Chapter One
Five Years Later... Year 2001
Larry Ericsson stared out of the bus window. Rain pattered on the window panes and blurred his vision. It didn't matter, because his thoughts were just as blurred.
It had been five years since his mom sent him packing on a plane to hear Frankfurt, Germany.
Five long years. Those years of which his life passed in mixed emotions. Sudden bursts tempers and emotional breakdowns were familiar parts of his life in the past five years.
'What do you expect from a twenty-one-year-old? Especially one who had been lied to all his life?' Larry sighed exasperatedly.
It had been five years since he found out that his father was involved with the mob business.
He chewed on his tongue viciously to keep himself from an outburst. Still his brows couldn't help but furrowed. He stared hard at the streets flying by.
"Ouch!" Larry yelped, causing heads to turn. "Entshuldigung," he muttered.
He raised his head to find an old German man staring at him with eyes of a maniac. The old man supported his crooked back with a crooked cane.
He poled at Larry's feet again, then pointed at Larry's seat.
Knew better than to mess with this old man, Larry sprang up from his seat and helped the old man to settle. "Tut mir leid," he mumbled an empty apology.
'It is my stop anyway,' he thought quietly.
The bus skidded to a stop. Larry balanced himself by grabbing the handrail.
Then he jumped off the bus, heading for his home three blocks away.
'Ironic, I wish not to be lied to, but here I am, telling white lies everyday.' Larry referred to the incident with the old man. But they are to save others' feelings, aren't they? But then, mom is trying to save my feelings, too, isn't she?'
It took five minutes to walk from the bus stop to Larry's home. It was a poor neighborhood, a fact which Larry despised. He drooled about the luxurious life he used to lead-- first class food, swimming pool of Olympic size, mansion like the White House, pretty girls all over him, etc, etc. He wondered why he hadn't appreciate it more back then.
He tried to make better of the walk by watching kids playing on the street and make his way down memory lane.
Memory lane vanished when he caught sight of the scene on the black and white TV of an old lady on the sidewalk.
The Backstreet Boys doing a concert.
Tears stung his eyes, He could feel them falling down his face.
He hurried home before anyone see him.