Ghost Yaoi Novel Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE - SURPRISE GUEST
Paul Campos stared down at a framed photograph of Mark Slater. The photo was of a laughing teenager with a flashing smile and green eyes. Mark was wearing the bright orange trunks of a lifeguard. His surfboard was thrust into the sand beside him.
Paul and Mark had practically lived at the beach that summer fifteen years ago and their bodies showed it: copper-colored skin and hair bleached light by the endless sun. Paul could still smell the sea air and taste the salt on his lips from the waves. When they hadn’t been guarding, they’d been surfing. It was an effortless way to live.
Until Mark died, Paul thought and a familiar stab of pain went through him.
He was remembering Mark a lot these days. He couldn’t help but remember his best friend and first lover, because he felt like he was seeing Mark’s ghost every time he looked at one of his players on the high school football team he coached. Seventeen-year-old Sean Harding could have been Mark’s twin.
Paul had noticed Sean first as a freshman when he was an awkward young man who was tripping over his own two feet. Then came sophomore year and Sean slowly learned a gazelle’s grace. But as a junior, Sean took Paul’s breath away.
Sean had shot up another five inches and added a ton of muscle. Paul might have known of the changes in his player if he had been there to coach during the summer, but he’d taken a leave of absence to take care of his dying mother. So when he got back to school in the Fall and saw Sean for the first time with dark brown hair, sparkling green eyes and brilliant smile on a man’s body, he had thought he was seeing Mark again.
I’ve almost called him Mark a few times. Jesus, I’ve thought of him as Mark. Wanted him as if he were -- no! Can’t think that way. He’s my student. He’s my player. Not -- not anything more, Paul forcefully told himself.
Paul looked at his own reflection in the frame’s glass. Thirty-seven-years-old, but still looked shy of 30. Closely-cropped blond hair and sea-blue eyes. He was perpetually tanned even in winter from being out in the elements: hiking, skiing, kayaking, climbing and running. His body was harder and leaner than when he was a teen.
And that matters why? Do you think because you’re fit and handsome you’ll appeal to a teenager? He asked his reflection with a bitter laugh. He knew that 37 was the same as 80 years old in a teenager’s mind. He was ancient. Not desirable. Laughable.
Besides Sean is quite straight, Paul thought wryly. He’s made his way through half the cheerleading squad, the drama club and the student council and those are only the ones I know of. He’d be horrified to know his coach was lusting after him.
Paul sighed and put the photo back into this duffel. He was taking it everywhere with him. That was dangerous. He should take it back to his condo. He should get back to his condo period. Get out of the high school’s gym building. Make some dinner. Watch a movie.
Jack off until my cock hurts and I won’t want to feel aroused tomorrow, he thought with a helpless sigh. But his plan was forgotten when Sean slouched through the door of Paul’s office in the gym building
Considering the 17-year-old was over 6 feet already, slouching was quite a feat. Paul opened his mouth to issue a surprised greeting until he saw the black eye on that beautiful, masculine face. He was rising from his chair and walking towards the teen without thought. He normally kept at least five feet away from Sean like an invisible forcefield was around the younger man, but tonight there was no force on Earth that could have kept him away.
"Sean? What happened? Who did this?" Paul asked, as he gently grasped the boy’s chin and turned his head so that the shiner could be seen more fully in the light.
Paul’s own tension and anger at seeing that lovely face marred was nothing compared to the tension in Sean’s body. The boy was practically shaking with it. The normally calm and easy going Sean Harding was now a mass of rage. And pain, Paul realized.
"Whatever it is that you can tell me," Paul assured the boy.
The boy opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Jesus, what happened to him? This isn’t some unimportant scuffle he got into, Paul realized.
He led Sean over to the ratty couch in the corner of his office. It was a place where he sometimes spent the night when he couldn't bear going home to his empty condo. At least at the school, he was surrounded by the things he loved while at home it seemed more like he was surrounded by ghosts of a life he didn’t have.
Sean sat down heavily, but he wouldn’t look at Paul. Instead, he stared straight ahead, his green eyes fixed on the linoleum floor for the longest time, completely silent. To Paul’s dismay, his body didn’t care that the other boy was upset. Instead all it noticed was that a beautiful Mark-clone was beside him. So near. So touchable. So vulnerable.
God, stop! Paul begged his libido. Just stop.
Suddenly Sean gave out a shuddering breath and asked, “If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone?”
Paul knew he should say no that he couldn’t promise. Because depending on what Sean said he might very well have to do or say something, but instead he responded, “I promise. Now tell me how this happened.”
Sean shuddered and suddenly wrapped his arms around himself. “My step-dad, he ah -- he did this.”
"What?" Paul asked. His hands clenched at his sides as rage suddenly flickered through him. It would have been one thing if Sean had got into a fight with another boy. Stuff like that happened. It wasn't the end of the world nor was it traumatizing. But when it was an adult, a parent, that was a whole other issue.
And I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone about this, but I have to, Paul realized and groaned.
"Sean, I need to call the police," he said slowly. "You need to tell them what happened."
Sean's head whipped around to face Paul's. His green eyes were wild. He'd gone an ashen gray. “You can’t! You promised!”
Paul closed his eyes tight for second. Under the law, he had to report this. “I shouldn’t have made that promise. You’re going to have to forgive me for breaking it. My job requires that I do this.”
Paul stood up, but Sean was grabbing his arm and pulling him down again. The boy was shaking and suddenly buried his head in Paul’s chest.
“You can’t! You can’t!” Sean repeated. His panicked breathing warmed Paul’s skin through the thin t-shirt he wore.
The older man lightly ran one hand down the boy’s shaking back. “Sean, whatever he did wasn’t your fault. If he’s beating you, I can’t allow it to continue. I won’t allow it.”
“If you tell the police, it’ll get out why he hit me,” Sean stammered
Paul’s forehead furrowed. What could Sean be so worried about? The boy was so all-American and pure, he couldn’t imagine. But with teenagers anything is possible.
“What would come out?” Paul asked.
Sean suddenly pulled away, his face flushed with tears, and he gave a trembly smile. “I don’t think you’ll want me touching you after -- after this.”
Paul grasped Sean’s shoulders and pulled him back into his arms. This is insane. I shouldn’t be holding him. But he needs me. He needs this.
“Whatever you have to tell me, believe me that I won’t feel any differently about you,” Paul answered fiercely.
Sean went still then slowly, tentatively wrapped his arms around Paul’s waist. “My step-dad was in my room. Going through my stuff. And he found -- he found some things.”
“What things?” Paul asked. Drugs? Guns? What?
“Magazines and some books,” Sean said and his voice caught on the last.
“You mean porn?” Paul petted Sean’s back lightly. What kid doesn’t have porn in their rooms?
“Not just like any porn, but ah -- gay porn,” Sean whispered.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by alexxgalaxy on August 09, 2011
I was surprised that Paul was 37. It was fifteen years ago when Mark was murdered and with the mention of teenager in the beginning, I was led to think the picture of Mark was taken not too long before his death. I kind of expected they were around 18. At the age of 22 (37-15) could be considered a young man. It's a little weird to call a twenty-two teenager.
To Be Updated This Week
Page 163
