This is a work of fiction. The author retains all rights. Reproductions are not allowed without the authors consent.
There are no explicit sexual acts contained in this work, it is a story of love and the strong bonds shared between two guys.
This is the first story I have submitted. I would love to hear from you so email me on exuinoxneo@hotmail.com and be honest with what you think (but not brutally!). You can even email me if you have any questions - which overseas readers may wish to do as I am Australian and you may not understand the meaning of certain slang words. Enjoy.
FIVE
Summer was winding down and the encroaching autumn weather was already beginning to show its effects. The trees once abundant with green leaves were now turning brown and littering the ground with its passing glory. Soon only the evergreen flora would remain to stand testimony to the passing season, while the rest are stripped of their foliage, naked as they await the return of spring. The sun was setting earlier as the days grew shorter and the shadows cast by it's dying light merged with the darkness of night ever more eagerly. Life in every corner of the neighbourhood shrank back to seclusion as people settled in to their normal routines. The streets were quieter, the parks empty, the children played indoors, the sounds of summer were dissipating. Storm clouds were gathering in the overcast sky, winter was still far away, but the blanket of darkness that covered the city was an omen of coming disaster.
"Do you think it's going to rain today?" I asked Julie.
"The news said it was just going to be cloudy." Julie stated.
"And when have they ever been right?"
"Touche."
"Still, I'm glad I don't have any uni today," I said, "Gives me time to study for the exam."
"Just don't put the music on loud after I leave for work, I'm sick of the neighbours complaining to me all the time," Julie told me.
"Okay, okay," I said noncommittally.
After Julie left I was about to turn the stereo on when someone knocked on the door. It was an old friend I hadn't seen in a long time.
"Chad," I said surprised, "It's been a while, what are doing here?"
I didn't want to sound blunt but this was the guy who became a heroin junkie and stopped associating with his childhood friends several years ago, myself included.
"I just wanted to see you March," he explained, "You know, catch up on old times."
He appeared clean and healthy, it didn't seem like he was on drugs but I was still cautious, I didn't want to invite him in.
"Yeah?" I said, "What have you been up to?"
"I've just been back from rehab and I'm living with my parents for now," he said, he looked over my shoulder to see inside my house. "Have you got anything I can drink? I'm a bit thirsty."
I hesitated for a moment before saying, "Yeah, hold on a moment.
Chad followed behind me and I cursed myself for opening the screen door. It was rude of him to enter the house uninvited.
"So you're still living here after all this time, huh," Chad said.
"Yeah, I don't want to leave my mum by herself," I said through gritted teeth.
In the kitchen I poured a glass of cold spring water from the fridge and handed it to Chad.
"You got any juice?" he said instead of taking the water.
I forced myself to remain civil and smiled without emotion, "Sure, I'll get you a juice instead."
"Cheers mate," he said. He looked around the room as if surveying it, "Nice place you got here, looks different."
"It's still the same," I said, "You just haven't been here for a while."
I grabbed another glass and poured some juice for Chad. I couldn't help but feel like Chad wasn't here to talk.
"So, have you seen any of the other guys yet?" I asked.
"Nah, I just got back a few days ago, rehab was a drag," Chad said. "Do you remember that time when we went camping in the bush with Dave and I tried to take a picture of you taking a dump?"
I smiled, remembering, "And I chased you around the campsite with an axe until I gave up."
"Yeah, we got so drunk that night, we drank two cartons of beer between the three of us," he said.
"Those were the good old days," I said, reminiscing.
"Yeah, I hope you don't think bad of me for being drug fucked," he said, "I really want to make it up to everyone for turning my back on you all."
I wasn't expecting him to say that. I said, "Everyone is entitled to a second chance."
"Thanks, you don't know what that means to me," Chad said. "Do you mind if I use your toilet? I've been having some bad stomach aches man."
"Yep, you know where it is," I said.
"Thanks man," he said and headed to the bathroom.
