Capítulo 3: Fake smile
"I'm so exhausted..," Jaxen lets his body fall down on the couch while breathen deeply in and out. He has just arrived back home and should already be going to his evening job to the gas station where he works every week from Wednesday to Friday. And now it was Thursday. Sunday was astually the only day Jaxen didn't have any activities. That's how fully he has filled his free time. Trying to earn as much money as possible.
"Don't push yourself too much, dear," Lunas face appears over Jaxens, leaning on the back of the couch, petting her sons hair. "Money is not everything. Remember to also enjoy your youth years."
"No, it's not about my works.."
"Something happened in school?"
"Erm, don't be too mad now but..," Jaxen pushs himself to sit, eyeing his mother carefully. "I got suspended.."
"YOU WHAT!?" there comes the storm.
After Luna had given her nagging and calmed her mind, she finally listened Jaxens side of the story. Knowing his personality, Luna instantly drops her bad mood and smiles widely. There was no way her son would start a fight if it wasn't justified. "What? You did the damn right thing! Who ever broke up with Milo is a moron. Should I go and talk to the principal?"
That's how his mother was going to take this? Indeed, Jaxen was lucky to have a mother like Luna. "No. It's my problem. I should have just talked to her more.. nicer? But I was so pissed off.."
"Is Milo alright?" Luna keeps worrying, taking a better position on the couch, hugging a pillow. Her son was sitting on the floor across the small glass table.
"Yeah. Girls new guy threaten to beat us because of the whole case, but I heard his friends were trying to speak some sense in him," Jaxen sighs, rubbing his head before going on. "Actually, that guy.. was.. Kazuro.."
"KAZURO!" Luna jumps up from excitement, startling her son. "You finally talk to him?!"
"Ha? Y-yeah.. We ran into him and it seemed he already knew who I was..," young man clears. Then he recalls what happened after, even if he had tried his best to erase that all from his memories. "But no doubt that guy is a big flirty player. He even ask me out because he thought I was cool."
"HE ASK YOU OUT?!" womans voice gets even more louder. "AND NOW YOU ARE DATING?! I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN?!"
"NO! Of course I turned him down!" Jaxen tsihs, unbelieving his mothers excited reaction.
"Wha- wai- wha- why you turned him down?! Didn't you say he was good looking?"
"What is wrong with you all? I'm not just into looks. Becides he only did that because he found out I'm gay.. out of curiosity."
"So? You were eyeing anyone better?"
Now Jaxen loses it. "Yeah, I'm out. It was a good chat. I'm going," he ignores his mother and gets up, heads toward his room. He really should get going before he ends up running to work. It was indeed wasting time talking about that idiot to this other idiot..
"What a waste. He felt so nice guy too," Luna sighs out of her disappointment.
"Every player pretents to be nice to get in your pants, woman!" son yells back from his room. "That's how you got me!"
"Oh but you are the best accident I have had!" she smirks back.
"Don't call me an accident...!"
- - - -
On the other side of the river. The more closer Kaz walk the more his mood changes radically. The smile he has used to wear all the time outside his apartment was a long gone. He swear, the air around this area felt sometimes so suffocating it was hard to breathe.
Kaz opens his apartments main door and walks in, shuts the door behind him. Doesn't matter where he leaves his shoes, in the middle of the floor was fine too. After he opens the second door, an empty living area was what welcomed him. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Because of all the walls were white and there were no curtains in front of the windows, the area was bright during the day. The kitchen with white cabinet doors was on the right. The wall in the middle of the room lined it from the large area where should have been a cozy living area and a dinner table. But there were no furnitures. Non.
As Kaz has used to, he first heads to the kitchen, opens the fridge to get something to drink. There were only some water bottles and one bottle of vodka left. No food what so ever. Yeah, that's his last bottle. Ever since that woman took his fake IDs away he hasn't been able to buy alcohol. Every evening was starting to feel boring when he couldn't go and spend his time in clubs either. During this whole week he has just sit in his room, watching TV, doing his studies and every night he went out to drive around the city with his motorcycle.
