CHAPTER FIVE

After Emerson’s confession, a tense awkward silence followed, the two drew back reverting back to their sense, William lips glittered from when he licked them, the light reflected off it drawing Emerson attention back toward those attractive temptation.

He quickly got off the bed, finding his clothes neatly folded on the nightstand, he made haste to put them on, standing at a safe distance from the bed and the boy on it.

“Breakfast?” William asked, his voice raspy.

Emerson blocked out all the voices that scream at him to reject the offer. He accepted with a small “uhm.” hands buried in his pockets. William eyed him but remained silent, leading them out of his room.

Everywhere Emerson gaze on was either painted in white or black, series of pendant lights illuminated their way down wooden stairs. The living area floor consisted of polished hardwood, much like William’s room, large floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls allowing natural light to flood into the space.

A huge chandelier hanged from the ceiling illuminating the area with warm ambient lighting that reflected off plush sofas and armchairs.

“Lights.” William said immediately they step into the kitchen and the lights came on.

“Whoa!” Emerson exclaimed

The kitchen was no less impressive than the living area, a long island crafted from marbles sat at the center, diving the kitchen into two parts.

He noticed how quiet the house was, William saw the look on his face and it was as if he read his mind.

“Oh…don’t worry, my parents are probably at work.” He said. He tilted his head toward the ceiling listening. “Yeah, we’re definitely alone.”

“Working on weekends?”

“Yea!, They are rarely home.” William glance over his shoulder at Emerson as he made his way toward the walk in pantry tucked behind sleek cabinet. Emerson look around marveled.

“And you’re home alone all the time?”

William just shrugged. “After a while you get use to it.”  He said disappearing into the pantry.

“What would you like for breakfast?” William asked. “ I could make us something, if you don’t mind.”

“You know how to cook?”  Emerson inquired, surprised. Sliver hair poked out through the pantry door, William gave Emerson a sheepish smile.

“I could manage a few meals.” He answered.

Emerson nodded excessively, tearing his eyes off William. “Pancakes then?”

“Okay…pancakes it is.”

He sat down on a stool by the island watching William. William hummed a tune as he got to work getting their meal ready. Putting the first batch of batter into the pan, William saw Emerson staring intensity at him. “What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” Emerson answered, he placed his elbow on the island and watched as William nervously tucked locks of hair behind his ears and shuffled on his feet.

Emerson– captivated by the lean, smaller boy who still remained without a shirt, his pale skin a welcomed distraction. The two were lost in each other’s eyes as time seems to stand still, under the influence of Emerson gaze, William grew giddy.

“…is it suppose to do that?” Emerson asked pointing at the smoke filled pan.

“Oh Crap.” William hurriedly turned off the gas but the pancakes were beyond salvaging. “This is your fault.”

“I didn’t do anything” Emerson defend.

“You were staring at me.”

“What does that have to do with burning our breakfast. You said you could cook.”

“And I can! You…you’re the one who distracted me with those…those eyes.”

Emerson gave him a dead fish stare before blindly looking around. “Okay.” He said fishing for his phone typing rapidly.

“What are you doing?”

“Goggling how to make pancakes.”

“Put that away, I know what am doing.” William expressed, irritated.

“Reallyyyy?” Emerson draw, raising a challenging brow. “because that shrunk up…substance over there doesn’t look edible.”

William’s cheeks colored with embarrassment. He wanted to impress Emerson with his cooking skills. He turned his back to him facing his burnt failure. “One more word Emerson...and I would smother you will this pan.”

Emerson raised his hands to portray surrender, zipped his mouth and made a show of discarding the key.  He found himself oddly at ease around William, and although William burnt the first batch of pancakes, the rest came out perfectly.

“So what do you do with your free time?” William raised the conversation again while they dug into their meal.

For a brief moment, Emerson thought about his father and how he wasn’t really allow to have a life that wasn’t mapped out for him.

“Practice takes up most of my free time, I usually just stay home or hangout with the guys…well most of the time it’s just Mason and I.”

A sour look came across William’s face, he tried to hide it but he must have failed, if the question that Emerson asked next was anything to go by. “What?” he said over mouth filled with food.

“You’re really close with Rivers huh?”

Emerson gulped down his food, interested peak at his best friend's name. “Yes…” he answered slowly. “…what about Mason?.”

William sighed. Racking his brain for a suitable way to express himself, He would prefer not to have this conversation, at least not now. “We had a few…disputes.”

“Dispute…?” confusion was written over Emerson features. Emerson was almost sure Mason does not interact with William, much less had a disagreement, but he recalled when Mason spoke to Emma after their game, William had been present then.

He pushed all thought away, asking instead. “What about.?”

“Let’s just say, he isn’t very fond of guys like me.” A heavy sigh escaped his lips when the perplexity on Emerson face grew. “Okay.” He said tentatively “I’ll rephrase he isn’t very fond of boys that like other boys.”

Several seconds passed by before William’s words registered and he gave a strangled “Oh.”

