The Touch Volume 1
"The Void"
By: Myke D
Part 2: Connections
Chapter 11: The First Night
I watched Natalie and Greg's car disappear from the end of the driveway, and I shed a few tears before I felt Kyan touch my shoulder.
"I love you, Zyan." He said quietly. "I know this is going to be difficult for you, baby brother, but I'll do whatever it takes to make you feel at home."
I turned and smiled weakly at him.
"Thanks, Kyan." I said softly. "I just feel so out of place here."
"We'll grow on you soon enough."
Once the caterers had finished cleaning up the remainder of the food, my parents turned in for the night after kissing me soundly and making sure that I knew where their bedroom was if I needed them. Sarah stopped by my bedroom as I sat on the oversized bed and stared at the light blue walls. She knocked on the door frame barely loud enough for me to even hear.
"Hey."
"Hey, Sarah." I said with a slight blush.
"Do you care if I come in?"
"No," I replied.
Sarah smiled and crossed my bedroom until she sat on the edge of my bed.
"What's up?" I asked nervously.
"I was wondering if you wanted to go meet someone with me tomorrow evening after your concert?"
"Who is it?"
Sarah smiled and hugged me tightly.
"My orchestra director wants to meet you," she explained.
"Why?" I glanced at my sister before focusing my attention on the bedsheet.
"Natalie sent us a video of your last concert with the Varsity Choir, so I showed it to my director." Sarah told me proudly. "He wants to hear you play in person."
"Oh," I said with a shrug. "I guess I'm okay with that."
"Good," Sarah hugged me again. "Do you have to wear anything specific for your show?"
"We just have to wear something nice," I stated. "Mrs. Grant wants us to look good for the cameras."
"I have just the thing!" Sarah said as a mischievous grin crossed her thin pink lips. "I'll be handling your wardrobe and hair for tomorrow, baby brother."
"Okay," I said nervously.
"Don't worry," she reassured me quickly with another hug. "You're going to love it, Zyan!"
I giggled with my sister and watched as she seemed to bounce out of my bedroom. Kyan entered a moment later with two towels over one of his shoulders. He was wearing a pair of black boxer briefs and a smile.
"Have you showered yet?"
"No," I replied with a shrug. "I don't know where anything is."
"Good thing I came to check on you, huh?" He asked with a grin.
"I guess," I giggled.
Kyan motioned for me to follow him into the bathroom.
"Come on," he said. "It'll be faster if we do it together."
I hesitated for a moment and Kyan turned back to look at me as he stopped at the bathroom door.
"It's no big deal, Zyan." He said with a shrug. "I already know about your scars, baby brother. Otherwise, we're almost exactly the same." My brother smiled at me. "Nobody else is going to care, either. I'm going to get the water ready."
I sighed. Kyan was right. We were identical twins. The only difference between us was the fact that I had scars. I laughed at myself before I pulled off my t-shirt and dropped it onto my bed. My shorts went into the hamper, and I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before I went into the bathroom. Kyan was already in the shower with the door pulled shut. I could see his tan form through the glass, but there wasn't any detail due to the texture and the steam. I pulled off my underwear and opened the shower door slowly.
"Hey," Kyan said with a grin before he turned himself back into the water.
I smiled and stepped into the shower. I quickly shut the door behind me and waited for Kyan to share the hot water. My brother turned back and pulled me into his arms and held me under the water with him. I froze for a moment as I felt his naked skin press up against mine, but I managed to keep myself from spiraling by taking a few deep breaths.
"Just relax, Zyan." Kyan said softly. "It's just us..."
I felt myself melt into Kyan's arms as his words finally made me realize something. I needed this moment with my brother. The water cascaded over us for a long time as we just stood there holding each other. His fingers traced the scars along my back, while my own fingers traced the line of his spine. My fingertips reached the cleft of his butt and I stopped. Instead, I slid my entire palm across one of the muscular cheeks before sliding my hand back upwards. Kyan mimicked my movements, and I felt myself push into him slightly when he squeezed my butt cheek gently.
"Sorry," he said with a giggle. "I've always wanted to do that to someone."