Anything was fine. Anything at all. Any change to kill some time and he would take it. Was he thinking to go ride today? Kazs hand reachs the water bottle, hesitatingly. He closes the fridge but instantly opens it again to change the plactic bottle to the glassy one. Right now he didn't feel to see people, but just hide from reality. Getting wasted was the best way to do that, while playing or watching something in his room.
After making his decision, Kaz heads toward his room which was all the way at the end of this empty long lane. He closes the door behind him and walks in, opens his TV and drops down to lie on his bed, staring the ceiling above him.
This place was so quiet. Only thing he ever could hear here was the sounds from TV. He couldn't hear his own voice in here either when he never had a reason to talk out loud.
He was so fake, wasn't he? It's just like that guy said..
It's alright. Hasn't he always been like this. Faking his smile.
How else he could stand this all?
- - - -
The friday evening at the moment was very clear compared to what it was a week before. Indeed Kaz didn't see Jake in the school. The drama around in his class was on hold since Alishia didn't come to school that day either, calling a sick leave. Carlos was quiet too the whole day. What ever happened, apparently he had also drop down his plans to beat the other parts of this drama.
So this was a result when one guy takes action and shuts the whiners down without even raising a finger? The drama got calmed down before it could escalate. Somehow that felt boring to Kaz. He actually would have liked to see Jake take more actions. That guy was cool on his own way. Bet there was no one who could shut him down. Being that strong spirited, Kaz actually felt a little envious. To be able to stand for others and yourself just like that, that's admirable.
After paying his gas, Kaz starts to fuel his bike, staring the clear night sky above him. Without the artificial lights around he could have definitely see the stars tonight. Should he drive out of the city to have a better view? It's not that he has anything better to do.. Usually he would be in some drinking parties during this hours. Or simple sitting in his room, sleeping or watching TV.
Kaz puts back the filler and heads toward the gas station store to buy some snacks. The small bell above the door welcomes him. There was a guy clearing something behind the cash desk, waving his hand to show a customer there really was someone in but was currently fighting with some wires.
"Welcome! Just give me a second!"
That voice was very familiar and Kaz immediately leans toward the desk, to watch Jaxen moving this small box down and joining two wires in it. Then guy looks up. The lights above him went on.
"There," Jaxen sighs and turns to meet the guy who has just walked in. Normally he would have showed a smile and asked how he could help. But the moment he realized who was standing there, he shows this annoyed face. "Damn, a stalker.."
Kaz was smiling as usually, very amuzed at the moment since he gets to see this guy outside the school too. "Just a coincidence."
"Right.. What are you doing here?"
"Filled my bike. So this is where you work?" Kaz didn't plan to let this opportunity go waste. This guy clearly disliked him though.. "Were you here last week too?"
"Your luck I was..," why this is happening to him? Really, Jaxen wanted to act cool here, but you couldn't actually be and not stare that handsome face. Jaxen clearly wasn't over it yet. That dark riding suit fit perfectly to that guy, making him look even more handsome.
Right. Kaz never actually thanked Jake from what happened back then. Realizing that, young man immediately drops his smile and straightens his back. "I'm sorry. I haven't properly apologized! Thank you for helping me out!" he was bowing politely, which was very odd move from someone living in this country. "I would be in big troubles if you hadn't save me then. Probably be dead by now!"
This sudden act surprised Jaxen totally. "Ha?!"
"Jaxen, what is going on?" the owner peeks out from the back room, just to see an unknown guy bowing in front of the cash desk, his employee looking this view as confusedly as he does now.
"No, nothing. I know him! No worries..," Jaxen waves his hand to his boss. Then he turns to look back toward the younger guy who has straighten his pose back up, eyeing the older man who was suddenly standing on the doorway. "Really, isn't that a little bit too exaggerated.."
"Is not," Kaz turns his serious eyes back on Jaxen.
