�Wow, it�s really beautiful here.� Josh looked around in awe at the landscape of the park. The trees were just starting to sprout their buds. Brilliant flowers were beginning to bloom everywhere. And the grass. The grass was an indescribable shade of green. What had he seen that reminds him of the beauty of the grass? He couldn�t quite recall. But he knows that it had been very recent. The memory was still in the forefront of his brain. All around him were the shades and shadows of the beginning of what will be a very beautiful spring. For some reason, being in this park made him very happy. Or was it the company? �In all the time that I have been in Europe, I�ve never seen a place like this. What did you say this place was called?�

�Le Jardin des Papillons.� Then Lance added softly, �You must not have seen much of any country you were in if you haven�t seen anything like this before. There are parks like this all over Paris and France.�

�What does the name mean?�

�The garden of butterflies.�

�How pretty.�

There was a silence before Josh continued, sadly, �Nope�I never saw much of any place I was in�.� The happiness that he felt before had disappeared. And in its place was the memory of why he was here and how nothing in himself had changed.

Lance could sense that Josh was holding something back. Again, he yearned to ask questions, but thought that it would seem too nosy if all of a sudden he started bombarding Josh with personal questions. So, he just smiled sympathetically at Josh, and left well enough alone for now.

But, in a momentary lapse of self control, Josh added, �Actually today is the first day that I�ve been outside my hotel since I arrived in Paris.�

Lance furrowed his brow in confusion, how could anyone not want to see this amazing city? �How long have you been here?�

�Two weeks.� Lance�s eyes widened. He wanted to ask questions galore; he wanted to know what made this great specimen of a man want to hole up in his hotel, never to see the beauty of the city he was in. Again, he kept his questions to himself, only daring to ask one. He glanced at Josh, who was staring straight ahead with a pained expression on his face.

�How much longer are you here?�

Josh�s expression melted in to one of almost hope, he turned to Lance and smiled. �Another week. I leave next Thursday.�

�Well, luckily I came across you when I did. You have plenty of time left here. There�s all sorts of stuff that I can show you�.�

�Would you?� Josh asked a little too enthusiastically. Lance nodded in reply with a huge grin plastered on his face. Josh closed his eyes in slight embarrassment, and took a deep breath. He continued more calmly, �That would be great Lance.� They smiled again at each other and at their hopes of fun for the next week.

They fell silent again, walking in step, enjoying each other�s presence. Lance spoke up when he saw his friends.

�They�re over there,� Lance said as he pointed towards a group of three men, sprawled on a large blanket.

As they approached the three men, Josh suddenly became nervous. What if these men don�t like me? he found himself thinking. It was a first time in a while that he actually cared what someone thought of him. But all his nervousness dissolved when Lance lightly touched his shoulder.

�Hey guys,� Lance began. �This is Josh. Josh this is Joey, Chris, and Justin.� He pointed to each as he said their names.

�Hello,� Josh said timidly, waving at them.

There was a chorus of �Nice to meet you� and three bright smiles. Josh felt very welcome as he and Lance sat down. It was strange that in such a short time he felt more comfortable and welcome than he did most of his entire life.

When they were settled, Lance turned to Josh. �I go to school with Justin and Joey. Joey is in the exchange program with me. We share an apartment actually. And I have some classes with Justin.�

�Oh,� Josh said, as he looked over the three men. His eyes lingered on Chris and Justin. Justin was leaning against Chris, between his legs. Chris was whispering something into Justin�s ear, which caused Justin to smile up at Chris.

Lance followed Josh�s gaze. �Oh�and Chris. I don�t really know why Chris is here. He just followed Justin home one day, and never left.� Chris heard Lance and laughed. Lance continued, �But really, Chris is Justin�s boyfriend. I guess they met a while ago, when Justin was in Spain. Chris is here visiting him for a little while. I don�t know how they make a long distance relationship work. I know that I could never do it.�

Lance looked Josh in the eyes and smiled. At that moment, Josh realized what the grass reminded him of. Lance�s eyes, though several shades lighter, matched the brilliance of the grass. Josh had never seen anything that shade of green. Josh smiled back at Lance, and they shared a brief moment of something that neither of them could describe, and would have gone unnoticed by anyone else if Joey had not been looking at them.

�I�m sure,� Josh started, still transfixed by Lance�s gaze, �that if you were in love, you could make it work.�

�Yeah, but it would still be hard.� Lance suddenly looked away, breaking the connection. Josh thought that he saw something in Lance�s eyes, but he couldn�t be sure what it was or if he was seeing things.

�So,� Joey interjected, �Josh, how long have you been here?�

Joey had an accent that Josh couldn�t immediately place. I guess he�s not French either, he thought. �I�ve been in Paris for two weeks��

�And he�s here for another week,� Lance added with a happy smile.

