Ch1

Hope was having some afternoon tea when she heard the knock at her door. She opened it to see a person around her son's age , he had grey hair and tanned brown skin and wore a dark outfit over what appeared to be a very strong muscular build.

"Can I help you?" Hope asked. He looks good, is he Geo's friend? He appeared a little taller than Geo but the way he carried himself was different, calmer and more mature for someone his age.

"I'm looking for Geo Stelar," he said in a smooth voice

"For Geo? He's not here right now. He's at school," she replied. She then realized she had recognized the boy, her son often spoke of him and she had often spied them talking to each other through their transers late into the night along with them occasionally at the mall together.

The boy merely turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait," Hope found herself calling out, stopping the boy. "Is there a reason you wanted to see my son?"

The boy shifted his gaze, "I just wanted to see him again. My name is Solo I don't know if Geo has spoken of me," he said as he scratched his head with a faint blush on his face.

She chuckled, "Of course he has, why don't you come on in for some tea."

Solo nodded, a gleam appeared in his eyes as he came in. "Your house I beautiful," he said as he looked around the living room.

"Thanks. So how long have you known my son?" She asked as Solo sat at the counter. She quickly heated up a kettle of tea as the boy examined her up and down. She couldn't explain it but she felt her heart flutter a bit as she got a better look at him, he was around 16 just like her son but she could tell he was hiding a strong build and he also had an air of maturity to him.

I can see why Geo spends so much time with him he really is quite the looker. She forced herself not to think of that, no he is my son's friend and I think they are pretty close. I can't give into these middle age urges.

"Yes we are good friends," Solo said with a small smile. "We hang out a lot and we watch out for each other," he said avoiding her gaze temporarily.

I can tell I've heard Geo moan your name a lot while he sleeps she thought as the kettle dinged. She poured the hot tea into two cups and gave one to Solo who thanked her.

"So are you from around here?" She asked.

Solo shook his head as he took a sip of tea, "No you can say that I am from overseas."

"I see," she said as she sipped her tea.

Solo nodded, "Yeah Geo and I are good friends. He told me a lot about you and his father."

Hope couldn't help but feel a bit proud and a bit sad at the same time. "That's good," she mumbled slightly. When her husband came home after years of being lost she was overjoyed but that quickly turned to disappointment as her husband preferred work over spending time with her. "Geo was really overjoyed when his father came back, but it seems that as soon as he did he returned back to work," she sighed with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

Solo looked at her with a sympathetic look just as the door to the house opened. "Hey mom I' home!" Geo said as he entered. However, as soon as he saw Solo she swore her son's eyes lit up. "Hey Solo I wasn't expecting to see you until later."

Solo smiled at her son, it was such a nice smile. "Well I decided to surprise you. I was just talking to you mom here."

She nodded, pushing those negative feelings that resurfaced back down. "Yes now why don't you boys go up and have fun."

Geo nodded, "Yeah come on Solo I want to show you some stuff."

Solo nodded and turned to her, "It was nice to meet you."

"You too," she said with a smile as Solo turned around and followed her son upstairs chatting about some topic she didn't know much about.

He sure seems like a nice guy, my son is lucky to have him she thought as she sighed and went about her day. Solo stayed for dinner and during that time she couldn't keep her eyes off of him, his mannerisms were mature for a kid his age and he was so helpful in helping Geo wash the dishes while she sat and watched TV.

"It was nice to meet you Mrs. Stelar," Solo said with a deep bow before he left.

"No problem come back whenever you want," she said with a smile. The boy nodded and she swore he smiled at her before he left, it was for a second but she felt her heart flutter nonetheless. He really is handsome, Geo really is lucky to have him.

Solo clearly has gotten comfortable in her home as well and took her word for inviting him over as she would have something ready for them to eat and drink while they waited for Geo to come home from school..

Hope has really learned much of Solo over the time they spent together, how he had no family, was rather new to some of the culture here, and had a hard time making friends outside hof her son. However, she also realized that he was incredibly smart for his age, as he looked at some game shows that requires knowledge and would easily answer all the questions the moment they are asked. He was some kind a genius and would often talk about theories he and Geo often talked about.

For about a few weeks it was like this, the boy certainly gained her attention as she found herself enjoying his visits and their little talks. She didn't know what he was talking about half of the time but she enjoyed watching him explain things, he really had a way with his words.

She actually started to feel a bit jealous and irritated whenever her son came home and Solo would just go with him to his room and they would both talk and laugh together. The days would all end with Solo staying for dinner and helping Geo with the dishes. On the weekends he would occasionally stay but she had this nagging feeling that Geo was seeing Solo more than she realized.

Before she knew it Solo was basically a part of the family. He would stay during most of the day and she would talk with him and then hang out with her son. She then began to open up to him about her life, her hopes, and her fears.

Solo only nodded, his eyes filled with what seemed to be understanding as she talked about her struggles with Kelvin from his disappearance to him being at work along with her desire to be a mom again since Geo was starting to get older.

