CHAPTER THREE - UNFORGETTABLE EVENING
“- so I told him, ‘look buddy, you never told me that!’”
The brunette laughed and brushed her soft, dark hair back behind her bare shoulders with her long manicured nails. Her eyes were glued to him, watching every movement and he smiled slightly as he saw them glide down his body.
Oh yeah, he’d caught this girl all right.
Drunkenly she placed a hand upon his face and he caught the intoxicating scent of her perfume weave about his head as she leant closer to him. “You’re a veeeeery niiiice boy, Nicky,” she crooned as she trailed her hand down his face and over his chest, working her way rapidly downwards.
“And you are very beautiful… um …” What was her name again? Angeline? Debbie? Nope, Debbie had been the cute blonde he’d made out with earlier until she ditched him for the dark haired guy with more muscles than Nick had had hot dinners. Some girls had no taste…
“Um…” Sarah? Michelle? Andrea?? It had been one hell of a night already and he was only out for a little bit of fun. Damn it! What was she called? Had he even got her name?
The nameless girl giggled as she leant forwards, saving him from finding a name for her by drunkenly forcing her lips upon his and pulling him closer to her.
Nick returned the lust filled kiss eagerly and slid his hands around her body, fiddling slightly with the bottom of her boob tube to press his hands against her bare stomach. She was definitely his now.
Finally she pulled away from him and pressed her head against his shoulder, one finger spinning circles on his chest. “Let’s go back to yours,” she whispered seductively.
Yeeeees! Mission accomplished!
“Sure baby,” he replied. “I’m staying at a hotel near here. My car’s out back.”
She smiled and rubbed her face against his neck, planting a few kisses as she did so. “Hotel… sounds good Niiiiiiiiiiiiiick.”
Hmmm… he took another look at the girl as she swayed slightly. She had definitely had a little too much alcohol. Nick on the other hand hadn’t drunk as much as he usually did, knowing that he was driving tonight and tomorrow he would have the long drive back home, which wouldn’t be easy with a hangover. Though thinking about it, it he could crash at Brian’s seeing as he lived near here and didn’t have to even bother with a hotel room… lucky bastard.
He wanted to enjoy tonight anyway. When was the last time he’d done this? All right, it was last week, but he’d been too drunk to remember who the hell it was. All he knew was that he had woken up in his bed with a killer headache, several love bites, a bra on his head and nothing else. That was the last time he let himself get that drunk… Brian and the others had teased him for days when they found out.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked. “You’re a little drunk.” He wanted her to enjoy this night as much as he intended to.
“It’s never stopped me before,” she said, giving him another strong kiss. “I’m so much better when I’m drunk. I’m naughtier.”
!!!????
YES!!!!
SCORE!!!!!
Nick grinned. “I’ll get my jacket then. You finish your drink, babe.” He gave another kiss on the mouth, savouring the taste of her lips for a second with relish. He needed this. He’d been working hard on his solo project recently and then there had been the charity concert last night. It was way time he had some R&R. He hadn’t met someone this hot for a while now… pity she wasn’t the type for a proper relationship. That’s what he really wanted, a nice girl he could truly fall in love with… but he couldn’t seem to find anybody like that at the moment. He was beginning to wonder if there was a girl in the world for him who wasn’t simply a pair of breasts in a tight top and mini skirt. He doubted if there was a single girl in this place who would understand him and appreciate him for him.
He’d been looking for a while now, but no one seemed right. He’d dated one beautiful girl for a brief period, but she had turned out to be more interested in his celebrity status than anything else.
Oh well, while waiting for a perfect girl to stroll into his life, he might as well have some fun.
Now… jacket. Where had he left it? And would it still be there by the time he remembered? Why was he even bothered about his jacket anyway when he had a horny girl with him anyway??
Because it was his favourite, a voice inside of him whined. He smiled at… whatever her name was again… It would only take a minute.
He pushed through the crowded dance floor, trying not to step on the feet of gorgeous women… or bulky men that could pound him to a pulp in one second.
Aha! Jacket!
He pushed past a dancing girl and crossed over to the table. There was a couple beside it happily kissing and they paid no attention to his lonely jacket as it hung from the back of a chair. Careful not to disturb the couple, he seized the black, leather jacket and then turned back towards the dance floor, eager to return to the girl.
For a moment he hesitated, wondering if he should go through with this. It never made him feel any better even if it was just some fun.
