Eyes that see into Infinity
Part 1
Chapter Six
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"Can you believe what he said to me?" Roxanne complained to the rest of the boys as they tossed back and forth a foot ball.
Perdicas huffed warily and adjusting and twisting the hat on his head as he caught the ball Cassy threw to him. He threw it back. "Can you believe what he said to us? I swear he could have made the president bow to him with that tone."
The green eyed boy didn't say anything and chewed on his tongue examining the ball in his hands.
The friends were hanging out near the deserted shed after school. They hadn't even thought about inviting Alex after lunch and he probably wouldn't go anyway. Also his parents were home and that could have had a lot to do with their decision.
Roxanne threw a rock out into the field and growled as it didn't go as far as she had intended. How can Alex treat her that way she thought? What did she do to deserve that? "He should say sorry immediately!" she stomped as she sat on a log. She hit at the poor piece of wood under her.
"Oh hush Roxanne." Said Tolem who was sitting on the dirty grass ground picking at it next to Thais chuckling at the snotty girls fussy fit. "It's obvious he just doesn't like you guys picking on Phai all the time."
They saw a smirk appear on Cassy's face and looked to see where his evil eyes were turned. "Speaking of Phai, there he is with his sister." He acknowledged to Tolems dissapointment.
"Oh no not again." Leon mumbled watching Cassy run over to the path Phai and Callista were walking on always being the first to start trouble and the last to create more of it.
Phai and Callista heard the boy's loud footsteps behind them hitting the hard gravel and Phai stopped walking and faced the boy chewing gum and smiling. "What do you want this time Cassy?" He was in no mood today for Cassy and his insults. He held his sister's hand tight and she hid a little behind him peeking at the bully and doing her best to give him the evil eye.
Cassy snagged her a mean look and then looked back at Phai innocently. "No hard feelings about today in the lunch room eh?"
"I really don't care anymore."
"Well what if I said I was sorry."
Phai rolled his eyes. Even he knew Cassy wouldn't be sorry about anything. His reputation was too big for that. 'I know you are not sorry and I don't want your apology."
The bully eyed him curiously. "You know you never appeared to me as the unforgiving type."
"Then you look at me wrong. I don't care about you enough to forgive you or accept a stupid apology."
"You're only here to bug us, go away!" Callista told Cassy who didn't look like he would be going anywhere soon. His friends all came up and Tolem asked what Cassy was up to this time. Phai looked off shaking his head seeing Crater and Phil approaching. He was certainly not in the mood. He was just taking his sister for a walk because the day was nice.
"Aw Phai is wit his little sister again." Crater mocked in a gushy voice.
"How old are you Phai, three?" Phil asked snickering. He removed a string of his dirty blonde hair playing in his face and barked at Callista trying to scare her.
Callista came out from behind Phai and pointed her little finger at Phil. "I am not afraid of you!"
Phai smiled. She was definitely going to gain his personality when she gets older.
Phil angrily approached her and Phai blocked her from whatever attack the boy might have done and Leon held him back as Phil let out a very harsh breath glaring at her.
"She's just a girl!" Leon reminded him, thinking why he would charge up to a girl like that.
Leon had a crush on my Phais' sister. It was way less obvious than my crush on Phai. Leon was a nice boy, always staying out of trouble and only interfering in something when he was needed or felt needed. He hung out with the wrong crowd, yes, but then again so did I. They were my friends. Phai was also my friend. I never understood why Crater and Phil were always mean to him. Even Roxanne disliked him for a reason untold but I am assuming it was jealousy. It turned out to be always jealousy with her.
I didn't hate any of them. I never had. Crater was my very first friend I met in school. Then it was Tolem and then came the rest almost the same day. My father was actually really good friends with Cleitus, Phil's and Craters families. They did business together and met each other in college. Then Phillip fell in love with Cleitus for some odd reason, probably because he loved his dad very much.
But never did any of them try to get to know Phais family. I hated that they were like that. It wasn't fair at all. It wasn't fair that they threw him off to the side because of some personal vendetta they had towards him, whatever the hell it was. Only Leon, Perdicas, Tolem and Cleitus tried to get to know him. We all later turned out to be a very, very awkward group of friends. Blood, sweat and tears is a good idea of us.
Phil's hands fell away and he relaxed turning away from them and leaving off, followed by Crater. Phai glared hard at Cassy just waiting for him to leave with the rest of the dogs. Cassy eventually left but not without another famous smirk, Roxanne just rolling her eyes and treaded heavily after the others. Leon waved and smiled shyly at Callista and then told Phai bye and head off catching up with the others.
"Callista we are going to have to work out this new schedule when you want to go out for a walk again okay?"
"Okay Phai."
"Let's go."
