Dusk to Dawn (eBook)

A Gay Friends to Lovers Romance

Alina Popescu (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2017 | 1. Auflage
205 Seiten
Alina Popescu (Verlag)
978-0-00-008504-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Since he was thirteen, Sebastian's every precious moment was connected to his first crush, Edi. His protector through his toughest school years, Edi has always guided Sebastian's choices. Love, lust, the realization he was gay, his passion for sports and karate, his studies and career of choice, everything in Seba's life is somehow linked to Edi.
Sebastian's love never faltered over the years, not as he challenged himself to catch up to Edi. Nor when Edi's on and off boyfriend, Robert, showed up to wreak havoc in their lives.
Sebastian has shaped his life to revolve around Edi-his friend, roommate, and occasional lover. But is that the right path for him, or should he start a new journey, one that takes him away from Edi all the way to another country? And will running away solve anything in the end?

Textauszug

Early Evening

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. Finally! I’d been dying for this stupid summer break to be over. Going back to school was all I could think about and keeping myself busy until now had been difficult.

I practically ran all the way there. I still walked to school, but now I could do it at my maximum speed without breaking a sweat. Despite my haste, I stopped by the bakery, knowing I’d be starving otherwise.

Breakfast in hand, I hurried to the entrance. Although I’d expected it, the yard was empty. No one there yet. It made sense, it was barely 9 A.M. and the opening ceremony started at 9.30. Who else would be there half an hour earlier? Especially when all ceremonies started late.

I dropped my backpack on a bench and sat next to it. I sighed deeply and looked up at the clear sky. It was a still hot, bright day, despite it being mid-September. If I got lucky, it would be a warm autumn. I smiled at the thought and relaxed on the bench. I was wearing a bright blue T-shirt and jeans. I was a little hot in the jeans, but unless it was June, no one would get away with wearing shorts to school. Unless they were in PE.

Excited, but a little bored, I rummaged through my backpack and pulled out a book. I was reading a historical adventure. It took a while to get back into the story, especially since I looked up at every noise, but in the end, I was sucked in. When I came out of a particularly thrilling chapter, the school yard was almost full.

Hell, how had I missed this? I looked around, trying to spot anyone I knew, but failed. This wasn’t good at all!

My eyes were trained on the stairs, taking in the faces of older students talking and smoking. Someone kicked my foot, and I turned, glaring at whoever had hurt me. My anger dissolved when I realized who it was.

“What’s up, kid?” Edi said, a smile curving his lips.

I jumped to my feet, the need to hug him almost overpowering. I knew better though. Couldn’t act like a five-year-old. Or worse, like a fag. “Hey, Edi. How was your summer?”

“Seba, you rascal! You’ve grown taller than me!” Evelina scolded, her sweet smile contradicting her tone. “Get in here,” she said, motioning for me to come closer. She wrapped me in a tight hug and I soaked in the warmth. Other than Elena and my cousins, I had few close friends. Sure, I was friendly with everyone in my class, but none of them would be particularly thrilled to see me again.

Evelina released me, but didn’t let go of me. She was holding me by my upper arms and looking up and down, examining every inch of me. “You sure are filling out, kid. Looking good!”

I chuckled and shrugged. “Thanks. It’s called growing up. Nothing I put effort into.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Sure you didn’t put effort into it.”

Of course Edi would have told her! After saving me from Toma that last week of school, he’d walked me home and talked to me all the way there. Like a wuss, I’d spilled everything. The year of brutal bullying, all the hazing I got from the basketball team, every mean comment I’d heard.

Edi wasn’t the type to pity me. I was sure he felt bad for what I’d gone through, but he’d been more worried about helping me than throwing me a pity party. The very next evening, he’d picked me up, with Auntie’s blessing, taken me to his karate class, and told me to sit somewhere and watch.

His senpai and sensei were both impressive. The senpai, Victor as he introduced himself later, was gorgeous. I had a hard time not staring at him. He didn’t even come close to Edi, but I couldn’t deny he was ripped and beautiful at the same time.

I’d signed up for classes on the spot. I knew I wouldn’t be in the same one as Edi, he was far more advanced than me, but it didn’t matter. I loved watching, and the idea of following in Edi’s footsteps was so amazing, it made me a little dizzy.

“Victor tells me you’ve been working hard,” Edi said and winked at me.

I beamed at the praise, even if it was secondhand and not Edi’s own opinion. “I try my best. Still a noob though.”

Edi laughed and I could no longer breathe. I knew I was staring at him, but I just couldn’t look away. Edi towering over me, happy and relaxed, was my favorite sight in the world.

