Maurice is Missing!

Chapter Three

The Faithful Meeting

My eyes were closed as I sunk to the bottom of the pool. Remembering where I was, I opened my eyes and swam for the surface. I broke through and gasped for air. Thankfully, that was the last wave for awhile. I was about to move to find Maurice when I felt a throbbing pain in my head. Whatever or whoever I bumped into was hard.

"Ugh… What hit me?" I groaned as I rubbed my head.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, kook!" Someone yelled. It must've been the guy I bumped into. I turned to him with a glare.

"Kook! You shouldn't have been in my way, you—" I stopped when I got a good look at who I bumped into.

Damn! He was hot! Skin like cinnamon. Slim with a small amount of muscles; just the way I like 'em. Red dreadlocks that was weighed down by the water. Man, was he beautiful or what!.? I resisted the urge to whistle as I looked him over. He was about a foot shorter than me. Through the clear water, I noticed that he was wearing a pair of purple swimming trunks. He was wearing a green headband. The strange part about him was that he was wearing a pair of green tinted sunglasses. Weird. Who wears sunglasses while swimming!.? Maybe they were water resistant or something.

Anyway, I liked what I saw. Forget the guys I saw on the way to the pool. This boy was gorgeous! I had to have him! I was barely able to see through his sunglasses, but I noticed he was looking me over too. The sexy smirk I saw a few seconds later showed that he liked what he saw as well. He better. I don't do three sets of push-ups everyday for kicks. I decided to break the ice.

"Hey."

"Hi." He breathed. I swear I could've melted right there. He's got a great voice! I struggled to find my own voice.

"Ummm… Sorry about… You know." I pointed to my head. I was sure there was a huge lump on it, but I could handle it. I just hope he was alright.

"Oh, it's alright." He said, waving a dismissive hand. "It was an accident, you know? No worries." We stayed silent as we took in the sight of each other.

Oh man… I think I've found that special someone! I shouldn't get ahead of myself. He's probably just a shoobie or something. I'll probably never see him again. Well, even if he was a shoobie, I wouldn't mind having a one night stand.

"God, where have you been all my life?" He broke the silence. I chuckled at that one.

"I could ask you the same thing." I replied.

"So, are you from out of town?" He asked. "I've never seen you around before."

Well, at least that answers the question of whether he's a shoobie or not.

"Nah. I live here." I answered. I noticed him sighing with relief. "You know that cul-de-sac on top of the hill? I live at the house with the stairway in front." I think he might want a long-term relationship. I smirked. I can live with that. Maybe if I play my cards right, I could make it a forever deal.

He gasped. "No way! I live right across from there! In the house with half a ship for the patio." I gaped at him. He must be jerking my chain. I've found out I was gay four or five years ago. You mean to tell me I could have gotten with this hottie at anytime!.? I felt like slapping myself for that.

"You gotta be kidding." I said doubtfully.

"No way, dude. I've been living there all my life. My dad runs the restaurant on the pier."

"You mean the Shore Shack?" I've been there a couple of times, but I've never saw him. He nodded.

"Yep. Right next to the music store." He gave me a doubtful look. "There's no way you've been living across from me for so long. You must've moved in recently." I shook my head.

"I moved here years ago from Mexico. I was five when I got here. I've been living in that house ever since."

"Then you must be a homebody or something." He said with finality. "Otherwise I would've seen you sooner or later. Do you shred?"

He must be joking! Do I honestly look like I'm home all the time?

"Of course I do." I snorted. "You surf?"

"What? I'm the best surfer in Ocean Shores!" He said proudly, puffing out his chest. He sent me a sidelong glance. "How about snowboarding?"

"Yep." I replied, crossing my arms. "I've never gone to an actual mountain, but I've snowboarded at ZGZ."

ZGZ, or Zero Gravity Zone, was an indoor skate park that also had a couple of snowboarding courses.

"I go to ZGZ at least once a week! How come I've never seen you?" I shrugged at him.

"Maybe I went on one of the other six days of the week."

He sent me a disbelieving glance. What's with the stare down? I feel like I'm being interrogated or something. His eyes are beautiful though. Or at least I think so. Like I said, I can barely see through his sunglasses. He stared into my eyes for about two minutes before backing up with a grin.

"Well, I guess you pass my test!" He said cheerfully. "You're just about as extreme as me!"

"'About?'" I asked. He sent me another one of those smirks, although this one seemed a bit mischievous.

"Well yeah." He shrugged. "I'm practically the best at everything I do. It wouldn't be a surprise if you were only second best. And that's if you're lucky." I glared at him. The arrogance!

"Second best!.? Boy, I bet I can beat you in a mountain board race anytime!"

He glared at me. It's amazing how someone so sexy can instantly turn cold like that.

"Yeah right! I'll mop the floor with you…!" He stopped and blinked. "Hey, what's your name, anyway?"

