-- Amazed--

The following two days were a nightmare. Elijah constantly avoided me. On the occasions when I managed to get him alone he refused to talk about what had happened and often ended up in tears. I hated to see him cry and to know I was the cause of those tears was the worst feeling in the world.

Another reason those two days were hell was Dr Lewis. At The Grand Table he�d glare at me over his meal, in the corridor he�d stop as I passed and not look away, easily intimidating me with his icy grey eyes. I almost wished for Paul�s return, anything was better then this.

I spent as much time as possible trying to get to know the other boys. Brian was pretty fun to be with when he wasn�t jumping all over me. Orlando was quite laid back and good to talk to and once Heath had gotten over his initial shyness he was rather funny. Although I was getting chummy with the other boy�s, there was no getting away from the fact that I may have lost my best friend in here and the prospect of spending the following weeks without him was very daunting to me.

As much as I had braced myself for Paul�s return, when Josh told me he was waiting for us in his office I felt my nervous stomach turn over with worry. Silently I followed Josh to Paul�s office.

�Wait here he�ll let you know when he wants you.� Josh said coldly before leaving me alone.

�Everything will be all right trust me.� I heard Damian�s voice say loudly from around the corner. Moving forward I glanced round to see whom he was talking to.

� Damy you promised you�d him keep out my way.� The second voice was Stuart�s.

�I have! You haven�t even seen him since the fight.�

�I�m about to get punished because of his jealousy! How�s that fair? And you know Paul�s punishments they�re so dull�� Stuart�s voice continued to whine as I fumed. My jealousy? He�d been against me since day one. Moving slightly to get a better look I gasped as I caught Dr Lewis give Stuart a lingering kiss. It seemed to last an hour before Stuart broke it.

�Later Doctor.� He said placing his finger to Damian�s hungry lips.

Angered I moved back to my place beside the Paul�s office. That was the reason for Dr Lewis� hatred. I�d upset his lover-boy!

�Oh it�s you.� Stuart spat out interrupting my thoughts. Too angry to speak I turned from him and waited for Paul�s beckoning.

After a while Elijah, Darius and Heath came out.

�How was it?� I pointedly asked Elijah.

�Not so bad, just some cleaning duties and a small cut off our pay.� Heath answered instead. Elijah just looked into the distance, ignoring my question.

�Thanks a lot boys.� Darius snapped before turning on his heel and stalking off.

�Don�t worry, he thinks he�s above cleaning you see.� Heath said apologetically. �You can go in now.�

�Thank god for that I thought you were going to small talk us to death.� Stuart snorted, pushing past him.

�Don�t worry, he thinks he�s above the human race you see.� I said as I followed.

�Good luck.� I heard Elijah mutter before the door closed.

Paul sat behind a large mahogany desk, reading through some paperwork.

�Sit down boys, be right with you.� Seating myself in front of the desk I felt Stuart�s eyes glaring at me. I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue and stared at my hands instead. Once Paul finished he sat back in his chair and appraised us silently for a while. �What I�m I to do with you boys.�

�Nothing you haven�t done before.� Stuart answered in a bored voice.

�Now we both know that attitudes not going to help matters at all. Don�t we?�

Stuart shrugged and looked at his watch.

�What�s our punishment.� I squeaked my face going red from Paul�s glance.

�Nothing back-breaking, a small dockage in your wages and a little gardening.�

�What? I�m not messing with dirt!� Stuart�s shouted, incredulously.

�Really? I thought you�d be quite good with your hands.� Paul smirked at me and I hid my smile quickly.

�I�m not your slave, you�ve got gardeners get them to do it.�

�Well I would but I�ve given them a week off you see. A coincidence I assure you.� He held up his hands in a mockery of innocence �I�m sure it be a good chance for you to get to know each other.�

�This is so unfair.� Stuart said, glowering at me. I raised my eyebrows and smiled sweetly.

�No more arguments Stuart. You and Darren can begin with the maze at eight tomorrow.�

�The maze? Have you seen the size of that fucking thing?�

�Yes Stuart, I own it.� He gave a sweet smile of his own. �You both may go now.�

*~*~*

The next morning I went in search of Stuart not finding him in his room I concluded he could only be in one place. Finding myself outside of Dr Lewis� door I felt unsure about knocking but I knew that if Stuart left all the work to me it would only make me dislike him more and I was sick of all the tension between us. Softly I rapped against the hardwood door and didn�t have to wait long before Dr Lewis answered looking tired and rumpled in a pair of boxers.

�What�s the matter? Are you sick?� He demanded.

�No I��

�Then why are you disturbing me?�

�I didn�t mean to, I�m just looking for Stuart.�

�What makes you think he�d be here.� Realising that to admit I knew about the relationship would be admitting about my eavesdropping. I settled for a shrug.

He narrowed his eyes at me and looked me over.

�Why are you carrying a trowel?�

�I found it downstairs, it seemed garden-like.�

�Are you on something.� He took a step forward and forced one of my eyelids open looking in.

�No! God no!� I exclaimed stepping away from him and rubbing my now sore eye.

�Okay what�s going on?� He said exasperated

�Paul want�s me and Stuart to garden together.�

�Why on earth would he want that?�

�Punishment for the fight.� I explained.