I giggled and nuzzled into Kyan's neck for a moment. I felt myself beginning to grow stiff between us, but it didn't matter to me. I could tell that Kyan was having the same issue.
"We should hurry up and shower before the water gets cold," Kyan finally suggested as he reached for a loofah and the bodywash.
I blushed and took a small step back from Kyan. He surprised me by rubbing the loofah across my skin the moment he had worked it into a thick lather. Then, Kyan scrubbed my hair with some strawberry scented shampoo before he instructed me to rinse off. While I did as he said, Kyan washed his own body and hair before he stepped under the water to rinse himself clean of soap. Once we were clean of soap, my brother turned off the water and slid the door open far enough to grab the two towels he had brought for us.
"Here," he said as he passed me my towel.
"Thanks," I said with a grin before I started drying myself off.
Kyan handed me a pair of boxers when we stepped out of the shower.
"Good thing we wear the same size," he said with a giggle when I slid the clothes up to my waist. He reached out and poked me in my stomach before Kyan pulled me into a tight hug. "I've missed you, Zyan."
"I've missed you too, Kyan." I said softly. "It feels like this is nothing but a dream."
Kyan suddenly pinched my butt cheek.
"Ouch!" I yelped and reached back to rub my butt. "What was that for?"
"If you were dreaming, it wouldn't have hurt." Kyan explained with a shrug.
I rolled my eyes and went into my bedroom.
"Can I sleep with you, tonight?" I glanced back to see Kyan standing in the bathroom doorway.
I nodded shyly which made my brother smile happily.
"Great!" He said excitedly. "I'll go get my pillow."
I smiled as he ran from the room before I turned off the ceiling light leaving the room lit in the yellowish glow of the lamp next to my bed. I stared at the bed nervously before I pulled the covers back.
"Did you grab the television remote?" Kyan asked when he reentered the room holding his pillow. "Sorry it took me so long, Zyan. I stopped to tell mom and dad where I'm going to be at for the night, so they don't freak out on us. They're really excited for your concert tomorrow night, though. That's all mom was talking about."
I groaned and fell back onto my pillow. Kyan climbed over me after he grabbed the remote control and dropped his pillow on the bed. My brother made himself comfortable and turned on the television. I turned off the bedside lamp and settled myself into the blankets.
"Don't worry," Kyan said to reassure me. "Mom and dad react the same way when any of us have an event. You're just going to have to get used to it, Zyan. It's pointless to even try to get out of it."
I stared at Kyan in disbelief for a moment before he glanced at me with an innocent look on his face.
"What?" He asked as if he had already forgotten what he said.
"You are so weird." I said with a giggle.
"You're just like me, Zyan." Kyan said with a mischievous laugh.
"I love you, Kyan." I said softly as I cuddled into Kyan's side.
"I love you, too." Kyan whispered.
I sighed happily as we drifted off to sleep together. I felt safe in my brother's arms.
I awoke the following morning to smells of breakfast cooking drifting into my room. The sun was barely over the horizon casting my bedroom in an orangish glow. I smiled slightly before I slipped from the bed and went to the window. The small stage that had been setup for the party was in the process of being taken back down by a small group of workers, while another group of people was busy taking down all of the tables and chairs. The yard was covered in dew that made the grass shimmer slightly in the morning light. I sighed happily before I turned back to see that Kyan was still sprawled out on the bed sleeping soundly. He was snoring quietly, so I decided to leave him be and went to the bathroom to relieve myself.
My mind was still trying to process the fact that I was home as I came out of the bathroom and grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a silly smile on my face. I grabbed the phone that Geoff had given me from my nightstand before I finally made my way downstairs. My stomach growled as I entered the kitchen to find my mother and father talking quietly with each other. Both of my parents smiled at me as I joined them at the kitchen counter and sat on one of the stools.
"Good morning, baby boy." My mother greeted me pleasantly as she took a moment from her cooking to give me a tight hug.
"Morning, mom." I said softly.
"Would you like some juice, baby boy?"
"Yes, please."
My dad reached over and pulled me into his side as he kissed the top of my head.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah," I replied. "Kyan snores, though."
