Moses didn’t have very much to unpack. He didn’t have many belongings to begin with, and he didn’t plan on getting much more. It was easier that way, in case he had to move all over again. These past 3 years he hadn’t been with his dad, he stayed with his mother, but she despised clutter. She had a very particular set of rules for him to follow. First off, he wasn’t allowed to speak Spanish, which really bothered him because he liked speaking Spanish more than speaking English. His dad had taught him, and it was the first language he ever learned. Moses always tried to read Spanish books and watch shows in Spanish to keep his skills sharp, and he spoke Spanish at school. He wasn’t to keep posters in his room, and he had to clean his room every day. He had to follow a strict chore regimen every day, and get home from school by 4. He was almost 18, but he still had to go to bed at 9:00 every night and wake up early for school. In summer, he had weekly tutoring sessions. Strangely enough, his mom didn’t make him cut his hair, and while she complained about how he dressed often, she never did anything drastic about it. His mother was usually out of the house, but when she was home, she was always in a mood. In addition to this, she often complained about his lack of social life outside of school, which Moses, unsurprisingly, found highly hypocritical. Maybe if I’m here long enough, I can decorate the room. He heard a light knock on the door, jolting him out of his thoughts.

“Hey, can I come in?”

It took Moses a second to register who it was, but he quickly realized it was Mal. What could he possibly want?

“Sure, I guess.”

Mal opened the door, looking at the finished product of his unpacking (which really didn’t take much). He seemed a little taken aback.

“You’re not gonna do more to your room?”

“This is all I have.”

Mal sat down next to Moses on the edge of his bed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“I dunno what to say. I mean, I wanna help. You should have nice things for your room.”

“That’s not really up to me, man. It’s not even my room, it’s the room I’m in while dad’s letting me stay here. Who knows how long that’ll be.”

Mal looked at him earnestly, and Moses realized how close they were.

“It’s gonna be a long time. I promise.”

“You can’t promise somethin’ like that.”

Mal placed his hand lightly on Moses’ arm, giving him a mischievous smile.

“Too late. I just did. It’s a little while until dinner. Wanna go somewhere with me?”

Moses shrugged.

“Not like I have anything better to do.”

Mal jumped up, an excited grin plastered on his face. He extended his arm, offering Moses his hand.

“C’mon!”

He sure is excited about this.

***

Mal had his windows rolled down, letting the gentle summer breeze blow through his car. In the dimming sunlight, he looked like a supermodel. His wavy hair flowed behind him like he was in a commercial, and his eyes sparkled.

“So, are you gonna tell me where we’re goin’?”

Mal rolled his eyes.

“Do ya just jump in anyone’s car without knowin’ where they’re taking you?”

Moses chuckled, running his hand through his hair.

“If they’re handsome, yeah.”

Mal smirked.

“You think I’m handsome?”

“I have eyes, dude.”

Moses looked out his window, seeing the sky lit in blues and pinks and oranges. Mal turned a corner, and Moses saw they were going to a more rural part of town.

“You ever been to a nature preserve?”

“A what?”

“A fancy park.”

“Do I look like I go to parks?”

“Fair enough, pretty boy.”

“Is that where we’re goin’.”

“Yup. I go there a lot to clear my head.”

“Ya have baggage or somethin’?”

“You could say that.”

Mal parked in a small lot surrounded by the tallest trees Moses had ever seen. He, once again, leaned over to unbuckle Moses’ seatbelt and open his car door.

“You don’t have to do that every time.”

“But I want to. Let’s go.”

Mal got out first, striding up to Moses’ side as he exited the car. 

“Y’know it’s like 80 degrees out, right?”

“Um, yeah?”

“What’s with the sweatshirt? You’re gonna roast out here.”

“What’s it to you?”

“I just don’t want you burning alive out here, man. It’s hot!”

Moses shifted, the subject was something he had absolutely no interest in broaching with this boy. He clenched his jaw, walking past Mal.

“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you!”

Moses scowled.

“I had a shit day, y’know. I don’t wanna be here. I don’t like what’s happening, but it’s not like I can fuckin’ fix it. I don’t get to decide where I live or what I do. Let me have this one goddamn thing!”

Mal came in closer, Moses expected him to yell or curse or even hit him, he did just scream at him, after all. But Mal just gently grabbed his arm.

“Hey, it’s ok. I’m not the enemy here. I just care, that’s all.”

“You don’t even know me!”