But it would be so much nicer to meet a girl who he truly cared about… Why couldn’t he find one? There were hundreds of girls out there who were lovely, but Nick couldn’t find a single one of them.
All he had at the moment, were girls who were only interested in one thing. Oh well, least he would have some fun tonight…
He started for a moment as he found his way back to the bar and realised that his girl had been replaced with an overweight man in his forties gulping down a pint of beer. He spun around, his eyes darting from girl to girl trying to find where the nameless brunette had gone.
“Hey, there was a dark haired girl here a moment ago, do you know where she went?” He asked.
The man’s eyes drifted away from the pole-dancing girls he was watching and glided over to Nick as he took another deep gulp of beer. “Yeah, there was a girl here. She threw herself at some blond haired guy. Almost fucked him there and then.”
“They left?” Nick asked, cursing his rotten luck. Trust him to pick the girl who was drunk enough to mistake any blond for him.
“Afraid so. She was screaming his name, Nick, and telling him to take here now. Looks like that dude is in for a hot night!”
“Aaww fuck not again!” Nick complained. This always happened to him! And tonight it was the second time! Damn! What was it about him?
“It’s your own fault! Rule one, once you’ve pulled don’t turn you’re back on them in case they leap onto someone else!” He downed the remainder of his drink and then moved over to join a group of dancing girls.
Glumly Nick sat down upon the empty stool. He was losing his touch it seemed. Not only could he not find a girlfriend, but he couldn’t find any girl whatsoever.
He gave another final glance about the crowded bar, most people having now found a partner for the evening and had flocked over to the dance floor. Suddenly Nick noticed a guy watching him in the far corner. The second their eyes met, the guy was coming towards him.
Crap! What did he do now?
“Hi, my name’s Will,” he said shyly as he held out a hand.
Don’t say anything! Do not encourage him!!
“I’m Nick.”
!
“Hey Nick, you wanna another drink.”
“Um, I better not.” Fuck, what did he do? What did he do? His eyes nervously glanced towards the dance floor and the exit on the opposite side. It proved to be a very bad move…
“Okay…Would you like to dance then?”
!?
“Um…”
NO! Get away from me!!
He wasn’t homophobic, but this was not what he needed on a night like this… Nick looked down to see Will’s fingers entangling with his own. Uh oh, this was getting bad…
“Uh, sorry no,” Nick said, forcefully unwinding his fingers from Will’s. What was the nicest way to put this? “I kinda don’t roll that way…”
Yes, that should get rid of him… Will may have been having a lousy night too but there was no way Nick was going to make it up for him…
“Why not?” Will asked, his eyes trailed across Nick’s chest. “You might like it.”
!! HELP!!
This was getting worse by the minute. “I have to go,” Nick said slipping out of his seat and almost leaping into the dance floor to escape Will. It wasn’t the first time a man had tried to talk to him in that way, but it always scared him a little when they wouldn’t go away. He dodged around a kissing couple and then glanced back over to the bar to see that Will now had his back turned and was ordering a drink. At least he wasn’t following…
He breathed a sigh of relief and then pushed his way to the edge of the dance floor before glancing down at his watch, trying to read the time via the flashing lights all around. It was getting pretty late now and Nick was bored with the whole night. He rubbed his eyes with his hand as he stood up and made his way towards the men’s bathroom. He’d had enough for tonight. He’d definitely had enough! The only person who’d been interested in him and not drunk had a been a guy. It was time to leave. He’d finish off here and then head on over to Brian’s. He’d promised he’d see him when he came up to do the charity show, but he’d been so busy with the interviews that he hadn’t had the chance to see him yet. He was planning on going tomorrow morning, but he might as well go now.
He groaned as he the white sign smiled at him from the wooden bathroom door. OUT OF ORDER. SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
What the hell? How could they not have functioning lavatories in a place like this packed with people? He shook his head in defeat, knowing that nothing good was going to come out of this night for him.
He slowly made his way towards the small exit, cringing as he saw the overweight man dirty dancing with two girls. Even he was doing better than Nick was…
“Hey babe, wanna dance?”
Nick turned at the voice and found a cute, redhead in her twenties staring at him from beneath a thick layer of make up. She smiled at him and Nick found his eyes travelling down her body and the bare legs that protruded from the short skirt.
Maybe it wasn’t going to be such a bad night after all…
Sorry Brian, but even you don’t have legs that good. Not that he’d ever taken a good look at Brian’s legs mind….