Both of my parents started laughing at my comment.
"Maybe, he'll finally believe su when we tell him now that we have another witness." My father suggested to my mother as he sipped on his coffee.
My mom sat a glass of orange juice in front of me and rolled her eyes. "I doubt it, David. That boy is as stubborn as you are."
I giggled quietly at the comment, but my father poked me in the side anyways.
"You're not supposed to take your mother's side in these discussions, Zyan." He said with a laugh.
"At least we know where his true loyalties lie," my mother teased my father smugly.
"For now," my father retorted with another chuckle.
My stomach growled again.
"Are you always hungry?" My father asked me with a grin.
I knew he was teasing me, but it didn't stop me from blushing.
"Oh, stop teasing the poor boy, David." My mother chided him. "You're going to give him a complex." Then, she turned her attention to me and smiled. "Does pancakes, sausage, and eggs work for you, Zyan?"
"Yes, ma'am." I said with my own smile. "Pancakes are my favorite."
"Just wait until you try her French toast, buddy." My father said. "You'll never want pancakes again."
I giggled lightly at his comment. My father smiled and ruffled my hair before he turned back to his newspaper.
"There's a yard sale down the road from us, Lauren." He said without glancing up from the paper. "Would you like to head down there and see if there are any collectables you want to add to your collection?"
"As long as we're back with plenty of time to get ready for the concert, tonight."
I frowned at the sudden reminder of the concert that I was going to have to go to later in the day. I fidgeted for a moment in my seat before I pulled out my phone and sent a text message to Chad.
Me: Hey...
Chad: Zyan! What's up, man?
Me: Are you going to be at the concert, tonight?
Chad: Absolutely! You're not backing out are you.
Me: No. My mom and dad wouldn't let me even if I tried. LOL. I think my mom is too excited for this.
Chad: Give her a chance, babe. She just wants to be in your life. Your mom and dad have a lot of time to make up for.
Me: I know. I'm just not used to someone paying this much attention to me.
Chad: Give it time. I'm certain that you will love all of the attention after a few weeks. Don't be late tonight!
Me: I won't. My mom will make sure of it.
I put my phone down as my mom brought me a small plate of food. She set a bottle of syrup next to my plate and handed me a fork.
"Will this do?" She asked me pleasantly.
"Could I have a banana, too, please?" I asked nervously.
"Of course, Zyan." She replied happily before she turned and pulled one of the bananas off of the bunch sitting on the counter and handed it to me. "Here you go, love."
"Thank you, mom." I said sheepishly.
"It's my pleasure, baby boy." My mother said before she returned to the task of making breakfast for all of us.
I quickly set to work devouring my food. I had just finished when Kyan and Sarah finally wandered into the kitchen. Kyan took the seat to my right, while Sarah went over and poured herself a cup of coffee before she sat down on the other side of our dad. My mother greeted them both with a smile as she made up plates for them.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Kyan asked me between bites of pancake.
"You were snoring, and I figured it was a better use of your time," I said with a giggle.
"You turd!" Kyan said with a roll of his eyes.
"We told you that you snore," my father said with a laugh. "Now, we have even more proof."
"That's not fair," Kyan whined. "Zyan is supposed to be on my side!"
Sarah snorted as my mother and father laughed.
"Don't worry, Kyan." My father teased my older brother. "Zyan appears to be taking your mother's side, today."
"Traitor," Kyan mumbled as he bumped his shoulder into mine.
I frowned for a moment until I realized that he was teasing me. Then, my phone chimed, and I picked it up to see I had another message from Chad.
Chad: Mrs. G wanted me to double check that you're going to be there, tonight. I tried telling her you would, but she is apparently very nervous that you're not going to show.
I frowned at Chad's message before I replied.
Me: I have no choice but to be there. I'll even show up early if she wants.
Chad: Only show up about thirty-minutes early. That gives us enough time for our warmup session.
"Who is it?" My brother asked from beside me.
"My friend Chad," I said with a grin. "He's making sure that I'm still going to be there, tonight. Mrs. Grant is worried I'm going to bale on them."
"She'll understand that's not the case once she meets mom," Kyan said just loud enough for me to hear.
