"Is anybody home?" Tommy asked loudly as he entered his house, as usual. And as usual, nobody answered. His father never came back home earlier than 1800 hours. Tommy threw his backpack on one of the sofas in the living room and went in the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Oh, a note!" Tommy whispered as he noticed a piece of paper scotched on the fridge-door. "A guest will arrive at around 5pm, please be nice. Dad" was written on the note. Tommy wondered if that guest was one of his father's associates as he drank his glass of water. "Guest coming means some cleaning!" Tommy said to himself with a smile.

The living room was in a mess. Some old newspapers here and there, some dirty glasses and plates on the small rectangular table infront of the light-creamed coloured couch, Tommy cleaned everything. Ever since his mother decided to demand the divorce, 'home-life' has been a real hell for the young boy. Sure, he didn't really understand how could his mother leave him and his father like that but, he did his best for his father. Tommy was angry at his mother. A long time would pass before he accept to forgive her. "All neat and clean," Tommy whispered with a smile after the clean-up.

It was almost 1600 hours when Tommy finished cleaning. He went up to take a bath and then sat infront of the tv to watch some shows, with a sack of chips and a glass of orange juice on the small table. The phone rang. Tommy lowered the volume of the tv, got up from the couch and went to pick up the phone which was found near the stairs.

"Hello," Tommy said, trying to be cheerful. Once, Fox told him that whenever he, that is Tommy, picked up the phone and say 'hello', he sound like if he has been bothered by the call. So, Tommy always tried to sound cheerful whenever he picked up the phone.

"Um...hello..." replied the voice at the other end of the line. Tommy immediately recognized the voice. "Tommy? Is that you?"

"Yeah. Hi mom," answered Tommy, his good mood disappearing from his voice. His mother noticed it but didn't say anything.

"How are you doing, honey?"

"I'm okay."

"Oh...and how are you doing in school?"

"It's okay."

"And...um...how are things going with your father?"

"We're doing really great."

"That's...nice. Is your father around?"

"No."

There was a moment of silence, of cold silence.

"Alright then. I have to go now. I'll probably call later. Be a nice boy, all right my dear?"

"Okay."

"Um...goodbye."

"Bye."

Tommy hanged up the phone and then went back to his tv show. After a few moments, tears ran on his cheeks.

The afternoon sun was burning lightly as Taylor walked towards the hospital. He was going to visit the most important person in his heart and soul, Shawn Rulin. Taylor loved the latter more than anything else. He loved to be the one Shawn always confessed to, the one with whom Shawn always loved to be, the one whom Shawn gave his heart to. Sure, recently, a stupid blond-ass stealed Shawn from him but as soon as the brown haired boy wakes up, Taylor will do everything to get him back to love him like before. Before everything fell apart.

The hospital was a bit desert on this wednesday afternoon. The visitors were more numerous on week-ends. Taylor bought a rose before coming to the temporary home of his angel, everyday he comes at the hospital, Taylor buys a rose. Shawn deserved every single one. The red rose to symbolize the infinite passion Taylor has for his angel. For his sweet angel.

Taylor was going to enter Shawn's room but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the voice coming out of the room. It was him. That stupid blond-ass. Corey Farmer. Taylor hated the latter with all the puissance of his heart. He had wished so many times to be able to kick the butt of that monkey faced dumbo. Taylor wanted to go in just to bug his rival but decided to stay there and wait. He wanted to hear what Corey was saying. Just in case the latter would say something that could help Taylor to break his(Corey's) relationship with Shawn.

"...and that's how Mr. Hosie menaced me. I know he would be more than happy to see me leave me school or something," Corey said to his lovely, but sleepy, boyfriend. "Even if he succeeds in kicking me out of school...it wouldn't really matter to me. I don't even care about school anymore," He paused for a second, tears came to his eyes, "I don't care about anything but you..." Tears started to run freely on the french boy's cheeks. He had cried so many times during those past weeks, it was now like a routine.

Taylor felt a pinch to his heart when he heard that last sentence. Though he didn't want to admit it, he knew that Corey really loved Shawn. That stupid blond-ass would be probably very far away now if he was the one responsible for Shawn's coma. The police didn't go further with their investigation, they concluded that Shawn fell in a coma 'naturally'.

"You remember that job I applied for last week? Well, I got it. At least now, I'll have some pocket money to spend. Okay, I know it's a small little job in an ice-cream shop and that only teenagers could apply and...well...okay it sucks like job. It's like one of those summer jobs. But what can I do? My Aunt, who is my only family left, only send enough money to pay the bills and enough for the food," explained Corey, trying to be in his usual mood.

