Hidden Behind Everything Happy

The new boy

I woke up what must have been a few hours later. I had a pain throbbing in my head and a big bump and gash that was thumping a tune in my head loud enough to burst my ear drums. I opened my eyes, cursing my stupidity that I hadn't been looking at what I'd done with my feet.

I lifted my head, my eyes focussing and then refocusing, my head swimming with the stars I'd only been looking at a couple seconds before. How I had managed to fall I have no idea. But I didn't like the way my limbs were feeling heavy and brittle. I couldn't move, I was lying on my stomach with my arm twisting beneath me painfully.

"Ow" I said feebly lifting my head high enough to notice one of my many letters was stuck to my face. I pulled it off and felt the peeling of the paper as though something had stuck it against my face, it was sticky and thick and felt a little bit like my History teachers roller glue.

I let it lay on the hard cold ground and then lifted my right arm, it twinges painfully and I fell back hard into the ground. Oh man, this was so not the way I wanted to spend my night. I though desperately as I lifted my left arm and rested some weight on it, testing it's strength, it seemed okay so I pushed down and sat up slowly feeling my stomach drop.

I retched urging sideways feeling butterflies escalating into a swarm of bees inside my stomach, my reaches sweeping sickness out of me making me shake with the waves of pure and horrific nausea. Man, how had I got in this state? It felt like my insides were being dragged out slowly by talons, reaching own my throat and pulling out my stomach contents bit by bit.

When I was done being sick, still dry retching on the floor, with a feeling of acidic emptiness in my stomach I sat up and slowly lifted my legs until my head was between them and I was breathing slowly and deeply.

"I'm glad your awake" I jumped, I nearly screamed, I started feeling dizzy again and then I fell backward against the wall. Something grabbed me and kept me from sliding face first into a jagged edge.

"Riles?" I looked up, hopeful seeing two people spinning around in my mind. He had dark chestnut hair, far too dark to be Riley, and even in this darkness I could see that his eyes were a green so bright I started staring into them. I recognised his lean frame, slight pout, and terrified doe eyes of that of the beautiful boy who I had bumped into earlier.

"Your that beautiful guy" I said addressing him as though that was his name. I felt my knees jellying before he reached one arm around my waist straightening me up and holding my head upright so I was looking at him. He gave me a frown before putting one hand between my legs and lifting me carefully like I was some kind of broken doll.

I saw the world spinning as he picked me up and leant my head on his shoulder, but the worrying thing was that it didn't stop moving, I could see shoulder then sky, shoulder then sky even though I should only have been looking up rather than twirling in circles.

"Just close your eyes and relax" I did as he said. I closed my tired eyes and fell asleep on the shoulder of this tall and mysterious life-saving stranger. I breathed in the scent of pepper and homely spice. I liked his smell, I liked his smell a lot.

"You smell like a curry house, I love Indian. Maybe we should get an Indian sometime" I said snivelling into his shoulder, I felt his hands in my hair as he pulled me more securely into him.

"Yeah, okay clumsy. Let's go" I let his scent linger in my mind as I closed my eyes and drifted into a sleep undisturbed by nightmares or visions. Hmmm, peppers smell good. I might have to find some peppery cologne for Riley... Hmmm I really really like the smell of peppers...

"Huh?" I woke up slowly drifting in and out of sleep, I was warm and in a nice thick duvet. I turned over to the sound of my brain reverberating in my head as if it knocked against the sides of my skull.

I opened my eyes slowly, there was a green duvet reaching up with the sweet smell of peppers drifting into my nose. I recognised the smell and sat bolt upright feeling my head spinning again, whoa, that was one hell of a head rush. I looked around the room slowly letting my brain catch up with my eyes.

There were green walls, a nice bed with a green duvet, a chest of drawers, a small chair made of wicker, which was inhabited by a boy. A young man who was sleeping hunched forward with an expression of calmness on his smooth face. Found myself slowing down, my brain stopping as I stared at him, he really was beautiful. His lips looked like petals of a pale rose, the outlines darker than the block colour. His eye,ashes were long and curved and dark, matching his hair which was scruffy in the kind of I-look-hot-no-matter-if-I-have-a-bed-head-kind-of-way. I was in awe of his perfect hair and flawless skin.

I found myself just staring at that strong and different stranger. Why did I find him so fascinating?

He reminded me slinky of my dad, broad shoulders and dark hair, a sweet but strong face and green eyes, I tried to justify that was why I was looking at him now. Because I saw something of my dad in him, because I was grateful, but as well as this I couldn't shake the belief that he was entirely the most beautiful human being I had ever seen.

His hair looked like it would be thick and soft, his lips were pale and his skin porcelain. I couldn't help but look at him like he was some kind of an enigma, like he was some kind of precious stone, a china doll that was priceless to the point of not existing. I just kept staring.

"Why are you staring at me?" I saw one eye open slightly and the brilliant green enveloped my stare and I found myself trying hard to read his eyes. I had never been able to read Riley, but this guy seemed so open, so real. As if I could reach out and touch the essence of his soul.

"Your like, incredibly beautiful" I watched as his ears turned pink, embarrassment flooding his eyes before turning to good humour. Then I realised I was blushing.

"I think you might have concussion, I'll go fetch my mum" He stood slowly stretching up and lifting his arms high above his head, I saw his tee lift up and expose a good amount of abs, a small dark snail trail of hair that matched his unruly mane before going below his trouser line. I found myself following the trail down in those few short seconds, then a little voice whispered to me. Um... You have a boyfriend.

I blamed the possible concussion for my forgetfulness, how could I completely forget that I loved Riley? That nagging worry at the back of my mind came back, what if I didn't love him? Suppose it was a childhood crush, a developing infatuation. What would I do if that was the case, when I'd promised him so much for our future?

"Why hello there" I looked up at the blue doorway, I noticed a jacket and a couple pair of boxers draped over the top of the door. She caught me looking, grabbed them and threw them at what I guessed was her unsuspecting son, the most beautiful boy on earth.

"Honestly, can't you have tidied your room she's been here for eight hours sleeping, you had plenty of time so don't give me that excuse Lukas" Lukas, such a manly name for such an unconfident boy, he seemed so innocent and well, young.

"Um... Where am I?" It suddenly clicked in my head that I had been in someone's house who was as food as a stranger to me for eight whole hours and I had no idea where I was.

"Actually your near your school, I've been going there too for three years" I let my jaw hang open. Three years and I hadn't noticed him! I couldn't believe it.

How did I not notice him in three years?...