Noah was an only child from a single parent family. He and his father, Colonel Winston Mayer, had been living from army base to army base all of Noah's life. Noah's mother died when he was 3 and, except for a few vague feelings and perceptions, Noah had no memory of her.
They'd been at their latest stop-off, Camp Pendleton, for over three months already, but this was the first time Noah ventured out. When you lived on a military base you had everything you needed right there; school, shops, gym.
But that wasn't the real reason Noah had yet to explore Los Angeles; that was just an excuse he told himself. The truth was he was afraid too.
All of his life, for as long as he could remember, Noah loved the movies; particularly the old black and white classics that had originated from this very city. He dreamed of studying film and becoming the next big Hollywood director.
It was a pipe dream.
The only life Noah Mayer could look forward to, if his father had anything to say about it, was as a soldier in the US military. The only worthy profession there was… apparently.
So Noah hadn't ventured outside of the military base specifically because he knew it would hurt to do so. He felt like the donkey pulling the cart; tasty orange carrot dangling just outside of his reach with no hope of him ever catching it. Moving to Los Angeles was pure torture.
But now that he had assembled enough courage to venture out, he'd so far spent the entire day on the beach feeling lost. He felt alone too but that was a familiar theme in his life.
It was cooler now that the sun was beginning to set. He was sunburned and felt a little gritty; the saltiness drying out his skin and tightening his shoulders.
As he walked alone along the beach, sandals hanging from his fingers, sand sinking between his toes, he spotted the flashing boardwalk in the distance. At first the ocean drowned out the sounds emanating from the pier, but as he grew closer he heard the carnival music; screeches of laughter and the grind of gears from the various rides.
As he entered the chaos atop the busy pier; excited kids bumping him as they ran from attraction to attraction; it was not the rides that grabbed his attention. He felt drawn to a booth slightly hidden away between the popcorn and candyfloss stalls.
The booth was red and green; peeling from years of being outdoors in the salty wind and rain. The glass was scratched and dirty and the old mannequin inside drooped in an intense loneliness that could only speak to a soul as friendless as Noah Mayer's.
The fortune teller was dressed in what would once have been a bright green smock, to match the booth, but which was now a faded lime. Her neck was loaded with multicoloured plastic beads and seeded necklaces. In the centre of her breast was a blue all-seeing eye on a fake gold chain.
Noah didn't know why, but he put a coin in the slot and the old lady shuddered; lights above the booth flashing and somewhere in the back Noah could hear the old mechanics grinding into action. The spooky classical music started up next, flat and scratchy like an organ grinder's but eventually finding its pace.
She lifted her wrinkled head next. Her ethnic headscarf was frayed around the edges, long strings of cotton falling forward over a plastic face that was peeling; like an old lady who spent too much of her youth tanning in direct sunlight.
She wore dark blue eye-shadow, with rose coloured cheeks and bright red lipstick which had somehow maintained its hue. Long gold-hooped earrings dangled and swung as she pumped into life. Her eyes moved from Noah to the crystal ball before her. Her ring-bedecked fingers twirled around the glass; turning numerous colours in a misty swirl.
She leaned toward it in one slow mechanical motion and stared deeply; shoulders hunched. Noah could swear he heard her thinking. She straightened back up and lifted her head, one arm bending to rest a hand on the amulet eye around her neck. She lifted one brown eyebrow at Noah.
Noah wondered whether she could tell. He looked past her and peered at his own reflection in the cloudy glass, curious as to whether his lonesomeness showed on his face.
"There is no chance for change…" she croaked.
He felt a fear. His palms began to sweat. His eyes moved from his own blue reflection to her soulless greens.
"What do you mean?" He asked her, even though he knew how stupid that was.
"You are a devil's child. You can never have it…"
Noah gasped and jerked, dropping his shoes. He stumbled backward and felt suddenly like he'd been punched in the stomach.
He couldn't go on he realised; not like this.
He ran.
He sobbed.
He choked.
He was oblivious to the crowd around him; pushed his way through the masses. Wooden boards turned to sand which flew up beneath his feet as they struggled to gain grip in Noah's haste to flee. He didn't know where he was going but he found himself under the boardwalk; lungs burning for breath.
It was a good place to hide from the world; nobody around to see his tears. Noah leaned back into one of the rough barnacled pillars watching the water sheen and shimmer across the wet sand.
He dug his feet in, crossed his arms over his chest. His tropical button down billowed in the salty wind exhaled from the sea. His heart ached.
"She lies you know?"
Noah jumped and turned toward the voice. The air sucked from his chest at the sight of the most beautiful young man he'd ever seen. Golden hair glinted in the last of the day's sunlight; framing perfect bone structure; strong and manly yet with boyish dimples that promised to keep this face in a state of eternal youthfulness.
"W…what?" Noah managed to ask, wiping away tears on the backs of his hands in embarrassment.
The other boy was dressed in dark blue swim trunks and a white vest top that clung to a glorious chest; muscled with perfectly tanned skin. In one hand he carried a plastic green grocery bag that rustled in the wind beside his well formed leg. In the other he held Noah's sandals.