�He�s got you tending to his flowers as punishment?�

�There you are!� a third voice cried. Stuart was racing up to meet me. He was dressed in a white T-shirt and long shorts. They looked very new and very expensive.

�You�re wearing �that�?� I asked shocked.

�You�re picking on my outfits now?�

�No only��

�Never-mind.� He interrupted eyeing me and Dr Lewis suspiciously �Looks cosy.�

�Is it any of your business Stuart.� Dr Lewis said with authority. For a minute I thought I saw Stuart flinch in pain but the look was gone as quickly as it came.

�I suppose it isn�t.� He turned to walk down the corridor �Hurry up Darren.� He called over his shoulder.

I followed him looking behind me as I went. Dr Lewis stood watching us leave a solemn expression on his face, after a while he went back inside.

*~*~*

�You�re all sweaty.� Stuart noted, pushing down his sunglasses

�That�s maybe because I�ve been doing the work for the last three hours.�

�I hurt my back!�

�Yeah right� I said, recalling the moment we entered the maze Stuart's instantaneous fall to the ground.

�You know your problem Darren? You�ve got no trust.�

�I wouldn�t want to begin on your problems.� I muttered, snapping off another twig with my garden-pliers.

Even after three hours of work the maze looked unkempt. We were only halfway in although I would not have known the way out if I tried.

�It�s been no picnic for me either you know.� Stuart said rising and stretching.

�Really? Oh do tell.�

�You�ve complained the entire time! Paul�s bonding session hasn�t gone the way he planned at all. I think I hate you more now then ever.�

�Why! Could you at least do me that courtesy? You�ve been on my back since I got here and I would just love to know what it is about me you find so loathsome!� I snapped, throwing down the pliers my patience finally snapping.

�You want courtesy? Where�s my courtesy? Did you even think about what you were doing when you came here? You took Elijah away from me the ungrateful shit won�t even talk to me now. Paul�s made you his new mascot and now your sniffing around Dr Lewis! Do you have insecurity issues or something? Is that why you want everyone�s attention?� He stalked towards me and I backed up against the maze wall to distance us.

�Me with the insecurity issues? You�re the spoilt brat! And for your information Elijah isn�t talking to me either and I wouldn�t touch �Damy� with a barge pole� I turned to leave me but he threw me against the hedge, the twigs sticking painfully in my back.

�Your jealous.� He whispered his breath hot on my face.

�Ha There�s a cold day in hell.� I hissed painfully aware that his groin was pressed against mine.

�Your jealous of them aren�t you? You want me.� He stated in a matter of fact tone.

�You�d have to pay for it like all the rest.� Pushing my hand roughly against his shoulder I created room for me to escape but as I tried to run he tackled me and I went down. Lying breathless on the ground the scent of freshly cut grass almost overpowering I felt him climb onto my back, pushing his groin against the small of my back.

�Stop running Darren! For once in your life listen to someone else!� He struggled with my attempts to throw him off.

�You touch me and I�ll kill you.� I felt him freeze and then slowly ease off me. Seeing my chance I clambered to my feet clumsily and whirled to face him.

�You think I�d force you?� He said, almost sadly

�You think I�d want you?� Again I saw that momentarily pain in his face and as quickly as it had earlier, it disappeared.

�Fine, Find your own way.� Jumping to his feet he ran from me. Realising only he could show me the way out I quickly pursued.

For hours it seemed like I ran shouting his name and begging him to stop but no matter how fast I sped he was always a corner ahead of me. Finally I could run no more and sank to my knees, exhausted. Looking up I saw it was dusk, soon it would be dark and I�d be trapped in this maze. �Shit,� I muttered

�I never would have had you marked down for profanity Darren.� Stuart�s voice called out from behind me.

�You son of a bitch!�

�Let�s not make it a habit.� He came and sat down beside me, seemingly not in the least bit out of breath.

�You say all those things about me running, then what do you do?�

�I ran.� He shrugged his shoulders. �I always run from what I want.�

�What you want?�

�I especially run when what I want doesn�t return those feelings.�

�Is this a new game?� I eyed him suspiciously.

�If you want it to be.� He didn�t meet my eyes, only looked over my shoulder at the descending sun.

�And you�ve always felt this way? Even when you��

�Just because I �want� you doesn�t mean I don�t hate you Darren.�

�I�m not sure I could do that. Hate and want� I answered uncertainly

�Am I�m asking you to? I�m simply dating a fact. I hate you.I want you.�

For a while we sat looking at each other silently, the tension strong enough to choke me. Closing my eyes tightly I wondered when things had gotten so complicated. I opened them when I felt Stuart�s hot breath return to my face.

�May I try something?� Without waiting for a response he kissed me hard. Losing balance I fell backward onto the grass bringing Stuart with me. His kiss so hard I felt the back of my head collide painfully with the hard soil beneath me. I don�t know at what point I began to kiss back, only that my need was painful and my kiss almost ferocious as his. Finally we broke the exchange.

�So what now?� Stuart asked breathlessly, staring down at me. His dark eyes betraying the urgency of his desire.

�So what now?� I repeated, closing my eyes.

tbc