Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2012 13:01:11 +0200 From: Noel Welch Subject: To Have Faith: Chapter 1 This story contains graphic description of sex acts betweens members of the same sex. If accessing material such as this is illegal in your country, province, or state, please do not continue reading. The characters contained within this story are entirely fictional and should be taken as such. Any resemblance to any person(s) living or dead is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved Chapter 1 We were slowly chugging upwards. I could feel the trepidation and excitement as we neared the top of the tracks. When we finally reached the top, a lady at the back had already started screaming, *a little forward, aren't you?* I thought. Suddenly, we were hurtling downwards, I thought I could feel my stomach in my mouth, then, as abruptly as the dream began it dissolved into blackness as I was lightly shook awake by the nice old lady who sat beside me on my flight. "You asked me to wake you up before we land" she said with a smile. "Thank you Ma'am" I said in reply. As I was closer to the aisle than the old lady, so I stood to fetch my leather messenger bag, wound my earphones around my iPod and proceeded to leave the plane. So this is the famous Heathrow Airport, I thought to myself as I stepped off the plane. One thing that surprised me was the sunlight and warmth; I certainly was not expecting that as it is raining in England for more than 200 days a year. I collected my numerous bags of luggage-some were annoyingly cumbersome-and tried to look for the driver who would be taking me to the prestigious boarding school I would be attending in 3 weeks. It took me a while to locate this driver, I hate looking for people,* I look like an idiot* I thought in annoyance. As I was about to give up, I saw a large sign with the name ALISTAIR McLEOD written in large, blocky hand writing. It took me a few seconds to process that it was indeed my name. I approached the driver, held out my hand and said, "Hello, I'm Alistair McLeod". He shook my hand and told me his name was Russell; "It took you a while to react to your name' he said with mock suspicion. "I'm exhausted and jet-lagged, I don't have time for this" I replied with a half-smile. "How are you jet-lagged, there's only a two hour time difference between England and South Africa?" he shot back; "Just take my bags" I said playfully. I was surprised at how easily we got along, and I said as much when we were finally in the car. "You're not like all the other jackasses I have to cart around", "That's a relief to hear" I said dryly. "That's a compliment coming from me" he said gruffly. I took a moment to check Russell out; he was a bit taller than me, had broad shoulders, and from what I could see, had a hot body under that suit, he had earthy brown eyes, and had what looked like heavy stubble. "Like what you see?" he asked while waggling his eyebrows suggestively. I blushed slightly and said "Just shut up and drive". He smirked, but started the car. Heaton was our destination and was a small town on the outskirts of London, the journey was about 1 hour 30 minutes and I dozed off once we were on the highway. "Ali... Alistair, we're at the school", I woke and saw his face centimetres from mine, I screamed in surprise and reflexively punched him in the gut. He grunted and immediately backed away from me, "I'm so sorry! It was a reflex" I said guiltily. "Where'd you get reflexes like that?" he asked; "Karate lessons" I explained. "Let's show you to your room then." He then proceeded to tell me that the dormitories were split into 5 Houses, namely: Laridon, Gambon, Winthrop, Milton, and Blackthorn. I had gotten an e-mail stating I would be assigned to live in and be a part of Blackthorn House; the Dean (Dr. Ethan Andersson) also apologised profusely for not personally being there personally to give me a tour and show me where I'll be living for the next two years. Naturally he was sucking up, as my new step-father was a member of the School Board. I didn't care either way, though I suspect many would be proud to be a member of the esteemed Blackthorn House. As we made our way to the huge manor-like abode, I stared up with a little awe at the place said to house a hundred boys. *Impressive*, I thought. Russell informed me that Blackthorn House consisted of two storeys, with 25 rooms on each level. We trudged up the stairs to my room,* well half of it*, at least I thought to myself. *I was going to have roommate, what if he like, wants to get transferred to another room 'cause I'm gay?