Chapter One
All in a Walk Down Juniper Drive...
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Nearly emotionless Matthew walked down the sidewalk, watching his black boots steadily pounding down upon the wet sidewalk as he slowly came out of feeling nothing but pain. Rain rolled off his stringy black hair and began to trickle down his back, stinging the wounds his uncle had recently inflicted upon his neck. Every moment at home was a living horror for Matthew. That�s the way it had been, almost as far back as Matt could remember. It was ok now; he was out in the fresh evening air walking. Walking was an escape from the stuffy mobile home that Matt shared with his abusive uncle Phillip Driscoll. Things hadn�t always been that way. Matt once lived in a peaceful environment. He lived in an environment with his mother, a tire swing, and a fluffy white dog named Lovardi. Those were of course, the four years Matt spent running up and down the hallways of Calloway Boardinghouse. The first four years spent in the boarding house were the best years Matt had ever experienced. They had been four years of calm when Matthew had his mother. Matt�s father, Charles Fischman had left Meredith Driscoll, his mother, pregnant with him. As a single mother, Meredith did the best she could. She worked hard, and loved Matt with all her being. She acted on her unconditional love for the four years, until Donnie Benson came into the picture. Donnie was a horrible pimp who had a good many girls that he sent onto the streets at night to sell themselves for money. Unfortunately Meredith became good friends with him� and her parenting skills deteriorated. Eventually Mrs. Calloway, owner of the boardinghouse, found out about Meredith�s behavior. Wanting only to ensure Matt the best life possible, Mrs. Calloway brought to Meredith�s attention that Meredith was not displaying the behavior of any committed parent. Unwillingly Meredith agreed and submitted to Mrs. Calloway�s suggestions. After sorting things out at social services, it was decided Matt was to be put in the trust of Meredith�s older brother, Phillip Driscoll. None of it was at all up to Matt. One summer day, nine years prior, Matt�s life was changed for the worse. These thoughts plagued most of Matt�s thoughts as he tried to press on through his insufferable life. Matt couldn�t help dreaming about the memories, although whenever the thoughts came into his conscious mind he did his best to shrug them off. Few things in life truly interested Matthew; he was too focused on dealing with physical and emotional strain to think about what he liked to do for enjoyment. The only thing he half cared about was his best friend of five years, Maeko Trouillefou. They�d been friends since 5th grade, and the best of buds since the 6th. A car roared past him, splashing through a deep puddle as it made its way down Juniper drive, the street Maeko and his family lived on. It was none other than the car of Maeko�s older dancer brother, Kuat. Matt looked up at Kuat�s black focus coasting to a stop at the end of the first block on Juniper Drive. Matt approached the car, half-smiling as Kuat reached over to unlock and push open the door for him. "Hop in stranger... company is always welcome." Kuat beamed at Matt and readjusted himself in his car seat. �Walking in the rain again are you, Matthew� or have you just been making passionate love?� Kuat asked, noticing Matt�s dripping hair and face. "Unfortunately the first one." Matt kept smiling as he replied. Normally he would�ve laughed, but Phillip had been unusually violent that night and Matt was still trying to come out of shock. "Oh I see, well we�re almost home anyway, perhaps you�ll get your wishes granted from someone there. I�m just on my way home from dance rehearsal that I enjoyed thoroughly. But Matt, enough about me� did you enjoy your walk?� Kuat grinned again, turning off the radio to hear Matt�s mumbled words. A smile fluttered across Matt�s face when he heard the word �home.� To him the Trouillefou house was like a home. �My walk was great�� Matt muttered, staring out the windshield of the car as it pulled down the familiar driveway. �I�m glad�� Kuat rambled on, turning off the car and pulling the keys out of the ignition. Matthew hopped out of the car and looked up toward the second floor of their home, checking to see if Maeko was up in his room. No lights were on upstairs, so Matt figured Maeko was either in the home�s basement playing his guitar or outside on the porch thinking. �Kuat?� Matt raised his voice when he saw Kuat striding toward the front door. Always willing to stop and talk to Matt, Kuat turned around with an open expression on his face. �Yes Matt?