It Happens (BoyxBoy)

Home Coming

“Hello, Mrs. Tina, Mr. George.” I greet them from the tight vice Mrs. Tina had me in. Susan must have said something to her, because she quickly let go.

“Sorry,” Mrs. Tina scurried back over to Mr. George her face red as a tomato, and her eyes averted. The four of them looked like the picture perfect family standing there. Susan had her mom’s stature and sea foam green eyes but her curly blonde hair was definitely from her dad. While her brother took after their father entirely with his golden waves that promised curls if it was allowed to grow and ember colored eyes to match.

“It’s ok, but I was sort of in the middle of getting dressed, so if you don’t mind…,” I quickly turned around and slid my pants on under my loose shirt. “Okay, all done,” Mrs. Tina beamed at me before her and Mr. George pulled me into a hug. It was still slightly cumbersome because of my cast but had the same affect.

They pulled away when a nurse called them to talk to them about whatever. I checked around the room for anything I could have forgotten. With a satisfied smile, I plopped onto my bed. Something cast a shadow in front of me, so I glanced up.

 Jesse, Susan’s younger brother, stood in front of me holding my leather braided bracelet, “You forgot this.”

I smiled at him as I took it from him, “Thanks.” He smiled me and turned pink. While walking out of the room he stumbled over a chair that was at least a foot from the door and left quickly. Oh, bless his soul is he clumsy or what?

After a bit of waiting and a lot of Susan and Michelle making jokes about Jesse’s inapt ways, I was officially released from Hattie’s General Hospital. The late summer air hit me hard when we walked out of the chilly hospital lobby. I’ve spent most of my summer cooped up in the air conditioned building, so I’d almost forgotten it was summer outside.

I sighed when I remembered my summer job. Two weeks of blissful job experience and I get fired. Well, it wasn’t exactly firing, but, as much as the old boss man understood my situation, he had to hire someone else to take over my work load. It was only a summer job, and I didn’t really need it, what with my dad paying my way through college and shoving money in my bank account every week, but I liked working at the burger joint. Maybe he’ll hire me again sometime if college didn’t work out.

Susan taped me to pull me out of my mind. I looked out the window and notice that we had pulled up to the house. It was just a one story house, nothing too big or fancy, but it held a lot of memories for all of us. A few months ago Mr. George was thinking of selling the place for a boat-house and watching Mrs. Tina chase him around the yard with a wooden spoon was hilarious. I still can’t believe the buffoon actually mentioned it around her. She’s all about growing into a grandma with cookies in the oven and two rocking chairs on the porch.

I was grabbing my bag from the car when a hand gently pulled it away. I look up expecting Mr. George or Jess, but I come face to face with a complete and utter stranger. I wasn’t going to freak out that a stranger’s helping me, it’s a small town, and that’s what we do, but I am going to freak out that he might be one of the most cutest people I’ve ever seen. I swear he looked chibbified. I stood there more or less frozen on the spot while he just smiled at me before spinning on his heel and marching right into Susan’s house like he owned the place.

How come Susan didn’t tell me she knew someone like that!? I quickly followed after him, and upon entering the house I notice Susan standing there dumbfounded in her bathroom doorway. Okay maybe she didn’t know him.

Susan fell into step behind me as I walk over to the guestroom where I was going to be staying hoping the stranger was bringing my stuff there. I poke my head in and see that they had already put all my other bags by the bed, but I don’t see the bag from the hospital. I head into the kitchen, but no one’s in there. I noticed Susan making her way quickly into the family room. I followed her, and there he was chattering away at a brooding Jesse who was stubbornly ignoring him. My bag was thrown unceremoniously in the middle of the room.

I sighed and shook my head. When I picked it up, I noticed the stranger looking at me with dead eyes. The coldness in his eyes looked so off set inside his adorable face. I half smile at him before heaving the bag up and making my way out of the living room.

I passed Michelle on my way to my room, “Go check out the living room.”

She looked confused but started for the living room. I laughed a little to myself as I imagined her reaction to the boy. She was like a granny at a family reunion whenever she came across someone cute. I would know; my cheeks still hurt from the day we met.

For some odd reason, the thought of our first meeting hurt my heart. Shaking it off, I tossed my bag carelessly into the room before walking back to the family room. Leaning against the door frame I watched Susan laugh her butt off at Michelle cooing at the boy while she pinched his cheeks. Susan’s green eyes were alight with pleasure as the stranger cried for assistance. I felt a light tap on my leg, and I flinched. Looking down I was surprised to see Jesse on all fours holding a finger to his lips. He motioned from me to come. I checked on the chaos to find it going strong and made an exit unnoticed.

He sat at the kitchen table with a paper and pen. I looked at it questionably but silently sat down next to him. He never really talked to me even though he should be used to me by now. That’s the thing with Jesse; he takes after his mother in personality. They’re both very reserved and easily embarrassed around strangers. Now, obviously Mrs. Tina has gotten over that reserved attitude with me, but something about Jesse’s teenage hormones and awkwardness made it harder for him to get close to people, especially men for some odd reason. Oh, don’t start sending me accusing stupid arrows. I know it’s probably due to sexual orientation or something, but I’m not going to go around accusing people of being homosexual.

Jesse tapped me then nodded to the paper. It read, How are you? I opened my mouth to answer, but Jesse put his hand to his mouth then pointed to the pen. Fine. Why do we have to be quiet? He read the paper and quickly scribbled something before passing me the paper.

Don’t want to draw Alexie’s attention.

Why not? (That’s the little one’s name right?)

Yes and b/c he’s suffocating me. I smiled a little, and he smacked my arm. I looked at him in shock. He usually wasn’t comfortable with me, and now he wants to hit me? He looked embarrassed, and his mouth formed a sorry. I’m not sure if he said it out loud or not, but I just shook my head.

Who is he? He took a long time to write, and I could see why when he gave me the paper back. He wrote two paragraphs or something!

He’s our new neighbor. The first day he moved here, we helped his family move in. As we were leaving, his mom kind of volunteered me to show him around. I don’t know how that happened. I ended up just showing him some of the stores at the square, but he took hours shopping at them all! We only bought 2 things!!!

He ended up in my homeroom and decided to stick to me. He changed his whole schedule to match mine. Now he sits with me at lunch and won’t let me go home alone. He’ll invite himself over all the time and mom and dad just let him. I don’t talk to him but he still stays! He comes to dinner every Tuesday and they just have his plate set already.

Alexie came into the kitchen as I finished the last, and he was complaining to Jesse about abandoning him with an adorable little pout. Jesse sent me a look that said ‘see what I’m saying’. I laughed a little and Jesse glared. Alexie started pulling him out of the kitchen but didn’t leave before turning and snarling at me. I stared at the empty doorway still confused. Then I realized what he looked like, a barking hamster. I imagined him as a little hamster chained to a dog house growling and couldn’t help but laugh. It was so easy to imagine!