Chapter 2b
Chad had convinced Sandy to go to the water with him, leaving Jared alone to ponder in piece about Jensen. Actually, Jared was sure Chad just wanted a few minutes with Sandy, even if Chad swore he didn’t feel anything for her anymore. Jared knew it was a lie. But he sometimes wondered if his friends realized it as well. If he should guess, he would say they didn’t.
Lost in his thoughts, it took a moment for Jared see Sandy running at him. She rarely ran because she claimed it looked strange, so Jared was immediately alert. Her startled face didn’t help much. Jared got up from the towel and went towards her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Where’s Chad?”
Sandy ignored him, saying instead: “Oh, my god, Jared! You won’t believe what’s in the water!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Come on, you gotta see this!”
Jared thought that whatever had happened wasn’t bad, because Sandy didn’t seem upset. She was enthusiastically pulling him towards the water, where a great number of people were gathered around something. Jared could hear them talking loudly.
Chad was even more excited than Sandy. “Look how large it is! That thing is huge!” Jared heard him say.
“What is it?” Jared asked, trying to see what was the cause of the commotion.
Sandy stopped at Chad side. He was pointing at a great black shadow beneath the water. “It a swordfish!” Chad exclaimed “I’ve never seen one in my life! Look at its size!”
Suddenly, the swordfish took a leap, its hole body getting out of the sea and back into it again, splashing water all over its admires. Jared heard a few cheers.
“Are you sure it’s not lost?” he asked to no one in particular.
“I don’t think it’s lost, Jay,” Sandy answered him. “Look at it. It doesn’t look afraid of us,” and, in fact, the fish seemed to be very comfortable under all those startled eyes.
“Yeah…,” Jared agreed. “It’s a little strange, isn’t it?”
“No, man. It’s fucking awesome!” Chad said. He was acting like a small child who had just found out he was big enough to go into the rollercoaster. “Look at it! Man, I want one of these for myself!”
Jared had to agree the fish was really amazing.
And then, there was a shout.
“I can’t believe it! BLUE!”
The swordfish jumped unexpectedly and disappeared from view swimming down. There was a series of disapproval sounds when the fish could not be seen anymore. Jared looked around trying to identify who could have shouted.
A few feet from them, near the sidewalk with angry eyes and a mean face was Kane. Jared repressed the urge to ask where Jensen was. Now, really wasn’t the time.
“That’s was so not cool, man.” Chad said shaking his head. “You scared it.”
Kane’s eyes narrowed. “It?” he asked.
“The swordfish,” Sandy explained with a serious face and a dry voice. Jared knew she didn’t like anyone who mistreated people gratuitously. Kane had made an enemy. “There was one here and you scared it with your shouting.”
“I scared him?” Kane asked incredibly.
Jared saw Sandy’s eyes shine in anger.
“Are you deaf?” Sandy asked, her hands at her waist. “I just told you that.”
“Uh, Sandy,” Jared started “I don’t think you’ve met-”
Kane advanced towards her. “Lady, you shouldn’t talk about what you don’t know.”
Chad shielded Sandy from Kane’s view. “Look, man, cool down, ok? We don’t want any trouble.”
Kane’s eyes met Chad’s. “Neither do I,” he said, but his posture was telling the exact opposite.
Jared saw Chad preparing for a fight and saw Kane’s smirk. He decided the discussion had gone for more than it should have. “That’s it. The swordfish has gone already,” he said, putting himself between the two men. He silently thanked for his height. It wouldn’t have the same effect if he was shorter than the other two men. Jared looked at both of them “If you want to fight, find some other motive. And don’t do it here, nor now.” He turned his eyes to Sandy and Kane. “And you should learn to be more polite,” and, with that, he caught Sandy’s and Chad’s hands and started walking towards their towel, leaving a startled Kane behind.
Chad waited until Kane was at a secure distance to start laughing. “I can’t believe you finished with ‘you should learn to be more polite’, Jay! That’s fucking fantastic!” he said letting himself fall on the towel. Sandy sat next to him.
