Chapter 2: A Surprise Visit

The morning sun was beaming it's rays for the new day at the ground below it, there were some birds that were chirping as they were in the bird bath that was in the garden near the trees. One blue bird in particular flew up to Carlos's window and with its beak tapped on the glass multiple times wanting to get the teen's attention. Underneath the dark blue covers the latino groaned when he heard an annoying noise, a few moments later he opened his eyes to see the curtains open showing him the clear blue sky. Moving his head he saw a familiar figure on his window sill and realized where the noise was coming from. He slowly sat up and stretched his arms and yawned then he removed the covers off himself and planted his feet on the ground. He walked to the window and unlocked the latch and pulling it open the blue bird fluttered its wings as a greeting.

He smiled, "good morning Sapphire."

The bird chirped at the teen and eagerly flew to his outstretched arm walking to his shoulder. He met Sapphire when he heard a large thud on his window during a storm and opened it to see a blue bird with a bloodied wing its entire body drenched from the rain. Immediately he picked up the injured bird gently and took it to his bathroom using one of his small towels to dry it and treat its wound. He kept it until it got better, Logan found out when he found the bird being caressed by Carlos and told him to let it go once it was able to fly. Two weeks later he opened the window and let the bird go free with a sad expression, but every morning after that incident the bird will make its presence known as it tapped his window before Carlos woke up sometimes being his alarm clock. He got a book about birds and found out it was a female eastern blue bird and named it Sapphire since her blue wings seemed like they shine like the jewel under the sun, moon, or when she's wet.

She was his only friend other than Logan and talked about everything to her including his secrets. Sapphire was also a secret to Logan since he doesn't allow pets in his area so it won't make too much noise to attract strangers. He's been keeping her secret so Logan won't separate him from the only friend he had in his lonely abode. They would play games such as hide and seek or races to see who was faster, they also watched movies and Carlos is able to read Sapphire's body language and know how she feels or what she thinks, she was a really smart bird. He taught her signals and Spanish so when he's speaking she can understand him and hide from Logan when he gives her signals or when she hears the click of the door as it was being unlocked.

Carlos puts on his brown fluffy slippers and opened the door leaving his room walking down the hallway heading towards the kitchen. There were two entrances to the kitchen one in the hallway the other in the living, the living room was next to the kitchen making it easier for him to grab snacks or drinks quickly so he won't miss his shows or movies in TV during commercials.

"What do you feel like for breakfast Sapphire?" He asked her as they entered the kitchen Sapphire chirped and flew to the marble counter facing the cabinets, "Berries?"

She chirped again as a yes.

Carlos walked to the cabinet and grabbed a bag of dry berries and a box of cereal for himself and then went to the refrigerator and took out milk, a juice box, and other berries. He mixed some of the berries in it and placed it in front of her, she chirped and jumped on the edge of the bowl and dug in. Carlos chuckled as he took a larger bowl and poured his milk and then the cereal and he grabbed a spoon from a drawer and took a seat in his small dining table that was large enough for four people. He ate his breakfast with Sapphire in silence reminiscing yesterday's events.

When Logan came back an hour later he changed to casual clothes, a plain brown shirt with a black sweater vest, dark blue skinny jeans, and black converse. He helped Carlos clean a bit and treated some of his injuries giving him lectures on how to treat his wounds if he ever got hurt accidently and emphasized that he shouldn't continue doing his stunts. After his treatment they ate dinner and played a few video games then Carlos changed into his pajamas and watched movies the rest of the evening until Logan picked him up and took him to bed when he nearly fell asleep on their fifth movie.

His head shot up when he heard a faint clicking noise; Sapphire already accustomed to the sound flew and hid behind boxes of flour and sugar on top of the refrigerator. Carlos quickly took the small bowl of berries and placed it next to his breakfast.

"Good morning Carlos," Logan smiled as he appeared in the doorway of the kitchen wearing a black business suit with a dark green tie.

"Morning, do you want something to eat or drink?"

"No thanks I had breakfast an hour ago."

He shook his head, "I will never know why you wake up at unholy hours."

Logan laughed, "it's part of my job."

"Do you get used to it?"

He shrugged as he took a seat next to him, "it becomes a habit."

He took a sip from his orange juice. "So what are you going to do today?"

"The usual," he replied with boring tone. "Business meetings, stocks, organizing stuff it will probably take me the entire day."

Carlos frowned at the thought of not seeing Logan the whole day. He got used to not seeing him for days sometimes weeks because he has business trips from other states sometimes outside the U.S. "Oh."

Noticing his disappointed expression he placed his hand on top of his, "hey don't be upset I'll be with you for the entire day the day after tomorrow, I have a charity event to go to tomorrow so i'll be yours for the entire day after that."

He gave him a nod, "I understand."

"What are you going to do today?" Logan asked; wanting to change the subject.