But it didn't last long. His pain was too much to handle, he broke in tears and pressed his face against Shawn's tummy. "I need you!!! Come baaaack!!!! Sh..Shawn!! Je t'en supplie...reviens moi!!!! I won't...(sob)...be able to resist any longer...I...I don't have anyone...No one gave me...no one gave me a single...hug...since...you and...my mom left me. I'm... I'm so fucking tired...COME BACK!!!!!! C...come back...."

Corey went on crying. His eyes were red and puffy, his whole face was damp with a mixture of sweat and tears. He did cry a bit when he was on his bed at night but...never like he did when he was sitting next to Shawn's hospital bed. It relieved his heart somehow. Even though Shawn was asleep, Corey found comfort by being besides him. The french boy stopped talking to Tommy, Fox and...Kevin. Yes, even Kevin. Not that he disliked them but...just that he didn't feel close enough to them to be able to be himself. When Shawn was there, smiling, talking, singing false sometimes, it was different. Now...he didn't have anyone.

"I...I've got to go now...I've to be in the ice-cream shop...in ten minutes...I'll try to come back later...okay?..." The french boy said as he lifted up his face and wiped out his tears and snot with his dark blue handkerchief. "...i love you..." He kissed his boyfriend on the forehead, then on the lips. "...see ya..." He whispered before heading towards the door. Taylor was already hidden when Corey walked out of the room. Taylor stared at the blond for a moment as the latter disappeared in the corridor and for the first time, he felt sorry for him.

After spending half an hour with his angel, Taylor left the hospital and headed to the 'Sunrise Ice-Cream Shop'. It was the only one who needed another employee. No, the shop wasn't really abundant in customers but the owner decided to reduce his work-time. From 10am to 4pm, he would be in charge of the shop and as from 4pm up to 6pm, it would be the new employee, in that case, Corey.

Taylor decided that it was high time to have a chat with Corey. No, he didn't give up the idea of getting Shawn back but for the time being, he would just stop teasing or insulting the french blond. Why? Because Taylor felt sorry for the poor guy, the latter lost his mother and...one of his intimate friends was in a coma. And to add to all that, Corey didn't have anyone to turn to. But, as soon as Shawn wakes up, Taylor will have no mercy for his rival.

There was no clients went Taylor entered the ice cream shop. The sun was going down, the shop was half filled with a dark orange glow and the other half was almost darkened. Corey was wiping the counter with a soaked brown rag when Taylor sat at one of the tables infront. Of course, Corey was surprised to see Taylor sitting there infront of him and expected a fight or something. But, no, Taylor just sat there and waited for Corey to take his command.

"What a day," Corey thought when he approached the table. He guessed that Taylor just wanted to humiliate him. Corey was waiting for Taylor to tell him what he decided to order. Taylor didn't say anything. He was just staring at the french blond. "May I take your order, please?" Corey asked, very coldly.

Taylor smiled and asked for a small cup of vanilla ice-cream. Corey went behind the counter to fill a small cup and came back to the table. "Um...give me another one, same thing," Taylor asked.

"You didn't even start eating this one," Corey commented, still as emotionless as possible. But Taylor insisted for another one. "Okay, 'you' are the client," Corey replied before going filling another cup. He placed the second cup on the table and as he was going back to his work...

"Excuse me!" Taylor said loudly. Corey stopped walking and turned back to face his client. "I need something else," Taylor said with a little smile. Corey approached the table.

"WHAT NOW??? ANOTHER CUP OF ICE CREAM???" Corey asked angrily and loudly as he clenched his fists. It surprised Taylor but he stayed cool.

"No wonder this place is desert. I wonder how you got this job," Taylor said, a little smile across his face. Corey was going to go back to his work when Taylor said something else, "I wanted to talk to you. I thought as there were no other clients, you could..." Corey looked back at Taylor with a confused look in his eyes, "...I thought we could chat a bit. But if you're too busy, then, too bad! I can't believe I bought this other cup for you. Geez, nowadays people can be soooo mean," Taylor said before digging the small transparent plastic spoon in the icy white liquid.

Corey stood still for a moment, confused. Was it a trap? Was it a stupid joke Taylor was playing on him? Or...maybe...Taylor decided to stop the fight? After a long moment of hesitation, Corey went to sit at Taylor's table. "I...I'm sorry...for yelling earlier..." Corey apologized, his voice was a bit weak.