… but he really needed to pee.
“Um… yeah,” he said, his mouth turning dry as he continued to stare at her. “But I gotta go out back for a moment.”
“Aaww shame,” she said, moving closer to him. “Because I think you’re looking rather hot.”
“I’ll be back in a moment,” nick whispered, his breathing becoming ragged and his heart beating harder as he felt her breath on his face.
“You better be.”
Before Nick could do anything else, she was kissing him hard and her hands were travelling down the back of his body. Just as Nick was adjusting to the sudden kiss, she pulled away from him leaving him breathless.
“I want you back in five minutes,” she ordered. “Or I’ll join that guy.” She nodded towards a lonely looking dark haired man sat by himself. “He looks like he needs some entertainment.”
Nick was dying to just grab her and hurl her up against the wall to satisfy his lust filled body, but unfortunately another part of his anatomy was bursting for urgent business.
“I’ll be back in two,” he promised, pressing his hot lips against hers again.
Regretfully he pulled away and headed for the door. He turned his head and saw the redhead leaning against the wall, her eyes fixed upon him. She would wait. Nick smiled to himself as he pushed through the double doors into the night.
The cold air was a shock to his flushed skin as he exited the bar. The wind blew the rain into his face and he instinctively hunched his shoulders against the harsh weather. He shivered as he slipped his jacket on over his arms and glanced about the dark street.
It was almost empty apart from a few prostitutes that had gathered on the opposite corner and were chatting to each other in high, screechy voices that cut through the night. Nick turned away from them, refusing to make eye contact and draw them closer. Some things he wouldn’t even sink low enough to do. It was one thing to meet a girl at a club and take her home, but it was another to be desperate enough to have to pay for it…
He turned up one of the dark, side alleys where the gloom would hide him from view. He knew there was no danger of being attacked. It may have been a shabby part of the town, but it wasn’t dangerous… well not for grown men like Nick anyway. The only people he’d ever met in a dark alley was a couple he’d almost tripped over who were…. Well busy to say the least.
He wouldn’t advise any kid or women to venture down here in the dark though. Anyone could be hiding in those shadows.
He made sure that he was well out of sight of the prostitutes before he turned to face the wall and unzip his flies.
‘Geez, how many people would kill for this picture? A Backstreet Boy taking a leak in an alley?’
Ha! He could only imagine what the media would do if they had a photograph of him in an alley with his codger hanging out of his pants…
He was just about to relax when he heard the whimper. He froze and then he saw the eyes watching him from the gloom. Very, very, very frightened eyes at that. They were wide with horror as they saw him above them and then there was another whimper as a pale hand wrapped itself over the eyes to hide them from view.
“Oh fuck! I am so sorry!” Nick said, rapidly trying to push everything back inside and pull his zipper back up, cursing as it stuck. He grunted as he did his pants back up and then peered into the shadows to see who it was he’d just frightened and whose mind he’d just warped forever by showing them something they really didn’t need to see…
Oh God…
… It was a kid!
“Kid, I’m so sorry!” he cried as the eyes looked back at him. “”I really am!”
‘Congratulations Carter. You’re an official pervert now. A kid really did not need to see your manhood hanging out on a dark night.’
It was a boy and he was definitely young or he appeared to look so, the innocent face showed that… although Nick had just shattered most of that innocence. The age was hard to pin point but Nick would roughly have guessed that he was a teenager… and a teenager not used to being on his own at that.
He leant down and moved closer into the darkness and saw that the boy was wrapped in the remains of a tattered cloak with a hood that covered his hair. He was curled up in a foetal position between the filthy trash cans and rubbish bags that lined the alley. He whimpered again and wriggled back to try and hide himself, his head turned away from Nick as if trying to block him from his life.
Nick gulped and felt an awful burning inside of his chest as he realised that he would have hit the kid if he had not seen him in time. “I’m sorry. I’m not going to hurt you… I would never have done that if I had known you were there.”
The kid did not reply and his face remained stubbornly turned away from him. Nick frowned in concern as he took in the paleness of the face and the redness that surrounded the green eyes. Dirt covered his cheeks and so did a huge, black bruise that made Nick want to wince in sympathy The bundle sneezed and then coughed, spluttering slightly as it did. The kid wiped his face on the grubby cloak and shivered as he pulled it tighter about him to ward off the cold and the rain.
