I'll Call You by Mine (boyxboy)

[4]

Is it better to speak or to die? What does he do? I decided then that I would go to America. Not for Oliver and not for my parents, but for me. I needed to get away.

I decided just in time, my flight was scheduled for tomorrow. I quickly threw some things into a bag and tried to get some sleep.

I couldn't. My mind raced and my heart was pumping way too fast. Was this a good idea? What will happen? I had questions but no answers. I was scared. Scared of rejection, a new country, and being alone. All things I would soon feel.

Restless, I decided to get out of bed. I merely sat. For hours. I didn't know what to do with myself. I decided I would try to work on a new piece of music; it distracted me.

It distracted me so much that I lost track of time. I glanced up at the clock and I gasped. I had an hour. I grabbed my suitcase and ran to the airport. I looked around, lost. What was I thinking?

Just as the panic began to set in, I heard over the intercom my flight number. I was thankful, and quickly got on the plane. The flight was approximately nine hours, so I had a lot of time to think. I had my headphones in and I began to write down some music, not that any of it was ever good. But Oliver liked it.

I started thinking about what will happen when I land in New York. I don't know my way around.

The plane finally lands, and I am thankful I can speak English because I would not have been able to find my way.

I made my way out of the airport and I looked around. It was an intimidating sight. Buildings reaching the sky, cars rushing around. People pushing past coming from every direction. Things never seemed to slow down. It was so different from my small home in Crema, and I'm not sure I liked it at all.

I didn't know what my first move would be, but I knew I had to contact Oliver. I searched around for the first phone booth I saw and with the money my parents gave me, I made a phone call.
"Hello?"

"Elio," I whispered, afraid of everyone around me. I didn't want them to know anything.

"You came?" His voice raised octaves higher in excitement. "Oh, Elio this is amazing I wasn't sure you'd come! Where are you, I'll pick you up?"

"I don't know, Oliver. I don't know anything. There's big buildings everywhere and people keep pushing me, this wasn't a good idea."

"Please, Elio. Give it a chance. Tell me what's around you."
I bit my nails nervously and looked around. How was I supposed to know? This city was huge. Ten times the size of Crema.

"Um, well there's a big park, but I-"

"Central Park. Okay, I'm not sure how you got there but don't move. I'm coming."

He hung up the phone and I was again left to fend for myself. The city was so big. I decided to put my headphones on and walk around the area. Kids were playing, dogs were barking. But it was hard to enjoy with the constant sound of horns blaring. Why do people talk about New York so much? It isn't much.

But maybe I was wrong.

I'm not sure how much time passed, minutes or hours, until I heard an all too familiar voice.

"Elio!" Oliver ran to me. "It is so great to see you, happy birthday! Eighteen is going to be a great year for you-"

"Why am I here, Oliver? To meet your wife? To see how great you're doing? To see you thrive in the city while I'm stuck in Italy miserable? How is any if this fair, why would you do this to me?" At this point I was crying and I couldn't help it, nor did I care. There were so many people I'm sure they'd find something else besides a crying teenager to focus on.

"Woah Elio slow down, I wanted you here because I missed you. She's not my wife. We are engaged, and I'm happy. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends or that you can't be happy. America is a place for opportunity. Let's go, I'll take you to my apartment."

I blindly followed him like I knew I would always do. But I knew it was a mistake.