Jared’s cheeks reddened. “I didn’t know what to say, all right?! And what was I suppose to do? He was going to kick your ass!”
“He was not!” Chad answered with more conviction than Jared knew he had.
Sandy smiled at both of them. “Thank you anyway for trying to protect me. But I can take care of myself without the macho-display.”
Chad’s eyes widened “What? What kind of thank you is that, Sandy?”
Sandy shrugged unapologetically.
Chad gave her a disgusted look. “See if I’ll go to your rescue again.”
“Oh, don’t be a drama queen, Murray,” Sandy said petting his head.
Jared laughed at them. Sandy and Chad kept bickering at one another.
“So,” he said, making both his friends look at him, even though Chad’s hand was still trying to push Sandy out of the towel. Jared met Sandy’s eyes. “Now is not the best time to tell you that that was Jensen’s friends, right?” he asked Sandy.
“What?” she asked. Chad pushed her again. “He is the scary friend?”
Jared nodded. “That’s him.”
Sandy took a moment to digest the information. “Chad almost got his ass kicked by your crush’s friend?”
Chad stopped his attacks. “My ass wasn’t going to get kicked!” he exclaimed outraged.
Jared dismissed him. “Yes it was.”
Chad gave up.
Sandy giggled. “You sure know how to pick them, Jay.”
The sun was setting when Jared arrived at Mike’s Shack, a beach kiosk with an amazing view of the ocean and an incredible variety of juices. The place was almost in front of his house; all Jared had to do was cross the streets. He had been a customer since it had been built three years ago.
The kiosk’s owner was, in fact Thomas, but he realized quickly he wasn’t able to manage the small establishment. Thomas, then, had hired his best friend for the job. At the time, he was unemployed. Mike said he would only do it if he could name the place.
In the beginning, Jared wasn’t sure Michael Rosenbaum was the best man for the job. Mike was even worse than Chad when it came to people skills. As it turned out, he was also extremely charismatic and seemed to understand about business. Almost a season after its opening, Mike’s bald head was as red as a tomato and the kiosk had a numerous regular customers and one more waiter. Thomas couldn’t be happier.
The kiosk was also customized by Mike. Every three months, he would change its appearance turning it into a new stand. Nowadays it was bright green with shades of orange and pink. Jared had no idea how Mike found the color combinations he used.
Jared sat in one of the yellow plastic chairs that were spread around the kiosk. Mike came as soon as he saw Jared, his blue eyes smiling mischievously, as always.
“Jay! How are you, dude?”
Jared grinned. “I’m as good as always, Mike. How’s the movement today?”
Mike chuckled. “As good as it can get,” but as soon as he said the last word he frowned. “Oh, no,” he said shaking his head.
Jared tried to turn his head in the direction Mike was looking but the way he was sited he couldn’t see. “What? What’s wrong?”
Mike sighed. “Nothing. Is just this guy that started coming here a few days ago. He’s coming towards us. Man, I swear he is the strangest guy I’ve ever met.”
Jared rose an eyebrow. “Mike, you are the strangest guy around here,” he pointed.
Mike agreed. “Exactly. And I find him strange. So, you gotta agree with me when I say something is not right with him. The first time he came here he didn’t know how to ask for a juice! I mean how difficult can it be? You just say ‘a juice please.’”
Jared nodded. “That is a bit strange.”
“Tell me about it, man! He didn’t know how to use money! I mean, I had to teach him he had to pay for the juice.”
Now Jared really wanted to meet this person. He got up from his chair trying to see him, but Mike pushed him back.
“Oh, no, man. You stay right where you are. I don’t want you two meeting. I can’t even imagine what would happen if the two of you got along! Stay where you are. I’ll bring you the usual.”
Jared pondered Mike’s order. Usually, when Mike got something in his head it was easier to just go along.
“With a big sandwich?” Jared asked.
Mike rolled his eyes. “Dude, when have I ever not given you food?” he asked and left. “And stay where you are!” he shouted over his head.
