Under the Southern Cross.

[momoman]

Hey guys, here we go again. I'm trying for a concurrent story again. This one is centred around my place of residence completely -- Melbourne. You should probably know that "Under the Southern Cross" is a metaphor for being under the Southern Cross Train Station undulating roof. Anyway, enjoy won't you? As for me, i'm off to eat Vegemite covered crackers. See attached picture of SCTS on bottom of first post. xx.


And there I was again. I took a seat on one of the steel benches placed intermittently along the platform at the train station, and began the three hour wait for my train home.

I waited, watching every passenger disembarking and boarding the trains pulling in and out both in front and behind me. I made myself really look, trying to notice something specific about them. I had come up with this method of time-killing after only a month of doing this night after boring night because it took time, and I wanted the three hours to fly by. Slowly, the shops on the upper concourse of the station closed, and the candy store closed its doors for the night. “Damn” I muttered to myself, regretting my earlier decision to abstain from purchasing some sugary-goodness that evening. I stood up and walked down the long platform to the monitors placed on a big wall near the entrance. “Oh, wonderful...” I moaned when I read the display which showed the train on the Southern Line was delayed by an hour due to buckled tracks caused by the hot weather. “Damn Connex, you fucking losers...” I whispered, then instead of walking back to my seat on the platform I boarded the escalators which would lead me to the upper concourse. I slowly browsed through the Virgin Megastore which was, mercifully still open.

“Oh hey Ben, I didn’t know you were here!” Katie called. Katie was the manager of the store, and we had started talking about anything and everything one night when I was waiting here for my train last June. “How you been? How was school?” She asked me, and I just grunted. “Uni boys still giving you the shit then?” She asked and I just grunted again. “Train delayed, bullying, cold...could life get any worse?” I asked in a low voice, and she lost her positive facade. “Everyone has their bad patches in their life man, we all pull through!” She barked and I rolled my eyes. “Thanks girl, but I just hate Connex so much right now” I replied and she just nodded. “They’ve been ousted. A new company are coming in to renovate our train services. Metro or some shit.” She said and my eyes opened wide despite my anger. “Seriously?” I asked, raising one black eyebrow with a skeptical expression on my face. “Yup, you’ll have a better time of it soon enough. Anyway see you, I have to close up.”

I walked out of the store and returned to my seat on the platform. An hour went by, then two and finally three. I collected my bag and stood up. “FUCK THIS!” I said, and my voice carried across the tracks to another man sitting two platforms across from mine, waiting for the late train going Upfield on the Loop. “Cancelled, Delayed, Buckled tracks, fucked life?” He asked and I just stared, nodding imperiously. “I’m Matt!” He called, and I walked down my platform and around to his before I replied in my husky voice. “Ben.” I said, and he nodded. “I’ve seen you plenty of times before now, I finally get a name!” He began before my confused expression made him laugh.

“Haha, never noticed me? I’m always here this late, I have seen you a total of 17 times so don’t freak or anything!” He said, and I relaxed back into the seat next to him. “I’m just going to go check those damn monitors.” I said, before jogging down the platform to read the wall. “Off?” I asked, and he stood up running over having heard me. “You have got to be fucking kidding me!?” He yelled, giving the monitors the finger before turning back to me. “It’s going to take me forever to get across the city at this hour! Where are you from?” He asked, and I gulped before replying. “Well, that’s ages away if you want to walk. You got somewhere to stay?” He asked and I shook my head. “You could always stay with me, I wouldn’t mind you could take the sofa.” He offered but I shook my head.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable, I’ve only just met you.” I said and he nodded, trying to make it look like this didn’t bother him, but I wasn’t fooled. He was clearly on the verge of tears. “H-ha-H-a, Y-eah I sup-p-ose you’re right. I b-b-etter be off t-then. S-see you another t-time t-hen Ben.” He stuttered before walking off at a brisk pace for the exit. “Why do I fuck up anything and everything I touch?” I asked, hitting myself in the head before walking off myself in the opposite direction to what’s his name, toward a decent but cheap hotel I knew across the city.

I arrived at the hotel after three, and luckily the woman behind the desk was feeling merciful, so she allowed me to check in. “Here you go you poor thing.” She said, passing me my room key. “Thanks.” I said before walking off towards the elevators. I opened the door to my room and sank onto the single bed and put my head in my hands. I pulled out my phone and fired off a text message to my friends who had been expecting me at a 21st birthday party that night. My iPhone made the “Message Sent” sound, and I shut it off. I didn’t want to see their replies if I could help it. I settled down onto the bed, still in my day clothes as I had none to change into. As I lay there, I quickly punched the wall behind me. “Solid concrete, excellent” I whispered before I let the tears flood out of me, crying myself to sleep.

Chapter 1: Under The Southern Cross Again.

“I’m off Tom!” I called to my boss who waved back emphatically. I was so grateful that I had a decent boss. He had lent me a set of clothes to work in for the day as I had informed him of my ordeal. “Man, I hate that company. I still say you should move up here!” He’d insisted, making me roll my eyes. “I can’t afford an apartment..” I had said before vanishing into the toilets to change. I’d cried in there for a bit, but composed myself before I exited so I could do my job well.

I walked out of the office on the 9th floor, and rode the elevator down to the street exit. I walked for a short way along Collins Street before I found a Tram Stop, littered with people who’d finished work just like me. I hated peak hour in Melbourne, the trams were fine but the Connex run trains we’re always packed. People who boarded at Melbourne Central usually had to sit on the floor. That was my main reason for traveling the extra ten minutes around to Southern Cross, the second being I hated the underground tunnel air smell.