� Kuat raised his voice in inquiry. For a few seconds there was a period of complete silence, while Kuat retained a gentle gaze on Matt�s forlorn looking figure. �I was wondering if you knew where Maeko was�� Matt asked. Although he knew exactly where Maeko was, he wanted to check just in case. Kuat crossed his arms across his chest and looked at the ground for a few moments, thinking. Over one of his arms hung a small black canvas dance bag that held his dance shoes. Kuat stood to a height a few inches above six feet. His skin was a toasted honey brown and was nicely complimented by the golden brown hair that crowned his head. His eyes were a glittering emerald green and were perfectly positioned on his gentle oval shaped face. Kuat rolled his eyes upward and looked to the darkened window of Maeko�s room. After analyzing the darkness of both Maeko�s room and the basement Kuat looked to Matt again, a smile still plastered onto his face. �About now� my best guess is that he would be in the backyard. Knowing that little hellian as I do� and the fact that if he isn�t in his room he�s either outside or with friends.� Kuat laughed and continued up the path into his house. �Thank-you�� Trailed Matt, as he watched Kuat disappear through the familiar wooden door with the brilliant stained glass design of a rose adorning it. Once Kuat was in the house, Matt slowly walked around the garage of the Trouillefou�s home and into the backyard. The smell of wet foliage wound its way to Matt�s senses, after wafting over from one of the beautiful backyard trees. Once Matt had stepped into the backyard and saw Maeko sitting on one of the wooden patio steps staring off into space, everything felt at ease. Seeing Maeko was even more welcome to him than the fresh smell of wet leaves that had greeted him in the Trouillefou�s backyard. He forgot about Phillip and anything else prominent in his thoughts, what mattered to him was that he was with Maeko. Nothing else, Maeko was his everything; whether he be in and out of Matt�s sights. �Hey Maeko.� Matt said, sitting down on the step next to his friend, propping his elbows on his knees and staring at Maeko who was an attractive boy, tall slim build with Kuat�s honey brown skin and his father�s glossy black hair. His right eyebrow was pierced twice, and Maeko usually wore a piercing in the cartilage of his ear as well. There were other piercings, but those will not be discussed on these pages. He lined his eyes with black eyeliner that he smeared halfway down his cheeks and dressed in dark clothing. Maeko wasn�t the only good looking boy in the backyard, Matt wasn�t bad looking himself. He was of average height, with a skinny build. Starving at Phil�s house made his frail bones stick out like that of a bird. Calmly Maeko turned the gaze of his deep brown eyes to look into Matt�s. �What- is- shakin?� Said Maeko slowly, folding his hands in his lap. �Nothin much. How�s it out here on the porch?� Matt answered while darting his eyes back and forth from Maeko�s gaze and the sky. The rain clouds were beginning to dissipate and be replaced by twinkling stars. �Nothin much of anything out here either. You want to know something Matt?� �What?� A shimmer danced across Matt�s gaze as he stared into Maeko�s eyes. �I�m actually happy to see your sorry ass tonight.� Maeko laughed a deep laugh as Matt joined in laughing with him. �Maeko, I�m always happy to see you...� Matt laughed nervously and let himself fall back with his back on the porch, staring up at the stars visible through the patches of clouds. Matt was a very deep person, and deeply hidden secrets. Secrets that no one could find, not even Maeko. Matt also happened to be a person of mixed emotions. He didn�t know what he was feeling half the time, but chances were he was feeling whatever it was very strongly. For a moment he raised his head to look at Maeko, smiling before resting it back down on the porch. Maeko raised an eyebrow at Matt when he stood above him, staring down into his eyes. �Yes� I do know. Amazingly.� Maeko looked down at Matt and grinned before turning to walk away. Matt rolled on his side and watched Maeko�s figure begin to disappear down the side yard, the chains that hung on the sides of his pants clinking. �Where are you going?� Matt asked, indignantly rolling onto his side to look toward the departing Maeko. Matt had a right to be indignant; Maeko hadn�t spoken at all of going out that night. