On Saturday morning the rooster crowed at six in the morning, but it was not the poor animal that had awakened Theodore from his sleep. The noisy engine of the truck had brought him to reality.
Spinning on the soft mattress, the boy pondered sleeping late and going down just for lunch. On the other hand being stuck in his room all day just to avoid his father seemed a very unfair idea. The one who had invited him was Maggie, and the omega seemed eager for them to get along.
Then, with a lazy grumble Theodore had forced himself to get out of bed and take a cold shower to go down to the kitchen.
His biggest problem was having some argument with his father, like the other time. However he could not escape from reality, for it was to agree that he was wrong.
Theodore didn't think I was wrong.
Down the stairs, he had arrived in the kitchen without finding anyone. The trail of the aroma of coffee and fresh breads led to the back door, where there was a balcony with table set with breakfast. There were sitting his father and Maggie holding hands talking as they looked at the natural landscape.
They had not noticed their presence, and Theodore had chosen to watch them for a moment. As long as there were no tensions, silence and heartache, would that be the way your father would smile at his young bride? They looked like accomplices who whispered. They matched, in a way.
Maggie turned her head back widening her smile as she called Theodore with her hand.
― Good morning, Theodore. Come, we decided to have breakfast outside to enjoy the cool breeze.
Theodore turned to the couple, avoiding looking at his father. Maggie pulled out his chair to be among the men extending a cup to the blonde, who thanked him softly.
― Do you like pure coffee?
― I actually only take it with milk...
― I imagined, just like me. Here dear, fresh milk. Our Mimosa gave a little this morning.
― Mimosa?
— Having a Dutch cow and not calling it Mimosa is a real waste, don't you think? ― The woman laughed while serving milk inside the porcelain cup.
Sipping a sip of milk and coffee, Theodore had also begun to look at the landscape of the site. The manicured green lawn, the leafy trees that provided a pleasant and fresh shade. The sound of birds and animals. In the distance he could see some loose cattle.
For a moment he had felt a peace of mind there.
Until he saw someone approaching.
Theodore had not recognized the figure who was walking towards them, but had realized that he was a young boy. He wore clothes typical of a pawn, not forgetting the characteristic hat. Lowering his eyes to the cup in his hands when he heard his father blow his throat, Theodore tried not to show any interest.
— Good morning Bill, Maggie ― Greeted the boy, lowering his head in a wave. Soon arching the eyebrow for the young blond head down ― this is...
— My son ― Smile Maggie, passing her arm on Theodore's shoulder, making the blonde man lift his head to stare at the unknown boy. ― Theo this is Beto, son of my godchild and our pawn.
Theodore nodded in silent greeting, pulling smiles from this Bob.
― I didn't know you had a son that size..
― He's Bill's son, so he's mine too. We're getting to know each other better.
The pawn soon noticed the beautiful features of a young boy. His light eyes, the white skin of someone hiding from the sun and blond hair. Quite different from his boss, who had tanned skin and light brown eyes. Bob looked at Bill, who crossed his arms and frowned on him.
― What are you doing here so early?
― Work, come on. The harvest party is tonight, they asked me to kill some piglets for a party.
― You're here for help?
― That boss, I can handle. I'm a man of strength.
Bill had opened a sly smile laden with mockery, and then nodded his head as he stood up from the chair.
― Leave it to me. Go tend the cattle, soon the sun will be strong.
― Yes sir!
Turning to the bride, Bill stroked her hair gently.
― I'll be back for lunch.
― All right... see you later.
About to leave the small balcony, Beto arched his eyebrow pointing to the teenager who had remained seated in the chair.
― Hey, boss... You're not taking the boy with you?
Widening his eyes at the surprising invitation, Theodore began to sweat nervously.
It was quite common for parents to take their children to help at work, with the intention of showing them what they would do in the future. Working on a farm used to be something passed down from generation to generation, even fighting when the patriarch died. So Beto's question was not strange.
However, it caused strangeness.
The last thing he'd like to do is be alone with his father in an awkward silence. There's no way they should be alone.
― Just go do your job.
Beto scratched the back of his head and waved before going his way quietly. Bill had also left the balcony, causing the other two sighs relieved by surprise.
― That was close...
― Have some more coffee with milk, you look pale with fright. ― Offered Maggie, pushing the milkmaid to the boy who served.
― Today you have an appointment?
― Cooperative party. Although I know the people there, my friends won't be. Second reason I invited you here.
Theodore laughs against the cup.
― You think it's a good idea for me to go? I mean... It's my dad's place of work. He probably doesn't want me there.
— I'll keep you company, so don't be afraid. Oh, usually these parties go late, men love to drink too much. So rest a lot in the afternoon, see?
― I brought homework, so I think I'll study a little...
― Oh I'll leave my notebook in your room if you want to use it. Meanwhile I'll do some shopping in town, okay to be alone for a while?
― All right, go easy.