Taylor sighed with a little smile, "It's okay. All my fault. It's already forgotten. Now eat or else I'll be offensed!" Taylor sounded like he always had been before. A cheerful guy.

Corey smiled back weakly, "Thanks." He didn't know what to think of all that so he just started to eat the ice cream Taylor bought for him. Maybe it was the end of the war, after all.

"Soooo...what's up?" Taylor asked, sounding like if there had never been any tension between he and the french blond.

"W-What?" Corey asked back. He did understand the question, but, he didn't know what to say. Taylor wasn't someone Corey could talk about everything and anything.

"Didn't sound 'normal', eh?" Taylor demanded with his usual little smile. "I know...I've been really...you know...a bit brutal to you...but... I don't want to go on like that...I mean...I know Shawn suffered from our usual fights and..." Taylor was a bit lost in his speech. He didn't know how to end it. Corey understood his difficulty.

"I can't say my life is...paradisiac right now. M...my grades are all quite low and...um...living all alone in my...in my..." Corey tried his best but everytime he thought about his mother, tears came to his eyes, "...my aunt...my aunt told the lawyers that...she would come here soon...but she got some problems...to solve first."

"I thought...I thought you were friends with Tommy and the others, why don't you ask them to...you know...help you out or something?" Taylor asked. He had some trouble talking 'nicely' to his rival but, he wanted to make that effort. Shawn would be proud of him.

"To them, I'm more known as 'Shawn's bo...Shawn's good friend' and not as Corey. It's not that they...are not friendly or anything but... they just don't feel so close to me. So...it's better for me to stay alone," Corey explained, with some difficulty, of course. But, he did feel a bit better to have someone listening to him.

"I'm sure if...I'm sure if you let them, they would be glad to help you out," Taylor replied as he ate a spoonful of ice-cream.

"I...I would feel like begging for them to talk to me, that's why I don't want to...go to them," Corey said. He lowered his eyes. He wanted to cry, to scream.

"That's Shawn's favourite," Taylor said as he finished his cup. Corey stared back at him, not really understanding what he was talking about. "Vanilla ice-cream, that's Shawn's favourite," Taylor repeated, a smile full of love appearing on his face as he thought of his angel.

"Yeah, true," Corey replied with a smile. He had finished his cup too. Taylor remained silent, so did Corey. It lasted for a little moment. Then, Corey got up from the chair and took the two empty cups in his hand. "I've to close the shop...thanks for coming by," Corey said, but with a friendly voice.

"No problem," Taylor replied as he got up too. Corey threw the empty cups in the trash bin found near the counter and then approached Taylor to say good bye. But as Corey timidly gave Taylor his hand for a shake, the latter pulled him closer for a hug. It surprised the french blond. "I love Shawn more than anything, you know that, right?" Taylor asked, still holding the hug.

Only Taylor was holding the hug, Corey was too surprised to hug him back. "Y-Yeah..." replied the french boy.

"Shawn...Shawn has...a lot of affection for you. And I'm sure he would be very upset if he...if he see you like that. And I'm sure he would be very mad at me if I don't do something to...to help you out. So...so...I...I decided to help you and...and...t-take...t-take care..." Taylor started to sob as the emotion got the best of him.

After hearing that, Corey hugged Taylor back. He never would have thought that Taylor would be the one to console him but, Corey felt so good to be...in a 'friend's' arms. "T-Thank you...so...much!!" Corey said before breaking in tears on the shoulder of Taylor.

Finally, after a long moment, both boys gently broke the hug. "It's...it's no big deal. I'm sure...I'm sure that's what Shawn would...have asked me to do. If...if ever I refused... he would torture me by...started to sing!" Taylor said with a smile as he wiped out his tears. It wasn't as much as Corey's though, who laughed a bit after what Taylor just said.

After a little moment of silence, Corey said with a smile, "I-I got to close the shop. I..." Corey didn't know whether it was too early to ask.

"Yeah?" Taylor asked, noticing Corey's sudden 'freeze'.

Corey hesitated for a short moment but finally decided to ask, "Would you like to come home...we could do some homework or something...would...would you?" Corey lowered his eyes, a bit scared of a refusal.

"I...I would love to...but I've to ask my m...parents first. Can I use the phone?" Taylor replied with a warm smile.

"Y-Yeah, sure," replied the french boy, smiling back. Corey couldn't believe it. He actually asked Taylor to come to his house. And the latter accepted gladly. "If Taylor forgave me, then maybe...'he' will forgive me," Corey thought with hope filling his broken heart.

Written by Cloud Angel
Copyright © 2002 by Cloud Angel,
All rights reserved