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Matt. Matt�s thin pale face shone in the moonlight, moonbeams casting an eerie glow around his hair. Maeko�s hair was pulled into large spikes tipped with an iced blue. The light of a gibbous moon made each spike stand out significantly against the luminescence of the sky. �I�m going with Val, Scott, and Dirk� we�re going to a party.� Maeko responded, pausing for a moment looking at Matt lying on the porch to make sure Matt was OK with what he was doing. �Who�s Val?� Matt�s voice raised a few pitches but leveled out before the end of the sentence. Even having any type of normalcy in his voice would not hide Matt�s jealousy that the look on his face pervaded. �Valerie Kinsley� she�s my new girlfriend.� Maeko crossed his arms across his chest as he watched Matt drop his jaw in surprise. In embarrassment Matt closed his mouth as quickly as possible, calming himself by releasing a huffy sigh. �Oh.� He responded upon becoming completely composed, rolling onto his back again hoping that he didn�t sound too jealous. Maeko shook his head and began walking away, causing Matt to abruptly sit up and come chasing after him. �Wait� Maeko can I come?� He asked tugging on the sleeve of Maeko�s jacket, watching the light bouncing off all the safety pins that Maeko had pinned on to it. For a moment Maeko stared into Matt�s eyes coldly, but then laughed and looked down shaking his head. �Matt, I really don�t think you would have too much fun with Val and I� and definitely not Scott and Dirk�� Maeko trailed off in mid-sentence. He knew himself that Matthew didn�t enjoy the side of Maeko that came out when they were out partying. The whole reason Matt didn�t give up was the fact that he knew that there was a kind, caring, and sincere side to Maeko. When Maeko went out with the people who did drugs and other stupid things, it hurt Matt. Just a little bit every time� he didn�t like watching the only person in the world he truly cared for dangerously walk around the deep hole of drugs and alcohol. His mother had fallen into that trap. �They aren�t like Jon and Kent are they?� Matt widened his eyes at Maeko, kicking a pebble to the end of the driveway as they walked down it. �Mmm�� Maeko murmured under his breath, waiting for the words to come. Jon and Kent were probably more obnoxious than Dirk and Scott, but that didn�t mean that the two weren�t little heathens. Despite the fact that Dirk and Scott weren�t the purest people in the world, they were funny and offered a good time. It wasn�t the type of good time Matthew sought to enjoy, but he would endure if it were for his best friend. Anything and everything was better than spending an evening in his house with his uncle. ��Maeko? I really care about you Maeko. Truly, and you know what� I don�t want you to get arrested again. I don�t want you to start doing drugs again� I don�t want to see you get in that kind of trouble again.� Matt pressed on down Juniper Drive with Maeko, inspecting the nighttime scenery. Laughing softly, Maeko turned his head and looked over at Matt�s hanging head. �Don�t worry about me Matt. Nobody� nobody cares about me�� Maeko began, stopping at the street corner to make sure no cars were coming before Matthew followed him. �You shouldn�t either, if my parents don�t� you definitely shouldn�t.� Maeko lifted his head and took in a deep breath of the rain-freshened October air. �I care about you� Mickey�� Matt raised an eyebrow teasingly and looked at Maeko who snorted before he continued to walk. If anyone other than Matt were to call him Mickey, he probably would sock the person in the face� but Matt was special to him. He thought about Matt�s calling him Mickey some more and snorted with laughter again. Lightly he playfully slapped Matt on the back. Matt grimaced as the cuts on his neck stung, and the trickling of blood was revived. Dizzy and lightheaded from the pain, Matt knelt down against a telephone pole. Maeko turned to face him and knelt down by him, his caring side surfacing. �Matt� what�s wrong?� He said, looking at Matt with worry in his eyes. Faintly Matt�s eyes fluttered back open and he looked over into Maeko�s eyes. �� Look I�m sorry bud.� Maeko told him, hoping that he hadn�t hurt him seriously. �Errm� I can�t tell you.� Matt said, struggling to his feet. �I didn�t mean to hit you that hard�� Maeko said, concern still hanging on the features of his face. �It�s not you who hit me� hard.� Matt said, shaking away his lightheadedness from not eating in two days and his loss of blood. Maeko looked down at his hand under the orange glow of the streetlight and saw the glistening blood on his hand. �Matt� is this yours?