"It's Friday so I'm going to have to go to class." Carlos started taking classes online after he got rid of his depression. It was the same education he got at school, luckily for him Logan was really smart and was able to tutor him with subjects he didn't understand meaning spending more time with him. It was the same thing like regular school there were dead lines, homework, essays, tests, including projects. He enjoyed it, but at the same time he was upset since he had no classmates and his only friend was a bird. He continued speaking, "then I'm going to watch some movies that I've been meaning to see, play a game or two, read then play guitar."

Logan smiled and leaned forward in interest. "Have you played any songs yet?"

Feeling his cheeks heated he quickly went back to his breakfast and nodded answering Logan's question. He started playing the guitar when he was ten when Logan wanted him to take up a hobby; he chose to learn how to play the guitar because he remembered that his mom loved listening to it at the park whenever they went there when he was a kid. Like school he learned through the internet, his favorite is when he plays Spanish songs along with a few of his favorite songs in English such as some from Bruno Mars.

"I can't wait to hear them."

He cleared his throat and finished his juice, "I sometimes mess up."

"I'm sure you'll get better." Logan encouraged, "you are kind of a natural."

"Sometimes I play in my room and imagine I'm out-," he bit his lip carefully choosing his next words. "Outside of my room."

Logan raised a brow at his action, "Carlos?"

He shook his head and stood up not wanting to look at him as he placed his bowl in the sink. "It's nothing."

"You were going to say outside weren't you?"

He stayed quiet.

Logan sighed. "Carlos I know you want to go outside, but we've already discussed this."

"I know." Another reason why Logan locks the door is because he made sure Carlos won't leave. It always irked him that he wouldn't let him go outside not even to the garden. Logan always explained that he was better off inside where no one can hurt him and he could be happy with what he had. For years he tried to convince Logan to let him out to the world, but stopped when he realized it was selfish of him to keep asking after everything he has done for him. He would watch the travel channel and read books about countries around the world that Logan had the opportunity to travel. He would imagine himself looking at large cities like Los Angeles, famous land marks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and a whole bunch of other places he always dreamed of going. Since he couldn't travel the world he was satisfied at looking at the small city outside his window and the garden below him wondering if it was really like the fairy tales he remembered when he first came here. But he could never ignore the nostalgic feeling in his chest for wanting to go outside. "Just forget I mentioned it."

He heard the chair being moved and footsteps coming towards him, he felt arms being wrapped around him and his back against something warm. "I do this for your own good, you know that right?" Logan whispered in his ear.

"Yeah," he said with a sad smile. "I do."

There was a sudden sound coming from Logan's pocket, Carlos frowned recognizing it was Logan's alarm. He took it out still holding Carlos with his other arm as he looked at his cell phone. Logan pressed a button silencing it and sighed, "I have to go."

Carlos turned around so he was facing him, "see you later."

"Promise," he kissed his cheek and with a final hug he turned around and left the kitchen and his area as Carlos heard the faint noise of the door being locked. Sapphire came out of her hiding spot and flew to Carlos's hand looking up at him with a small chirp and gently tapped her beak on his skin twice giving him comfort.

He smiled and gently stroked her wing, "thanks."

She chirped at him.

"Must be nice being able to leave and fly the sky feeling the air against your feathers being able to go to faraway lands," he commented with a dreamy sigh.

He walked back to the table and placed Sapphire on her bowl of berries. "See you in a bit."

She gave him a flap of her wings at him and continued eating as he left to his room to change and face the new day.

"Man this has got to be the biggest mansion I've ever seen."

"It's the only mansion you ever saw."

"Stop being an ass and enjoy the trip."

The blonde sighed, "fine."

Kendall Knight was currently with his friend Guitar Dude visiting one of the oldest mansions of Minnesota home to a CEO who has a meeting with Guitar Dude's dad, a well known business man. He decided to bring his son and Guitar Dude decided to bring one of his friends so he won't be bored. Guitar Dude always carries a guitar and hopes to one day become a singer, but his dad is determined for him to take over his business when he is old and mature enough and stops going after his childish dreams. So here he is in a mansion being bored out of his mind while they are on a tour group while Guitar Dude's dad is meeting the CEO. After being in the tour group for fifteen minutes he decided that his school's most boring teacher is more entertaining than their cranky thirty year old tour guide named Steve.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Kendall said pointing towards the door.

"You better hurry the dude looks like he's about yell at a kid." He said with fake amusement.

"I'll try to rush so I won't miss it," he replied sarcastically.

After using the bathroom and washing his hands he stepped out and noticed the missing group. He walked down the hall to catch up with them only to see it empty.

"Fuck." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed with fatigue. He didn't know where he was, tired from yesterday's hockey practice, and had to wake up early on a Saturday to go with his companion so he won't be bored. This was so not his day. With a sigh he took out a map of the mansion from his pocket he got earlier before the tour and went towards a random direction hoping that it was a way towards the stairs that will take him to the first floor where there was a gift shop and a coffee shop across the street.

