Sunny's Angel - 2. Chapter 2: Dinner, School and Friends?

Susie Townsend eased herself into her son’s room and frowned down at his boxer clad form in worry, something she found herself doing daily when he was out cold, living in the land of dreams.

She stared at his face turned towards the wall, all the lines of pain that were usually hidden when he was awake visible in his sleep, the pain in his heart barely evident, but there none the less.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek softly, wanting to know what in his life had gone so wrong, and how she could possibly fix it. Running the back of her hand over his cheek she sighed before grabbing the empty glass that was sitting on his bedside table and got up, heading back upstairs to start making beef patties and to call her husband so he could grab more propane for the grill, hoping against all hope that Devin would sleep through the night.

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Susie opened the door, glad to see the two new neighbors but finding herself curious why such a young man was living with his older brother. She smiled at Peter as she opened the door, taking into note his 6’2” solid body builder frame, blond hair cut in a corporate hair style, and solid blue eyes.

“Hi you must be Peter and Sunny, it’s so nice to meet you, I’m Susie Townsend, Dallas’s mother, he told me your names when he came back over. My husband Paul is in the back by the pool with Dallas grilling everything up. Please come in and make yourselves at home, and call me Susie,” she gushed out charmingly, trying to be a good hostess.

Turning her attention to Sunny she noticed a bag of Ruffles: Sour Cream and Onion in his hands. Rolling her eyes she offered her thanks to them for bringing potato chips along with, and continued to check out the younger boy.

Sunny stood a couple inches taller then she did, with his corn silk blond hair and blue eyes that seemed to be the color of the sky after all the clouds had cleared away the night after a storm, a light blue with streaks of gold radiating across the horizon. She noted the smooth jaw line and the straight nose, the hair hanging straight and fine across his smooth forehead, and the piercings in his left ear. Then she stopped and paused for a moment, looking into his eyes one more time, noticing something else that almost broke her heart.

There was sadness in his eyes, along with the noticeable lack of a genuine smile.

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Sunny smiled at the older woman in front of him, probably in her late 30’s or early 40’s, noticing her long dark hair that was slightly curly in the back, striking green eyes, fine cheekbones and the simple way she carried herself with finesse. She stood a couple inches shorter than he did, placing her around five and a half feet tall and moved with the grace of a ballroom dancer. Leading them on a quick tour, she pointed out the living room with its fireplace, the furniture spaced out, making the room feel open and airy, the bathroom and dining room with its elegant table and chairs, and the kitchen with its island and another table in the back corner.

Sunny paused before they got to the sliding doors that lead to the back, taking note of a picture hanging on the wall in the kitchen. It was Susie with an older man standing about 6’ tall with a head of black straight hair and eyes that he couldn’t quite see, standing in a tuxedo with two kids in their early teens standing in front of them.

There on the front left standing in front of his mother was Dallas, looking exceedingly handsome in a tuxedo with a wide grin and sparkling green eyes that seemed to light up his face, standing next to another younger man who looked to be about a year older than him with a head of fine black straight hair standing in spikes, eyes that he couldn’t make out and a slight smile on his face that seemed to hold the epitome of sadness in it, the look on his face telling the world around him that he knew something the rest of them didn’t.

A slight clearing of the throat behind him brought his attention back to Susie, and he smiled at her before pointing to the picture with a questioning look on his face.

“Oh, that’s my husband and I at a fundraiser with our children. Paul’s my husband right there, you’ve met Dallas, and this handsome young man right here is Devin.” She smiled painfully at the photo; remembering something in the past. “You might get to meet him later dear. Now, why don’t we go eat?” She smiled at him with a slightly wistful yet questioning expression, casting one last longing look at the photo before leading the way towards the deck out back.

Sunny nodded, following her and Peter out the back of the sliding doors and onto a deck that surrounded a clear swimming pool. Dallas and Paul stood on the other side of the pool, laughing about something while flipping burgers and setting out plates and condiments on a pool side table.

Paul and Dallas looked up from where they were standing as they heard the glass doors sliding shut and let out a shout of greetings, waving them over to come join them at the grill and table.

Sunny smiled at Dallas as he walked over and shook hands with him, before he realized that Dallas was holding his hand out for the bag of potato chips.

Blushing slightly, Sunny mumbled a quick “sorry” before he finally handed over the bag of potato chips only to receive a quick laugh from Dallas and a hug in return, which left Sunny shivering in his knees.

“Thanks bro!” Dallas said, laughing at the expression on Sunnys’ face before tearing open the bag of potato chips. Grabbing Sunnys’ wrist, Dallas led him over to the table and into a chair.