Jared waited until Mike’s attention wasn’t focused on him and got up again only to be screamed at by Mike a third time. Jared sat back down again. From where he was, he could see Mike’s head was turned to someone right in front of him. Jared could see Mike’s arms were crossed, he could imagine the impatient face he was making.
“Have you decided already?” Jared heard Mike ask to the person and waited to hear the answer. When it didn’t come, he hard Mike saying, “Look, man, there are other people here that want to buy my stuff, so, if you could just step aside…”
Jared thought Mike was being a bit to hash with the stranger. But then again, Mike had never been polite. Jared often asked himself how he managed the kiosk. He figured the juices Mike made were good enough to balance his impoliteness. That and the fact that Thomas was a really nice guy.
“I don’t know what I should order,” Jared heard the stranger. There was too much noise around Jared for him to identify the person only by the voice. Jared could only say that it was a man. He saw Mike sigh.
“I’ll do you a special. What fruits do you like?” Mike asked. Again Jared heard nothing. “Come on, you gotta work with me here.”
“I like mango,” Jared heard the person say and Mike chuckling.
“Of course you like mango. It’s your lucky day because I happen to have a mango stored in this shack somewhere. Ok, than. A Mango special for my tourist friend!”
Jared sighed. The poor guy didn’t deserve the treatment he was receiving.
As soon as Mike turned, Jared waved his hands trying to catch Mike’s attention.
Mike’s eyes found him “Crazy guy,” he mouthed.
Jared rolled his eyes. Mike said what was in his head and to hell with anyone that didn’t agree with him. Jared couldn’t live like that, but he appreciated who could.
“He can’t be that bad,” he said
Mike chuckled. “Oh, he can.”
Jared laughed. He liked Mike a lot.
“Jared?”
Both Jared and Mike’s head turned. Seated three tables to Jared’s left and looking back at him was Jensen. Totally without Jared’s control, a big smile broke through his face.
“Jensen! How are you, dude?”
Jensen smiled back, although it was a lot less enthusiastically. “I’m good. I’m taking a brake from my job.”
Mike’s eyes darted from Jared to Jensen and back to Jared. “You know the mango guy?” he asked.
Jared rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Mike. I know him. His name is Jensen,” and turned back to Jensen. “Are you alone? Come over here!”
Jensen went obediently and sat next to Jared.
“I can’t believe you know the mango guy! How do you know him?” Mike asked flabbergasted. “He’s new here!”
Jared dismissed him. “Chill, Mike. I met Jensen in the beginning of the week.”
Mike looked horrified. “I bet you liked him,” he said. “He is the exact type of guy you would like! That’s why I told you to stay where you were!”
Jared flushed. Mike really should learn how to filter the words between his brain and his mouth.
He looked at Jensen. The other man seemed as uncomfortable as he was. He felt sorry for him. At least Jared was used to Mike being crazy.
“Mike, go get our juices, please,” he said emphasizing the verb.
Jared could see Mike digesting his request. It took just five seconds to happen. “Oh!” Mike said “So, I better see these juices get ready. Back in ten, guys,” and vanished. Jared chuckled.
“That’s Mike, the kiosk manager,” he said to Jensen.
Jensen nodded. “He is a bit strange.”
Jared laughed out aloud. Mike and strange were synonyms. “That’s a given. But he doesn’t bite.”
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? He doesn’t seem to be house broken,” Jensen commented off handedly.
Jared’s eyes widened and he chuckled surprised. “I would never guess you were sarcastic.”
Jensen frowned “Why?”
Jared opened his arms. “I thought you were too shy to make a sarcastic comment.”
Jensen opened his mouth and Jared was certain he was going to deny. Instead, Jensen said, “Yeah. I tend to be a bit shy,” his eyes found Jared’s. “But not always,” he completed.
Jared nodded approvingly. “You are something, Jensen.”
“So are you, Jared.”
“Jay.”
Jensen blinked. “What?”
“My friends call me Jay,” Jared explained and was rewarded with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He was sure any normal person could be bewitched with it. It was like a siren’s song.
“Ok then, Jay.”