* I thought while panicking a bit. We ended up in front of a door with my room number (24B) set in a small gold plaque and the Blackthorn House insignia. I hesitantly opened the door and observed the room; it was quite large with two queen-sized beds on opposite sides of the room, a large flat screen TV set into the wall, a large couch and Ottoman an empty floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, two identical tables-which I surmised were for working and such-next to our beds. As soon as I saw my bed, I collapsed onto it with relief. Russell fell in beside me, "Don't you have places to be, people to drive and such?" I asked him wryly. "No, not really" he replied sarcastically. I closed my eyes and reflected on how much my life had changed in these two months. Seven months ago I was cooking supper for my mom and 11 year old sister, when I heard my mom unlocking the door, she's late from the hospital, I thought. "I met someone!" she exclaimed. "Who is he?" I asked in curiosity. I assumed this particular someone was a man because my mom wouldn't get this excited over meeting some random lady. "Ricardo Cruz!!!" Ricardo Cruz was a famous Mexican billionaire who was the owner of a media empire that covered most of Central and South America. "WHAT!!!" "I'm treating his daughter," she explained; my mom's a doctor at a local hospital in northern Johannesburg, South Africa. "His daughter was in for some fractures and her father was present; we spoke for quite some time and as I was about to leave he asked me to dinner. I only found out who he was when he was filling the paperwork for his daughter's stay." "I'm happy for you, mom" I said. Fast forward three months and we had moved out of our old apartment and into a huge beach house in Clifton, Cape Town with him and his 11 year old daughter, Marina. Christine (my little sister) and Marina -whom I grew to love- soon became inseparable and soon after living together developed a knack for completing each other's sentences; even their birthdays were a few days apart. My mother was completely enamoured, I scrutinised Mr Cruz quite carefully in those few months of their relationship; after all I didn't want my mother's heart broken. One day as I was watching Grey's Anatomy, he came in the den and sat down next to me. "You don't trust me," he said flatly. I turned towards him and said: "I don't really know you". "I'm really trying to show you guys that I'm a good guy who really loves your mom," "Sure you do," I said sarcastically. Hurt flashed across his face at my words, I realised that he not only cared deeply for my mom but for me and my little sister as well. "I'm sorry Ricardo; I was just trying to protect my mom from being hurt although I now understand that I don't have to any more because... you really love her" "I do... and I love you and Christine as well. I love the fact that we're a family and, even though we're not related by blood, I love you as if you were my own." I was at a complete loss for words- highly unusual for me. I decided there was nothing to say and gave him a hug. We sat and watched Greys' Anatomy; he's not so bad after all, I thought. As we were the team of Seattle Grace Hospital cope after the plane crash; I noticed he looked nervous and was fidgeting a bit, what would a successful businessman and billionaire this nervous? I pondered. "Something's clearly bothering you, what's wrong?" I asked as the show ended. "I've already asked Christine and she's approved... but I wanted your blessing as well... can I marry your mother?" he asked, looking quite flustered. "I give you my blessing, Ricardo." He looked ecstatic. "But if you break her heart, I break your kneecaps" I said with a smile. "I understand" he said solemnly. Later on that night, while we were eating dinner, my mother announced the engagement to all of us. The girls and I congratulated the happy couple. "Have you set a date for the wedding?" I asked. "By the end of this month" she said with excitement. The wedding was held in Ricardo's home country of Mexico. It was beautiful and I had never seen a couple so happy. They went to the island of Zanzibar for their honeymoon. Ricardo suggested I go to St. Michael's as it was one of the best schools in the world and he was on the school board. I said yes to his offer and in the following two weeks I was accepted at the famed St. Michael's Academy for Boys. The Present I was brought out of my reverie by Russell poking me in the ribs, "What!?" "I thought you'd want to meet your new roommate" he said wryly. I looked up to see one of the hottest guys I had ever seen... Hey guys, this is the first story I've ever written, so please consider that before you email scathing criticisms to me:). Please email me, like it doesn't even have to be about the story it can be about anything from a confession that you own 23 hamsters and want to rule the world someday(~_-) to your love for Florence + the Machine (I love Flo!!!). Don't be a stranger, until next time guys :)