Chapter 2 "Surprise" Part 1 "Sam" Monday, May 30, 2033
"Thanks for inviting me over again. I like hanging out at your house. Any new surprises for me this time? Where's Maxime?" I ask as I stand next to Javier's pool, removing my outer clothing and revealing my swimsuit.
"Probably on his computer," Javier responds. "He might be over later."
I sit down on the edge of the pool and dangle my tired feet in the cold water. Ahhh ... refreshing. I'm more interested in just hanging out with Javier, talking with him, getting to know him more ... as a friend of course. Probably a good friend in time.
Javier sits down beside me and stares off into the twilight sky.
I lean over and kiss his shoulder -- just a sweet kiss -- nothing special, nothing other than to say, `you're my good friend.' Javier looks over at me and smiles -- not the awkward smile I saw on the first day we met, but a warm smile. He reaches over and takes my hand in his, interlocking our fingers. He's more relaxed since last week, but I still sense tension in his demeanor. He looks into my eyes and I look into his. Sometimes we know things about each other, or we think we do, without words having to be spoken. I really am happy just to sit here with my friend knowing that is what we are. Friends. Maxime is a very lucky boy. It's weird, but I envy him and am happy for him at the same time.
"Hey," I hear a voice say from behind me. Turning, expecting to see Maxime, I see someone else with a family resemblance and some obvious differences. Javier's younger brother is definitely the athlete of the family.
"I'm Mateo," he says without a hint of shyness, so unlike his brother.
"Sam," I respond, flashing him a more than friendly smile as I realize Javier and Maxime are now an item and I'm totally free to be flirty. I lean over and whisper in Javier's ear, "If Maxime ever breaks your heart, let me know, and I'll smack him. You're too good for a broken heart." He looks away and smiles. Sweet.
Mateo sits down beside me and puts his feet in the water with a plop. I turn and look at him. Unlike his brother, Mateo is very easy to read. And he's a natural flirt. In fact, his flirtatious mannerisms ooze from him in buckets from the way he tilts his head while still gazing into my eyes to the way he bites his lower lip as his smile grows. Oh, this boy's had lots of practice. I smile back as I get the impression he simply can't help himself. Flirtatious behavior is automatic for him, which could be a blessing or a curse, depending on the situation.
"So ..." Mateo says, "You and Javier are ..."
"No, that never really got off the ground. But someone else did," I say as I turn to Javier and smile.
"Yeah?" Mateo says. "Tell me about her."
"Him," Javier says as I bite my tongue to keep from giggling at Mateo's expression which is absolutely priceless. I only just met Mateo, and he's adorably transparent, unlike his poker-faced brother.
"Him?" Mateo asks, not in a condescending way, but rather with a slight tone of surprising excitement in his voice. "Wait ... not Maxime? He doesn't have a romantic bone in his body."
"It's just been bottled up inside him all this time," I explain. "Just wait until you see the two of them together. They're quite a pair."
"Oh, this I've got to see," Mateo says with growing enthusiasm. I can tell he's not teasing his brother. Instead, he's genuinely happy that his brother has found someone to be intimate with. "Way to go, bro!"