I arrived at the station and sat on my usual bench to await my train service. Metro trains were pulling up left right and center, perfectly on time too. “I like these guys already!” I thought inside my head, before returning to my daily cataloging. By the time I looked up, I could’ve sworn I had cataloged about six hundred people. I even said hello to a few who I had seen every single day over the past three years, and they had said hello back. Some of them even asked how I was, others saying I should move up to the City which would make my commute easier. I looked at my watch, which I showed 1:14AM. I pulled out my iPhone which sure enough displayed 1:14AM on the screen. I whimpered before running back to the displays. They were off again and I began to grind my teeth. “Um, hello again Ben.” A man said from next to me. I jumped a little, before turning to him. “Hi Matt, i’m so sorry for making you upset last night, yes I knew.” I said and he just smiled sheepishly. “No I’m sorry. I shouldn't have let myself get my hopes up. You probably figured out I’m gay...” He said, trailing off. I nodded, going red. “I kinda’ figured it out when you almost cried.” I said, apologizing when he winced at the memory. “Geez, I suck at meeting guys..I’m alone, I hate my life.” He said, making me reach out and put my arm around him. “Train’s are not coming again, I’ll take you up on that offer if you like.” I said and he smiled and nodded before taking my hand and walking with me out of the station.

“Ooooh! Wait!” I said, wrenching my hand from his and sprinting into the Krispy Kreme store which we were passing. I bought two dozen, one box of plain, one box of utterly random creations. I walked back out of the store, and shoved a doughnut into Matt’s mouth before putting one in my own. “Thanks!” He said, wolfing it down eagerly. “I’m hungry, usually I just have some toast when I get home. Ties me over before breakfast later on. This is better though, a doughnut never tasted so good when a sexy guy put it in your mouth...” He said, going bright red. “I put my hand on his face, which made his blush dissipate in a second. “You’re not horrid at meeting guys. I liked you the second I talked to you.” I said, and he grinned before moving in toward me.

He stopped about four inches from my face, letting me make the decision. I swallowed my mouthful and moved in to kiss him quickly on the lips. “Thank-you. At least I know you’re not making fun of me.” He said, and I rolled my eyes before he stopped me walking. “Here we are!” He called, pulling me into the doorway of a fancy building down the end of King Street. He opened the door and walked with me up to his apartment.

I put the doughnuts down on the coffee table, and we retreated to the sofa. He put on a movie and we sat back to enjoy it while eating our fill of comfort food before falling asleep on each other’s shoulders before the the film had drawn to to a conclusion.

TTYL, xx

As promised, the picture:


Gotta love Melbourne's deliciously classy Architecture! Peace out all!

 

[DonQuixote]

Hey, Momoman,
Interesting start. Nice place in town our downtrodden Matt has.

I guess I'll have to wait for you to fill in the blanks - like, why is Matt catching a cross town at that ungodly hour if his apartment is just down the street from the SoCross Station?

Ben has a 3 hour train ride? Big City shit - like NYC, to CT, I guess.

I'm a small-mid-sized city/suburban boy - what mass transit? Some busses, but the converted the old subway lines to our inner-loop for cars about the year I was born - over a half century ago!

I live in my car - but it's only 1/3 hour from anywhere to anywhere, tops, pretty much, in town.

BIG station. Big City.

Looking forward to the developing plot.

 

[momoman]

Chapter 2: Mistake?

I awoke at around 8AM. I carefully moved away from Matt, and gave myself a quick once over. I couldn’t be too careful as he was a stranger. My wallet and everything was still on me. “Morning..” he said, looking at me from the other side of the couch. “Mornin’!” I announced, which made him smile. “Listen, thanks for letting me stay last night. Why were you waiting on the Upfield line if you live here?” I asked, and he shrugged. “My mum doesn’t like me living in my own apartment. We did walk for a way last night, we just didn’t notice it because we were talking so much” He paused, allowing a small chuckle before continuing “I wait at Upfield’s platform so I can catch the underground City Loop, it takes about three minutes compared to forty minutes walking.”

I grinned, understanding. “I better get going.. Sorry to leave you high and dry.” I said, opening my wallet and throwing him two fifty dollar notes. “That’s for letting me stay and all. I’m really grateful, you’re nice.” I grabbed my bag, and made my way out of the apartment to the street below. King Street at this hour of the morning was very busy. People left right and centre hurrying to work, boarding trams and talking in a vast array of languages into their mobile phone’s. I hated Peak Hour. I had always hated it right from when I was little. When I started my Uni course and Job up here, I had been walking a little too slowly down Collins Street toward Southern Cross Station when a rather austere looking woman knocked me flat while she was walking with gusto for her tram. Hence the real hatred for Peak Hour.

I made it to Southern Cross, and boarded my train to the north side of the City via the Loop. “Screw going back to my mum’s house...” I said, when I disembarked at the vast underground station that was Melbourne Central. I walked up the escalator, keen to avoid the manic-looking people sprinting up and down beside me. Realizing how hungry I was once I reached the top and found the adjoining shopping mall with food court, I stopped at my favorite Breakfast cafe and bought a large cheese croissant. My phone buzzed, and I quickly retrieved it from my pocket to scan the number before I read the message. I gawked when I saw the name affixed to the Alert -- “Matt”.

[I]-- SMS Message, 08:56 --

“Hey Ben it’s Matt.  U didnt really need 2 pay me 4 letting U stay last nite, will U b at SC 2nite?”

I read the message eleven times through before I tapped Reply and wrote;

-- SMS Message, 09:04 --

“It’s OK, you deserve it.  Yes I did, U were really nice to me after I was such a bitch to you the other nite.  I will B at SC 2nite, waiting for my train as usual, that’s if I can B bothered”[/I]

I clicked Send and waited for his reply. I finished my croissant, which was delicious as usual. I exited the cafe, and began my walk through the large mall which would take me one block away from my own apartment. “Thank god it’s Saturday” I said, before opening the door to my apartment building and making my way upstairs to begin my weekend work for University. I was to write an Essay on “The Rise of Technology has made our way of life hang in the balance. Discuss.”

