Louis
17 years
“Want to grab a drink?”
I let my head fall onto my chest.
“What’s wrong?” David sits next to me, so close our thighs touch. I feel his hair against mine, and I enjoy the slight tickling sensation. His knee is pushing against mine and his shoulders are facing me. I gently push back against him, intensifying our contact, and I hear David breathe in shakily.
His eyes search for mine and I see the question in his gaze that I don’t want to answer here in this locker room. I’m not out, I’ve never had a reason to be, I’ve never been someone whofelt the need to share everything about myself with others. I’m pretty sure David isn’t either. I swallow hard.
“I have a chemistry test tomorrow and I haven’t studied yet.”
“Are you good at it?” Is he serious?
“I wouldn’t need to study if I was then, would I?”
“I can help you, I’m good at chemistry and you have Mrs. Hellwarth too, right?” I nod slowly debating with myself about his offer. Actually, I could use some help. Chemistry has never been my thing. I’m not bad at school, my overall average is good, but this class is killing me.
“Okay, that would be great, if you don’t mind.”
Now his head falls onto his chest, a slight smile plays around his lips, and he shakes his head leaning against my shoulder just so slightly. Then he stands up. “Can we go to your place? Is that okay?”
David’s eyes are huge as the gate closes behind us opening the view to our house and garden. “Oh, wow, what a property.”
“Don’t tell me your house isn’t just as big. And hey, there are four of us living here.” Everyone knows David’s family has money, it’s no secret.
“You have siblings?”
“Yep, a little brother.” No, I’m not going to tell him we’re adoptive brothers, that’s not important right now. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
As I close the door behind us, I hear my name. “Louis?”
“Yep. I’m here.”
I hear Paps’s voice from the living room, then light footsteps on the wooden floor. “Can you quickly change out of your sweaty clothes... Oh, we have a guest!”
My cheeks feel hot and I’m sure they’re red too; I can feelit, and I can see it in the way my father looks at me. He quickly extends his hand toward David. “Philipp Delfosse. You’re the center back, if I’m not mistaken?”
David is as pink as I feel, but he extends his hand. My father’s petite, slender hand is almost lost in his large palm, even though Paps is taller than him. “Uh, yes, that’s right. I’m David.”
“He’s helping me with chemistry. We want to study.”
“Good luck with that. The chemistry between you two seems to be excellent. Leave the bag there, I’ll take care of it so Marianna can do the laundry tomorrow.” Marianna is our housekeeper and, to be honest, we’d be lost without her.
“You have someone who does your laundry?”
I laugh out loud. I would have understood, even expected that question from anyone else, but not from David. “Don’t you?”
“Yes, we do, but I didn’t think... Never mind, forget it.” Smiling, I open the door to my room.
Chapter 8
David
17 years
The room crackles with a strange tension filling the distance between us. It’s been like this for a while, especially on the court playing, but it never felt so inescapable as it does right now, here in the safety of his room.
