I came down with a case of Bronchitis this week and have been doped up with codeine cough syrup to breath. So, instead of writing something new, which would likely not make much sense in my drugged up state, I am posting Liam and Alex's flashbacks from Christmas Tradition. This is not meant to be a whole story. It is just flash backs during the present day story. Hope you enjoy and I will post something new once I am feeling better. =)
Liam
I would love to be able to say that the first time I saw him I knew he was the one for me. It would be so romantic. But Alex was my roommate Terry’s lab partner in whatever gen ed science class they had been forced to take. So I’d seen him around, even talked to him a few times.
The first time I really noticed him was on a rainy day in early October. I walked out of the building where my euro civ class had been and everything around me sparkled with a glistening sheen from the recent drizzle. If hadn’t known better, I would have said it was an early spring day, sun shining through the clouds filled with anticipation for the coming summer.
As I stepped into the quad, I glanced up and saw him standing there outside the side entrance to one of the upper class dorms. His dark hair was damp and wild from the brief rain and a ray of brilliant sunlight shone directly down on him, illuminating him and reflecting the happiness in his face.
He was laughing at something that a small, skinny girl next to him had said. It bubbled out of him and he looked like a completely different person than the shy geek I had seen with my roommate those few times.
He was laughing at something that a small, skinny girl next to him had said. It bubbled out of him and he looked like a completely different person than the shy geek I had seen with my roommate those few times.
In that moment, something about him called to me and I knew I had to get to know this bright and beautiful boy. I wanted to be the one that caused him to light up from the inside like that.
Again, I wish I could say that from that moment on I convinced him of my love and we rode off into the sunset together. But nothing worth it is ever that easy.
2 months later
“Come on Liam. I can’t believe you even got me a present. Just a little hint.”
We were sitting a table in the cafeteria and I had made the mistake of telling him I had Christmas present for him. This was only the third time we had hung out together without Terry there but since that day in October when I had really seen him, I made a point of being around more when Terry and Alex were working together.
He had commented on some of the drawings I had hung around my side of the room. I don’t think he realized I had drawn them in my charcoal drawing class since they were framed and matted like something you would buy at the store. I was actually pretty nervous because I had been working on Alex’s drawing for a month or so and I hoped he liked it.
This was the last time we would see each other before the break so it was now or never. “I don’t need to give you a hint, since I am giving the present to you now.” I said with a bit of exasperation.
He grinned as I handed the carefully wrapped package across the table to him. He ripped into it with a childlike glee that I could stare at all day long.
When he finally got all the paper out of the way so he could see what I had given him, a look of surprise froze his face for just a moment until it was replaced by a softening of his eyes with amazement and a little bit of confusion.
“You drew this?” he breathed quietly.
“Yeah,” I replied nervously, “I hope you like it. I mean it’s not professional or anything but you seemed to like my other drawings so…”
I stopped talking suddenly as he touched my hand, just for a second. My heart beat wildly and hot shivers ran through me emanating from where his fingers had brushed across mine.
“It’s amazing.” He kept glancing between me and the picture I had drawn of him, with his hair damp and wild and laughter in every line of his body. And right there in the cafeteria, I saw him light up from the inside again, just for a moment.
“Merry Christmas, Alex.”
***
Alex
I pulled out the drawing Liam had given me for Christmas and stared at it. It had been three months and I still couldn’t get over how amazing it was. It’s like he looked at me and saw who I wanted to be instead of who I was. And then drew it. It was then that I was forced to admit to myself what I had been avoiding for the past few months. I was gay and I had a major crush on Liam Sheehan.
It was spring break now and it had taken me that long to work up the courage to tell my family. I knew that Liam was out to his family and that if we were going to have any chance at a relationship then I didn’t want to make him hide.
I heard Carrie’s tentative knock on my door and called for her to come in. She hadn’t said much when I told her and my parents after dinner so I wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole thing.
She sat on my bed and then looked up at me and I am not sure if I could have been more shocked than when I saw a shit eating grin on her face.
“So, you must like a boy, huh? Like him enough to finally tell us.” I blushed.
“Um, yeah. His name is Liam.” I smiled shyly at my sister. “I..I think I could fall in love with him.” I had never thought that she would be this okay with my being gay.
“He drew that for you didn’t he?” She asked, indicating the drawing I still had in my hand. When I looked up her, a little startled, she added, “You get this dreamy look in your eyes every time you look at it and I can’t imagine you are that in love with yourself so it had to be the person who drew it.”
“Yeah, he drew it.” I replied, wondering when 15 year old girls had gotten so insightful. We talked for hours and by the end we had decided that I would kiss him after his big art show in two weeks. If he hadn’t made a move first by then. Which seemed really unlikely as he didn’t even know I was gay yet.
***
Liam
I felt on top of the world. My first gallery show had been a huge success. Even if it was just an on campus show for the art students, I was so excited to have things that I had drawn on display. Best of all, Alex had come. I was elated.
The show was almost over and I had a few things to take care of before I could go home. I went into the back room to grab some boxes to pack up the unused dishes from the buffet. I turned around, boxes in arms, and was surprised that Alex had followed me into the back room. When I had seen him 30 minutes ago, we had agreed to meet outside when I was done cleaning up and walk back to the dorm together.
My heart almost skipped a beat. I was so far gone on him but I had no idea how to act on it. This was the first time I had ever felt this way and I had never dated anyone before. I wasn’t even sure that he was gay. Over the past two weeks, since spring break, it seemed like he had started touching me more and not breaking eye contact as quickly. It gave me hope.
Alex startled me by taking the boxes out of my hands and setting them on the ground. I looked up at him in confusion and saw his eyes burning with something I had never quite seen there before: determination, want, and maybe a little bit of fear.
“I can’t wait for you to make the first move anymore –“ he said.
Don’t let his farm boy face fool you. With me, at least, he’s never been very innocent.
My mind was still on the gallery show and the dozens of things I still needed to do, so it took me a moment to process his look and what he’d said. Just as it began to register, he pushed my shoulders back against the wall and covered my mouth with his. I stiffened with surprise and then almost immediately relaxed into him as fire rolled through my whole body. My breathing became choppy and I felt myself become almost instantly hard. He pressed our hips together and tilted my head so our mouths could fit together better. He licked at my lips, asking for me to open them so that he could taste me. I could have died happy right then. In that moment, I was lost forever.
The Beginning.
To read more about Liam and Alex check out Christmas Tradition. =)
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