"Huh? My name?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well yeah! We've been talking and flirting for a good five minutes and I don't even know your name yet." He answered. I blushed. Flirting? If talking about what sports we do was flirting, I would've tried that with other guys years ago. I stuttered when I noticed him giving me a questioning look.

"My name is—Oh crap!" The redhead raised an eyebrow at me.

"Your name is Oh crap?" My eyebrow twitched at that.

"No. I completely forgot about my little brother! Be right back." I moved away, trying to find Maurice. "Maurice, where are you?"

"Twista!" I heard him yell. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found him floating on his back. I went up to him and grabbed his hand.

"Come on. Stay with me before the waves start up again." I said, pulling him towards my potential boyfriend.

"Okay!" He answered. When we got back to the redhead, I let him go. He swam around us as I went back to "flirting."

"So who's this little guy?" Red asked as he followed my brother's movements.

"Oh, this is Maurice." I gasped as I slapped my hand over my mouth. I nervously turned to the boy in question, who was glaring at me.

"Twista!"

I flushed red with embarrassment. How could I forget!.? Now this hottie will think he's crazy or something!

"What's that about?" Red asked me.

"Oh, that's just a phase he's going through." I answered nervously.

"And how long has he been going through this?"

"As long as he's been able to talk." I said dryly. The redhead gave me a weirded out look before letting it drop.

"Well, he's cute anyway. So what's your name?"

"Lars. And you?"

"Ahhh… Lars. What a beautiful name for such a divine creature."

I snorted to that. Now he was laying it on a little too thick. He can have me as far as I'm concerned. All he has to do is ask me out to dinner. And pay, of course. He looked lost in his own little world, which was fine by me. I could just stare at his perfect body forever. Unfortunately, I remembered that Maurice was nearby and probably watching our every move.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat. That seemed to do the trick as he shook his head and turned to me.

"Oh right. My name is—" He was interrupted by the shrill sound of a whistle. We looked around each other. The other people were getting out of the pool. I growled. Those damn lifeguards. They just had to ruin a perfect moment. Right when I meet the boy of my dreams. The redhead walked towards me.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, handsome." He winked. I gaped at him as he brushed past me. Did he just touch my—? That perv! I can't believe him! If I ever see him again—! I stopped myself as I took a deep breath. I smirked after him. He's just a little too forward for his own good. I wonder if he knows just what he's getting himself into.

"Hey! Didn't you hear the whistle!.? Get outta here!" A female voice yelled in my ear. As if I don't have to worry about Maurice… I turned and gave the lifeguard that addressed me a sheepish look.

"Oops, sorry." I grabbed Maurice's hand and started walking out of the pool.

"Bwother, why did that lady yell at you and throw evewybody out?" Maurice asked.

"It's just something the lifeguards do to make other people mad." I answered.

Chances are it's true. Why in the world do they toss people out of the wave pool for, anyway?.!

"And who was that boy you were talking to? He was nice." He said thoughtfully. I blushed at that. At least he's ok with what's-his-name.

"He's…just a friend." I told him. I gave a wistful sigh. I hope that we could more though.

We made it back to where our parents were sitting.

"What was that about?" Dad asked, looking up from his book.

"Everybody gets thrown out of the pool every once in a while." I replied.

"So where do you want to go now, Maurice?" Mom asked, looking up as well.

"Twista!" Maurice yelled before looking past the pool area's exit. I noticed his eyes sparkle when he noticed one of the slides. "I wanna go on the wata slide! I wanna go on the wata slide!" He jumped up and down excitedly.

"Well you heard him, Lars." Dad said with a chuckle. I gaped. Don't tell me they want me to baby sit him!

"But—" I stopped when I saw the venomous glares my parents sent me. I huffed. "Fine." I grabbed Maurice's hand and started walking.

"We'll be right here if you get hungry or something." Mom called after us. I groaned.

I can't believe I'm stuck with this kid. And I probably won't see that hottie again. On second thought, he does live across the street from me… I'll be able to see him even if we don't meet up again here. I wonder why I've never met him before. Oh well. Right now, I had to deal with Maurice and watch him. He had wrestled out of my grip and was now skipping next to me. Ugh… How embarrassing.

"I'm gonna go on the wata slide!" He sang. "I'm gonna go on the wata slide!" He then ran ahead of me. "Come on, bwother! We gotta get there fast!" He ran a few feet further.

"Maurice! Wait up!" I shouted. He turned to me and got ready to shout his favorite word when a mob walked between us! I panicked. "Maurice! Whatever you do, don't move!"

"Twistaaaaaaa…" It sounded like he was moving away from me… I gulped as I stood still.

After a couple of minutes, the crowd dissipated, allowing me to get to where Maurice was standing. He wasn't there… Not one trace of him was anywhere to be found… I felt pure fear overcome me as I came to the only logical conclusion.

Maurice is missing!.!.!