The people in this story are not real, although some of the places are. Don't read this if you're underage or can't in your area. It contains instances of gay relationships. If this offends you, then don't read it. Each installment will be from the point of view of a different character, with the characters repeating every so often.
The Course of Hours: Chapter 1
Levi:
Who is this guy? I mean, my dad is a nerdy architect. A really good one, one that is very successful, if you know what I mean. But still, he went to ART SCHOOL! Hello?! Loser! His friends normally come over and discuss French expressionism or some new local artist while sipping hot tea. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad, A LOT, but this guy did not seem like his normal type of friend. He clearly wouldn't be able to distinguish Manet from Monet. He was like the typical Southern redneck type guy. Okay, that was harsh, but not entirely untrue. He was big, not fat, but muscular. He had a thick beard and was wearing a camouflage hat. He probably chewed tobacco. At the moment he was wearing a nice red Polo shirt tucked into his faded jeans, with a black belt. He was not anything normal at my house, unless one of my dad's relatives was over, but my dad was smiling ear to ear at his entry. Weird, but my dad is a weird guy. I did mention that I love him, right.
"Levi! Noah! Naomi! Come here!" My dad yelled as he ushered the guy in the house. Noah and Naomi are my younger brother and sister. They're twins, and weird. My mom was on like an Old Testament kick with our names, but I like them, they're different without being crazy- which is something I strive for in my own life. Even though I still think I am the only normal one around this house.
"I'm right here Dad." I said, standing in the open upstairs hallway that straddled the invisible division of the foyer and living room. I tried to act unenthused, which I partly was. He looked up at me and waved me down. I begrudgingly trudged my way down the staircase until I was at the bottom step and waited. Noah came running from back towards the kitchen, with Naomi following a little more gracefully. They also looked at the man strangely. And then someone else walked through the door. He was about my age, with scraggly blonde hair. He was dressed in a plain yellow t-shirt and denim shorts-- gross. He leaned on one of the wood columns that marked off the dining area and shot a knowing smile over at me and my siblings. What's he so happy about? Weirdo.
"Guys, This is my friend Jeff," my dad said gesturing towards the man with a smile, the man smiled warmly back, "and this is his son Davis." The boy smiled at me, again. "Jeff, Davis, these are my kids. The old man here is Levi and the two munchkins are Noah and Naomi." He was trying to be cute, but was definitely coming off as corny. Something was definitely going on; he only did that when he was nervous. Why would he be nervous introducing us to a friend from work...wait, this guy didn't really look like an architect. Well, maybe he was a contractor or something, that fit his look better. Hmmmm...
Jeff stepped forward and grabbed my hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Levi." His voice was deep and his accent was thick. We were in Georgia after all. I managed a weak smile. He did this to my brother and sister as well.
"So Levi, you go to Roper, right. Davis just started there." Jeff said.
Duh. Everyone just started there, school only started three weeks ago..."Yes, sir. Cool. Maybe I'll see him around." I hope not.
"He's a sophomore. You're a freshman, right?"
I nodded.
He smiled, obviously aware of my lack of interest. My father quickly jumped in.
"Levi, why don't you show Davis around the house?" That wasn't really a question.
I, without much enthusiasm at all, motioned for Davis to follow me up the stairs. On the descent up I contemplated why I was so crabby. Maybe it was because my dad was acting so happy about bringing these people who in no way resembled anyone he had invited over before into our house. Why was he so happy, so eager? Hmmm. We reached the top of the stairs and were standing on the same stairway where I had been standing earlier. We were looking away from the front door towards the back of the house.
"Wow." He said, in awe. That was a common expression at first look. Down below was the living room, which wasn't lived in much. It had a leather sofa and some fancy chairs and lots of Old World antiques. A huge stone fireplace graced the right wall, with high bookshelves on either side. But straight ahead was a huge, two story window that looked down the hill into the woods behind us. It was dark outside, but our heavily landscaped backyard was illuminated by solar powered lamp-things. I knew you couldn't see it all from up here because of the deck that covered some of it, but I am sure he got the idea.
I turned left and walked down the hall into an alcove with two rooms on either side. I motioned to the right. "That's Noah's room." It was fire-hydrant red with one wall that was a chalk board that he had drawn all over. He had obviously inherited my father's artistic talent. Davis nodded in approval.