I hated Essays. Every time I got them I cursed them, gave them the finger and left them to gather dust for a total of eight hours before I sat down at my computer and began to write them. This one was especially boring, as I had written it before. My teacher liked it so much he wanted me to write it again so he could print a copy for every faculty member. Curse him. I didn’t have the source material anymore, so I had to reproduce it, word for word from the hard-copy I was now holding. Convenient that the photocopier was out when I was required to do this, oh well.

I finished in good time, at around five in the afternoon. I flicked to my favorite TV channel and began to watch reruns of ancient sitcoms and soaps to fill in the remainder of my evening before I would return to Southern Cross and await the arrival of my train again.
The time for me to leave arrived all too soon. I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to surprise Matt if he was there, I checked my phone and there was an unanswered text message from him. “I’ll be there, same time same place.”

I caught the Upfield Loop down to the station from Melbourne Central, and instead of waiting on the Southern Line platform, I sat down to wait on the Upfield Platform. “Ben?” I heard a voice ask and I looked up. Matt was staring down at me with love in his eyes. “Matt.” I said before standing up and hugging him. I felt a hand slide into my left pocket very quickly and I knew what he had done. “You shouldn’t have.” I said, pulling out the $100 that I had given him the previous night. “I really really like you, and I don’t need money from you.” He said, and I returned to his arms.

“So what do you want to do?” He asked, but I cut him off. “What are you doing here so early?” I asked, but he cut me off again. “What are you doing on this platform?”
“Waiting for you...” I said, trailing off. “Same here, I wanted to get here the same time you did..”

We walked together down the platform and boarded the train in the back car. We exited at Melbourne Central, and on the ruse of buying something in Dangerfield -- which was exactly half a block away from my apartment -- I took him down the mall toward my home.

“Didn’t you want to go in here?” He asked, pointing at the store. “No, that was a ruse. Follow meeee...” I said, taking his hand. “Woo!” He said, following me without hesitation. We arrived at my apartment building and he looked at me, confusion in his eyes. I almost heard the click in his brain, before he spoke the words that would make me unlock the door. “Train’s are not coming again, I’ll take you up on that offer if you like.” I grinned, and unlocked the door. I ducked down and scooped him up into my arms and carried him over the threshold, into the lift and into my apartment before I gently laid him down on one of my couches. “I know it’s kinda’ early....But I think I just may be in love with you....” He said, and I grinned. “I feel exactly the same way..” I said, before pointing at the sky where I could plainly see the Southern Cross constellation. “Look!”

“The southern cross......” He said, turning back to look at me with wondering in his eyes. Maybe this could work.

 

[DonQuixote]

Momoman,
Another interesting installment.

Young love, budding quickly.
You guys throw what sounds like fairly Big money around, fairly easily.

The Southern Cross must be a fairly romantic constellation - is it also called the Pleiades? The Seven Stars?

Thanks for continuing to be such a fruitful author for us.

 

[momoman]

The Pleiades are very similar by the looks of Google Images, but no, I believe the technical term is "Crux".

I like writing here, as I write, I further get motivated to come out of the closet further. I hope by mid year I can be fully out to everyone and on the way to getting a boyfriend for the first time as people will know that I'm gay

I'll update the both of these soon, in the meantime you'll all keep right?

TTYL, xx

momoman

 

[DonQuixote]

Yes we will.
Take care.

 

[MrTikTok]

Can't wait for the next chapter

 

[momoman]

Should I be sobbing right now? Should you? I don't know, you're just going to have to wait for the next few chapters.

Chapter 3: Sorting it all out.

“So beautiful...” I said, gazing at the just-visible constellation also. “Yes, but no where near as beautiful as you” Matt directed at me, I grinned, then realizing he couldn’t see my grin I spoke aloud the words “Thank-you” which made him relax. We turned away from the night sky and put on a DVD, and sat on the couch opposite to watch.

By the end of the film, we were hungry and I suggested we walk down to Pizza Hut or something. The two good things about living in the heart of Melbourne, were;
Melbourne is the food capital of Australia and restaurants and cafes surround any and every building in the city. I loved Melbourne, if you ever felt like ordering in or eating out you could just literally stand there in the middle of the street and point, finding a beautiful restaurant to try. I avoided Chinatown like the bubonic plague bred there, only because I had received Salmonella previously. “Sure! Let’s go i’m starved...” Matt agreed, so we both took our bags and exited my apartment for the nearest restaurant we could find.

“Okay, Pizza Hut it is then!” Matt called, pointing two shops away at the sign indicating that “Pizza Hut is here!!” I laughed, then rolled my eyes at him. We walked into the restaurant and ordered a pizza each, Matt paid for his and I mine. We retreated back into my apartment which was freezing as I had the A/C on permanently in Summer, and it was a stinking hot day so this didn’t matter in the slightest.

“I better be off now Ben..” Matt said, looking miserable at the very thought of leaving me. “Aww ok” I said, looking sad too. “Southern Cross tomorrow?” He asked and I nodded, having taken another mouthful just before his question. I dropped the box and walked him down to the street, he leaned in about 6 inches toward my face, leaving 6 or so for me to move in. I kissed him, and he kissed me back. “Eeew, Pizza grease!” I said, making a face of mock-shock. “You love it, anyway bye!” He called, already one building away from mine. “Bye!” I called, but he didn’t hear me.

I walked off to bed soon after our farewell, it was kinda’ dull being stuck inside on a hot day, which had now become a hot night too. I was just about to shut my iPhone off when I received a text message from Matt;

-- SMS Message 23:12 --

“Hey I had a gr8 date with a beautiful brunette tonight, he’s 6-2 and built. I should introduce U sumtime.”