And so it was done. After breakfast Maggie had left with her little car for the city leaving Theodore at home alone. When he returned to his room he found a notebook Dell on the desk, probably left while the boy was washing the dishes.
Without much desire to study in the morning, the blonde will turn on the notebook and open the browser to access your profile on Orkut.
There was a friend request that wouldn't leave your page. The profile photo of the dark-haired boy and the gentle smile made Theodore's heart beat fast driving away the emotional storms. Gabriel's name seemed to shine on the computer screen.
He had not accepted his invitation until then, because he imagined that they would not approach after the work they did in the library. But in the end the player continued to be always on his side, and had almost kissed the day before.
Just remembering their closeness, and the touch of Gabriel's thumb on his lips... Oh, he could daydream.
Then Theodore had accepted the friend request, and Gabriel had become his friend on the social network.
He spent some time browsing the communities of Orkut, especially the fake web novels he liked to spend his hours reading. Choosing a new, misspelled story to follow, he was surprised when a chat window went up on his screen.
― Oh heavens.... He called me in the chat. What do I do? What do I do?
By clicking to open the chat, Theodore read the message with his hand on chest.
"Hi Theodore, can you give me your msn?".
― MSN... Okay... take a deep breath.
Theodore answered the message by sending his email to his friend, but soon remembered not being logged into his account. He had quickly opened the program on the computer, leaving Maggie's account.
― I'm sorry, Maggie, I promise to leave everything in place after I'm done using it.
As soon as he entered his account, he received the invitation from Gabriel. As soon as that morning had already made his heart race to full steam, thanks to a single person. Biting his lips, Theodore had not called his friend to talk, eagerly awaiting his initiative.
Soon the window had opened, and once again a silly smile grew on Theodore's face.
"Gabriel says:
Hi again! Here is better to talk. How are you?
Theodore says:
I'm fine, and you? Woke up early
Gabriel says:
Cleaning day, I was made a slave by my mother. You also got up early...
Theodore says:
I'm a good kid, I always get up early.
And the training yesterday, everything went well? Next week comes the key of the qualifiers.
Gabriel says:
I finally understand why Milles is calling the captain a cockatiel. He got a little rough in practice yesterday, but I'm alive."
Arching his eyebrow without properly understanding, Theodore soon remembered the reason, or possible reason, for his best friend to be angry. Her cheeks turned red as her fingers hurried to type.
"Theodore says:
Did he say anything to you yesterday?
Gabriel says:
No. Should he be?
Theodore says:
Of course not! I'm just asking
Gabriel says:
Did he fight with you? For being with me?"
Theodore bit his lips again when he thought of an answer. He could tell the truth, that Nicolas had asked him not to like Gabriel, but that would sound like a romantic confession, wouldn't it?
Shaking his head, the boy soon returned to typing.
"Theodore says:
You know about the fight he's got with Sadie, so Nico always asks me to be careful.
Gabriel says:
What the fuck, they keep pressuring you, too?
Theodore says:
What do you mean?
Gabriel says:
I'll be honest with you, since we're friends now.
I'm getting sick of people asking me to stay away from you. I get that something happened last year between you and Sadie's cousin, but I had nothing to do with it.
I told you, if I want to be your friend, I will be. Point."
Leaning against the desk chair, Theodore re-read the message questioning what had happened the previous afternoon to make Gabriel look so angry. Isn't it your fault? Because they're both seen together?
Was Gabriel being pressured because of Theodore?
If it wasn't enough that little guilt in his chest, the word friend was like a thorn.
How could he consider Gabriel just a friend when he wished to be hugged and kissed by him?
Laughing at himself pathetically, the omega had then returned to typing.
"Theodore says:
You don't have to be angry about that sort of thing. When people find out about me, they already think I'll seduce every handsome man I see. So your friends are being careful with you, just like Nico is worried about me.
Try to see the bright side of it, they care about you.
Gabriel says:
...
So you consider me handsome enough to seduce?"
Immediately Theodore choked on his own saliva, coughing loudly giving light beats to the chest. The blush had not only taken its face, making even the tips of the ears warm.
― What the fuck are you thinking?
Not believing what he read, Theodore buried his face in his hands, whining with happiness and shame. He had been unable to face the computer screen again for a few minutes, and was forced to do so when the conversation window shook and caught his attention.
Breathing deeply, he had returned to answer.
"Theodore says:
I'm here, you don't need to get my attention, you rude bastard.
Gabriel says:
Hahaha was bad, I could not resist
I thought I embarrassed you and you ran away from me.
Theodore says:
And do I have a chance to escape?
Gabriel says:
Of me?
Not even :)"
― If you keep looking for me while I'm trying to escape, how could I not fall in love with you? You idiot.
With a smile on his lips, Theodore had continued to talk to Gabriel all morning. It wasn't until he heard Maggie come back from shopping until Theodore came down to help her prepare lunch.