But he didn’t look as if he was having much luck.
There were hundreds of homeless people in the streets and Nick had seemed them countless times squatting in the roads at night, but he had never seen one so young. He pressed a hand to his face. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
The boy coughed again and then stared back up at him. His green eyes widened slightly in what could be nothing less than recognition. “N- Nick?” he whispered his voice faint and frail as it shook with the cold.
“How do you know that?” Nick asked, before kicking himself inwardly for being so dumb. Duh! He was a Backstreet Boy! Everybody knew him!
But there was something about the way the boy looked at him that unnerved him, almost as if he truly did know him.
The boy fidgeted to sit up straight and his eyes started imploringly up at Nick, begging him for help. For a moment as the light from the moon hit his face, Nick could have sworn it was Brian sat in the shadows… the face was the same.
“Nick…” Tears were dribbling from those puppy eyes now and trickling down the grubby, bruised cheeks as the boy held out a hand towards him.
Nick crouched down further on the filthy pavement, all thoughts of women and alcohol obliterated as he stared at the defenceless thing before him…
“Um…” What did he do now? The boy was clearly distressed… Nick forced back all revulsion at the dirty bundle and all pride slipped away as he reached forward to embrace him, knowing nothing else that be of comfort. His arms wrapped about the skinny body and the boy’s head fell onto his shoulder before he began to sob.
“Help…” he whispered through the tears. The hood slipped away from his face and Nick saw that his head was covered in light brown curls. He pressed a hand to the back of his head and then gently pulled away from him.
He did not look well and he wasn’t used to being in situations like this. It all showed in the eyes, eyes that radiated desperateness.
“What are you doing out at this time of night in a place like this?” Nick asked, thinking of the drunks that would soon emerge from the bar after closing time. This was no place for a kid.
“I – I’m lost,” he murmured, wiping rainwater away from his face and pulling his hood back up.
“Where are your parents? Your mom?”
Somebody was probably going out of their mind while this thing wandered the streets in the dark…
“He sniffed and for a second his face crumpled. “She’s dead,” he said eventually.
Or maybe not…
Nick’s heart was stung at the words. Every child should have a mother. His parents had been essential for him when he was growing up and his mother was the world and more to him. He couldn’t imagine not having her with him…
“And your dad?” he asked, trying to keep the deep emotions out of his voice.
The tears continued to fall. “Kadaron Avenue,” he whispered, although he looked as if his father had died too…
“Is that where you’re trying to get to?” Nick asked softly.
He nodded and slowly staggered to his feet, but there was something wrong with the way he leant up against the wall, almost as if he was in pain. “Which way?”
“You’re way in the wrong neighbourhood. You’ll need a cab to get there,” Nick said.
‘A cab?! Don’t be a selfish bastard Carter! It’s a kid! He won’t last much longer if you let him walk off alone!’
“I’ll walk. Which way?” the fragile voice asked again.
“No, I’ll give you a ride,” Nick replied. He wasn’t letting this sweet kid go anywhere alone. He’d never forgive himself if he did and his heart would tear him apart. Something like that didn’t belong on the streets at night. “I know the place well, my friend lives on the same street.”
‘What about the girl? The girl!’ his thoughts screamed at him.
But the girl didn’t matter anymore and neither did sex. Nothing mattered to him more than the safety of this lost boy in front of him who was in desperate need of help. He didn’t want to go back to the bar and nobody with a heart could have walked away.
“I’m fine… really…” he said as he limped forward a few paces and then almost collapsed.
Nick caught him before he could hit the floor and the boy clung to him protectively. Nick slowly slipped his jacket off and wrapped about his shivering shoulders.
“No, I’m giving you a ride home. I want to see my friend anyway. Besides it’s freezing, it’s raining…” He watched as the boy clutched the jacket about him and coughed. “And you’re not very well. I’m taking you home.”
He looked as if he might protest, but then he nodded. “Thank you,” he whispered, wiping his tearful face upon the cloak.
“No probs,” Nick replied. “My car’s this way.”
He began to stride off down the alley and then he stopped and waited for the boy to catch him up. He tensed slightly as he noticed that he limped and his face was contorted with pain. When he’d caught him up, Nick gently took his arm and helped him to the end of the alley.
As they stepped into the orange glow of the streetlight, Nick’s eyes suddenly noticed the red stains upon the bottom of the cloak. “You’re bleeding,” he said. “You’re hurt, I should take you to the hospital.”