Older guy sighs. "Okay, yes, you're very welcome. Are we done here?"
Kaz nods smiling. But doesn't actually back up here. "What time your shift is over?"
"Ha?"
"I can give you a ride home."
"No, that -" "We are closing at midnight," owner cuts Jaxens words and was now smiling toward the young guy who has turned to look back at him. "You can pick him around then."
"Good. I'll come back," Kaz smiles to Jaxen, then takes a step behind to nod toward the owner, as a thank. One last glance on Jaxen and Kaz leaves.
Was Jaxens life full of people taking over his own life here or what? Could he speak for himself too? "Mr Karl, whatta hell?" he mumbles, halfly in shock of what just happened.
"You saved his life, he wants to express his gratitude. Take the offer. Save your legs. You've deserved it," owner shows his thumb while smiling and after that walks calmly back to the backroom.
- - - -
"You really are here..," older guy notes out loud when he steps out from the backdoor, hand still on tap. Kaz was leaning to his motorcycle, raising his eyes from his phone when Jaxen walked out. And of course, immediately his lips turn in to smile. "You honestly didn't have anything better to do?"
"No, not really. I can't fake my life after your mother took my fake IDs away," Kaz smirks and stands up to meet the guy.
Jaxen sighs once again and closes the door behind him. "Should I give them back to you? Would we be done then?"
"Probably."
This guy clearly didn't learn a thing from his mistake earlier. "Yeah, not a change. An immature person like you would only get in some more trouble.."
"Was that you worrying over me? I thought you dislike me," younger states straight, eyes on Jaxen who was now walking closer. This guy could speak quite cutely.
"Oh, I worry. Isn't that what we olders should do," Jaxen grins back. "So, what's the catch here? Why are you doing this really?" There was no way this straight guy was really interest of him. Was this a game? He was playing with him?
Kaz sighs, not dropping his smile. "There is no catch. I was just killing some time by driving around so giving you a ride home seem fitting. That's all."
"That's all?"
Still doubting? Kaz hands a helmet toward the older. "Not enough? If you want me into your bed again, should I just get wasted so you can find me again?" he suddenly asks, totally flirting here.
Jaxen turns his look away for a second, shaking his head unbelieving. But he takes the helmet. "Don't think that would work the second time. Next time I will leave you be. Good luck with that."
Kaz doesn't let those harsh words mind. He puts his own helmet on. "Which one is it? Jake or Jaxen?" young man suddely asks then. It might be better to stop teasing the guy before he would really just walk away. The owner just now used a different name. He was called Jake in school, right?
This sudden change of talk helped Jaxen calm his mind. And his slightly too strongly beaten heart. This guy was a nuisance, but definitely was a pro of shaking ones heart while flirting. And definitely getting some kind of kicks out of this. "Jaxen. But most of the time people mistakes it to Jackson or so. It's difficult to pronounce right. So Jake is fine too."
"I did pronounce it right?" Kaz says, with a hint of asking in it.
"You did.."
"That's one point then," young man smirks and gets on his motorcycle, moving the bike to get the kickstand off. "Have you ever ride on one?" He asks to get a hint what kind of passenger Jaxen was. Older guy was now putting his helmet on.
"No.."
"That's another point to me. You trust me enough to get on."
Damn, this guy was annoying. Quite full of himself. "Kazuro? That's a Japanese name, right?" Jaxen asks while sitting behind of Kaz, taking a support from the back of the seat. Younger turns to look at him. "You know any Japanese?"
Kaz was thinking a few second before speaking. "What if I can speak?" he finally smirks then, speaking Japanese. "Can I get a reward after?"
Jaxen was staring the other guy eyes wide open. He has never heard Japanese outside from some animations. "Damn, you really can speak it? Do that again!"
Confused from Jaxens cute reaction, Kaz actually turns his eyes back forward. So that's how the guy looked like when he wasn't glaring at him. "Sore wa yamete kudasai. Kawai sugita.."
