Chapter 3
Peter looked around. He thought he catch a glimpse of Gabriel. However, there was no reason for Gabriel to be showing up at the campus. He must be mistaken.
"Hey, hey, Peter. What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, Nathan. I just… thought I saw a friend… that's all." He answered as he was still looking around for a sign of Gabriel, but he didn't see the familiar sight.
"Peter, let's have dinner together tonight." Nathan suggested when he finally got Peter's attention back.
"I can't. I told Gabriel I will be home for dinner tonight."
"Gabriel, huh? That's his name?" Nathan wore his usual little frown on his face, "That's the guy you're living with now?"
"Well, we are not exactly living together. He has his own place, and I haven't given up my apartment yet, the one that you picked for me, remember? The one that's way too big and not exactly located at an affordable area … most of my pay check went to paying rent…" Peter complained.
"What are you talking about? I offered to pay your rent. Besides, your apartment is barely large enough and just about located at a somewhat decent area. Anything less would be a dump, and I can't have you living there." Nathan shook his head.
"You and your Upper East Side home…" Peter muttered under his breath.
"So when are you going to introduce him to me?" Nathan asked, changing topics swiftly.
"Nathan," Peter groaned, "it's too soon, ok? Gabriel and I have only been dating for about a month."
"So? You sounded like you are pretty serious about this relationship and I thought I should meet him."
"I AM Serious about this relationship! That's exactly why I can't introduce him to you yet."
Nathan arched an eyebrow at Peter's comment and raised his chin demandingly, awaiting a good explanation to that statement.
"I appreciate you always looking out for me, Nathan…" Peter looked away, "It's just that… whenever you meet the person I'm dating with, you intimidate them. I don't know… scare them off or something…"
"REALLY?" Nathan smiled humorlessly, revealing teeth slightly that made him looked every bit like the shark that he was.
"EVERY relationship of mine ended shortly after I introduce him or her to you! Sometimes I wonder if you do something behind my back to make them leave me!" Peter exclaimed. Seeing Nathan look insulted by his comment, Peter quickly continued before Nathan had a chance to interject, "Anyway, I'm not taking the chance with Gabriel. He is so sweet and shy… not to mention very special to me."
"You make me sound like a scary mafia or something. Alright, fine. Let's go grab some drinks if you can't join me for dinner. I came all this way to YOUR side of town, after all."
"Alright, Nate." Peter grinned.
XXX
"Hey, Peter… Are you there? Hm… I thought you're coming over for dinner tonight? Please give me a call…" Gabriel left the message and slowly hung up the phone. He had prepared Peter's favorite dishes but Peter didn't show up. When he called Peter's cell phone, it went to the answering machine after a few rings.
Gabriel took a deep sigh and slowly stood up. He was in the middle of removing his apron when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. His own reflection showed him what a pathetic person he was. The thick glasses he wore not to correct any vision problem, but merely to provide himself with some sense of security; the neatly combed hair that was outdated about 10 years ago; the clothes that showed no sense of fashion… He was as ordinary as possible. Maybe Peter was done with him after a month… He couldn't help remembering the man he saw this afternoon; confident, handsome and rich. Was that his competition? How could he compete against that?
Ding Dong
Gabriel's thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. Thinking it was Peter, Gabriel quickly went to get the door.
It was a stranger standing outside of his door. The man was in his early 30's and he was looking around nervously.
"Can I help you?" Gabriel asked him.
"Yeah, somebody called me? My name is Brian Davis." The man said.
Gabriel recalled this was the name he grabbed from Dr. Surresh's folder.
"Yes, I called you. My name is…" Gabriel paused; did he really want to be Gabriel Grey, the insignificant son of a watchmaker? He looked down at the watch he was wearing. It's time he gained a new identity; a last name that one day would be well known throughout the world. "Sylar. My name is Gabriel Sylar."