� He asked, presenting his hand to him. For a few seconds Matt stared at it, surprised Phil�s blows had actually been that severe. �Umm� umm� yes it is.� Matt responded, face paling. �God damn let me check out your neck�� Demanded Maeko, turning Matthew around and brushing his hair away from his neck. Maeko traced around the biggest cuts with his index finger, watching the fresh blood slowly trickling down Matt�s frail neck. Matt grimaced as Maeko wound his finger around his wounds, but also felt comforted that Maeko was touching him. He didn�t care about the pain at that point. Maeko was close to him and that was all that mattered. �Who did this to you?� Maeko asked, brushing Matt�s hair back over his neck while pulling Matt�s bloodstained coat collar up. �I told you, I can�t tell you Maeko.� A silent tear rolled down Matt�s cheek and he turned around to look into Maeko�s somber eyes. For a few moments their gaze met, but the feeling was awkward for Maeko and he tore his gaze down to the ground. �Damn it, tell me Matt. Matthew Walter Fischman, tell me! You�re neck is gaping... someone must have done this to you unless you�re doing it yourself again�� Maeko�s voice grew demanding. His problems with Phil were not the only things that Matt kept secret from Maeko. Things he felt that he couldn�t even tell Maeko, the only human he actually cared for. �I can�t!� Matt�s voice squeaked and a few more tears rolled down his cheeks. The urge to tell Maeko what always had him so severely down was burning a hole inside of his heart. He hated his Uncle Phil with every fiber of his being. And of course, ultimately, he had been told not to tell anyone about Phil�s actions. One of the reasons Matthew didn�t feel he could tell even Maeko. �YOU CAN! I promise, it�ll stay between us two- it�ll be you and me-till the end. Best friend�� �OK� ok.� Matt interrupted, taking a deep breath to relax himself. �He told me not to tell anyone, that�s all.� Matt sighed, forcing himself to prepare to tell Maeko the truth. Preparing to tell Maeko brought back all the horrible images of Phillips abuse. Remember the threats, the cuts, and the beatings. Since the larger half of Matt trusted Maeko, he decided he best go ahead. �Phil� Phil did it.� Matt said, hanging his head in embarrassment. �Phil?� Maeko widened his eyes in disbelief. It seemed Matt had always told him all the bruising and past cuts on his arms were inflicted by himself� now he was hearing it was all Phil�s doing. The idea was foreign to him. �Phil did it to me Maeko� what don�t you understand?� Matt�s voice squeaked again and even more tears began to roll down his cheeks. �Matt� why and how did he do this to you? What did he do to your neck? It looks so horrible�� Maeko took a second glance at Matt�s open wound, the blood still gleaming in the light of the streetlamp. �I don�t know.� Matt squeaked, eyes narrowing into depressed slits. �All I know is that he got mad, again. He threw me onto the floor face down and started hitting me with his keys, in the neck� after that I woke up a few hours later alone on the kitchen floor surrounded in blood. I showered and came to your house as soon as I was sure that the cuts had stopped bleeding enough so that your mother wouldn�t notice.� Matthew skittishly wiped the tears from his eyes, and ran a finger under his nose to make sure that it wasn�t running. �Matt? Damn� this just can�t be true.� Maeko was in a state of utter disbelief. He desperately wanted the words coming from Matt�s mouth to make sense to him, but they didn�t. At that moment Maeko had not a care in the world but for his best friend to be safe. He wanted him to feel safe and wanted. Guilt began to wash over Maeko as he began to think of how selfish he had been. He hadn�t ever thought twice about what was going on with Matt. �It is true Maeko. Every word I say�� Matt began bawling and fell to the cement, pounding it with his closed fist. He was breaking down, now he had the physical pain and the mental agony of knowing that if Phil ever found out about his telling that he would be hurt inexplicably. �MATT, Matt calm down!� Maeko soon found himself kneeling on the cement next to his best friend, desperately attempting to calm him. �MAEKO HE�S GONNA KILL ME!!!� Matt wailed, turning his fist into a palm and laying it flat on the cement. A faint feeling washed over him and he stopped crying, fearing he would use up the very little energy he felt he had. �Shhh� shh� Matt calm down. I promise on my scouts honor that I won�t tell anyone� No matter what.