Alex lay on his bed staring up at the very white ceiling in his bedroom. It didn't interest him at all but he kept staring because he couldn't think of anything else to do. He could write or read but he feared if he concentrated that hard his headaches being caused by the awful growth in his brain, would get even worse.
His mother had left an hour before he got home from school to go talk with her promotion manager about setting up an interview. His mom had been trying hard to get promoted; higher than what she was already at and this might have been the day she had been waiting for. She worked really hard, even leaving her own son behind just to move up to a better paying opportunity.
We were rich, as it shows by our neighbor hood, with large houses, decks, some pools in the back yards and very nice and well kept gardens. But my parents were workaholics. They had to be busy. It was almost like a competition to see who can work the most and get killed by it first. Well that's how I saw it.
Alex had no idea where his father was. He never kept up with him with anything. He never called him or even felt comfortable enough to give him a call. It would be too weird for him because they weren't close anymore. Prior to the bad days, they would get along just fine, then later days Phillip would drink and get upset over just about anything blaming Alex for it all. The relationship was very unnatural and very undetermined.
The blonde boy got up from his bed bored doing what he was doing and moved around his desk opening up a drawer fishing for the keys to the front door. He decided he would go for a walk. The air was fresh and the sun was going to set soon. He tucked the keys into his pant pocket and left his room and down the stairs. Right before his hand gripped the knob his door bell rang. He hesitated for awhile, not even knowing why and then proceeded to open it.
"Hey Alex."
Alex smiled at the attractiveness that was his neighbor. Phai must have been blessed by more than one god to have such a face. "You should come play with us at the pond." Phai invited.
"Us". Alex didn't know who else he was talking about and then he pushed the door open all the way and saw the most adorable girl standing there with an obnoxious smile.
"This is my sister Callista. She's been dying to meet you." Phai said sarcastically.
"Oh hi Callista." Alex seemed distracted as he saw a huge resemblance between the two of them.
"Hello Mr. Alex." She held out her hand to shake his, thinking about the lecture Phai gave her about being proper so he doesn't think they are weird.
The blonde took her hand in his and then immediately she started to jump almost taking his arm with her as she pulled him out the house. "Come play with us!"
"Great, now you two are best friends." Phai let him know joking. "She is going to want to do everything with you after this."
Alex just smiled uncertain with a nervous reaction. "I don't mind."
"You don't have to lie."
"Come we have so much to do!"
Phai first invited Alex into his house to introduce him to his mother finally and then showed him where his room was at. They hung out there for awhile doing social activities, like playing video games and making snacks and Alex even helped Callista organize her Barbie collection before they headed to the pond.
Once there, Alex and Phai sat in the boat while Phai kept a good eye on Callista chasing butterflies with her 'made in ten seconds' butterfly catcher.
"So she's a wild one isn't she?" Alex asked after seeing Callista yell at one of the flying and non responsive bugs.
"Yea, she's very much like mom. I am more like dad." Phai responded attentively.
"Where is your dad?" the blonde asked curious as he only always saw his mother home with him and his sister.
"He's in Iraq, fighting in the war. He left a long time ago." Phai replied mindlessly looking off at his reflection in the pond.
"Oh sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. Its something he always wanted to do."
"What about you?"
"I thought about it. He would expect me to follow in his footsteps. It would be honoring him and everyone else who gave up their lives for this shitty hell hole we are in." Phai scooted his feet back sharing more room with the blonde boy and held his knees up to his chest leaning his head on his hands just watching Alex who seemed to be lost in deep thought. "What are you thinking about?" Phai smiled modestly.
The two colored eyed boy jumped back on track and smiled at the question. He looked down licking his lips slowly thinking about his own shitty life. He thought about so much he was sure if he opened his mouth the boy before him would die just listening.
Phai observed him closer trying to get his attention. "Alex, what are you thinking?"
/
The winds whispered.
Alexander, tell me what's on your mind.
Phai I don't want to bore you. I have so much going on in this large bowl I can't possibly think of boring you to death.
The general took a seat on the grass by the king laying his head on his lap and running a soft finger down the inner part of the kings' thigh.
Please, I want to hear you. I can't wait to know what you possibly have to say.
Alexander moans at the touch and gives his general a smile.
Sometimes I am afraid that what I say is too much for you to listen to. I always talk and never get the chance to just listen.
The general chuckles cheerfully and gets up to face him.
I love listening to you. You strike me still Alexander. Everything about you.
The king's eyes close in bliss as his lover takes his mouth into his. The general slowly leans away from him. Now speak to me.
\
"So how is it?"
"How is what?" Phai was confused by the question. He gave the boy an awkward look.
"You know," The blonde shyly bit his bottom lip. "Us?"
"What about us?" Phai focused in on him more wanting to know what was on the boys mind.