�So, you�ll have been in Paris for three weeks?� Joey asked, and Josh nodded. �What do you do, travel for a living?�

Josh laughed, but it didn�t quite reach his eyes. Why did he have to bring up work, Josh thought with a mental sigh. Like I really need to be thinking about that right now. But he didn�t let on that anything was wrong. Lance only noticed how Josh�s smile seemed to falter because he had been staring at him. �No, I just have a job that provides very well. And I can take as much time off as I want.�

Lance sensed that Josh didn�t want to talk about his life right now, so he changed the subject. �What other countries have you been to, Josh?�

Josh was relieved at Lance�s question, though it didn�t make him feel much better. At least he didn�t have to think about how miserable he was back home, just how much of a failed trip he�d had. �Um�let�s see�in the three months that I�ve been traveling, I�ve been to Ireland, England, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, and here. I also had plans to continue south until I got to Greece, but I decided to just go home.�

Joey and Lance were staring wide-eyed at Josh. Justin and Chris, who had previously been engrossed in each other, decided to pay attention now too. �You�ve been to all those places�wow. I�ve only been to a few places around France,� Lance said enviously.

�You should have waited until after you went to Italy to go home. I was born in Firenze, and let me tell you, it is beautiful there.� Joey caught Justin�s glare, and continued in a flat tone, �But not nearly as beautiful as Paris.� Joey and Lance rolled their eyes.

�If you make any sort of �insult� towards Paris,� Lance explained to Josh, �you insult Justin. He has some sort of �don�t dis Paris� thing going on. He takes the fact that he was born here way too seriously.�

�Do not!� Justin whined jokingly. �Besides, I can�t help it if I am proud to be French.�

�Pride and complete egotism are two very different things, sweetie,� Chris added, tenderly patting Justin�s shoulder.

The men burst out in fits of laughter. Even Josh, who didn�t know the entire joke, laughed because the atmosphere just demanded it. He felt like he was a part of the group.

The laughter eventually died down, and the five of them were left wiping their eyes. Justin was the first to speak. Getting to his feet he asked, �Anyone want to play Frisbee?�

Chris got up with a nod of his head. Josh got up too, muttering affirmatives. He looked to Lance who was about to get up, but Joey stopped him with his eyes.

�I think I�ll pass,� Joey said. Turning to Lance, he continued, �You�ll stay with me, right Lance?�

Lance sighed, �I guess.� He looked at Josh and smiled, silently telling him that he didn�t mind if he joined the game. Josh understood, and nodded. He followed Justin and Chris to a less populated area of the part of the park they were in. They stopped in a place that could be seen from the blanket.

�So, Lance�� Joey began.

�Yes, Joey?� Lance already knew what this was about.

�So, you are picking random guys now?� Joey asked with a grin.

�Well, I didn�t really pick him up. I just saw him on one of the bridges on the way here, and decided to talk to him.�

�Lance, in the ten months that I have known you, you have never willingly approached a stranger.�

�I know, I surprised myself. But you didn�t see him. He looked so sad.�

�Why would he be sad? It seems like he has everything.� Lance and Joey looked over to Josh. He wore a black long sleeved shirt and nice jeans. He was dressed very well. And when Lance looked at Josh�s bag, he noticed that it was Gucci.

�Yeah, he might be able to buy nice things, but I don�t think that he really has anything,� Lance said, a hint of sadness laced his voice.

Joey thought about what Lance had said for a minute. And instead of continuing, he changed the subject back to its original path. �So, if you were just talking to him, why did you bring him to the park?�

�Um...I don�t know. There�s just something about him�� Lance looked up to see Josh catching the Frisbee. His shirt rode up slightly when he jumped for it. Lance couldn�t remove his eyes.

Joey waved his hand in front of Lance�s face, and he snapped out of his daze. �You know, I caught the way that you two were looking at each other earlier.�

�And how were we looking at each other?� Lance implored, not quite meeting Joey�s gaze.

�Like you two were the only ones here,� Joey said smiling.

�Whatever. I don�t even know what you are talking about.� Lance exaggerated his point with a roll of his eyes and a wave of his hand.

�Sure you don�t.� Joey said as Josh, Justin, and Chris came walking up to the blanket.

�Sure he doesn�t what?� Justin asked.

Lance replied, �Nothing,� as Josh took a seat next to him. They smiled at each other. Lance noticed that Josh�s smile was kind of lazy, his body was slightly sweaty, and his eyes seemed to glow. Josh looked like he had just finished doing something other than playing Frisbee. But Lance decided not to think about that.

Chapter 3

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