� Maeko set a hand on Matt�s shoulder. Upon feeling Maeko�s touch Matt felt a sudden calm. It was almost eerie, how quickly the calm had washed over him. Matt�s back began to suddenly shake as he laughed at Maeko, realizing what he had said. �That�s right! I do have your scout�s honor�� He laughed dryly, lips curling into a smile, while trying to lift himself high enough to sit up. He felt as if he were made of lead, a more tiring feeling than the one receives when running a mile. �We�ll stop at Dirk�s� and get that wound covered up.� Maeko said. He looked apprehensively at Matt when he looked up at Maeko and reached up his hand. After a few moments Maeko processed that Matt wanted help standing up and willingly offered his hand. Once on his feet the tipsy feeling became even more persistent, Matt blinked his eyes and pushed his center firmly into the ground praying that he not faint. He gave himself a few moments to adjust to the slight change in altitudes, and turned his attention back to Maeko and his words about getting him fixed up at Dirk�s. �Thanks Maeko� do you think I could get a bite to eat there as well?� Matthew pined for something other than his occasional stale piece of bread that Phil would leave out in the kitchen for him. Hunger pains tore their blazing trails up his sides as he began to salivate at the thought of food. �Umm� sure if you want anything I suppose his mom won�t be too vicious.� Maeko started walking at a brisker pace than before, realizing how long he and Matt had been standing under the streetlight. Happily Matt followed; glad that he would soon be eating decent food. Despite Matt�s increased morale and Maeko�s itching curiosity to learn more about what Phil did to his best friend, the two remained fairly silent during their walk to Dirk�s. When Maeko and Matt were but a block away from Dirk�s house, Maeko could suppress his curiosity no longer. He twisted his neck to stare at Matt, whose arms were crossed in front of his chest to keep him from getting too cold. As usual, he walked hanging his head staring at his feet. �Can I ask you a question?� Maeko began, trying to think of how he would get out of Matt all he wanted to know. �Sure� anytime�� Matt looked up and rubbed his fishnet covered arms a few times to warm himself a bit more while Maeko was still sorting out his question. �Have the cuts and bruises always been from Phil?� Maeko asked, wondering if he should be talking to Matt about something that Matt would rather forget about. �As far as I know� except the ones on my wrists this summer�� Matt responded, lifting his head to see where he was going when Maeko brought the two of them around a corner. �Is there any other reason you didn�t tell me?� Every passing second made Maeko want to ask more questions. He hoped Matt would let him know if he reached a subject that was too painful to discuss. �No, not really. Only the fact I don�t want to get murdered.� Matt refrained from hanging his head again, and kept it up as he examined the houses surrounding Dirk�s. They�d nearly reached his home. From there their conversation deteriorated as they walked past two more houses. At the end of the dark road was a ranch-house with white siding and a couple of holly-berry bushes in the front. All the lights were off with the exception of the light on top of the garage. In the back of a bright red flatbed truck sat Dirk, laughing at his own thoughts. Dirk was of medium build, with shit-brown eyes and an Eddie Munster cowlick on his forehead. The light brown color of his hair was broken by the red and orange streaks that slashed through it. When he saw Maeko approaching, he placed a hand on the edge of the truck-bed and hurled himself over it to stand on his driveway, hands casually placed on his hips. �Maeko�� He laughed a deep laugh and took a mere glance at Maeko before he fixed his gaze on Matt. �Who�ve you brought me�?� Dirk asked, laughing under his breath again. Maeko continued walking side-by-side until they were only a few feet away from Dirk. �It�s Matt� my friend.� Maeko responded, cocking his head toward Matt. Matthew cracked a small smile and looked into Dirk�s eyes. Dirk laughed and turned his head back to Maeko. �So are we still going to that party as planned?� Dirk raised both his eyebrows and looked in Maeko�s general direction but refrained from making eye contact. �I still want to go.� Maeko answered, pausing for a moment to look into Matt�s eyes. Upon making eye contact Matt widened his eyes inquisitively, reminding Maeko that he had a bleeding neck and was in the early stages of starving. �Oh� but before we go can we go into your house for a few minutes?� Maeko took Matt�s hint. �What for?