I laughed once I had read it. I actually read it four times through before I got the joke. I rolled my eyes and typed back “LOL” before shutting the device off and going to bed.
In the morning, I flew around in a panic getting ready for work. I had five hours, but I had always been a “Panic Merchant” so naturally I couldn’t calm down until I had arrived. I’d done my small amount of Uni homework, so that didn’t bother me but I discovered as I was three doors away from my work that it was my nightly meetings with Matt which excited me.

“Hey Ben!” My boss called, beckoning me to come over to him. Sigh. Today was going to be a lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ng day, and I couldn’t do a thing about it.

The workday ended with me happy for once. I hadn’t had a rude or stupid customer or anything and I was beginning to suspect my luck, I never ever ever went a day without getting a nasty, bitter or stupid customer at this joint. I worked for an I.T. firm, and I operated the help-line where people could call in with computer problems. Myself and about ten others would attend to these issues, which were often something very simple. Most of them were internally referred to as “ID-10-T” errors, and we would mute the call and ding a bell on our desk signifying a fool on the other side of the line. Un-muting the call we would then attend to the customer.

My best one was a woman complaining loudly that the nifty pop-out “Cup Holder” on her computer “Box” had snapped after she tried to store a 7 Eleven Slurpee in it. I asked for further elaboration from her, as I was baffled. She had replied with “Umm, I have no idea.... It only has “RW Pioneer” on the front”. At that point I had to mute the call again, ding the bell about one hundred times and after asking her to hold, proceeded to laugh insanely, banging my hands on the desk.

So, I made my way downstairs and out onto the street. Beginning my long walk down to Southern Cross was murder on a hot day, I could pretty much sprint in Winter. I made it with seconds to spare, and made my way to the platforms where I would wait for Matt.
“Damn, Peak Hour again!” I muttered under my breath and a passer-by winked and shouted “AMEN TO THAT MATE!” over the bustling crowd. I laughed, then made my way toward the Upfield platform where yellow police tape had surrounded the tracks. Weeping women and some men were huddled a little ways away, pointing and talking amongst themselves while periodically stopping to blow their noses. Instinctively I moved closer to look. “Oh my GOD! Matt!” I yelled and suddenly the pavement swirled up to my face, and I no longer knew anything.

TTYL, xx

momoman

 

[DonQuixote]

Aw, DAMN, Momoman.

Just as they were getting to know each other.

I don't know what to think or say.

Yellow Police Tape and Matt still lying there = Dead, to me.
What happened?

I know you'll tell us.

Now I'm sorry I read this before Heading up to bed.
I was looking forward to the pick me up.

Heavy sigh.

Good writing, just a bummer of an installment - but, what would good writing be without some tragedy?

 

[Anonymous]

Ahhh! I just read from the beginning to the latest chapter. I hope Matt's okay!!! Or if he ain't okay, maybe he can get better? :[

 

[wyndhampaul]

I was at Southern Cross yesterday, Didn't see you there, so "please explain" what has happened?

 

[momoman]

Tidbit from next Chapter/Part. (Maybe I should have told you it was going to be 5 parts and that's it)

"Ben, Ben?" a voice asked. I opened my eyes, and Matt was shaking my arm. I sat up and hugged him. "Why the fuck were you on the tracks face down?" I asked, angry. "I fell, got dizzy for some reason or another." He replied, looking sheepish. "He's alright, seriously." A paramedic informed me, who was packing up. I thanked him and then stood up and walked with Matt to the nearest chair where I sat him down before sprinting to the Candy Store nearby. I returned in a matter of minutes with some candy and we shared it before waiting for our train.......

See you all soon with an Update to "And I thought I was camping alone" and "Under the Southern Cross."

TTYL, xx

momoman

 

[DonQuixote]

Hmmmmm. Is it "soon", yet? LOL

REAL Life, first.

 

[miketlow]

Hmmmmm. Is it "soon", yet? LOL

REAL Life, first.

They like to keep us on the edge of our seats!!!!

 

[momoman]

Here we go! Enjoy.

Chapter 4: Relief and Gratitude? More like Heartbreak and Depression.

"Ben, Ben?" a voice asked. I opened my eyes, and Matt was shaking my arm. I sat up and hugged him. "Why the fuck were you on the tracks face down?" I asked, angry. "I fell, got dizzy for some reason or another." He replied, looking sheepish. "He's alright, seriously." A paramedic informed me, who was packing up. I thanked him and then stood up and walked with Matt to the nearest chair where I sat him down before sprinting to the Candy Store nearby. I returned in a matter of minutes with some candy and we shared it before waiting for our train, that would take us through the City Loop around to Matt’s apartment.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” I said to him and Matt just nodded, not saying a word. The trip was short and we exited the station and entered the nice apartment block where he lived. “Ben theres something I should really tell you.”

<Ben>

“What?” I asked, alarmed by his tone. “I’ve met someone else, and I’m breaking up with you.”

The words rang in my head for a full ten seconds before my emotionless face was back. I picked up my bag and walked towards his front door. I opened it, and as I was about to leave he grabbed my arm. “Ben...?” He said but I yanked my arm out of his with enough force to split a thick wooden board. I closed his door and walked off down to the elevators. I heard running, so I took the stairs. Making it down to the lobby and into a cab, I told the driver to floor it back to my apartment. He did so and I paid him for his favor. Once I entered my apartment I locked the door. “There’s no reason why I should be crying or upset.” I thought to myself. “I’ve been chatting someone up too, so there was no love there.”

<Unknown>

I signed into AIM at 7PM. To my surprise Ben was online. “Hi!” I wrote in the window and sat there awaiting his reply.