"The fortune teller?" The blonde shrugged and pointed at the boards above them; brown eyes smiling. "I said… she lies…"
Noah knew he was staring. He couldn't seem to help himself. His eyes travelled sideways along a pair of wide plump lips; tracing a path down the boy's jaw line and over the throat. Noah felt his own body stir to life in that way he knew was wrong.
"Ha?" he squeaked, brain struggling to function accurately.
"Two days ago she told me that I would win," the blonde continued, ignoring Noah's current emotional state as though he didn't even notice it.
Noah was grateful for that.
The blonde walked further up the shore, carefully picking a dry patch of sand in the shade of one of the numerous pillars, before sitting down cross-legged, "I'm not sure what I was supposed to win exactly… but as of yet..." he lifted both his arms in the air, "Nothing…"
Still in shock and utterly confused Noah blinked, "W…who…?"
"Oh! I'm Luke! Luke Snyder." Luke grinned widely and patted a spot beside him, "Sit with me?"
Noah looked guiltily out from under the boardwalk as though he expected his father to appear at any second and find him there; chastise him. But of course that was ridiculous. His father wouldn't be home from work for at least another four hours. And besides, Winston Mayer was definitely not the type of person to be found visiting the beachfront, except for some military exercise.
Unsure of what exactly it was he was doing, Noah stepped closer until he was hovering over this intriguing person who looked up at Noah with such unexplainable expectation.
Without speaking, Luke simply patted the space beside him once more and Noah couldn't help from smiling shyly before finally deciding to sit.
"How old are you?" Luke asked conversationally, returning the smile, "I'm seventeen… just turned…"
"Um," Noah drew a pattern in the sand, afraid to look at the boy, "Eighteen."
"Cool!" Luke exclaimed with delight, bumping shoulders playfully. "Hey? You want a drink?"
Noah's eyes widened but he breathed a sigh of relief when Luke extracted two cola cans from his plastic bag.
He seemed to sense Noah's thoughts because he was suddenly worried, "Sorry, I guess you expected something a little stronger."
Noah shook his head vigorously, "Um… no… no… soda's fine. My dad… he… um… he wouldn't approve of..."
Luke frowned at that, looking at Noah thoughtfully before shrugging and handing a drink over.
Noah watched Luke's long fingers pull the tab and curl around his own can. He watched Luke's mouth part as he tipped his head to take a sip; his throat pulsing with each swallow; light eyelashes fluttering over hazel.
Luke belched loudly and thumped his chest, grinning as he did so, "Excuse me!"
Noah's heart was running a marathon inside of his chest. He had to hold himself back from reaching up to tuck one of Luke's curls behind his ear; the one that dangled so perfectly across his face.
"Thank you." Noah tipped the can at Luke but didn't open it. Instead he struck up the courage to ask, "Do you always wear your hair so long?"
"Naaaa… Had a buzz cut last year! It was pretty cool! But I knew we'd be in L.A. for Spring break so I figured I'd let it grow… you know…" he shook his head from side to side in a mock model way and changed his accent to a perfect mimic of Keanu Reeves, "…the surfer look dude!"
Noah giggled and it surprised him. He'd not laughed in a while but Luke was funny.
"He's gorgeous." Noah thought and then internally slapped himself for even going there. Just because the kid was being nice didn't mean he was interested in Noah… like that. And even if Luke was interested… like that… what the hell was Noah supposed to do about it anyway? His experience in the romance department, boy or girl, was next to nothing. Besides which, he shivered to think what his dad would do if he ever caught Noah with a boy.
"All pansies should be strung up in my opinion! Disgusting perverts!" The Winston in Noah's head shouted out loud and clear.
Despite his confident bravado Noah sensed that Luke was nervous too. Luke's knee was bobbing up and down, grazing Noah's as they sat side by side. And the other boy kept tapping his finger on the side of his drink, looking over at Noah occasionally as though he feared Noah would leave at any minute.
He also had a run-away mouth, seemingly unable to stop himself from speaking. Noah didn't mind, he enjoyed the tone and rhythm of Luke's voice and it gave him the time to focus on Luke's amazing lips.
Noah heard something about a farm and sisters and a grandmother's beach house.
"You also on vacation?" Luke asked eventually.
Noah shook his head to clear it when he realised Luke asked him a direct question, "Sorry?"
"Are you here on vacation?
"Na-a. Moved here a couple of months ago with my dad…"
"Really? Wow! That's cool. Guess you come down here often then, ha?"
Noah felt the colour rise up his neck and heat his cheeks. He looked back down at the sand and shook his head, "No. This is… um… this is the first time…"
"What?" Luke asked incredulously, "You mean to tell me you've been in Los Angeles… THE Los Angeles… for months and you've not once been down to the beach? That's messed up!"
Noah felt his face fall. He wanted to impress this boy so much but he was failing miserably.
"Oh… hey… sorry…" Luke stumbled apologetically, "I didn't mean to upset you… or anything… I'm sorry… I never know when to keep my mouth shut!"
Noah shook his head, "No… it's okay. You're right. It is weird I guess. Unless…" Noah lifted his head and looked out over the ocean.