He shook his head. “No… Please, just take me to my dad. He’ll look after me.”
Feeling awkward and uneasy, Nick led his little friend past the prostitutes who called out rude comments as they saw the boy clinging onto Nick’s arm.
“Ignore them,” Nick whispered.
The boy didn’t reply and Nick led him across the road and to the car lot on the other side. Slowly he released his arm as he fumbled for the car keys in his pocket and then deactivated the alarm of the black BMW.
His eyes flickered to the kid, wondering if he would see an impressed light in his eyes. Nick didn’t just let anyone inside his cars. Maybe a ride with a Backstreet Boy would help to assure him that his ordeal on the streets was over.
However the kid just stood still on the concrete floor, quivering in the cold as he wrapped his arms about Nick’s jacket and his own cloak.
Nick sighed and opened the door for the boy to clamber inside. “Go on,” he said, seeing the boy’s eyes dart about the car lot and then back to Nick’s car nervously.
The boy glanced down at his filthy coat. “I don’t want to mess your car up,” he said, staring at the immaculate tidiness of the car.
Nick’s heart was melting at the thoughtfulness of the kid. “Don’t worry about it,” he said.
Slowly and uncertainly the boy sat down and Nick closed the door behind him before clambering into the driver’s seat the other side. He glanced across at the boy and saw that he was seated nervously, clearly uncomfortable in such a vehicle. “All right?” Nick asked.
He nodded, but still he did not look happy.
“What’s your name?” Nick asked as he strapped himself in.
There was a pause. A pause that was conveniently long enough for the boy to register the question and then choose a random name.
“Uh… Sam…”
Sam… Why did Nick not believe him? He didn’t look like a Sam at all, but then again Nick now shared the view along with the rest of the Backstreet Boys that anyone called Sam or Sammy should be blond and cute and little…
Well, the cute seemed to fit and so did the little, because he was quite small…. Actually he was blond as well…. But he still did not look like a Sam.
“Do you know me from the band?” Nick asked, deciding not to pursue the real name as he saw ‘Sam’ trembling in his seat.
“Yes,” he whispered as he fiddled with the safety belt, almost as if he had never used one before. Nick backed the car out of the space before driving out of the car lot and down the dark, empty street. His eyes flickered back to the shivering ‘Sam’ who was looking out of the window and watching as the streets rolled by, the hood still covering those light locks.
Nick carefully leant forwards and flicked the switch to initiate the heating. That should warm the poor, frozen thing up a bit, he decided.
Sam coughed and sniffled and he covered his face with his hands as he coughed again.
“Got a cold?” Nick enquired.
“Yeah,” he replied.
Nick reached down below his seat and his fingers fidgeted until they clasped the pack of tissues. He pulled one out and handed it to Sam. “There you go.”
“Thank you.” Sam took it and blew his nose nosily before placing the tissue into a pocket hidden beneath the cloak.
“What number is your house?” he asked as he drove onto the freeway.
Sam turned to Nick, his face blank. He seemed to think for a moment. “Twelve?” he tried.
Nick frowned. “You don’t sound so sure.”
“I never been there before.”
“Don’t you see your dad often?” Nick asked.
“No. He, um, moved house and I haven’t been to the new home yet.”
Likely story. Nick didn’t know what to make of it all. Some parts seemed true, but Sam seemed to be covering other parts up. What was he hiding from? Nick wasn’t going to hurt him…
‘But he’s probably still freaked after what happened in the alley…’
Nick wouldn’t trust anybody who flashed at him when he was scared and alone…
“Who looks after you?” he asked as the silence began to fill the car with tension.
“I live with my brother and a few friends.”
“Where does your brother live?”
“A long way from here. I wanted to see my dad.”
Sam was clearly not willing to give Nick any more information than he had to. “Does he know you’re here?”
There was a pause. “Yes,” Sam said eventually.
‘That probably means no then,’ Nick thought to himself.
Sam sniffed again and then struggled to wiggle out of Nick’s jacket. He leaned over and placed it on the back seat.
“You can keep it,” Nick said suddenly. “It’ll keep you warm next time you decide to go out at night.”
He loved that jacket. He didn’t know why, but he liked it… but he also liked this kid as well.
“I – I couldn’t take it,” Sam replied quickly.
“It’s okay, I can buy another one.”