Brian Davis smiled anxiously. Strangely enough, Gabriel felt his own anxiousness melted away as he smiled reassuringly at the man and invited him into his place.
XXX
Telekinesis.
Gabriel was amazed at Brian's demonstration of making the cup moved without touching it. He wished he was the one with that ability.
"Can you make it go away? I don't want it." It was such a surprise when Brian Davis looked at him and stated the request.
He stared at Brian Davis for a moment. Then, something ticked.
"You are broken." Gabriel said. For the first time in his life, he had never been surer of what he had to do.
"Don't worry Brian. I can fix it." His left hand picked up a crystal paperweight as Brian Davis turned from him.
Bang!
One smash to the head, and Brian Davis fell to the floor, lifeless.
XXX
Gabriel raised his shaking finger and the shattered crystal paperweight moved… slowly… without being touched.
He smiled. He had the power now -- Telekinesis. He could move objects without touching it. He was special.
It was then he realized he was sitting in a pool of blood. Panic started gripping his heart as he looked frantically around at what he had done. Murder – that's what he had done. He took another man's life. He had sinned. He looked at the brainless corpse not too far away and began to shake.
Gabriel let out a howl. He didn't know what had come over him. Something inside of him prompted him to take another man's life, and now he had become a murderer.
He stood up gingerly and the air around him suddenly smelt different. The scent of blood and death was too strong in the air. He nearly threw up, but he made it to the table and grabbed his phone. He dialed the only person that he so desperately needed at this moment. He prayed that it wouldn't go to the answering machine this time. He didn't even know what he was going to say, but he just needed to hear Peter's voice right now, and everything would be ok. He could find someways to redeem himself.
The phone rang and somebody picked up.
"Peter… Peter…?" Gabriel almost chocked with tears as the line was connected.
"… … "There was a moment of silence before somebody spoke at the other end, "Peter is not available right now. Who is calling?"
Gabriel froze. He had never heard that voice in his life, but he could certainly imagine who it might belonged to.
"Pete! Hey! You're heavy… " Over the phone, Gabriel could hear the man juggling with something and there were some words that he couldn't hear clearly.
"Nate…"
This faint voice that was all too familiar turned into a moan, and Gabriel dropped his phone into the pool of blood. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.
The scent of blood no longer bothered him. He slowly opened his eyes, and looked at the mirror. He saw his own reflection, covered in blood.
He smiled.
With one flip of his hand, the mirror shattered into pieces.
XXX
"Hello?" Nathan finally finished tugging Peter into bed, and he picked up the forgotten phone call. Of course, it showed a big "Call Ended" on the screen.
Nathan shrugged. It wasn't exactly his fault that Peter was drunk. It was Peter who wanted to try the bartender's "bordering illegal" new drink which has such a high concentration of alcohol that Peter was almost knocked out instantly. The thing with a drunken Peter was that he could still sit straight and acted almost normal. So they stayed there and Peter had a few more of those crazy drinks. When Peter finally dropped his own glass in the middle of a drink; that was when Nathan finally realized Peter was drunk. He had to take Peter back to his apartment and he cursed when he realized Peter was much heavier than he looked. It took him a lot of energy to move Peter from the car to the apartment. Peter's cell phone was ringing and fell out of his pocket in the middle of the relatively short distance from the door to the bed. Nathan had picked it up and answered it out of reflex.
Taking a look at the caller ID, Nathan realized it was Gabriel who had called Peter. Well, he will leave it to Peter to call his lover back and explain tomorrow.
Nathan took an envelope out of his jacket and put it on Peter's table. It contained a stack of cash inside. Last time he left a check for Peter and the proud young man never cashed it. If he would just let Nathan takes care of him then he could concentrate on school and not having to work two jobs.
Nathan sat down on the bed next to the sleeping Peter. He reached out and swept the long bands off Peter's face.
"Nathan…" Peter groaned while curling himself into a ball.
Nathan smiled.
"Sleep tight, little brother."
End Part 3
To be continued…