Ironies of life

Chapter 9: Poor me.

The first week locked in his house was miserable, as expected.

Throughout his whole life, Naoki lacked lots of important things, but if there was something he never lacked, it was Loin’s company. Well, never except that one moment when Dante tried to separate them.

Three years ago, when that happened, Naoki took refuge by swimming. He always loved swimming, jumping in the water and doing laps across the swimming pool, without having to think on anything else but the movement of his own body. Without any concern… he felt like he could drown his horribles feelings for being separate from Loin.

But of course he was forbidden to go to the swimming pool or swimming club trainings after the party. For the first time we was lacking the two important things in his life and realizing that while looking at the ceiling didn’t make him feel better.

Barely eating during the day, avoiding his parents and locked inside his room sleeping all day Naoki though he was going to die. Not to mention the awful guiltiness feeling towards Loin he had in his chest.

“Can this even be any more horrible?” he murmured.

And he should have stayed quiet because just at that moment his mother entered in the room.

“If you’re bored, you can do chores.”

“I’m not bored.”

If there was a word that could describe how bad he was feeling… but there wasn’t. And bored wasn’t even close. He wanted to fix everything, to go and talk with Loin, to swim, to find out about Gala and about Dante’s reasons. But at the same time he couldn’t think straight, he wasn’t feeling like doing anything at all.

“I just came because I have news for you.”

“Surprise me.” said Naoki vaguely from his bed.

“Your father and I have to go for a business trip the next couple of weeks.” she explained.

“Oh, really? For a business trip to a vacation hotel? Mom I’m not stupid, you don’t even work at the same place, just say you are going on vacation without me. I get it, I’m being punished.”

“I’m going there for business and your father is going to come with me because he wants to. I don’t want to hear you suggesting something like that again. We are not monsters.”

“Really?”

“NAOKI HIRO” she yelled “What’s wrong with you? How many times do you want to be in this miserable situation?”

“So you know I’m in a miserable position and you still…”

“You made your decision at the prom.” the mother interrupted. “Now be a man and deal with the consequences. As I was saying, your father and I are leaving this evening, I know it's soon. I’ve been trying to talk with you before but you weren’t very responsive so…”

“I wonder why.”

“So… I just wanted to inform you that you are going to have a baby sitter that is coming tonight. He is going to sacrificed two full weeks of his summer to make sure you follow the rules so you better make things easy for him. He can cook and take care of the house but I want you to help him with the laundry, the dishes and the cleaning. Be respectful.”

“You have to be kidding me. A baby sitter? I’m going to enter university next year!”

“Naoki, he needs the money and I need someone to keep an eye on you. Call him whatever you want but he is going to live here for the next two weeks and make sure you are behaving.”

When she realize his son wasn’t going to answer she left the room and let Naoki thinking on his new babysitter. There was something hopeful inside telling him that that person could be Loin. His mother trusted Loin completely and if she was saying that his babysitter needed the money he could be a student. So for the first time that day, he went down to the kitchen and waited impatiently to see his new roommate, wondering who they could be and hoping he would see Loin appear at the other side of the door.

His mother prepared the dinner in a awkward silence and set the table for two people. They had their luggage next to the door and their coats on, ready to go. But the new babysitter didn’t show up at the time established.

“I can wait for him 5 more minutes… if he is not here by that time I guess we can go because he has the key…”

Naoki was almost smiling, he could only think on one person that will be slow because of his hurt ankle.

And finally the babysitter knocked the door. His mother opened in such a hurry and shaked hands with him right away.

“We have to go now or we will miss the plane. Thank you very much for coming, I’ll give you the other half of the money when we come back from vacation. You have some in the kitchen if you need to buy groceries. Anyway, you can always text me if you need something or you have any questions. You have my number, right?”

“Yes, I do Mrs. Hiro. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. I know I can count on you.” She smiled and left, carrying her luggage just after her husband.

The blonde young man, full of freckles made eye contact with Naoki and smiled with the same darkness that his smiles had all the time. A face full of mischief.

“It seems like this is going to be fun.” Dante chirped, breaking the ice while leaving his coat on top of a chair. Naoki glared from his place at the table.

“I hate you, Dante Hartell.”