In Between

Chapter 2

Ms. Maya's house was squeaky clean, to say the least. It was well-furnished and modernly decorated, but then again, what did he expect from a Montgomery? There was a big fireplace in the living room, a red rag spread in front of it – big brown couches and a long settee completed it. The books were arranged properly on a shelf by the wall and a coffee table stood on a corner with a stained-glass window on its side.

Nicolas started the fire and shook his jacket off, tossing it limply on one of the chairs. He plopped himself down on the sofa, his legs up on the armchair and his back lying on the soft leather cushion. His bags already forgotten at the door. He wasn't aware of how exhausted he really was and that he had fallen asleep, until he felt something cold touching his cheeks, waking him up from his peaceful nap.

Deep blue eyes slowly opened, and his sleep-hazed eyes saw a young man standing in front of him. His hands were hidden in the pockets of his black trench coat, a dark gray scarf wrapped around his neck, his striking appearance unreadable. A lazy smile appeared on Nicolas's mouth to greet the stranger, but when realization hit him, he quickly scrambled to a sitting position and glared at the young man who – if he's not mistaken – was trying to appear impalpable at his gaze.

"Who the f**k are you? What are you doing here? Trespasser!" Nicolas shouted, pointing his index finger to the strange man who was still standing in front of him, unmoving. Something flashed in the stranger's stony expression that Nicolas identified as somewhat close to a surprise but it quickly vanished before he could inspect it further.

The young man walked somewhere, heeding not his accusations. Then the lights went on, chasing away the shadowy darkness brought by the early evening. Nicolas had no idea how long he had fallen asleep but for the early afternoon light to quickly fade into the night, he's sure he had been knocked out from the long trip he had. 

Nicolas groaned, moving his head from left to right, softly massaging his nape with his hand. The young man reappeared in front of him, holding his gaze with his own dark one. From the well-lit room, he could see that the stranger was beyond striking – he was actually gorgeous to a degree he believed to be sinful. From the white porcelain skin, ebony black hair, and flawless features as though the young man had been molded to perfection by a very talented sculpture, all he could do was gape.

"I'm Alerick Montgomery and your door was open. I'm not trespassing, I live here," he said monotonously with his deep husky voice, dark dead eyes still holding his own. "And stop staring at me, moron. You're drooling."

Nicolas opened and closed his mouth but no words came out – he could be compared to a fish out from the water. His eyes darted to his open door letting in the cold air from outside, his heart pounding fast on his chest from the scrutinizing look the other young man was giving him. It was unsettling at some point, but oddly enough, the gaze warmed his whole body, to which his rational brain could not understand at all. Finding a stranger in his house should alarm him but instead, he felt as though the other young man's presence was not peculiar. In fact, it was abnormally natural.

 He quickly went to the door - his feet encased within thick white socks, his shoes probably thrown somewhere before he had gone to sleep – and closed it. He leaned on the door, folded his arms over his chest and glared at the incredulously handsome man who was still staring at him.

"You should tell that to yourself, bastard, you're ogling me since I woke up," he snapped back. "And it doesn't give you the right to enter anyone's house even if you have a right to do so."

Alerick shifted his gaze outside the window. "Clearly you have no idea what you're saying, moron. If I have a right why should I need permission?" 

Nicolas growled. He marched toward the unmoving man, grabbing his scarf and pulling him close to his face. Though the boy named Alerick was a few inches taller than him, it didn't intimidate him in the least. "Listen, bastard, I suggest you leave now. I don't care if you own this… this place or something. But Aunt Maya never told me about you, so you could drag your a*s out here and never show your face again."

 Alerick just stared back at him; then, slowly, a smile ghosted on his mouth that lit up his annoyingly good looking face. A pale hand slowly covered his own that brought unexplainable warmth throughout Nicolas body, his heart pounding hard once again in his chest. Alerick slowly removed the tight hold, grasping his own hand with his.

"Make me." Alerick whispered on his ear, his rough voice sending chills down his spine.

He was sure it was the longest staring contest he had his whole life, their faces, too close for comfort.