� Dirk crossed his arms across his chest and looked at Maeko dubiously. �Umm� we need to repair Matt�� Maeko responded, hoping that Dirk wouldn�t ask too many questions. Knowing Dirk as he did, Maeko figured that Dirk wouldn�t give a rats ass about anything he said. He figured right. Dirk only shrugged and led them toward the front door of his house. �You�re free to go anywhere� just keep it quiet or father will wake up and you can kiss our plans for tonight goodbye.� He laughed and unlocked the door, pulling it open and flipping the switch of a small lamp in the living room. �Where do you stow your first aid crap?� Maeko asked, realizing he probably would need something more than a band-aid and anti-bacterial cream for Matt�s neck. �In the bathroom which is that-away� under the sink.� Dirk casually raised his arm and pointed down a hallway that turned left out of the living room past the home�s small kitchen. �Third door...� He murmured as Maeko and Matt were already stealthily walking down the hallway, careful not to wake up Dirk�s parents. Dirk threw himself onto the couch and stared at the ticking Elvis clock that hung over the mantle of his tiny brick fireplace among the school portraits of he and his siblings. �Third door�� Maeko said under his breath, twisting the doorknob and walking into the bathroom far enough Matt could follow. When Matt entered, he flipped the light switch on and looked Maeko in the eyes. �Under the sink eh?� He laughed softly, Maeko joining in the laughter. �Sounds simple enough�� Laughed Maeko, trailing off as he took a breath to speak again. �Well� lean down and get the first aid crap.� He finished, sitting on the edge of the bathtub. Matt crouched down onto one knee and eased the cupboard door open. Among the usual household chemicals stood the white form of a first-aid kit. He wrapped his thin fingers around the handle and raised from his position to place the kit onto the paper-marble counter. �Ok Maeko� I did as told�� Matt said, leaning over and letting the hair fall away from his neck. The numerous scrapes were once again revealed, dried blood crusted onto the skin that had not been penetrated. Maeko grabbed a washrag from the towel rack and held it under warm water for a few seconds. After wringing it out, he laid the cloth on Matt�s neck. At first Matt grimaced as the feeling in the cuts was revived, but with each passing second the warm water dulled the pain. Matt stood bent over the sink, lavishing in the feel of the warm washcloth. �Thank-you Maeko�� He murmured, closing his eyes. After a few moments of relaxation, Matt grimaced yet again when Maeko began rubbing the dried blood off his neck. Once Maeko had cleaned the area, he trickled a little bit of hydro-peroxide onto Matt�s cuts. Matt hissed upon feeling the burning substance reach his skin, but calmed down as the feeling dulled and Maeko taped a clean cloth to his neck. �There you go. All fixed up� do you still want that food?� Maeko asked. Matt stood up straight and looked into his eyes. Feeling the hunger pains rip throughout him again, Matt nodded. �Ok if you want it then god damn it� fucking walk!� Maeko laughed looking impatiently at Matt before Matt finally walked ahead out of the bathroom and down Dirk�s cramped hallway. They found themselves in the familiar living room. Nothing much had changed, except Dirk laid on the arm of the sofa, head on his hands and a bit of drool trickling out the side of his mouth. Maeko approached Dirk�s snoozing body, placing his hands on his hips and looking at him and laughing. Piercing Dirk�s daydreams, Maeko kicked his shin playfully. Not to hard, but enough to rustle Dirk out of his slumber. �I�m up.. mommy I�m up�� Dirk swallowed a couple of times, flickering his eyes open before rubbing them and looking into Maeko�s eyes. �Hey- Dirk� you got any food we could shove down Matt�s throat?� Maeko asked, watching Dirk stand to his feet staring blankly into space as if he were confused. After a few moments he swallowed again to speak. �Umm, yeah fine do whatever. I think all the food is in the kitchen�� He started laughing as he finished his sentence, realizing that the kitchen was in fact where the food in his house was stored. Maeko stood staring blankly at Matt until Dirk stood up and ushered them into the kitchen. In a butler-like fashion, debonairly bowing, Dirk cracked open the refrigerator. Sitting on the top shelf was an already prepared ham sandwich. Matt�s eyes almost instantly fell upon it, all wrapped carefully in its saran-wrap. He had to have it. �See anything you want?