<Ben>

“POP!” I jumped, as the sound of a new message in iChat had alerted me to a contact talking. “Hi!” I read, before scanning the username. “HatLawyer10” I laughed, then wrote “Will & Grace fan too huh’?”

<Unknown>

“Why yes I am, haha. How have you been sexy?”

<Ben>

“My...well I suppose you could’ve called him my boyfriend...broke up with me today.”

<Unknown>

“Awww, I feel so bad for you. You okay?”

<Ben>

“Yeah, just a little upset, but I’ll get over it.”

<Unknown>

“Sorry man I have to go, 7PM over here in Cali and my Mom is calling me for dinner, cya!”

<Ben>

“Bye!”

The user logged off. I didn’t know his name and he didn’t know mine. L.A.......it seemed easy enough to get there. I mean I’ve almost finished High School here, so I could apply for a Student Visa and go to High School for the one-year period before going to Uni. I worked out that with the 6 year Student Visa which I would pay for, I had 1 year to find a job before I would have to return here to Australia. “Sigh”.

Chapter 5: Application Successful.

“YES!” I screamed when I got the email. The email told me that my Student Visa application had gone through without a hitch and that I would be going to High School for a year in the USA, before going to College and getting my degree to work for either Apple or Google.

I signed into AIM and saw that HatLawyer10 was online. “Hey” we both wrote to each other at nearly the same time.

<Unknown>

“Lol”

<Ben>

“Yeah, weird right?”

<Unknown>

“I suppose but I sorta thought you’d be online somehow.”

<Ben>

“Oh?”

<Unknown>

“Your Facebook status, you got the US Student Visa? CONGRATS MAN!”

<Ben>

“Thanks! I have six hours until my flight and I’ll need a WHOLE YEAR’S worth of clothes for casual high school attire. Sucks how theres no uniform...”

<Unknown>

“EGH...WHAT? You guys have Uniforms at High School’s there?”

<Ben>

“Yep, unfortunately. So all in all I better go shop. Might get a chance to meet you. Sorry about your rotten lover by the way he sounds AWFUL.”

<Unknown>

“He’s home I better go, he’ll just wanna fuck me again.”

<Ben>
“Be safe, good luck. Cya man.”

He logged off and I sat there worried about him. I’d sent him instructions on how to clear the message backlog so his evil lover wouldn’t catch him bitching. He’d been so grateful. Not a single beating for more than six months.

I proceeded to several inner-city stores buying enough clothes to get me through at LEAST six months of the school year. I would just wear each thing twice. After my long shopping spree, I raced home to finish packing and tidy things up. I was given a dorm room or whatever it was called in student housing near the high school, according to my several letters that had arrived for me.

Chapter 5½: Trip.

I made it to the airport with minutes to spare. Checking in was quick and I raced through security down to the gate. Boarding JUST in time.

The flight from Melbourne to L.A. was long. 3 months had passed since I had ‘broken up’ with Matt and I couldn’t be happier. His number was still in my iPhone so I deleted it. Getting rid of old memories was good, it made me feel better. I fell asleep and woke about eleven hours into the flight. That was good, it meant I only had half the time left, another eleven hours. I grinned and spent the day listening to music, audiobooks and podcasts on my iPhone and drawing picture after picture. Even playing with a virtual Ouija Board and being surprised when it came up with “Future Husbands Name: Starts with B” as the outcome.

I fell asleep and was awoken about 4 hours into my doze, we were descending to LAX. I was now so wired that I couldn't’ve slept even if I hadn’t for a decade.

I disembarked into the terminal and walking outside with my suitcase, I realized it was FREEZING. I quickly called a Taxi and the driver took me to my ‘apartment’ near the high school. “Thank-God this is temporary.” I said when I got inside. I couldn’t wait for my money to come through from my Trust Fund back home. I had turned 18 about a day before my flight. Neglecting to unpack, I set up my MacBook and signed into AIM. “Hey.” I typed to HatLawyer10.

<HatLawyer10>

“HEY! You should be here now, yeah?”

<Ben>

“YUP! And I’m in L.A. !!!!!!!!!”

<HatLawyer10>

“You’re kidding.”

<Ben>

“Nope!”

<HatLawyer10>

“I can’t come meet you, HE won’t let me. Oh well”

We continued to talk like that for hours until his rotten lover got home. He logged off and praying he cleared the logs, I began to unpack.

Part 2:

Chapter 6: High School.

The next week after I arrived in L.A. I was to attend my very first classes at the High School I was now an official student of. I knew that I would be the subject of the day, but I didn’t care. I wore my most ‘Melbourne’ outfit and walked the block with all my school books piled into a big backpack toward the High School where I would spend 1 year of my life…...

 

[DonQuixote]

Wow, THAT was quite a switch.

Shitty thing for Matt to do to Ben.
I can't say as I blame him for being the way he was, not giving Matt an opportunity to talk.

Who is this mysterious HatLawyer10, and why can't he get himself out of this abusive relationship?

You've definitely caught our attention, Momoman.

Now I get to sit here and fret about the next chapter. lol

 

[momoman]

Well, I tied this up in a way you'll all see when you finish these chapters....

Chapter 6: High School.

The next week after I arrived in L.A. I was to attend my very first classes at the High School I was now an official student of. I knew that I would be the subject of the day, but I didn’t care. I wore my most ‘Melbourne’ outfit and walked the block with all my school books piled into a big backpack toward the High School where I would spend 1 year of my life……

Oh what joy. I couldn’t be happier that I was an American High School, but jesus. Did they ALL have to point and stare? And if another fucking person asks me to say “Bugger” and “Crikey” again I’m gonna snap. The lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke really. I’d always found the work easy back Home, but here it was a cake-walk for me as I had done it ALL before.