Luke cocked his head at the way Noah's voice faded away, "Unless…?"
Noah looked up into deep brown eyes that shone at him with genuine interest. Noah held that gaze as he said aloud something he'd never told another living soul, "Unless you understand how much I love the idea of making movies. How much I'd love to be a director."
Luke giggled. It was beautiful. It made Noah blush.
"You realise you kind of just gave me a counter-argument? If you love movies that much then wouldn't you be like… I don't know… all stoked about being in this city? Wouldn't you want to explore?"
Noah dropped his head once more and bit on his lower lip, twisting his soda can into the sand, "Yeah… no… yeah… I mean… if I thought there was any hope of ever following that dream…"
"There isn't?"
Noah shook his head sadly, picking up a small white seashell between his fingers, "No. My dad… he's kinda strict and… and it's not the career of a real man… You know?"
Luke's brow crinkled, "Not really…"
"He wants me to become a soldier. Like he is."
"Oh." Luke replied softly.
"Yeah."
They sat in silent contemplation until Luke said, "I take it you don't want that? To become a soldier I mean?"
"No way!" Noah replied instantly, chucking the shell away from them, "But what I want doesn't really matter."
They were so engrossed in each other's company they hadn't noticed the waves encroaching higher and higher up the beach. Before Luke could respond to Noah a large wave crashed against the shore, running right up to where the boys were seated.
"Watch out!" Luke yelled.
Laughing and clutching they screeched and both stumbled quickly to their feet, trying to gain leverage in the sinking sand. Luke slipped backward into the water in their failed efforts to save each other from getting wet; pulling Noah down on top of him.
Chest to chest with this remarkable boy Noah's heavy breath began to shudder. But just as the thought came to him that he should probably consider moving, because obviously Luke wouldn't want to be in such a compromising position with another boy, their eyes locked. Luke's were wide and dark; his pupils blown, his lips parting with that same expectation…
It frightened Noah and he made a move to get up, but Luke bunched Noah's shirt in both fists and pulled him even closer.
"The first moment I saw you on the boardwalk, I wondered…" Luke said quickly.
Trapped from moving Noah dared to ask, "Wondered what?"
"I wondered why you looked so sad."
Noah blinked a few times. Luke had been watching him?
"I take it wanting to be a director," Luke continued carefully, "isn't the only thing about you your father doesn't know…"
Eyes brimming Noah swallowed hard and slowly shook his head. His face was so close to Luke's that the tips of their noses rubbed together and he could feel Luke's breath on his chin.
"It's true what I said you know?" Luke whispered, hands smoothing up Noah's chest to rest either side of his neck.
"What is?" Noah panted.
Luke smiled, "The fortune teller? She really does lie." Luke lifted his head and their lips touched gently, pressing together like they belonged. When they broke, Luke bent up even further to mutter into Noah's ear, "You can have it… You can have whatever you want…"
Luke's hot words in his ear sent a surge of lustful energy through Noah and he bucked his hips as a natural reaction. Their aroused groins rubbed together; the feeling so incredibly good Noah groaned out loud. This seemed to spark something in Luke because within a second Noah found himself flat on his back with Luke looming above him.
Noah shuddered; both from fear and want.
"It's okay." Luke assured him; crashing their lips together before Noah could object.
But by now Noah was powerless to protest. He'd forgotten everything; even the fact they were lying under a pier full of strangers. His entire focus was on the silky tongue in his mouth and the urgently growing heat in his black board shorts that was emitting throbs of pure pleasure with each thrust of Luke's hips.
Their kisses deepened and their hands explored until Noah lost himself completely, head thrusting backward; Luke's mouth exploring his neck; waves lapping at their tangled legs.
Noah's fevered body began to strain at the friction between them and he caught Luke's mouth just as the blonde moaned his release; both their bodies seethed wildly as they toppled over.
Noah had never done anything like this with another human being before and he was starting to understand all the fuss people made; why the kids at school were obsessed with sex. He felt like he was flying.
Breathing loudly he gathered Luke in his arms and gently placed the other boy's head on his chest. He caressed Luke's cheek and closed his eyes; smelling him; wanting to remember this moment forever.
"Wow!" Luke exclaimed breathily, rubbing circles over Noah's chest.
"Yeah." Noah laughed from sheer happiness and pretty soon Luke was laughing too. They rolled in the sand together, all wet and satisfied; stealing kisses and smiles.
Finally Luke paused above him frowning and tilting his head at Noah.
"What?" Noah grinned.
Luke released a small giggle from deep in his throat.
"What is it?" Noah laughed, reaching up to run his fingers through Luke's hair; something he'd wanted to do since the moment they met. It was slightly damp now and specked with sand.
"I don't know your name."
It was Noah's turn to frown as he thought back over their conversation. He snorted and leaned up on his elbows to suck Luke's lips between his own.
"It's Noah." He said, still with their lips together.
"Hmmm." Luke replied, nibbling Noah's lower lip before repeating, "Noah…" He lifted his head to stare deeply into Noah's eyes. Noah felt his breath hitch as Luke pressed a kiss to his cheek before whispering, "It's perfect."