"This, obviously, is Naomi's room." It was lime green with her name printed very largely above her bed in a pink and yellow paisley design. It was very girly-looking.
"In between is the bathroom." I stated unenthusiastically. He smiled.
I walked the opposite way, back down the hall into another alcove, this one with two rooms, and a landing for the back staircase. I turned right.
"This is my Dad's room." It was huge, all done in earthy tones with a plush bed and sitting area.
I turned around and took him into the remaining room. I didn't really care to show him my room, but it was mine, so I should at least take him in.
"This is my room." My queen sized bed was cattycornered on a platform in the corner. I had a desk and a dresser and chest of drawers and bookshelves, all the normal stuff. I had one of those bench seat things under the window that I enjoyed sitting on. The walls were a pale green color and all the furniture was a blonde wood color. All the cloth was a green, beige, and burgundy plaid pattern, with some being a solid of one of those colors. I like my room, it was nice. I had cork boards on different walls with pictures and mementos and drawings my dad or brother had done for me. I had different books and trophies from soccer and swimming. My guitar sat on a stand next to my dresser. I looked at this as he did, wondering what he must be thinking, what my room said about me. He looked at me and smiled.
"This is nice." He said it really breathily, slowly, like he was thinking hard. I realized this was the first real sentence he had said yet. His voice has kind of low and a little scratchy.
"Thanks. That's the bathroom." I pointed in toward the white door. He looked over and walked in, but I didn't follow. He came out a few seconds later, smiling.
"So this is where all the magic happens?" That was a question.
I snorted and replied," Yeah, magic alright."
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Weird question.
"Um, no. I had one, but we broke up over the summer." His look changed. I couldn't read it.
"That sucks."
"Yeah, I guess." I wasn't entirely ready to poor my soul to this guy, he was more than a little strange.
He walked over to the shelf with my trophies.
"You swim?"
"Yeah, and play soccer."
"I bet you look cute in a Speedo." His eyes wandered over my body as he said that. I got a little nervous. Was he hitting on me? This can't be happening. His eyes went to some of the pictures on a cork board. One was of me at a swim meet, in a red Speedo. He took it off.
"I was right." And then he grinned at me. Oh, God! He is a queer and he is going to rape me in my own room.
"Um, we should go downstairs, there's more to show you." I quickly rushed down the back stairs which landed in the mud room. A few minutes later he was there, still grinning.
"Um, the garage and laundry room are that way." I said quickly, pointing toward a small hallway with a few shut doors.
I quickly walked the opposite way, through a threshold that led to the breakfast area. To the right was the kitchen and straight ahead was the den, on the other side of the kitchen was a doorway that led to the open living room/dining room/foyer. My dad and Jeff were sitting at the breakfast bar talking. My dad was giggling at something Jeff was saying. Giggling? Is he a 12 year old girl? Geez!
I didn't see Noah or Naomi around, so they must be downstairs. Good. He wouldn't try anything funny in front of them and I surely didn't want to hang around the adults in their current state. I rushed through the kitchen and through the house to a hallway on the opposite side. I thought about telling him where we were going, but I didn't much want to talk to the freak. To the left was my dad's office and to the right was a sunroom or something. We hardly ever go in there. Next to the alcove that leads to his office was a door, which was directly below the main steps. I pulled the door open and looked down at the neatly carpeted steps leading into the basement. I quickly began descending the steps. I could hear the TV on and knew Noah and Naomi were down here playing video games or something. Safety. Yes. All of a sudden, Freak grabbed my wrist and stopped me. I looked up at him and he had a concerned look on his face.
"I'm sorry if I scared you earlier, I was just excited to meet you." It was almost a whisper. His dad apparently told him more than mine did. I pulled away and continued down the steps.
The basement was large, about half the size of the entire house. Where Naomi and Noah were playing Wii was the Entertainment Center. There was a huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall with all sorts of gaming systems and movie stuff and surround sound. There was a huge sectional sofa and another sofa on the other side. A few doors lined the walls of the central area. One led to a bathroom, one to a home gym, and another to a storage area. In the back was a full windowed wall, with two of the windows actually being doors that led to a patio and the pool and the rest of the rainforest that was our backyard. I plopped down on the sofa. He sat down next to me, thankfully not too close.
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that earlier, I just thought...nevermind...So you go Roper High. A freshman? So how old are you?"
"Fourteen."