The first lesson I had was with Mr. Adams and being the dick he was made me stand up in front of the class and introduce myself to everyone. “Do you ride kangaroo’s to school in Australia?” The person in the fourth row, who I assumed was the class-wanker asked me amid gales of laughter. “No, unfortunately I thought you rode fat people everywhere here in America, so I guess we’re both wrong.” I snapped back and he sobered up while everyone else doubled over with laughter and laughed at HIM, not me.

I couldn’t have been happier with myself after breaking the ice with the rest of them. Unfortunately they all seemed to know I was Gay, and every girl just wanted to be friends with me. The strange thing was, guys walked up to me at Recess and Lunch breaks and asked me out or kissed me randomly. This was something I was NOT accustom to. In Australia, there were plenty of Gays like there were everywhere, but it wasn’t overtly obvious in most of us, nobody would ever do that in the area of Australia I lived in. “Will you go out with me? PLEASE?” the sexist guy of the day asked me sweetly. “Umm…” was all I managed to say before I ducked under his arm and walked off. “I’m NOT giving up!” He called after me and people laughed at him. “WHY can’t I do this?” I asked myself, and before I could pull all my thoughts together he pulled me back. “Sorry, that was rude. The name’s Adam.” He introduced himself and shook my hand. “Ben.” I said and he gawked. “So you ARE Australian. I thought it was a joke or something!”

“Yes, I am. You’re in the Homeroom next to mine right?” I asked and he nodded before saying “Yeah, but not for long. I don’t like it, so I’m moving into yours.” I raised my left eyebrow. “Oh I decided this before you came, so I’m not going to hound you.” He cut in swiftly before my scathing retort came out. I clicked my teeth together and he laughed. “Friends?” he asked and I nodded.

Chapter 7: Study Time?

Three months, eleven days and six hours had passed since I started at the school here in L.A. I lay in Bed after a particularly bad day, where a guy had asked me out and upon my rebuttal he tried to kill himself in the school bathrooms. “Well how the FUCK was I meant to know he was unstable like that?” I asked the Principal, he just grinned before returning to serious mode. “You weren’t. I was just informing you of the incident, I didn’t mean for it to sound like you were in trouble.” He said and I rolled my eyes in relief. The principal of the school liked it when I used curse words, he knew they sounded far funnier coming out of my mouth than anyone else so he let me use them whenever. Even the teachers found it incredibly funny, and since I rarely used them unless a particularly powerful emotion was rushing through me at the time it always lightened the mood.

I sat up in Bed and signed into AIM. HatLawyer10 was online and I opened up the window to write to him. “Hey.” I wrote. About five minutes passed before “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you think you’re doing talking to my boyfriend?” flashed up on the screen.

<Unknown>

“Well?”

<Ben>

“Who the FUCK are you buddy? What do you get off on talking to me like that?”

<Unknown>

“I’m HatLawyer10’s Boyfriend, and you’re talking to him, I want to fucking know why you’re talking to him and WHY THE FUCK he is talking back!?”

<Ben>

“I’m his online FRIEND from Australia. We met through Mutual friends, sorry if it bugged you buddy. But jesus, this was a bit uncalled for.”

<Unknown>

“Okay, since you’re so far away he can talk to you.”

<Ben>

“Okay”

<HatLawyer10>

“Hhheyy”

<Ben>

“What’s up man?”

<HatLawyer10>

“Thank-god, he’s gone. Fuck he bashed the shit out of me and raped me. I forgot to clear the logs and he sat on the computer waiting for you to get on!”

<Ben>

“Oh man I’m SOOOOO sorry.”

<HatLawyer10>

“Don’t worry about it, just usual behavior for him”

<Ben>

“You wanna talk?”

We continued to talk like that for five hours. Before he announced that he could hear his boyfriend’s car and that he had to go. He made sure of clearing the logs and signed out.
I was so angry. I didn’t even know the guy, really, and I was mega-pissed that his abusive boyfriend can keep getting away with all this shit. I returned to Bed, fuming and thinking bitter thoughts, and fell asleep quickly dreaming horrible dreams.

I awoke to a new morning and got dressed for school. Today was the first day of Mid-year exams and I was terrified. I knew I would do well in them, but Adam had asked me around for Studying that evening.

The exams went well, the three I had I positively breezed though. Adam apparently had a bit of trouble with his so when I went around to his house he was still in his day clothes and he opened the front door for me and he sprinted up the stairs with me. We studied for hours together and a result of it all was him finally being able to understand Quadratic Graphing and it’s Equations. “Thank-you SOOOOOO much!” He said, and he kissed me.

I backed away. “Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He said and I warmed myself back into my previous position. I looked over at him and he was crying. “Oh man did I hurt your feelings?” I asked, shocked. “A bit, but I’m more angry at myself. I swore I wouldn’t abuse our friendship like this!” he said, beginning to cry harder. I hugged him and I let him cry. “Thanks, by the way” he said when I was leaving. “No problem” I said and I walked down to my car and drove back to the apartment.

I opened my Laptop and found two emails from HatLawyer10 in Mail. I opened them and in the first one he asked “Please come online, I need to talk to you.” and in the second was his landline phone number and he said “He’s out, please call”.

I did so and we talked for hours and hours and hours. He finally said “Shit he’s here.” and I heard him hang up. I didn’t hear from HatLawyer10 since that day.

Chapter 8: Almost finished. Contingency plans and Searching.

I finished my mid-year exams and my eleven planned study sessions with Adam, who’d sworn to me that he would never again go for me like he did. We were now closer than ever but not lovers. He’d never seen me naked, and I had never seen him and we both wanted to keep it that way. “The last day of school for the both of us is coming up!” Adam declared when I answered his phone call. I laughed and then said “It’s two months away!” into the receiver. “I know but CONGRATS on that Job Offer!” He called back. “Where the fuck are you? Across a football pitch?” I asked, holding the receiver a foot away from my head. “Nah, I’m just bein’ a dick.” He said and I placed it back against my head.