“Yeah...” William voice was quiet, low even. He couldn’t hold Emerson gaze so he opt for the island, he did not know what he would do if he saw contempt or disgust on Emerson. He frowned, But his voice light when he spoke. “You’re not going to break my head against my counter now are you?”

A strange feeling engulfed Emerson, he was suddenly angry, angry that any one would even try to hurt William in anyway, angry that William was so nervous to talk to him because he thought he would hurt him. He knew what it felt like to be hated for being…different, he wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

“No.” he breathed out.

William peek up at him through long lashes and Emerson stomach tighten in knots.

“No?”

“No.”

William breathed a breath of relief. A smile taking shape on his lips. “Good, cause I really like you.”

Emerson chocked on air.“Wh-ho-I…i-uhm I'm not…I mean...”

“You’re not gay...” William supplied smiling. “Yeah, you've said that before, I’m still going to pursue you though.”

Emerson heart was beating very harshly against his ribcage. He looked to his side to hide the hint of blush on his cheek. “It’s a lost course” He muttered sparing William a brief glance.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” William winked at him.

Although he was reminded of his father’s stand on his sexuality he wasn’t oppose to William’s ideas. He was going to see just what William’s plan was.

The two ended up finishing their breakfast and settled in the comfort of the living area, the curtains were drawn shut plunging the room in darkness, a random movie played.

During the course of the movie the two boys were situated closer on the sofas so close their knees touched. The room was dark save for the light of the tv casting a glow on William’s pale skin. Emerson spied on the other boy with his peripherals, William was engrossed in movie. His eyes trailed slowly from William’s neck down his slender bare torso–the gentle rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took, to the mild abs and further down his pj pants. He still contemplated what William said earlier about pursuing him, does that mean he wants us to be boyfriend? No, no, no, no, there was no way that was possible. The thought continued to plague him until it became unbearable he blurted out the time that came to mind.

“Earlier, you mentioned…about pursuing me.” Emerson shuffled on the couch. “Why?”

“Like I said before, I like you, I really do...” William puzzled for a while before he continued. “and…and I would really love for you to be my boyfriend.”

Emerson still didn’t understand, he couldn’t comprehend why William as beautiful as he was would want him.

“But Why?” he pressed further.

“Why not?.” That did nothing but spike new feeling within Emerson. Even without looking he knew William gaze were fixated on him, so he fired his own question.

“Have you been in a relationship with another boy?

William’s eyes returned to the screen, a distance look overtaking his feature. “A few.” He answered. Emerson felt jealousy flare in his chest, his brain immediately conjured up different provocative images of William embracing different partners. But he tucked those felling away.

“How does that work?” Why did Emerson even bother with this questions, he summed it off as being curious, that way he wouldn’t have to deal with these feeling he couldn’t identify.

William turned so he was fully facing Emerson, he thought about it for a second before answering in a quiet voice.  “It works the same as other relationship, you get to be with the person you like…go on dates…hold hands...” William brushed his pinky against Emerson’s and Emerson watch as he interlock them, engrossed by the contrast between their skins. “…make out…”  Emerson withdrew his hand, cleared his throat. “Why?” the question was but a whisper Emerson almost missed it.

“I…uh… I was just asking.” He said.

“You’re oddly curious for someone who claims not to be gay.” William teased, trying to make light of the situation.

“Shut up.” Emerson delivered a hit to William’s shoulder as he got up, creating distance between them.

“Hey, careful!” William exclaimed. Smoothing the ache, he gave Emerson a toothy grin. “You’re going to damage this temple.”

Emerson stared down at him, he didn’t question the urge and went with it smacking William again, harder this time, he went for it again but the smaller boy dodged it, gripped Emerson’s arm and pulled him down. His breath left him, eyes closed during the fall and when he open them they were met with luminous eyes staring back at him. The fall situated him between William legs.

Emerson felt William's warmth through his shirt, he subconsciously pressed down on William drawing a reaction that set his core on fire. William’s eyes fluttered close, a groan escaped his parted lips.

Something was set loose in Emerson, he felt it, he wanted to hear that again…no, he wanted to be the reason behind every groan or moan that left those lips, consequences be damned. The feeling doubled when those amber eyes cracked open, clouded with lust.

A vibration broke the spell, bringing both boys to reality. Emerson turned in time to see his phone discarded on the table lit up with his younger brother name on display.

“Hello”

“Emerson! Where the hell have you been?”

“What’s wrong?” Emerson asked pulling himself off William.

“Did you not get any of my texts?” Benjamin whispered through the phone.  

“No, i…” Emerson found William gaze. “I haven’t had the time to check, look can’t you just tell me what’s going on?”

“Dad’s furious, that’s what! Come home–”  The called ended with a click, checking his notification Emerson found he had a series of missed calls from his parents. His heart stopped beating and he just stared blankly at his phone.

“I need to go.” He announced getting up from the couch, he stumbled on his way out, William's voice blending with the background. When he was safely seated in his car he drove on autopilot toward his home.