Thirty minutes of roaming in the hallways and hitting dead ends he concluded that he was lost, he thought about texting Guitar Dude, but he probably had his phone off or on silent since it was mandatory, by Steve, to have phones off during the tour for no interruptions. He had to admit the mansion was elegant and luxurious inside and out, it looked like it was built during the eighteen hundreds and felt like he was in the past, the only difference is that it was modernized with electricity and plumbing. Most of the walls were light yellow and the floor was red carpet with intricate designs along the ceiling. When he wasn't worried about being lost he will take some time to look at the paintings hanging on the walls marveling at the work.

He was about to turn to a hallway when he bumped into someone making him fall on his back on the floor with a loud thud. The first thing he saw were papers flying everywhere, with a groan he sat up and rubbed his head, "I'm so sorry I didn't see where I was going."

"It's okay; I didn't see where I was going either." He started picking up the papers that were near him and organized them when he saw a paper farther away from him, he reached for it before a large hand fell on top of his. Immediately feeling electricity shoot through his arm he looked up to see a handsome man with a smile that made his breath hitch. Kendall found out he was gay after he dated girls and never felt a connection to them until he kissed a boy through a dare and enjoyed it. There were a few guys at school that caught his eye, but the male before him was the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He had a beautiful tan skin; light brown hair with bangs above his eyebrows, it looked so soft it made him want to comb his fingers through it, with hazel eyes that seemed to glow and a smile with perfect pearly white teeth.

"Hey."

He blushed and quickly removed his hand, "h-hi, s-sorry about this." He raised his papers and the man chuckled.

"Don't worry about it." He said taking the paper and putting in the stack he picked up, "accidents happen."

He nodded and they both stood up, Kendall's eyes widened at his appearance. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a yellow tie, a white collared shirt underneath, dark blue slacks matching the suit with black loafers. Kendall noticed that the man was taller than by a few feet since he only reached his shoulders and he had to crane his neck to look up at him. The man's smile turned into a smirk as he noticed the teen eyeing him, when Kendall reached his face he noticed his smirk and quickly looked away stretching his arm for him to grab the papers.

"Thanks," he reached for them making sure to touch his hand as he grabbed his papers and slowly took them back sliding his fingers across the teen's hand making him shiver.

Kendall cleared his throat making sure not to stutter when he spoke, "well I have to get going."

Before he took a step the man was instantly in front of him, his cheeks burned at how close he was. "Are you lost?"

"N-not really," Kendall stuttered a bit before taking a step back.

The man raised a brow and took a step towards him, "it looks like you are." He took a map from his pile and showed it to him.

"I can explain," the man waited. Kendall quickly grabbed the map making the man blink when he saw his hand empty and looked at the teen that was quickly hiding the map in his back pocket. When he looked up he took his hand back and waited for him to speak. "…I'm lost."

He chuckled making the blonde blush and look away again. "It's okay; I got lost here a lot when I first came here." The blonde turned to him. "It took me a month to find my way around this labyrinth." The man smiled as he saw the blonde let out a small laugh.

"My name is James. James Diamond," he outstretched his hand. Kendall took his hand and shook.

"Kendall, Kendall Knight," his heart skipped a beat when James brought his hand to his luscious lips and kissed his knuckles.

"It's nice to meet you."

He swallowed nervously when he saw his hazel orbs staring at him with a smile gracing the same lips that touched his skin, "l-likewise."

"James!"

They both jumped from the noise and Kendall quickly took his hand back. James cursed under his breath.

"I, um, better go."

"But-," He turned to see him gone and looked around to see a flash of blonde hair turning a corner.

"James there you are," Logan Mitchell appeared from the same hallway James was in before. "I've been looking for you, did you get the contracts?"

He was surprised to see his best friend glaring daggers at him, "you have the worst timing; dude."

Placing a hand on his chest Kendall was breathing slowly trying to calm down his rapid beating heart. He looked at his hand and felt small pricks on his knuckles where James's lips touched, there was no way a guy could be that attractive amazing. He looked around and noticed that the hallway he was in was a bit bare except for a few paintings, but there were less than the others.

He started to walk keeping an eye out for the brunette or anything that would seem familiar to know where he was. Looking around he noticed how empty it felt like no one had used this hallway in years. He saw a dark brown door in the end and twisted the gold knob, he had a bit of difficulty before pulling it open, his eyes widened at the size of the living room. The ceiling and walls were light yellow with a brown tile floor and there was a large couch with a large flat screen TV hanging on the wall. There were chairs and other sofas scattered and a dark brown coffee table in the middle. He noticed a few movies scattered across the table, a blanket on the sofa and a door a few feet from the TV and figured out it's a kitchen when he saw the side of a refrigerator and kitchen utensils used for cooking.

"Logan!"

Wide eyed he turned to see a dark skinned boy about his age who had a similar expression when he saw the blonde standing in front of the door, he was wearing a gray shirt with blue jeans and black vans.

"Uh…Hi?"