The loud banging on the door stirred him from his semi-trance state. When he blinked, he was surprised to find himself standing alone and everything seemed to be spinning a little. Alerick was crouched in front of the fireplace, tossing some wood to feed the fire. He was wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck, and his coat was hanging carefully on the coat rack. Nicolas tried to calm himself. Something bitter tasted in his mouth and cold sweat poured down his head. Another knock took his attention, and he almost fell when he whirled around if not from someone holding him steady. He looked up to see Alerick looking at him with a hint of concern.

"What the hell hap -" he wanted to ask but was cut off again by stronger thumps on his door. Someone was shouting his name behind it. 

"The door," Alerick said, pushing him gently to it, releasing him.

At that time the only thing he could do was follow, taking slow steady steps to the door. When he unlocked it, Joana's smiling face greeted him. He quickly smoothed his dark blue long-sleeved shirt and forced a smile on his face. "Hi, sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, it's okay. I hope I didn't disturb you or anything," Joana replied cheerfully.

"Actually I'm just…" Nicolas answered, looking behind him only to find his supposed trespasser gone. Now he's not sure if he only dreamt what happened minutes ago, "… taking a nap. I didn't realize I slept that long. Do you wanna come in?"

"Oh thanks but no, maybe some other time. I'm just here to give you this," Joana said, handing him a medium-sized Tupperware. "It's chicken casserole. Mom made it and wanted you to have a taste."

Nicolas grinned. "I'm sure this is good. Please give my thanks to Mrs. Smith."

"I will, and good night Nick. It’s fine to call you Nick right?," Joana asked. 

“Yes, no problem. My friends call me Nick and it’s more modern sounding than Nicolas. Like from ancient history.”

Joana laugh, “Great. See you around.” She added while stepping down the lit porch. She waved back at him before jogging toward her home. 

Upon locking the door and turning around, he found the pale young man standing in front of him with a scowl on his face. Nicolas almost dropped the container in surprise. "Are you trying to kill me?! And here I am thinking you left. What in the world have I done to be pestered by a bastard like you?!" he exclaimed, still clutching the tupperware on his left hand and holding his chest with his right. 

"What does she want?" Alerick asked him in a dull tone, the strange dread in his eyes speaking otherwise.

"Nothing that concerns you," Nicolas replied, walking past him directly to the kitchen and mumbling something about leaving him alone, stranger trespassers and calling the police.

The kitchen was spacious and he was surprised to find the cupboards and the refrigerator brimming with food. Although his parents provided him with monthly allowance as his family was actually financially well-off, he couldn't help but feel grateful to his mother's bestfriend for being thoughtful. He couldn't wait to call his Aunt Maya and give her his thanks.

On his peripheral vision he saw his unwanted guest leaning on the kitchen doorframe, arms folded on his chest and watching him as though he’s a bug under a microscope. It was eerie but what could he do? If the other young man was really a Montgomery, did the other boy have enough power to forcefully throw him out of the house? He should've asked Joana about him, but his mind somewhat debated against the idea. Besides, he didn't want to be bored by himself all night, so maybe it's okay to have the bastard around, even just for the night. And he's very positive that the other boy was nowhere near a murderer. Right?

Nicolas could already hear his mother and groan. Stay away from stranger, she says. Are you even thinking right, letting stranger within the house? You can’t possibly that stupid Nicolas! Haven’t I thought you anything?

"So what are you still doing here?" Nicolas asked as he started to prepare the food. A small shrug answered his question, which irritated him. He forced himself not to throw the entire food on the other.

"Your parents are probably looking for you," he added instead, trying to be as casual and friendly as possible. He was still trying to understand what happened earlier in the living room, but for the meantime he wanted to find out things about this weird person. 

"I don't have one. No one's going to look out for me if that's what you're worried about." 

"I'm not worried. You could do anything you like and hell if I care, I don't even know you, remember? You’re just a freak who walks into any home he likes for a reason unknow." Nicolas argued, fine brows furrowed with indignation, his eyes remaining on his preparation. 

"Really?," a soft response landed on his ear, a warm breath ghosting on his neck. He turned around, startled only to find Alerick standing behind him, with a smirk on his lips. 

"The hell! How'd you do that, you're freaking me out!" Nicolas exclaimed, turning around and pushing the other man away from his private bubble "Are you really trying to kill me? Stop doing that man, it’s uncool!" 

"Far from that," came the reply. An arrogant smirk placed on the others lips.