� Dirk asked, looking blankly over all the refrigerator shelves. Matt almost shot Dirk an look of outrage, that Dirk dared look at any other food than the ham sandwich that was nearly causing a stream of drool to sneak out the corner of his mouth. He controlled himself and pointed at the sandwich. Dirk concentrated his gaze on the sandwich, squinting as a look of almost what you could call �deep� concentration washed over his face. Maeko laughed watching the both of them, trying to figure out if they were going to take the sandwich in question out of the refrigerator. When Dirk�s deep thought session was over, he pulled the sandwich out of the refrigerator and handed it to Matt. �Shall we be on our way then?� Dirk had a demanding expression on his face when he looked at Matt. It didn�t quite matter how Dirk looked at Matt, for Matt was far into his sandwich at the moment. He�d hastily begun to rip the plastic wrap off the sandwich and take his first bite. �Whoa�� Dirk said, dropping his jaw at how greedily Matt had started eating the sandwich� or rather inhaling. Maeko had to step between Dirk and Matt to get Dirk�s focus back on getting out the door. �Keep a move on�� Maeko lightly pushed on the center of Dirk�s back, causing him to slightly trip as he twisted the doorknob and exited the door at nearly the same time. Maeko looked to the sky and saw that the clouds had lifted completely and sky had turned into a full blanket of twinkling stars more spectacular than earlier that evening. Matt had finished the sandwich by the time he was out the door, and stood licking his fingers as he looked up to the sky that he loved so much. Dirk�s laughter, that had broken out as soon as he�d exited the house and realized he could make noise again, stopped abruptly as he raised an eyebrow and looked at the hungry little ruffian named Matt. Luckily, Matt took no offense to Dirk�s plays. Dirk always treated people suspiciously when he didn�t know them well, and that is the reason he looked at Matt in the fashion he did. Dirk was testing him, and seeing how far Matt would let him go on the annoyance scale. Together the three walked a few blocks, passing darkened street after darkened street. Matthew thought they would never stop walking, but once they reached a sign marked �Shadybrook Acres� Maeko stopped walking. Matt snorted at how under the bold letters of Shadybrook was printed the words �Luxury Units: One and Two Bedroom apartments�. Shadybrook Acres lived up to its name. With it�s shady looking houses that looked not unlike the houses in Matt�s part of the neighborhood. They walked past the sign and down a dark street, with only the dim light offered by the streetlights and the quiet light from the stars. Toward the middle of the winding road, were two dark figures silhouetted by a streetlight. One masculine, the other feminine. The two must have been none other than the Scott and Valerie that Maeko had mentioned earlier. They continued to walk toward the figures, with Dirk running ahead. When Maeko reached the feminine figure he wrapped his arms around it and pulled his hips close, bending his neck to kiss her on the lips. A shiver traveled up Matt�s spine as he tried to turn his head casually to the side. He did not want to see Maeko get all-romantic with his new girlfriend. Not when he would rather it be him in his arms. Matt felt this way every time he saw Maeko touch another. Sometimes it was only a slight shiver, and sometimes he had an even stronger urge for it to be him. Of course, Matt felt he could never tell Maeko how he really felt. He played innocent and watched Maeko have girlfriend after girlfriend without saying a word. The girl looked up into Maeko�s eyes and smiled as he slid his arm down her back. �MICKEY! So nice to see you�� Her dark burgundy lips curled into a smile as she continued to look into Maeko�s eyes. �Shit girl, please don�t call me Mickey.� He responded. Matt laughed a little as Maeko refused her attempt at calling him by his nickname. It showed that he still came out on the privilege list. �Anyhow� it�s nice to see you too�� Maeko ran his long fingers through her hair and smiled. She smiled back, Scott shook his head and cleared his throat loudly. �What do you say� is it not TIME TO PARTY?� Scott shouted, placing his feet a shoulder width apart and bellowing his thoughts to the sleeping neighborhood, pulling his elbows into his sides and clenching his hands into fists. Valerie raised an eyebrow and laughed girlishly, not seeing Matt roll his eyes and cross his arms across his chest. �Lets do it.� Maeko shot a glance at Scott, grinning, Matt falling into step behind the group, watching Maeko reach down his arm to wrap it around Valerie. He sighed thinking of how good it would feel� to be everything to what was everything to him.