“There you go,” Mike said returning with their juices. “Mango for the tourist and Strawberry for you, Jay.” He handed them their juices. “Be back in a sec with your sandwich,” and went away again.
Jared raised an eyebrow. “Mango?” he asked teasingly.
Jensen matched Jared’s tone with a grin. “It’s good,” he said. “Seriously,” he amended when Jared gave him a disbelieving look.
“Mango? Really?” Jared asked.
Jensen pushed his juice towards Jared. “Just drink some, all right? Then you can discuss with me.”
Jared looked at the plastic white glass with the yellow liquid inside evaluating if the taste could be as bad as he thought. “No, man. I think I’ll pass.”
Jensen shook his head determined. “No way! Come on, it’s not bad at all!”
Faced with Jensen’s eyes shining with contented happiness, Jared really couldn’t refuse him. He looked at the yellow cream, braced himself and drank it. Surprisingly, it was good.
“It’s like ice cream,” Jared heard himself saying.
Jensen smiled. “Told you so.”
Mike appeared with Jared’s enormous sandwich. Jared didn’t waste a second, diving towards it. Jensen’s eyes widened.
“Are you eating all that?”
“What?” Jared said between bites.
“The sandwich.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Of course I am. It’s the best sandwich in the entire beach.”
Jensen frowned. “But… it’s huge.”
Jared laughed. He seemed to do it so much more when Jensen was around.
“Dude, the sandwich is fine. Don’t worry. I can eat all of it.” And just to prove his point, Jared bit more of it smiling all too pleased with himself.
Jensen chuckled.
“You are insane.”
“I know what I like,” Jared corrected.
They kept making small talk until Jared felt secure enough to ask: “So where are you from?”
“Excuse me?”
“Where are you from?” Jared repeated. “I don’t recognize your accent.”
Jensen tilted his head. “I had no idea I had an accent.”
“You have,” Jared said convicted. Jared knew Jensen had an accent because he had played and replayed their small conversations enough times in his head to detect the slight variations. “You talk as if you were singing; the words take a little longer when you say them.”
Jensen frowned again. “As if I’m singing?” he asked. “I didn’t realize.”
“Probably because every person in your city talks the same way,” Jared said.
“Probably,” Jensen agreed distractedly.
And, if Jared had any doubts about his attraction to Jensen they would have vanished at that moment. Because Jensen looked beautifully lost in his own thoughts, eyes unfocused staring at the ocean.
“I can’t even imagine,” Jared said. “A city full of people like you that talk as if they were singing.”
Jensen’s eyes focused back on Jared. He smiled softly. For some reason, Jared didn’t like this smile. It was guarded like no one before it had been.
“No. I bet you couldn’t,” Jensen commented. Then, he got up. “I’ve got to go.”
Jared frowned. “What? Now?”
Jensen nodded. “Yeah. I’m not touring here, as the bald man seems to think, I’m working.”
Jared could hear the gears routing in his head. “Oh,” was what he produced. “Ok, then. You want some help with your work?” he asked.
Jensen shook his head. “No, that’s fine. I’m looking for someone actually.”
“I know pretty much every one on this beach.” Jared said eagerly. “I could help.”
Jensen gave Jared another guarded smiled. “Thanks, but no. If I need anything, I’ll ask you.”
And once again Jared felt his hopes crush. “You know where I live,” he said, just to remind Jensen he could visit anytime he wanted.
For his effort, he was rewarded with one of Jensen’s unguarded smiles. “I’ll come to you if I need anything.”
“Cool,” Jared grinned. “Hey, tell me where you are staying. I case I want to visit you.” He prayed Jensen would answer him.
“We are at the wooden house ate the end of the beach.” Jensen responded. “Just shout when you get there.”
Jared nodded eagerly. “Dude, that house is amazing!” He knew which house Jensen was talking about. It was a small with only one floor. Jared liked it because the back door led to a secluded part of the beach only accessible from the house.
Jensen agreed. “It really is,” he said. “But I really gotta go now, Jay,” and with a sad smile, Jensen left the kiosk.