.x.x.
Chapter Four
.x.x.
The police came and went, reassuring them all that they would be able to find them. Of course... they had said that before.
After this, the blond found the other boy sitting in the kitchen, looking into his hands. "Are you alright?"
Marco answered truthfully, not looking at him, "No."
"I, um, I could call one of your friends and you could stay over at one of their houses if you didn't want to stay here. Or if you wanted to stay. . . ."
Marco nodded, "If I can stay. . ."
"It will be fine with my parents when I tell them what happened. They're coming home later tonight." Marco didn't respond and Dylan left him alone for a while, then an idea popped into his head. He found Marco dozing in the kitchen chair and shook his shoulder, "Hey. Wake up!" The younger boy looked up at him with sleepy, dark brown eyes.
"Wha -?"
Dylan's blue eyes were mischievous.
"Get up. I have a surprise." Marco followed him into the two-car garage baffled, and Dylan had two pairs of black roller blades. The blond grinned. "Well, go ahead and put yours on. Your shoe size has to be similar to Paige's... you have been roller blading before, right?"
Marco lied, smiling, "...Yeah," and took them. He slipped on his, nervous and frightened of falling down like an bumbling idiot. But he didn't want to come off as a total loser in front of Dylan just because he never skated before. He placed on all of the pads and strapped on his helmet tightly. Marco got up and immediately slipped onto his bottom.
Dylan watched him, chuckling as his boyfriend blushed, "Marco, are you sure you've been blading before?"
"Sure. . .I just, haven't done this in a while."
The blond laughed again, helping him up and stated, extending a hand, "Give me your hand." Marco looked at his smiling face and gripped the other boy's hand securely, trusting him fully. Dylan said , "Hold on." He began skating and soon they were zooming down the neighborhood, picking up speed. Blissful and adrenaline-pumping moments. Marco let go at some point on a downhill street and Dylan viewed him accelerate ahead, and as Marco tumbled headfirst into some grass.
His smile left him as he raced over. "Marco!" Dylan turned him over and saw him laughing. He joined in as well and lightly punched his arm, "What was that?" Marco sat up.
"Man, that. . .was a blast." He reddened. "Until I fell, of course."
They laughed again and the sun overhead them was beginning to set. They went back, holding hands once more for balance. Once they got out of the gear back in the Michalchuk house, a car pulled into the driveway. Mr. and Mrs. Michalchuk entered, greeting the older boy and set their sight on Marco. He felt exceptionally uneasy under their watchful gazes.
Dylan smiled warmly. "Mom, Dad, this is Marco. I told you about him. Marco's in the same grade with Paige."
Mrs. Michalchuk blinked her deliberate blue eyes. "Oh. Hello Marco."
He bared a smile. "Hi." She turned her platinum blonde head to her son.
"Look who we found in the mall today."
A tall red haired boy emerged from behind the front door. Dylan gaped. "Ohh, no way! Mikey?" He gave him a hug and they happily greeted each other. Marco was in a sea of confusion.
Who was he? More to the point... where did he come from? Paige's head popped into the room. "Dinner's ready!"
Mr. Michalchuk said boomingly, "Mikey, you can stay and eat with us, and you too... Mark." The dark haired boy didn't bother to correct him and reluctantly followed the rest of them into the dining room. Dylan and Mikey sat next to each other and began reminiscing about past hockey games. Marco sat next to Paige who shot him a sympathetic look.
They all began eating macaroni and cheese dinner, green beans, and drinking milk. Time passed and Marco secretly hated this guy 'Mikey' for appearing out of nowhere and stealing his boyfriend.
His? Whoa, now he was claiming Dylan for his own?
Mikey's clear green eyes landed on him.
"Who's this?"
Oh jeez... couldn't anyone remember his name?
Dylan looked at Marco. "Oh, I'm sorry. This is Marco Del Rossi. Marco, this is Mikey Gerry. He's Tom's cousin, and an old friend of mine." Mikey wrapped an long arm around the blond's shoulders.
"We're very old friends."
They grinned identical grins and Marco felt left out.
He got up, pushing in his chair, "It was nice to meet you all, but, um, I gotta jet. Um, thanks for the dinner."
Marco stepped out into the hallway and was on his way out the front door when a hand touched his shoulder.
"Marco, wait..."
He turned around to those cloudless skies of eyes. Dylan asked quietly, a hint of hurt detected in his voice, "What are you doing?" Marco shrugged, holding back fury and tears.
"Going home."
The older boy murmured, "It's pretty late to be walking home alone especially through these neighborhoods. Do you want a ride back?" The younger boy looked at his feet.
"Sure."
They got into Dylan's black car with red stripes and rode through the streets, stopping in front of Marco's house. Dylan parked the car. "Here we are. Are you sure you want to stay in an empty house?"
Marco avoided his eyes. "Yeah. I could call Jimmy or someone else..." Dylan lifted up his face by placing a hand under his chin.
"What did I do?" Marco swallowed hard.
"It's. . .I just felt uncomfortable during dinner, and that Mikey guy. . ."
A smile inched on the blond's face. "Is that it?" The darker boy frowned, a bit offended, and Dylan said, bringing his face closer, "There's nothing going on between Mikey and I. I promise you. He's like a brother to me. I am sorry for ignoring you." Marco saw truth shining in his eyes and gave a tiny smile.
"I believe you."
And he meant it.
Dylan continued, as if he was reading the other boy's thoughts, "Same goes for Tom." Marco blushed.
"I'm sorry for acting jealous. . . .I don't know what came over me."
"You can make it up to me," he teased. Marco went along with it.
"How?"
The older boy glanced at his face, remaining at his full lips. Dylan gave him a brief kiss but it felt as if it had lasted for minutes. Marco closed his eyes and gladly returned it if only for a second. This was the second kiss from this boy and he thought life couldn't get any better now...well, maybe.
He looked back into the pools of turquoise and heard him whisper, "Another date, next Saturday. You up for it?"
"Of course. I'd love to."
The blond grinned. "Okay. Goodnight."
"G'night."
He opened the convertible door and stepped out, slamming it closed. Dylan winked amiably at him before driving away with Marco to watch after him, a little wistful-eyed.
'I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend!'