"Then stop doing whatever you're doing, it's freaky and really annoying." Nicolas sighed, placing the food and the utensils on the table, so glad his patience can be stretch to unknown limit, so says most of his closest friend. "Are you going to eat? I mean, since it's obvious you don't want to leave, for reasons I don't want to find out, I guess it'd be normal to invite you for dinner because I’m that nice, heh." 

It's a quiet dinner, quiet in the sense that he's the only one talking. His guest only nodded once in a while, but alongside the creepy staring, Alerick was the perfect guest. Nicolas had no idea why he felt comfortable with him, why he actually trusted him in a way he talked to him as though he had known him for years, not a very few hours. 

When he unpacked in one of the seven bedrooms of the house, Alerick was left watching late night news downstairs. When Nicolas joined him, he was rather pleased to see that the raven-haired young man cleaned up the kitchen. Alerick was currently comfortably settled on the settee while watching. Nicolas couldn't place it but for someone he met in less than a day, he sensed that he knew Alerick longer than that. It was unsettling, illogical even from him who easily trust people.

He settled himself at the other end of the sofa, resting his legs on the table. Again, he could feel the tingling stare of the raven-haired young man at the other end. Nicolas frowned. "Quit doing that, it's unnerving." 

"Do what?" 

"You, staring at me," Nicolas explained, shifting his blue eyes to a pair of black ones. 

"I don't stare."

"Yeah right, and pigs fly." 

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?" Alerick asked. 

"Of course. Do I look blind to you?"

"And what do you see?"

"Me and my oh-so-handsome face," Nicolas said, a wide grin on his mouth and his eyes sparkling with humor. "I've been complimented to a point that they compared me to Eros, you know, the immortal god of love of the Greeks. What can I say, I'm born this way. I’m so perfectly good looking, girls faint just by my mere glance"

Alerick scoffed, knotted his eyebrow in disdain and went back to watching the uninteresting news in the television.

"So, where do you live? Around here too? You said you're a Montgomery, so I guess your house is one –" 

"I stay where I please and I don't need to tell you anything, got that?" Alerick replied, giving him a look that spelled 'shut up'.

Nicolas frowned and glared. "Oh f**k you! For someone who just ate my food and getting comfortable with my house, you sure’s a prick! An asshole! Fine if you don’t want to talk to me, just make sure this would be the first and last you trespass within my property else I’ll really call the police and have them drag you out from here in a handcuff. That would look good on you.”

Nicolas straightened from his seat, deciding that he had enough with the other mans attitude.  After all, he needed to visit his new University the next day the following day to complete his transfer. He didn't need to spend his time with a bastard who had no idea what the word 'grateful' means. He knew most Montgomerys were stuck-up pricks, but he also knew that they can be nice too if they wanted, like his Aunt Maya.

"You know how to get in, so I'm guessing you know the way out," he said, "And don’t f*****g forget to lock the door."

Shapely black brows slightly moved to answer him, and with a long heavy breath, Nicolas dragged himself upstairs and collapsed on his bed. His eyes landed on his laptop and cellphone lying on the study table leaning beside the window, and knowing his parents were probably waiting for his call, he again forced himself to stand and settled on the chair in front of the table. He booted his laptop and dialed his parents' number as he waited. After a few rings, the answering machine took his call and he left a message, saying he's doing fine, before he finished the call. He rested his chin on his open palm as he watched the laptop load. His exhausted brain failed to sense the intruder in his room – he did not hear his bedroom door open or the quiet steps that approached him.

His chair was whirled around and he almost fell on his face, if not for the said intruder holding him in place. Blue eyes lost their drowsy glaze as he glared hard at the other person.

"You sure have a problem about privacy, bastard," he said coldly, gritting his teeth in complete frustration.

Alerick stooped down in front of him, leveling their gazes. And for the second time that day, he was lost in those beautiful, deep black eyes, his heart beating wildly on his chest and his palms starting to sweat. He wanted to speak but his mouth felt too dry. Alerick's face loomed close to him, and just like before, their warm breaths were mingling. 

A warm hand touched his cheek gently, caressing it down his slightly slack jaw. "Nicolas, stop asking questions about me. It's for the better you understand, yes?"

Nicolas could only nod as he was mesmerized by those eyes. The beautifully sculpted pink lips brushed on his nose and then he fell into unconsciousness.