I still couldn’t believe it. The High School had seen my exploits on the computers and submitted my resume to Apple in Cupertino for me. I’d gotten the Employee package in the Mail the previous day, and I was shocked to find that I would be going to University WHILE I was an employee. The papers had been signed and I was now a permanent resident. I didn’t even have to renew my Visa.

I was flying. My money arrived into my Bank accounts and I purchased a huge two storey apartment in the dead centre of L.A. It needed a hell of a lot of work, so that’s why it was so cheap. I spent the rest of the time before school finished, studying, hanging out with friends and buying stuff for the apartment and fixing it up.

“What are you going to do once you graduate?” Adam asked me one day when he was sitting in my apartment. I still hadn’t bought a sofa. “I think I will go camping or something. You know, see the wilder side of America..” I said and he nodded. “A few of us are planning on do that, but we’re going up to New York to do it.” He said, in between a laugh at my expression.

“It’s not camping if you’re in a massive city in a nice apartment with cars and trucks and pedestrians surrounding your building.” I said and he just laughed harder. “You don’t know that New York has a Rural side? Trees, HUUUUUGE houses, Forests?” He asked and I shook my head, which made him laugh again harder than before. “Gawd you’re new here…” he said and continued to laugh.

That evening, after Adam had left, I searched the Internet for traces of HatLawyer10 from Los Angeles, California. Nothing anywhere apart from his AIM nickname showed up. “Last Sign In: 5 months ago?” I read to myself. “Shit, I hope he’s okay…” I said to myself before going downstairs to the mall at the bottom of my apartment building and buying a new Sofa for the place. Getting it upstairs was a BITCH and a half since I had to use the Load Elevator, but getting it in and settled was easier than walking through the door with nothing in my hands. Now that the place had a sofa it looked complete. I had my LED TV, I had my Playstation 3, I had everything out that I wanted. Even a fully stocked kitchen, and I was content. But I still needed to get away.

Chapter 9: The End of School.

The End of School came up quickly. Like one of those dates on the calendar you just can’t wait for and it seems to arrive the very next day even though it’s a month or a half a year away. The graduation ceremony was fun, and I was thankful that none of my family was there. The robe was a dark, shimmering blue with light blue bordering. I received my diploma and the Principal shook my hand and moved his ear next to my mouth. “Thank’s so fucking much mate!” I whispered and he laughed before I moved on. That night I spent on my Bed, thinking about the events of the day and how they’d played out. Laughing at some of the moments and things that had happened during the day…….

The resounding crash of fists on tables, paper flying through the air, thudding against the walls and the teacher’s futile calls to calm evaded me. I seemed to not even notice it until a piece of paper, crushed up into a suitable shape for a trash can, hit me squarely in the side of the head. I snapped out of my reverie, and with my usual lightning reflexes, threw it back at the perpetrator. It hit him between the eyes, and he screamed with fury. I snatched up my bag, remaining books and papers and sprinted from the room.

Seconds later, I was at my car. I got in, threw the bag to the passenger seat and drove too quickly toward the exit. People were following now. I knew Adam wouldn’t chase after me or do anything of the sort that was related. He was too a gutless-wonder for something like that..........

An hour later, in which I screamed numerous times out the window at idiot drivers and made many rude hand gestures through the windscreen, I arrived home. I had made plans to go camping alone, in a remote location for a few days -- or weeks -- when I finished school, so I walked in, and began my preparations. I was to leave the following morning, promptly at 6AM.

I felt like dinner at around 7 o’clock in the evening. So, instead of making my way laboriously to the nearest McDonald’s or Pizza Restaurant, I decided to cook. I got ingredients out for Lasagna and got cooking. It was ready and cooked in and hour and a half. So, utilizing my new freezer, I flash froze 5 helpings to take with me whilst camping. At least I would have good food. After dinner, I watched TV for a bit, still marveling at how quickly TV’s in this country seemed to change channels.

At around 10PM, I decided to make my way to bed. Although I wasn’t tired yet, I did need to get up rather early in the morning. I dressed down, and got into bed, thinking of my life. How quickly it had changed. One minute, I was safely in high school, talking to friends and steadfastly ignoring teachers. The next, I was an adult, out of school, with his whole life ahead of him. “Some fucking life.” I said to myself. I had been internally depressed for over 3 years, mainly because of the fact that I was gay, and the fact that I was ridiculed daily because of it. I wanted a boyfriend, my first boyfriend, I was sure would have been in High School, like every other damn person in High School -- that I knew anyway. They had all had their first experiences in the sex and boyfriend/girlfriend department by their junior years. Me, no way. Unlike most of the people I knew, I was raised to obey old-time morals; to not have sex before marriage, to not drink before 21, to not smoke etc, etc. And by the age of 18, it was killing me. I was 1 month shy of turning 19, and all my girlfriends say that I was the sexiest guy they knew, and they knew a few guys, so this was a small comfort to me. I didn’t want to sleep. I lay there for a good hour trying, but as when you have too many a-thought flying around in your mind, you can’t. “Fuck it then.” I said, a little bitterly, and got up. I dressed up for hiking and camping. Grabbed all my gear, the lasagna, last nights Potato Salad, tinned Spaghetti and several variations out of the fruit family, threw them into my bag, picked it up and left my apartment for my car.

Chapter 10: Arrival.

I made it to my car in a record 3 minutes. There was absolutely nobody in the corridors or elevators at this time of the night. The doorman queried me on my peculiar outfit and upon telling him that I would be away for several days or weeks, offered to hold all my mail and packages in the Purser’s Office. I thanked him and made my way downstairs to the Parking Basement.