Sam didn’t say anything. He looked down at his own ripped cloak and Nick’s tried not to stare too much at the bloodstains that covered it. Sam slipped the cloak off and Nick saw that his T-Shirt and pants were in a much better condition than the cloak, but they were still a little grubby and worn. He slowed down to pull off the road and eyed Sam as he placed his hands by the heater. He must have been close to freezing to death outside with nothing but those thin clothes and the tatty cloak.
“Cool watch,” Nick commented as he spotted the metal band about his wrist with several buttons upon it. “I’ve not seen one of those before.”
“It’s broken,” Sam said sadly. He placed a hand over it and pressed some of the buttons, looking depressed as nothing happened. “My brother will kill me.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand.” Nick doubted if anybody could find it in them to be mad at this kid. He just looked so young… “How old are you?”
“Seventeen. Eighteen in two months,” he replied.
Almost eighteen!? Nick would never have guessed he was that old. Maybe sixteen… but he really did have the lost look about him that made Nick want to hug him.
“We’re here now,” Nick said as he turned the car onto Kadaron Avenue. Huge, beautiful houses loomed up either side of them. Nick had forgotten how pretty the neighbourhood was. “Twelve was it?”
“Yeah… but drop me here and I’ll walk the rest of the way.”
“No, I’m taking you to your door, besides maybe I should have a word with your dad.”
“No!” Sam said, looking horrified. “I – I’ll be fine.”
Nick gazed at him for a moment as he pulled the car to a halt outside one of the most immaculate houses on the street. Not even Brian had one looking this expensive. His friend had chosen to downplay a little more. “Here you go.”
“Thank you,” Sam said as he began to pull his cloak back on.
Nick’s eyes widened slightly as he suddenly saw the long, red mark upon his arm. “Where the hell did you get that?”
“Huh?” He looked down at his arm and then saw the scar. “Oh… a curse,” he said simply. “Had it for years.”
He struggled to tear the safety belt away, frowning as it wouldn’t move.
“Try the red button,” Nick suggested.
“Uh… thanks.”
Sam successfully freed himself from his safety belt and carefully opened the door. Nick glanced at the house to his left and sighed, knowing that the kid couldn’t possibly live here with clothes like that.
“Sure you’re okay?” he asked.
Sam nodded and for the first time he smiled… and it was genuine. “Yes.”
Nick smiled back at him. Obviously there was somewhere nearby the kid could go to… and Nick just prayed that he would be safe there. He reached behind him and seized his jacket before tossing it out to Sam. “Take the jacket,” he ordered.
Sam caught it in his hands and stared down at it and then back at Nick. “But it’s yours.”
“It’s freezing out there,” Nick said. “Take it.”
Sam slowly pulled it over his shoulders. It was ridiculously big and baggy on him but at least it was waterproof and would keep him warm until he found wherever he was looking for…
“Thank you Nick.”
“You’re welcome. You take care of yourself,” Nick said softly as he saw Sam coughing again.
Sam gave him one last smile and then slowly he began to walk across towards the house. Nick watched him for a few moments and then sighed as he saw Sam waiting on the sidewalk. He understood the message and slowly began to drive down the avenue towards Brian’s house. As he passed, he saw Sam wave at him. He glanced in the mirror and watched as Sam moved away from the house and began to walk down the road.
He shook his head, wondering what would become of him. He was a sweet kid, but also a kid with a lot of problems from the looks of things.
But he was grateful for the ride and Nick knew that he had done something good for him. He had been pleased when he stood on the sidewalk. Maybe his dad really did live down here somewhere…
* * * * *
Nick had known he was lying, he had seen it in his eyes. If only he had known the truth…
He shivered in the wind as he watched Nick’s car pull away. He had been lucky to run into him… very lucky. He probably would have died in that alley without him.
He watched as Nick pulled into a driveway further down the avenue.
Ah ha!
He smiled weakly to himself and the tears spilled out onto his cheeks in relief. It was over now… he would be safe soon and no one could have followed him and Nick. He’d been watching from the window.
He pulled the warm jacket tighter to him and then crept into the bushes of the house in front of him. He would have to wait. As much as he wanted to run down to that house and scream his arrival… e couldn’t. Not whilst Nick was there.
He would just have to wait.
He sneezed again and found out the tissue Nick had given to him. Damn cold… Damn thing wouldn’t go away…
He settled down amidst the leaves and then stared up at the sky. He would be home soon.