Wow, are these Wednesdays coming round fast these days. So, here is the next part of my story about a very special young man
Just a quick pronunciation check. I've been asked if Cyan is pronounced with a hard or soft 'C'. It's a soft 'C' ie it's pronounced Si-ann
“Would you like a coffee?” Robin asked, as Cyan sat down.
“No thank you. Coffee isn’t good for me. I get hyper.”
“What about tea then? Hot chocolate? Or a cold drink? Coke?”
Cyan stared at him wide eyed, and Gillian’s glare
intensified, but Robin didn’t care. He was already on his feet and it was
suddenly very important he bought something
for Cyan.
“Okay,” Cyan said, nodding. “I like hot chocolate. With
cream?”
“I don’t know if they have cream, but I’ll ask.”
Cyan beamed and something about it gave Robin a fuzzy
feeling inside.
When Robin got back everyone was deep in conversation. He
set the mug of hot chocolate – with extra cream – on the table in front of
Cyan. Cyan beamed at him and picked up the wallet he’d placed ready on the
table.
“Oh no, I don’t want you to pay. It’s my treat, to say thank
you.”
“Thank me for what?”
Cyan stared at Robin with confusion in his big green eyes.
Robin licked his lips. “For stopping us from making a big mistake.”
“We’d have found out for ourselves as soon as we started
researching,” Gilly said, her displeasure evident.
“That’s beside the point,” Robin said. Cyan hovered
uncertainly for a moment, before nodding and moving his hand away from the
wallet.
“Hey, Rob, guess what?” Alex said. “Cyan’s going to our
school. He's starting Monday.”
Robin didn’t know why that pleased him so much, but the
knowledge he’d not only be seeing Cyan again, but would be seeing him every day,
woke a little flutter inside him that was very like what he used to feel whenever Gilly entered a room. Lately, the
flutter has turned to a flip, and not a good one. She was just so…controlling,
and always seemed to have something to complain about.
It was impossible, of course. The flutter couldn’t be anything like that,
because Robin wasn’t, never had been and never would be interested in men in
that way. It was just that Cyan was so—watching him over his hot chocolate.
“What?”
“People were talking to you,” Cyan said, “but you weren’t
listening. You were looking at me. Lots
of people do that. I don’t know why.” And he didn’t. That was the thing. He was
totally, absolutely, and undeniable gorgeous, but he was totally oblivious.
That was one of the things that fascinated Robin so much.
“I’m sorry. I just… Do you realize you have beautiful eyes?”
Robin snapped his mouth shut, horrified by what he’d just said.
“Do I?” The eyes in question widened and Cyan seemed
confused. Then he shrugged. “I guess I do. My mother tells me all the time but
you can’t believe mothers, they have to say nice things.”
“You really do have lovely eyes,” Aivah said, stroking his
arm.
Cyan jerked away so fast he spilled his hot chocolate.
“Please don’t,” he said. “I don’t like being touched.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t like anyone touching you? Anywhere?”
“No, I don’t.”
“How does that work? I mean, surely you like being touched
by your girlfriend. You know. When you kiss and stuff,” Aivah said, wide eyed.
She had an absolutely one track mind, and was a shameless flirt. It was obvious
Cyan wasn’t sure how to deal with her.
“I don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve never had a girlfriend. I
don’t even like girls. I mean…like that.” Cyan seemed to be very uncomfortable
with the subject and squirmed in his seat.
“You don’t? Are you gay?”
“I don’t know.” Cyan said, looking even more uncomfortable.
“Well…maybe I am, but I’m not supposed to talk about it. It gets me into
trouble.”
“Who says you can’t talk about it?”
“People. Can we talk about something else?”
“So you are gay?”Gilly asked. Robin groaned. Gilly had a
malicious tone in her voice. It seemed she’d made up her mind she didn’t like
Cyan, and when Gilly didn’t like you, she made it known in all kinds of nasty
little ways.
“Leave it, Gilly,” Robin said, and she glared at him.
“Don’t worry, Cyan,” Aivah was saying. “You’re
safe with us. We don’t have anything against gays. You
can be gay with us if
you like.”
“I don’t know if I am. I’ve never had a boyfriend
either. Maybe I won’t ever so there’s no point getting into trouble over it.”
“But you have to know.
Even if you’ve never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend you have to know.”
“I don’t,” Cyan said
firmly. He put his mug down and stood up. “I think I’d better go now.”
“Oh, please, don’t,” Aivah said.
“We need you so much. You know such a lot about history, and it’s lovely to
hear you talk. Your voice is as pretty as you are.”
“I’m…pretty?” Robin had thought
it wasn’t possible for Cyan’s eyes to get any wider. He was wrong.
“Oh come on,” Gilly said, her
hostility evident. “Quit the false modesty already. You must know you’re good
looking. No one could look like you and not know how gorgeous you are.”
Cyan squirmed, clearly more
embarrassed than ever. “Don’t say things like that. I don’t like it.”
“Right. No one dislikes being
told they look good.”
“I do. It’s not true and I don’t
like it.”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you
you’re beautiful before?”
“Well…maybe, but they didn’t mean
it, and I don’t like it. Please stop.”
“But…”
“I-I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
Although everyone protested, for
their different reasons, Cyan picked up his bag of peaches and hurried away,
carefully avoiding touching anyone.
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