Even though we last saw each other a few years ago, Chad appeared better than before. I remember that he was always doped up on heroin, he was never straight enough to hold a decent conversation. I still felt unsure about his visit. People just don't turn up after a few years and expect to rebuild their burnt bridges.
I sipped on the glass of water pondering his ulterior motives, I knew I shouldn't be so suspicious and he did ask for a second chance. It wasn't in my nature to hold a grudge and I was a very trusting person. Maybe things might be different this time, we could never change the past, but we could always make the right choices now. Chad came back into the kitchen wiping his wet hands on his jeans.
"Your hot water isn't working mate," he said.
"Aargh, shit," I swore, "The pilot light probably went out again, it gets like that when it's windy and I've been meaning to fix the cover."
"You could do it anytime dude," he said.
"I know," I said. I didn't want to keep the pilot light leaking gas, even though it was only a minimal amount. "Can you wait here while I turn the hot water back on?"
"Yeah, whatever man," he said, "Do your stuff."
"Won't be long," I said grabbing a box of matches from a drawer.
The wind was blowing fiercely outside. It was going to prove more difficult than I thought to keep the flames on the matchsticks alight. The hot water system was old and needed replacement, it was on it's last legs but we only kept it running for now until it kicked the bucket and forced us to replace it. The cover needed to be screwed off rather than slid out like modern systems, proving an attestation of its age. The pilot light was out as predicted. The wind blew most of the matchsticks out as I lit them and the ones that I could keep lit weren't long enough to reach the pilot light. Normally I used a box of extra long matches but those ran out a while ago and I forgot to stock up on more.
I returned to the kitchen to find some satay sticks because they were longer and should reach the pilot light. Chad was sitting at the kitchen table reading the local weekly newspaper.
"Sorry about this dude, I shouldn't be too long," I apologised.
"That's okay mate," Chad said simply.
"If you're hungry you can grab whatever you can find from the fridge," I said.
"I'm alright," he said, "I've already eaten."
I returned to the backyard to try again with the pilot light. The wind was still proving difficult at keeping the flame on the satay sticks lit and after burning down several sticks to only a few centimetres I succeeded in getting the pilot light lit.
Triumphantly I went back inside. Chad was leaning against the kitchen bench examining his fingernails. I noticed that almost half an hour had passed while I was attempting to turn the hot water back on.
I sat down at the kitchen table and an awkward silence hovered in the air between us.
"Look, I was wondering if I could ask a favour from you March," he said.
A knot developed in my stomach, I was too afraid to ask what he wanted.
"I'm in a real bind, and I was hoping to borrow some money from you," he was staring at the floor as he asked.
"Money?" I said shocked, "How much are we talking?"
"Well, I just want to know if you have any money at all I could borrow," he said without saying exactly how much.
"Can't you get some money off your parents?" I asked.
"They won't give me money anymore and you're the only one I could think of to ask," he said, "Come on man, I'll pay you back in a few days I just need some money now to buy food and other stuff."
"How much do want?"
"A hundred bucks."
I didn't say anything for a moment. Choosing my words carefully I said, "I have money, but I need them to pay for bills, I don't have much left after paying for my textbooks."
"Please March," Chad pleaded, "I really need the money."
Here it was, his ulterior motive laid out for me to see. I closed my eyes and tried to assess the situation. I knew that I would eventually give in and help him. I wasn't the kind of person to say no, everyone knew I was a generous person; it was one of my weaknesses.
"Okay," I said. Sighing I fetched the money from my wallet and handed it to Chad, "But you have to pay me back soon, I really need it to pay the bills."
"No problems mate," he said smiling, "Thanks man. I've gotta go home now, so I'll catch you around."
Watching Chad leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. The knot in my stomach was gone yet I felt even uneasier than before. Something I couldn't figure out had slipped between my fingers unnoticed. The wind was blowing with a vengeance, it wasn't going to rain but the feeling of foreboding remained.