Once day, they spent their usual time talking while waiting for Geo, and Hope finds herself so relaxed with talking to him. He keeps a straight face but every now and then, she sees him crack a smile.

As she prepared some more snacks, he suddenly hears a question from him.

"So is this your husband…?" he asks, and Hope finds herself freezing on the spot.

Turning around with the tray in hand, she spots the white haired boy with a photo frame in hand, with a picture of Geo's father and her husband, Kelvin, while he was teaching Geo to ride a bike.

Hope nods in response to his question. "Yes, that is."

"Strange I haven't seen him at all here. Why is that? Geo said he came back but I haven't seen him in a while" Solo asked curiously.

She felt her smile fade as a frown replaced it. Deciding after a few silent minutes of debating with herself she poured herself a glass of wine and began to how her husband had disappeared and only to reappear and head back to work leaving her alone again. By the time she was done she had finished two glasses and her head was starting to feel buzzed.

"I see that must have been hard," Solo said, his eyes closed so she couldn't tell what he was thinking, though he was always hard to read regardless. "Geo speaks highly of him but I always did detect a hint of sadness, he must be sad that his dad isn't around as much either.

"Yeah, I know he tries to put up a brave face but I know deep down he is sad," she said bitterly as she poured herself another glass and downed it. "But we are used to living alone.

"I meant for you…" Solo corrected, surprising the woman, as she found him looking at her, the distance being much shorter.

"Wha-?" she asked in confusion

"You've been carrying the burden of his loss for a long time while supporting Geo, but you're the one that has to endure the pain the most out of anyone," Solo pointed out, and Hope could feel as if she had been sucker punched in the gut.

"I…" Hope tried to think of something to say, but she was unable to as she sipped her wine.

"You've taken a large burden. I want to help you with that," he offered, as he got up. "I'll come back next time, tell Geo I had some errands to do."

What no? You can't leave now. She wanted to stop him, but was still taken aback by how he called her out on her pain, and he was out the door, and Hope was left alone to her thoughts

And as he declared Solo had indeed come back. Gone were the light hearted and kind conversations they once had, only to be replaced by the heavy and depressing ones. She drank her wines as she told the stories, while Solo only nodded and listened.

As the conversations were filled with talks of the pain she endured, the loss of Kelvin, and the raising of a child as a single mother and to Kelvin coming back and preferring work to his family. Hope could feel the walls she had forged around her heart being broken down. She felt herself powerless to defend herself against his words.

However, it was as if Solo knew how to attack her heart perfectly regardless of how hard she tried to protect it. And soon enough, as he shattered her last remaining defenses, leaving the core of her loneliness exposed and Hope finally broke down one day after a few glasses of wine..

Leaning her head against his chest, Hope found herself crying her heart out as she began hurling everything that she has been holding down for so many years.

"Why is life so cruel? I was left alone with Geo and he just comes back and goes to work?" She said as she broke down, the flood gates around her heart breaking and the emotions leaving her heart. To her surprise she felt Solo hug him in a comforting hug and for a while the two sat there hugging.

They didn't stop for a while, as Hope held back so much pain and suffering for so long, and now they were being released, as if a dam had burst open. Solo remained unmoving, as he just held her in his arms. However, Hope would soon feel Solo grab her arms more roughly, making her raise her head to stare into his deep crimson eyes. They were so beautiful to her, as if he could see right through her, into her very soul. She could feel herself being drawn into the ruby orbs, until finally, she realized that her lips were pressing against his.

It was that moment that all forms of morality and integrity flew out of Hope's mind, as Hope wrapped her arms around Solo's neck, deepening the kiss.

She didn't care if this was wrong. She didn't care if she was essentially cheating on her husband and son. She stared into his eyes and pressed his lips against his, Solo appeared surprised but he did not resist the kiss, on the contrary she felt him pull him in closer and deepened the kiss.

She let out a moan as she felt his tongue inside of her mouth, his musky aroma and the wine were both turning her on and for once she felt something she had never felt before, passion.

He really is strong she thought as she felt his biceps and his pecs. They always looked big underneath his shirt but now feeling them she could tell that they were indeed as hard as they looked.

When she pulled away she realized she was on top of Solo who had a bewildered and lustful gaze in her eyes. "Sorry," she muttered as she slowly sat up.

"Don't be," he muttered as he sat up and kissed her again. "I don't know much about love I liked it a lot," he said as she grabbed her chin and pulled her in for another kiss.

She felt like her body was on fire as the two kissed, she gently traced Solo's upper body from underneath his shirt and was surprised by the amount of muscle he had. Geo is really a lucky guy, I've never been with a guy like him before. She felt like a giddy school girl as the two made out. She checked Solo out, his bulge was definitely bigger than anything she had seen and she just knew that it was real.

"Let's take this upstairs," she whispered in his ear as she grabbed her hands and led the boy up to her bedroom.