"That I know! Kawai! Cute!?" and the same second Jaxen really realized what he was talking out loud. He was just way too excited to hear sutch a beautiful language. Immediately he turns his red face away, hiding it from Kaz. Damn he let his guard down for a second! But Kaz definitely did see the guy blushing after that.
Younger man smiles and leans his back closer to Jaxen. This guy.. really didn't hate him that much? "Sore de.. Watashi no hōbi.. Kisushite mo ii?" He asks about his reward. Asking a kiss.
But Jaxen says nothing. Nor look back. So Kaz turns his eyes away and wears his gloves nect, gets ready them to move. Since he's got used to people asking about his name it was easy and fast to explain. "My father is Japanese, mother from here. Cause of the etiquette they made me learn Japanese too," Kaz explains. "But there really are not so many good changes to use it. So I'm a bit rust." He could feel Jaxen raising his head from leaning his back.
"Changes to use? You speak mostly English with your father?" Jaxen asks then, like trying to fix the moment. He will not let this guy charm him here with ridiculous Japanese sweet talk.
But the other doesn't continue their conversation. Kaz moves his hands on the handlebar. "Hold on. We are moving," he states and starts his motorcycle. The sudden tremor made Jaxen lose his balance so he fastly grabs to hold on Kazs jacket. Younger smirks and turns his face on side. "It's savier just to take a good hold. This is your change to hug me without really hugging me, right!?" he teases laughing and makes the bike move.
Irritated from this sudden teasing, still Jaxen did exactly that and hugs Kaz to take a hold on what it's like to sit on the moving motorcycle. And damn, after he got over his first shock this ingredible nice feeling replaced it. They were really going fast enough to Jaxens heart beat so fast. It was a mix of fear and excitement.
- - - -
Kaz slowed their speed down little by little, until stopping their vehicle a little further from the inner court. He didn't want to disturb people by making too much noise, when it indeed was over midnight already. After he turns the motor off, while keeping his leg leaning the ground to keep them still, Kaz finally moves his eyes on Jaxen who sighs deeply and, probably not even realizing it himself, was actually smiling widely.
"Now that was something," Jaxen says, sounding a little bit tired. "My heart is beating so fast right now." He moves away, releasing his hold on Kazs jacket. Now the warm touch was gone. "You really remembered where I live.."
Kaz was about to make a comment about guys heart beat and turn it to flirt talk, but hesitates. He should stop teasing the guy too much when he has clearly warm up to him. At least Jaxen didn't seem to dislike him as much as Kaz first thought. Seeing him smiling like that, damn who wouldn't find that attractive.
"Are you going to work again next morning? Like last Saturday?" Kaz suddenly wants to know, eyeing Jaxen who was taking off the helmet and scratching his hair after. "You actually work every day? Even during school days?"
"Ha? Yeah," Jaxen corrects his jacket and hands the helmet back to its original owner. "If I want something, I have to work for the money. Did you buy this with your own money?" He taps on the bike.
Kaz couldn't but show a quilty smile. "I didn't."
"Then you would never understand," Jaxen hasn't still drop his smile. Going with that speed felt extremely cool, so no wonder he couldn't help but feel kind of happy about that ride. "It must be easy to be you."
The smile on Kazs face went more relaxed. "It is. I'm so rich I have nothing but time to kill. I can give you a ride again. What time, in the morning?"
Surprised, Jaxen tsihs and waves his hand. "Just go home and do something smart with your time, brat. Like go to sleep," he smirks and starts to head toward their apartment building. "Thank you for the ride. Now we are even." After saying so, he turns his back and walks away. Kaz stays still until the other guy was gone from his view.
The smile was gone again. Kaz sighs out and leans his head on the handlebar. He really has to find some other things to do. Messing around this guy.. Didn't Jaxen already state clearly he wasn't interested? But still..
He shouldn't respond like that if he really disliked him.
That's just playing unfair..
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