I’d been starved all summer. Edi went to karate class in the afternoons, not in the mornings like me. He also worked at a bar every day. He started at six and didn’t finish before midnight. During the day, he didn’t have time for a kid like me.

I’d maybe seen him three times all summer, when he’d made an effort to hang out with me. He’d invite me to his place and we’d play games or talk or go for a walk. Or all of them.

Unlike any normal kid, I now hated summer break. I’d been counting down the days until school started again, so I’d finally see Edi every day.

Evelina bumped her shoulder into mine and pulled me out of my reverie. “Let’s go find a nice spot for the ceremony, kid?”

I gawked at her and blinked a few times. “You mean I can sit with you?”

Evelina’s eyes crinkled with humor. “Well, unless two old geezers like us are going to cramp your style, sure.”

I snorted at her comment. “Yeah, right! It’s probably going to make me ten times cooler and you know it.”

Evelina ruffled my hair and laughed. “Don’t forget to deny the geezer part, kid.”

“I can’t deny reality,” I said and ducked in time to avoid her slap across the head.

“Brat,” Edi said, chuckling.

“Indeed, we have to do a better job at educating him,” Evelina said, taking a serious stance.

“I am more entertaining the way I am,” I said, following them to the basketball court.

The high school’s basketball court was dug into the concrete, much like an amphitheater. It was tucked behind the shorter side of the L-shaped building and further back was the football court, another concrete patch to run on.

Every ceremony happening during the school year happened on the basketball court. With its many concrete steps doubling as benches, almost all students in the school would fit into it. The court itself became the stage, a microphone and poor quality speakerphones carrying the croaky voices of the headmaster and other teachers.

Edi led us to the southern side of the big oval amphitheater and found us seats on the uppermost step. It was far enough you could chat without teachers glaring at you, and it was high up, so that you could still see what was going on.

Evelina slid a bit to her right and patted the spot between her and Edi. My jaw fell and my eyes bulged out. Was she seriously motioning for me to sit between her and her boyfriend? Evelina knew how I felt about Edi. Why was she doing this?

She winked at me and patted the seat again. I moved and sat, but it was as if my body was reacting while my mind was still reeling. This was bad, this was really bad. As more kids poured into the court, I’d be pressed between the two of them. I’d spend an hour or more with Edi’s body touching mine. Yup, I’d pop a boner that wouldn’t let up, ever.

Terrified of who might see what was going on, I gulped and tried to make myself as small as possible. I shivered every time Edi’s arm brushed against mine, or when I caught a whiff of his cologne. How the hell would I survive this?

Evelina leaned in, her lips hovering over my ear. “Welcome to the 8th grade, kid. Enjoy yourself, okay?”

I slowly turned, looking at her. My jaw slack and my eyes glued open, I tried to understand her. She smiled at me, relaxed and pleased with herself. She must have been very confident in her relationship if she was willing to do this for me. At that moment, I decided that no matter what her reasons were, Evelina was the kindest person in the world.

I mouthed “thank you” to her and turned to watch the “stage” as people were milling about, trying to arrange the microphone and the long table they’d brought down. This was the best opening ceremony I’d ever experienced in my life!

All ceremonies were the definition of boredom. This one seemed to fly by though. The zings Edi’s movements sent through my body were delicious and I knew I had a goofy grin pasted on my face. I was hard, painfully so, but I didn’t care. My jeans were thick and tight enough it wouldn’t show and I had my backpack on my lap anyway.

Every once in a while, Evelina would steal glances at me, a knowing smile on her lips. I couldn’t say I understood her or her reasons, but I was grateful. She’d always been so kind to me, a silly kid with a crush on her boyfriend. What I did understand was why Edi’s smile was so warm and full of love when he looked at her.

It should have hurt, their loving each other that much. It didn’t. Never having a chance with Edi, that sent pangs of pain through my heart every time I allowed myself to think about it. But Evelina had never been a part of what hurt me. I felt no jealousy towards her, which was crazy.

Or maybe it wasn’t crazy. I knew by now I loved Edi. My first deep, true, overwhelming love. All I wanted was to see him happy, smiling, laughing. And Evelina always put a huge grin on his face. How could I not care for her by extension? Even if she’d been a total bitch to me, like most of the older kids I’d ran into at our school, she’d still be a person responsible for making Edi happy.

Too soon, the ceremony ended. It was strange, feeling sad such a tedious affair was over and done with. As we slowly walked out of the basketball court, Evelina wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Smile, kid. It’s going to...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 19.5.2017
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-008504-9 / 0000085049
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-008504-7 / 9780000085047