their bags into the car ready to head back home. 

Home, where he was not yet allowed to return. When his dad saw him and waved him goodbye Joni turned away from view and sat on the bed, feeling bitterness and pain twirling inside. Everything was going wrong. Hadn't he tried? Tried to be nice, tried to behave, and forgive. And still, his father was punishing him.

In a matter of just a couple of months, his life had turned upside down. Now he felt utterly lost and confused but he refused to just roll over and take it. His dad had made the decision and now he would make his.

His uncle was throwing a Boxing Day party that evening, where he had invited some of their acquaintances and close neighbors. It was an adult get-together, with good food and alcoholic beverages; meant to be enjoyed moderately. Joni snorted at this, moderately. As if.

His father had agreed that Joni could join them, perhaps hoping that it would make him feel better about not being allowed to return home just yet. Also, he probably saw no real threat of him, almost an adult, drinking in the company of other responsible adults, especially when he was fully aware that he had been drinking before in a less secure environment.

Suvi came to pick him up that afternoon while dropping off her little brother at their grandparents at the same time. The adults would probably stay up late, and since alcohol was involved in their get-together it was better for Sami to spend the night there. Nina, who had gotten over her crush on the handsome Canadian, or at least seen the impossibility of him returning her affections, was spending the night at one of her friend's houses.

Joni had to admit everyone was doing their best to make his visit tolerable, but he was still mad at his father. He hadn't chosen this himself; he would have rather gone home instead.

 Almost everyone at the gathering was curious about the two Canadians. Chris especially got a lot of curious looks from the women, who tried to hide the intensity of those looks from their husbands. 

To Joni, the tipsy, middle-aged, group of women, came to marvel at how pretty he was. Surely he was the prettiest boy, a  young man! - One of them quickly corrected with an obnoxious giggle, they had never seen. And these were the responsible adults that his father thought suitable company for him...

Deeply frustrated by the whole situation that was his life now, he drank, and with every drink, he poured down from his throat his determination grew. He would show his dad how fucking brilliant his idea to send him to safety had been!

Chris stood across the room from him, glancing at him occasionally, chatting with his uncle's guests. None of them paid no real attention to those discreet looks, having firmly placed Chris in the 'straight as an arrow box.'  How little did they know!

Anger and lust were mixing inside of him. Anger from Misha, from Kasper, his father, but most of all, deep down... it was his heart that was bleeding with pain after being broken. A heart that ached for someone to heal it.

 With those looks Chris kept giving him, Joni could see the burn in his gaze that others did not. The man desired to bed him, desired to take him, and at that moment, Joni was convinced that it was what he needed as well.

Finally, with some excuse, Chris parted from the company of his uncle's curious guests, who soon were engaged in some other topics of discussion. Adam and Suvi already lost in each other as two young people deeply in love would be.

"So, your parents left for home?" the man asked, looking at him. The question didn't matter, it was just words, behind them was more; lust and frustration which Joni could recognize.