I placed my bag in the Rear Passenger seat, making sure that the food was still flash frozen and seated safely. I locked the door before closing it, then dashed back up to my apartment, picking up my Hiking Cellphone and iPhone. Before leaving, I did a last minute check up of everything in the apartment, satisfied, I locked up again and dashed back to my car. Getting in, I tapped the Auxiliary setting, and plugged in my iPhone to play some music for the duration of the drive. As I didn’t know where I was going nor how long I would be driving, I settled with playing a non-stop album by my favorite DJ, Tiësto.

I began the drive, and after about 50 minutes, I was finally out of the city limits, driving around the suburbs on the bypass. Soon I would be “out in the sticks”, close to the many rivers and mountains that criss-crossed along the landscape of my home state. I pulled over then, rapidly googling some remote locations. A place that was over 500 miles away seemed like a good place, so I began the drive again. Periodically, along the way, I would pull over into the Rest zones of the seemingly never-ending highway to sleep. Waking up a good 8 hours later, I would begin the drive again and repeat as I became tired again. After doing this a staggering total of 11 times, I found myself in my destination, nearly 1,300 miles from where I started out. I was irate. I checked my iPhone and sure enough it said “1,283 miles from previous location”. “I thought you said 500 miles!” i said accusingly to my iPhone -- talking to inanimate objects is the first sign of insanity. I wasn’t getting cabin fever already was I? I drove further into the forest, following the road that led deeper and deeper into the camping grounds. I passed the busy Main Camp area where there were families having Barbecues, pitching tents close by and laughing in harmony with each other. The sight made me feel ill, so I drove on for another 80 miles.

I arrived at a small rolling grass covered hill, with trees perfectly covering and obscuring every potential entry and exit. I parked my car perpendicular to the main entrance of the area I had chosen, further blocking anyone coming to disturb me and began unpacking. Thanks to my previous 7 years of camping at various locations, I knew how to set up a decent camping site. I had my tent almost welded to the ground in forty seconds flat. I set up the firewood from my supplies and lit the fire, I placed my Eski in the back part of my 2-Bedroom tent, placed my clothes and bag in the bedroom that I had chosen and returned to my car. Before locking up, I grabbed my iPhone and Emergency Hiking Phone, and put them safely in my bag. Afterwards, I sat with the majority of my body in the tent with my head and shoulders protruding out of the flap reading a book by the light of the fire.

The morning came, quicker than I ever thought possible. It seemed like seconds before that I was nodding off to sleep. “Good, that means I got some good ol’ REM.” I said to myself, smiling before heading to my Eski and began tugging out suitable ingredients for breakfast. After succeeding in making and eating a passable meal, I decided to hike up the nearby mountain. That would take at least 10 or 12 hours. I put on my hiking boots, warmer clothes as it was quite cold out, and got started.

The hike turned out to be rather easy, although it did take the full 12 hours that I had anticipated to reach the summit of the mountain. Never before had I encountered so many steps in my life until this day. I stayed up there for a good half hour, taking some long-exposure shots on my Camera. Afterwards, I headed back down the path that would take me to my camping site. As always, the trip back was quicker, and by the time I made it to my Eski, I was famished. I withdrew -- with some difficulty -- a frozen portion of Lasagna, and heated it over my newly lit fire. Eating it with gusto before it was fully defrosted. I sure was glad that I packed 5 servings of the gargantuan lasagna that I had cooked the night before, as these would last me days. Tomorrow, I would further divi up the servings to better cater for my potential stay.

Again, I found myself reading the same book by the light of the fire. When it was time to put it down -- my eyes seemed to be closing of their own accord -- I heard some rustling in the trees around my tent. My eyes snapped open, my ears straining for more noises. It definitely wasn’t the breeze rustling those leaves, it was human. There were no animals here due to the large stone wall that protected the Park’s inhabitants and guests from them. More rustling noises, and this time some discernible footsteps.

I got out of my tent, stood up and moved closer to where I heard the noises. A loud thud startled me slightly. I looked through the trees to see a rather tall dark, clearly male figure who had obviously dropped a bag to the ground. “That must have been the thud.” I said to myself, wondering exactly how much he had in there for it to make such a noise, as it was probably 45-50 meters away from me. He dropped several logs on the ground before lighting the fire. The light illuminated his face, he was the sexist man that I had ever seen in my life.

I stepped back, emotions were coursing through my body like poison. Anger, Denial, Amazement, Excitement, Sadness, Depression and good old Anger again. I had come here to be alone. To escape from the world, to recuperate from the damage inflicted to me by my years in High School. Despite myself, I looked back through the trees at him. I could see quite clearly that he was crying. I watched him for over half an hour, then he retreated into his tent. I did the same, putting out my fire minutes later. Boy, this camping trip could be interesting……….

The End.

TTYL, xx

momoman

 

[tamk13]

good story!!! looking forward to some more hopefully!

 

[DonQuixote]

Hmmmmm,
Hey, Momoman,
Did you say your name was George Lucas?
A Prequel - This is the REAL Episode I,
"I Thought I was Camping Alone" is really Episode VI,
and Ben is REALLY Luke Skywalker? lol

Nicely crafted. I got behind a bit - sorry about that. I think I started to read the chapter late one night when I couldn't stay away, then it was set to "Off" in my "New Post" indicator on Subscriptions. After your comment, starting in to this past chapter, it all started to click. Then I had this sense of "Deja Vu", for some strange reason.

Tank13 - see this link to find out what happens, lol.

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291158

What next, sir, an alternate progression than "I Thought . . . "?

Thanks for backing us up so we could get a little more feel for the man, whoever he REALLY is.