“I want to. I know you’ve been through a lot, and I don’t expect you to tell me anything, but I do care.”

“It’s not somethin’ to care about. It’s none of your concern.”

“Then I’ll make it my concern.”

Mal turned Moses so that the boys were facing each other, and Moses was so flustered by his strength and insistence, he had no clue what to say in that moment.

“You don’t have to talk about anything or say anything or do anything. I didn’t bring you here so I could interrogate you. I just wanna show you somethin’ nice. Because you had a hard time.”

“Ok.”

He let go of his arm, striding confidently as Moses followed close behind. The trees were lit by the pink-orange light of the setting sun. The air smelled fresh, the breeze felt like a tender touch. Moses had never been an outdoor type, and with all the studying he had to do at his mother’s, he spent summers cooped up inside. This atmosphere was a nice change of pace to the things he had grown accustomed to. He and Mal walked for a while, and he immersed himself in his surroundings, drinking up all the new sites of foliage and nature with his eyes, letting go of his thoughts to the best of his ability. It was quiet, a quiet he hadn’t known for quite some time. He was used to the quiet of being alone or not wanting to provoke or having to comply. This quiet was different, because this quiet was his choice. His freedom. Mal stopped at the edge of the clearing, right next to a long bridge slightly obscured by something Moses couldn’t quite make out in the distance.

“Are you ok with getting wet?”

“Um, what?”

“Just trust me.”

Moses nodded, confused, but followed Mal as he crossed the bridge. He quickly realized what Mal had meant by his previous statement. A waterfall was running through the edge of the bridge, and it shone in the sun like a bunch of sparkling stars. The water tickled Moses as he passed, and he heard Mal let out a few giggles as Moses’ long unruly hair became soaking wet.

“You look like an angry cat!”

“Shut the hell up. This was your fuckin’ idea.”

Mal continued teasing him, and Moses splashed him with water, getting him soaked as well.

“Hey!”

“That’s payback for laughin’ like a dumbass.”

Mal splashed him back, grinning challengingly.

“I got you back. Whatcha gonna do about it?”

Moses punched his shoulder, splashing him again.

“Wow, pretty boy packs punches.”

“Hush.”

Mal stuck his tongue out like a petulant child, and Moses rolled his eyes.

“Do ya know how to swim?”

“Yeah, why?”

Mal pointed to a small body of water by the end of the bridge.

“I usually take a dip over there.”

“I dunno abou-”

Before Moses could finish his sentence, Mal eagerly grabbed his hand and led him to the water’s edge. He took his shirt off, and Moses could see his muscular build. Damn, he’s hot. He tried not to blush, looking at the ground.

“You can look, y’know.”

“What?”

“Nothin’. Are ya gonna swim?”

“I dunno, man. I don’t really like, y’know, my…”

“Your?”

“My body,” Moses murmured, “I don’t like it.”

Mal’s face shifted, and Moses couldn’t read how he was feeling.

“I promise not to judge you either way or push you to do somethin’ that makes ya uncomfortable. It’s ok.”

“Ya didn’t make me uncomfortable. I’m just…weird.”

Mal shook his head, taking off his glasses and shoes, setting them on his shirt on the ground.

“No weirder than me.”

Moses felt his cheeks flush as he realized once again how close they were. He tried to brush it off. He’s just friendly. He’s probably straight, and with a body like that, he definitely has a girl. Mal stepped into the water, making his way to the deeper end. Moses took his shoes off and dipped his feet in the water, electing to stay closer to land. He was still soaked, but he’d dry. He looked out on the waterfront and how the sunset shone on it. It was absolutely mesmerizing, and he could see why Mal liked this spot so much. Mal was in his own world, it seemed, happily swimming, and the way his hair floated in the water made him look like a mermaid. He looked beautiful, and Moses wondered how someone like that ended up living with his father, what his story was, why he seemed so interested in Moses. Before he could finish his thought, he felt a splash of water, and looked down to see a laughing Mal and his sweatshirt once again soaked.

“Fuck you, man.”

“Ok.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about it. We should head out. Your old man is probably wonderin’ where we are.”

“If he cares.”

“He does.”

Mal got out of the water, his hair dripping, getting himself back together. Moses put his shoes back on and followed him as they went back over the bridge and followed the trail back to the car.

“What’d you think of my place?”

“I like it. It’s peaceful. I see why ya go there.”

Mal smiled, putting his key in the ignition.

“Let’s go home, pretty boy.”