Jeremy Green - 2. Chapter 2

Jeremy felt a hand moving softly and delicately through his hair, disentangling them while caressing him simultaneously. He stirred but kept his eyes closed. He was snuggled under the blankets, warm and cosy and had no intention of getting up. He was still half asleep and had no idea who was caressing him; all he cared about was the good feeling of being touched with love. The soft hand was now on his cheek, softly plucking it and delicately touching. Then a low husky voice followed.

"It's morning, babe. You need to get up, else you'll be late."

As if someone had taken two drums and banged them above his head, Jeremy sat up straight throwing the covers away. However, the swift jerking didn't work out as he instantly felt dizzy and unfocussed. A few minutes passed before he relaxed and could focus. He fixed his eyes on Jacob looking at him with an amused expression on his face. Apparently, he had just showered because his towel was wrapped around his waist, his hair was damp and fell on his forehead (unlike the usual spiked look), and he looked fresh, sexy and smelled great. Jeremy felt like shit on watching him. However, his embarrassment and mild shock turned into a full blown shock when he saw a breakfast tray kept on a stand near him.

He looked at the tray and then at Jacob. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was dead sure he was dreaming and about to lie down and throw the covers over himself when Jacob ruffled his hair and laughed. "Get up, lazy-bum!"

Jeremy couldn't help but smile and rubbed his eyes like a kid. Jacob simply adored the cute sleepy guy on his bed. He loved that this boy was his and his alone. He loved to be the only one in his life; the sole protector, the only one the boy had; the only one Jeremy could come to. He loved to pamper him, to caress him, to make him happy, to spoil him; but he didn't like if someone else even thought of spoiling their little world.

"I'm going to dress now. You better be done before I get ready!" Jacob instructed Jeremy with a smile and a wink.

Jeremy looked at Jacob and smiled widely. He stretched and took his cup of coffee with hazelnut flavour. Taking a sip of the delicious and reviving drink he looked around the room. It was their bedroom. It was huge and beautiful with class and grandeur etched into every feature. Their bed was king-size and made of very polished ebony with ultra-soft mattresses and pillows; covered with white silk covers. The general hue of the room walls was dark brilliant blue except the wall against the bed. It was a crimson red painted in the manner to give it a rough dotted exterior. On this wall hung a big framed picture of the couple. The photo had been clicked on a trip to Bahamas. Against the backdrop of a raging sea, and the flaming setting sun which had casted a burning hue in the sky, stood the couple. Dressed in a black shirt unbuttoned to the abs and shorts, Jacob had his hand around Jeremy, who was clad in a sky blue t-shirt and capris. Jeremy stood smiling sweetly as the wind played with his hair while Jacob stood straight with a slight smile and a raised eyebrow holding the former as firmly as possible. Jeremy looked at the photo reflected in the huge mirror opposite to their bed. He distinctly remembered that night when Jacob had gone down on his knee and proposed. How he had been over-whelmed with emotion and had fallen into his arms. Engaged, they were now living together.

His gaze now turned to the paintings on the other walls. Jacob was a connoisseur of art and had got some great paintings from his trips to Paris and Venice. They were interesting and amazing. However, one painting which always intrigued Jeremy was one Jacob had painted in jest. Jeremy had been laughing at Jacob's painting mania and challenged him to paint one. Jacob had taken his paints and after an hour wherein his white tee got a splash of colour stains he had made a weird blast of colours on the canvass. The painting had turned out to be a hard splash of deep red and black splashed on the canvass as if the two colours were intertwining and yet separated creating a storm or a whirlwind like pattern. Jeremy had looked at it, and laughed his head off, colouring Jacob's nose red with a little paint and running away. Jacob had caught him and both had fallen on the bed where after things had become hot.

Jeremy looked at the panting and remembering the night smiled and took the final sip of his coffee. He got out of the bed and moved towards the windows. Beautiful and rich velvet curtains imparted a royal look to their room. He held the curtains and swung them away to let the day in. He was blinded by the bright sun whose brightness was magnified by the pure white snow covering the roads, pavements and buildings around. Jeremy grabbed a coat and walked into the balcony. The sun was shining bright heralding a new day. He shivered at the chill in the air but the warmth of the sun felt great against his skin. He looked at the road covered with snow which the trucks were trying to remove. People armed with shovels had come out of their houses to scrape the snow from their porch. Children were laughing loudly as they tried to make the best architecture of childhood- the Snowman. They laughed as they fell in the snow smashing the tummy or the head of their snowman or throwing snowballs at each other. Jeremy looked at the kids and felt warmth surging in his chest. Bliss and happiness soon replaced sorrow as he saw a kid shouting, "Daddy, look I made a snowman!"