"Are we friends now?"
"I wouldn't have invited anyone else in my boat." He said sincerely and that was the answer to everything Alex felt. They were now friends.
"How much of friends are we?" the blonde remained questioning.
Phai shrugged with the same confident smile. "How much of a friend do you want to be?"
Alex sighted back to the dreams he's had. Alexander and Hephaistion had been more than friends. They were lovers. They were bonded since birth. But they were just Phai and Alex. Next door neighbors. Classmates. And now friends.
"I think what we have now is good." Alex hated to admit it but he didn't know how far he should go. He still didn't know how Phai felt about him and didn't intend to push it. Being just friends was good enough. For now.
It was getting dark and they had to get Callista back home for her bed time which she hated because she thought she was old enough to stay up late like all the other big kids. Even though she was dragging her feet half yawning and half sleeping she insisted that she wasn't tired. "I caught a lot of butterflies."
"Yes you did." Phai lied. She caught none but she was in a hazy sleep walk or something that had her think that.
Alex smiled and Phai told him to wait for him while he took his sister upstairs.
He waited outside his house until Phai was done tucking her into bed. He then closed the front door slowly and quietly like he was sneaking out. His deck was large and started from the front and wrapped its way along to the back connecting at the back doors so Phai took Alex along to the back where they could sit on the bench and watch the stars shining out in the night sky. It was a beautiful sight, the field in the dark and in shadows. They could see the pond where they sat with the reflection of the large moon riffling as the water stood still. It was silent between them both and then the browned haired boy looked over at Alex and Alex at him.
"When you said what we have is good, what if I am not satisfied." Phai asked the boy considerably.
Alex saw the sparkle in the blue eyes and just smiled a quick one and looked back out to the night scene. "Is there something else you want?"
"Why can't we be really good friends instead of just friends?" asked Phai not knowing that he was making himself blush at the question.
"Okay, lets do that then, let's be really good friends."
Phai nudged him trying to give him the hint about something else but the blonde didn't seem to get it. "Alex, I'm trying to get something through to you."
"What Phai?" the blonde suddenly seemed worried about something as he faced Phai urgently.
Phai smiled and looked up to him, smiling and only smiling.
"You're staring at me." Alex kindly let Phai know.
"I know. Because you're not getting it." He replied.
"Getting what?"
"How I feel."
"How do you feel?"
"Never mind Alex."
Phai looked straight ahead again, shaking his head, not knowing if he should hit Alex in the head or not. Alex was definitely not like other boys. Other boy's got the hint even before the hint struck them. Alex seemed bewildered and distracted by things Phai couldn't possibly understand.
Phai couldn't keep from smiling as they both stood there silent. Alex itched at his head scuffling up his very golden hair and fidgeted with his fingers, starting shifting as the silence altered more silent. He didn't know what to say to break the silence. He didn't have to say anything because right then he felt a slight and very small peck on his cheek. He turned quickly looking at Phai who looked up at him eyes that thought maybe he did something wrong. He blushed turning stiff looking ahead of him. It wasn't expected.
"Did you like it?' Phai asked desperate to know but kept held of his anxiousness.
Alex nodded still not managing to spit words from his mouth.
"It's what you were waiting for wasn't it."
"Yea."
I finally found the nerves to look at him. I mentioned the knots had untied before, but this time they had completely unfolded leaving me air to breath. I remember taking his hand in mine and just holding it for a few weird seconds. And that night I never became shy around him nor anyone ever again. He killed my innocence in a good way. Without him I would have never made a move. I am not as strong as I think I am. My pride, left me that night and I unleashed everything that I was holding deep inside my head. My visions, my life, my death, my parents, Roxanne, ever single piece of thing vanished and the world became nothing to me. But he became my everything, just with a small and very lifeless kiss on the cheek. That means a lot if you think about it. We were just young boys. We weren't going to slobber all over each others faces. That came later.
Phai stared at the blonde while Alex stared at his hand holding Phai's.
"Phai! Mom says come kill the monster in my closet!"
They saw the back porch light turn on and they immediately backed away from each other hearing Callista slide open the door, yawn, then ask what they were doing.
"Alex was just going." Phai laughed nervously.
"It was nice meeting you Callista." Alex smiled and then left them heading to his house almost tripping over a plant pot that was in his way.
"Be careful Alex." Callista advised innocently and then hurried into the house, her brother shooing her up the stairs to go fight monsters.
After dispatching nothing in her closet he went to his room and dropped on his bed, He looked at his clock. Who knew what the next day would bring but he was going to have a very, very, very long discussion with his sister about interrupting every little and very good moments of his life.
Thanks everyone for reading this story and leaving very nice reviews. I appreciate it alot.
