The First Man I Loved

Chapter 4

I had a huge headache as the plane landed. I cannot do that shit, but I'd do it again just for Evan. How the hell can he do it,  like, three times a year? 

I grabbed my bags and quickly walked out of the airport. I waved a taxi and a nice man pulled up. He had a black beanie, almost the color I was wearing, but mine was shaggy-er, and more blue. I hopped in with the man and he smiled back at me. 

"Where to my man?" He asked, with a little accent behind it, but I couldn't tell what it was. I dug in the pocket of my jeans and found the pink sticky note I wrote Vanoss's address on. I read it to the man and he nodded, "Okie dokie. That's about 30 minutes away. I'm Andrew by the way."

"Nice to meet you Andrew, I'm Jonathan." 

"Oooo, nice name. Where ya from Jonathan?"

"North Carolina." 

"Oh! My sister-in-law lives somewhere near there, actually I think it's more of the Virginia area." 

"Oh, I lived in Virginia before; really pretty place." I looked out my window, and saw all the naked trees, back at home, leaves were still falling, and trees were only half naked. It's only November 18th, I'm pretty sure. 

"So, who ya visiting here in Canada?" He chuckled. 

"Ah, a friend actually. One I've never met face to face."

"Oooo, internet buddies, or gaming, same thing. Or..." A smirk went across his face. 

"Or... what?" I raised a brow. 

"A dating website!" 

"No! No! No!" Jesus, I'd never think about that, not even with any of the guys, specifically Vanoss. 

"Aww. Oh well, is she hot?"

"She's a he."

"Oh, my bad, is he hot?" He met my gaze, he had green eyes. I thought for a bit, I mean Vanoss was pretty attractive. 

"Uh... yeah, he is." 

"Oooo, get em."

"Are you a taxi driver or a dating website?"

"Well, shit, I can be both. Hell I can be Dr. Phil too." 

"Ah, no." We both laughed. 

We were silent then, both of us just lost in our thoughts. I was looking out the window, as we passed stores with Christmas stuff already up. Some stores did have pumpkins and Thanksgiving stuff. I smiled as we passed one store with a moving Santa. 

I wonder how long I'm staying, I mean, Thanksgiving is next Thursday, and Vanoss does seem pretty torn up about his dad. Maybe I could stay for Christmas and New Years. I smiled at the thought. I stopped thinking as Andrew pulled up a small driveway. The house, was just out of the little town. If this is Evan's house, we can take long walks to the town, maybe go to dinner, a few bars- God what am I thinking? I haven't even fully met the guy. 

I thanked Andrew and grabbed my things. 

"Good luck Jon." He nodded as I walked up the red stone, reaching the maroon door. I grabbed the golden hinge on it and hit it against the door three times. I waited for at least 5 minutes until I heard a loud bang and a few crashes. The door creaked opened and I saw him, but he looked like a grizzly bear. His face was scruffy and there were purple circles around his eyes. He almost looked like Batcoon, which was my job. Then I got a hug whiff of body odor. 

"Shit... Van-?" He instantly wrapped his arms around me. 

"Thank god it's you. I thought you were some therapist my mom sent. You sure do look good enough to be one." He slightly smiled and opened the door for me. His voice sounded so different in person, almost more... clear? I don't know, is that the word? I walked into his house, and let's just say, the outside did not match the inside. There were empty Pizza Hut boxes everywhere, and Sheets bags, and cups. Then when he showed me to the kitchen, my mood fell down even more, when I saw the crushed up Bud Light cans. 

"Vanoss? I think we need to give you, and your home a little make over." 

"No!" He yelled like a child. This was not the Vanoss I knew. 

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him down a hallway, searching for a bathroom. I opened a door to a darkened room, which I figured was his bedroom, due to all the clothes everywhere. I grabbed him a nice Journey t-shirt, black jeans, and a random pair of boxers, that I was sorta hesitant on touching. When I pushed him toward his bathroom, I passed a room, that looked to be his gaming room. His computer was on, and even more food was surrounding it. But what was on the screen made me wonder the most. A website called "Are You Sure?" was up. I ignored it for now and moved Vanoss into the bathroom. I turned on the shower for him, and he instantly hopped in. As he was showering I snuck back to the gaming room. I sat down at his desk and looked at the website. It was on an article called, "Signs You're Gay but Won't Come Out to Yourself". I tilted my head, and found some notes he was keeping. I felt really nosy, and bad, but I looked at the notes. 

1. I was checking that one guy out at the gym.

2. I really cared how I looked that day.

3. That one article with the man in it; I could not stop staring at.

I gasped and instantly covered the notebook with bag of Cheddar Cheese Chips. I felt so bad for Vanoss, so, so bad. First his dad passes away and now, now he might think he's... gay...