A slight tear escaped his eye but froze midway. The wind was chilly. Jeremy sighed and turned away from the kid who was now on his father's shoulders pretending to be a jumbo jet. He walked into the room to look if Jacob was dressed.

*****

Jeremy grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He was already late for college and there was some impatient jerk relentlessly ringing the bell. Usually, as per rules Jacob dropped him at college but today he had to attend an important meeting. So he had been left on his own without a Porsche to drive him to the college. He had lost sense of time without Jacob's routinized presence and had got late.

The doorbell rang for the seventh time now and Jeremy was annoyed beyond control. He reached the door and flung it open; and came face to face with a bouquet of white roses. Taken back Jeremy jerked his head away.

"What the hell?"

The bouquet of roses moved aside and Chris surfaced grinning widely. Jeremy looked from Chris to the roses and back again not understanding what to do. Chris however took his silent confusion as an invitation to enter the apartment. He walked past Jeremy leaving the roses in his grasp and looked around.

"That's a great place you got here." He concluded.

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy shot at him bewildered.

Chris turned to look at him surprised. However, comprehension dawned on him and reflected on his face. "Oh! My bad; I came to check how you're doing. How's the snooty ass?"

"Excuse me!" Jeremy exclaimed in indignation. Chris merely chuckled and moved to sit on the armchair. He started rocking it and soon made it a kid's game.

Jeremy who would have got amused in a normal situation was not pleased. "What are you, twelve?"

Chris stopped his rapid rocking and turned to him. With his tongue between his teeth he got up and scratching the back of his head said, "Sorry."

Jeremy inwardly smiled at the cuteness but maintained his show of a stern expression. Chris now came close to Jeremy and with his face inches away from the latter's face asked," So, how are you feeling?"

A bit uneasy Jeremy stammered, "I...I'm fine."

Chris smiled and withdrew. He gave Jeremy an x-raying look from top to toe lingering at the lips and the region which the towel surreptitiously covered. Jeremy suddenly became conscious of his nudity and crossed his arms in front of his chest taking a more defensive stance.

The clock struck nine and Jeremy started. Hell! He was very late now!

"Listen, I'm getting late for college. It was nice of you to have come. See you." Jeremy shot at Chris.

"Will you have lunch with me?" Chris replied.

"What? Why? No!" Jeremy replied in haste as he began ushering Chris to the exit.

Chris, however, continued his questions while being ushered to the door.

"Dinner?"

"No! I'm getting late!"

"Please! Tonight at 8!"

"What part of No don't you understand?"

"I'll pick you up at 7.45! Please!"

"No dude! I'm engaged!"

"Please! It's a friend thing! Please! Please! Please!

"Fine! Now just go!"

"See you at 7.45 then! Bye!"

Jeremy slammed the door in his face and rushed to his room. As he threw a shirt and jeans on he quickly thought over what he'd just got himself into- dinner with a stranger. This wouldn't go down well with Jacob. What would he do now? He had to think of something. But for now college!

*****

Jacob looked at Jeremy shutting the door and running to the bedroom. He now appeared in the bedroom quickly dressing in a t-shirt and jeans. Within minutes he was ready and having grabbed his bag, he had rushed out of the apartment. Jacob's jaw was clenched as he switched off the laptop. It was a good idea that he had got the entire apartment under surveillance. He could keep track of every activity Jeremy did. This guy was getting too close to Jeremy. And how could the boy be ready to go out on dinner with a random man.

Jacob stared into the black screen of the laptop. Why did Jeremy make it so difficult? Why did he have to create problems? Couldn't he just stay away from anyone and everyone who was a threat to their relationship? Didn't he realize how important their relationship was? Didn't he realize how important Jacob was in his life? Didn't he realize it was he who had come to his aid and supported him in the most testing phase of his life?

Jeremy had to realize that he was with Jacob now. He was Jacob's and no one else'. He had to learn this lesson. And tonight he would learn it.