I giggled quietly until our parents both looked at us.
"What are the two of you up to?" My mother asked suspiciously.
"Just planning our mad escape into the wilderness," Kyan replied without hesitation.
"After the concert," my mother said with a wry grin.
I tried to fake a pout, but my mother wasn't having any of it. She ruffled my hair and kissed my cheek before she took my empty plate and put it in the dishwasher.
"You'll get used to it, Zyan." Sarah said encouragingly.
"Thanks," I said sardonically. My mother and father chuckled to themselves while I waited for everyone else to finish eating.
"Do you want to go to the yard sale with me, Zyan?" My mother asked.
"Sure," I said softly.
"Make sure he's back in time for me to do his hair, mom." Sarah said with a hint of warning in her voice. "We know how you get when you start shopping."
"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about," my mother said with mock innocence. I giggled at the expression on her face before she smiled. "I promise we won't be gone forever. We might even be home by noon."
"Just don't let her take you to the mall, or you'll never make it to your concert." Kyan warned me with a laugh.
"There's an idea," I said with a grin.
"You're not getting out of it that easy, Zyan." My mother said with her own smile.
My dad reached over and ruffled my hair again. "Nice try, though."
I blushed and looked down at the countertop. There was no way they were going to let me get out of the concert.
"Go get your shoes on, Zyan." My mother said making me look up at her. "It's time for you and I to spend your father's hard earned money."
I smiled and went to find my shoes near the backdoor where I had left them the night before. My mother grabbed her purse and followed along behind me.
"Just head through the door on your left, Zyan." My mother said as she touched my shoulder. "That will lead us to the garage."
I nodded and went through the garage door and stopped with a look of disbelief on my face. There were three different cars in the garage. Two of them were Mercedes SUVs and the third was a 2019 Lexus Ls. I smiled at the different vehicles before my mother motioned towards the car.
"This one is mine," she said with a smile. "The white SUV is your sister's car, and the black one is your dad's."
"Nice," I said in awe before I followed my mother over to the black Lexus. I climbed in the passenger seat and had my seatbelt latched before my mother was fully in the car.
She hit the button on the garage door opener before she started the car by pushing a button on the dashboard.
"We really won't be gone for very long," my mom said as she backed the car out of the garage. "It's not even nine yet, so we have plenty of time to do what we want."
"Is this going to be our regular thing on Saturday mornings?" I asked nervously.
"If you want it to be," my mom replied with a smile.
I smiled back at my mom.
"I'm just happy to be home," I said quietly. "I don't care what we do."
My mother gasped and reached over to hug me tightly.
"I'm just as happy that you're back home, baby boy." My mother cooed softly. "You have no idea, Zyan."
My mother pulled away and wiped her eyes on her sleeve before she put the car in drive and headed down the long driveway towards the guard shack. I smiled happily as the guard on duty waved us through the open gate. My mother waved back at the dark-haired man before she pulled out onto the road. I switched on the radio to whatever my mom had been listening to and relaxed in the seat as my mom took us shopping for the morning. At least, I wasn't worrying about the concert coming up that evening. My phone chimed in my pocket, but I ignored it and focused on spending time with my mother. I'd been waiting ten years for a moment like this. I wasn't going to waste a single second if I could manage it. I'd only known them for a week, and already I couldn't imagine my life without my family. It even made me wonder how I had survived without them... Then, a gloomy thought crossed my mind.
I didn't survive without them. The monster had succeeded in stealing my life from me. A moment that I would never be able to forget. I took a deep breath to relax myself before I had a panic attack. That wasn't how I wanted the morning with my mother to go. I wanted her to know that I wasn't completely broken. I feared that if I was too messed up, my parents would send me away and that was something I wouldn't ever be able to handle again. It would push me off the deep end if they didn't love me or want me. It would destroy me emotionally...
*********Thanks again for reading "The Touch". If you wish to be notified of this or any of my other stories, please feel free to email me and let me know. – storymyke@outlook.com
*** Remember to check out my other stories located here on the Nifty archive -The Legends of Blood - Blood Lust -Be the One - Awakening
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