"Cool. I'm fifteen. But only since July. Late birthday." He giggled nervously. So he's nervous now, huh. He better be nervous. "So you swim and play soccer there?"
"Yeah."
"That's cool. I played baseball at my last school. I might go out for the team in the spring."
I nodded, trying to show my noninterest. But he continued.
"This is a really nice house you have here. Nice property, too. How many acres?"
I shrugged. "Dunno." I really didn't, but I'm sure my dad knows it to the exact decimal.
"Who lives in the houses when you first come through the gates?"
"My grandparents. My uncle. The groundskeeper." I didn't point out which ones lived in which, he'd have to figure it out on his own.
"Oh."
There was silence for a while. He obviously caught the drift that I didn't want to talk to him. Naomi came over and sat on the other side of him and they talked for a while. He eventually got up and played a game with her on the Wii. Tennis, I think, but I wasn't really paying attention. Noah was sitting on the other sofa watching them. Davis lost and sat down next to Noah. Naomi changed games to Guitar Hero and started playing. I watched her hit the notes as they whizzed past the screen. I looked back over to the sofa. Davis was still talking to Noah. They were sitting awfully close now, with Davis occasionally touching Noah's thigh or shoulder, and Noah kept giggling. Geez, what is it with giggling and my family. Noah hadn't started puberty yet and still looked like a little kid. I know Davis wasn't trying anything with him, because I would kill him if he did. He was still an innocent little kid. Noah saw me staring and I obviously had a disapproving look on my face because he blushed. Davis looked up and winked at me, then got up and walked over and sat next to me. What a freak. What an absolute Freak-o with a capital F.
"Jealous?"
I looked over and shot him daggers. "Don't mess with Noah." I said as coldly as possible.
"I think he enjoyed it." He looked back to where Noah was sitting and smiled, I looked and Noah quickly averted his gaze, his face red.
"He's only twelve. You're fifteen. Of course he enjoyed your attention."
"I think he enjoyed it in other ways, too." He said with a coy smile. His voice dripped with innuendo.
"He doesn't know anything about that. And even if he did, he's not queer." His eyes registered shock for a moment, and then he continued.
"You're the one who doesn't know anything. He enjoyed that a lot. Just look at him. He can't stop staring at me, his face all flushed. He's probably thinking `Come back, Davis, touch me some more.' Like father, like son." I really wanted to slug him, but was curious about the last statement.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I said angrily.
"Come on Levi, you know. My dad and your dad. Your dad is so into mine he can barely contain himself. I can't say much, though, my dad thinks yours is the best thing since sliced bread or something. I guess he is pretty hot for an old guy. But Noah definitely likes my attention in THAT way, just like dear ole daddy." My heart started racing. What was he saying? My dad is "into" his dad? They like, like each other? No, no, no, NO! My dad was artsy, and wasn't like Mr. Macho, but he wasn't queer! No! No. Right?
"What?" I squeaked out.
"You know, they want to get together. Male on male. Gay. Homosexual..." His voice was less confident as he went on. Probably because I could barely breath. "You didn't know, did you?"
I looked at him, tears coming from my eyes. Noah and Naomi were looking at me now. Davis looked regretful.
"Look, Levi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean.."
I jumped up before he finished. I flew up the stairs and through the house to the kitchen. My dad and Jeff were snuggled on the couch in the den, Dad jumped away when he saw me.
"Levi, I..." I couldn't let him finish.
"Shut Up! I HATE you! You're just a fucking fag!" I ran away and up the back stairs to my room.
I instantly regretted what I had told my father. I didn't hate him. I couldn't hate him. I loved him, more than anything. And I'd cussed at him and called him...that. But it was true, right. He was. God, I can't believe this. My dad's a fag. God, what's wrong with me. I always told people off when they called people that. I hated that word. I am a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at school. I am a Young Democrat! Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I'm such a hypocrite. I had gay friends. But they weren't in my family. They weren't my dad. I had tears coming from everywhere. They never hit on me like Davis, not for real anyway. They knew me. They knew where I stood. Shit. Shit. Shit. I never cursed. God! Why!? I looked at the picture on the nightstand of my mom. I grabbed it.
"Why did you have to go? I need you... We need you... Did you know?....What would you say?" I was talking to a picture of my dead mother. Great. I am crazy, too. Then all rational thought left me and I broke down and just cried.