“Want something to drink? We got Dr. Pepper, water and apple juice” Dallas asked politely, while grabbing a handful of chips from the bag and promptly stuffing them into his face at the end of his questions.

Sunny found himself grinning at Dallas in sheer amusement.

“Dr. Pepper.” He replied.

Dallas nodded to Sunny before heading towards a cooler filled to the brim with ice, stuffing his face full of potato chips before reaching in and grabbing a couple cans of Dr. Pepper. Returning to Sunny he sat down next to him and started to make idle chatter, Sunny finally relaxing enough to become comfortable with talking to Dallas about the weather, sports, and cars.

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Peter smiled at Paul while keeping a close eye on Sunny and Dallas, noticing how comfortable they were finally getting to be with each other before he turned his full attention towards Paul.

“So Peter, where do you work?” Paul asked while flipping burgers over and Susie got everything in order, paying attention to the conversation.

“Oh, I’m a new lawyer at Townsend and Hall,” Peter replied.

Paul stopped flipping burgers for a minute to turn around and grin at Peter.

“Welcome to the company m’boy!” Paul replied cheerfully.

Peter blinked in confusion for a minute before connecting the last name of the man in front of him with the company he’d start working for in a couple days.

“Oh…Oh dear…I’m so sor—“ Peter started.

“It’s okay; I imagine it’s not everyone’s luck have one of their bosses living next door,” Paul replied, laughing off Peter’s misfortune as he begun flipping burgers again.

“So, what about the Misses?” Peter asked, smiling at Suzie as he turned towards her to include her in the conversation.

“Ah, I’m just an architect. Run my own company and crew. We built all these houses here a few years ago,” Suzie replied with a smile.

Peter nodded to himself, realizing that these people were loaded with money and made a note to see just how much money had been spent to buy their house.

“Boys! Grab the plates please and bring them over, dinner’s ready!” Paul shouted with a look of excitement on his face. Suzie rolled her eyes at Paul, deciding to not make fun of him for his enthusiasm when it came to guests and food.

Peter smiled and got in line after the other two boys’, with Suzie and Paul behind him, before realizing the table had been set for six.

“Are we missing someone?” Peter asked curiously.

Paul coughed slightly. “Devin, he’s our oldest. He may or may not be joining us,” Paul replied uncomfortably

Peter nodded and let the subject drop, realizing there was something about the eldest son that seemed to make everyone in the family uncomfortable when he was brought up.

Everyone took a seat after piling their plates, eating in friendly silence. Even Sunny looked comfortable with the new neighbors. Until someone went and broke it by asking the one question that Peter hadn’t gotten around to mentioning to Sunny yet.

“So, Sunny, are you looking forward to starting school tomorrow?” Suzie asked with a pleasant smile on her face.

Peter’s head shot around so fast he felt his neck pop, to see Sunny coughing up his soda as he turned to glare at Peter.

“WHAT? NO!” Sunny shouted, glaring daggers in Peter’s direction.

Peter sighed, ignoring the confused glances that passed between the neighbors, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment at the scene that was about to take place.

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Devin woke up slowly, comfortable in the darkness of his room, and glancing at his alarm clock realized it was slightly after 6 p.m. He stretched, deciding that tonight he shouldn’t sleep the evening away like he usually did, only to wake up in the wee hours of morning when no one else was awake. Besides, he was curious about the new neighbors.

His stomach rumbling, Devin rolled out of bed and flicked on the lamp before moving towards the dresser and pulling out a pair of dark swimming shorts that hung below his knees on his skinny but muscular frame, and then pulled on a red long sleeve shirt that read “Tequila. Have you hugged your toilet today?”

Remembering that his parents were going to be home early, Devin hoped that Dallas had come home early enough to invite the new neighbors over for dinner, before shrugging, deciding that he really didn’t care in the long run.

Heading up the stairs he realized how empty the house sounded and headed for the doors that lead out back as he remembered his mom saying something about grilling burgers, feeling that would be a good place to find everyone.

He smiled to himself as he saw the two new guys in the neighborhood, along with his parents and younger brother. Quietly sliding the glass doors open in a way that only he could manage to do, he quickly stepped outside only to stop in his tracks as he realized that the younger kid was yelling at the older man. Most likely brothers, Devin decided, watching as his family sat around glancing at one another and the new neighbors in an uncomfortably.

Devin sighed in irritation as he slid the glass doors shut and made his way around the other side of the pool towards the food, knowing he wouldn’t be noticed by anyone until it was too late. His family hadn’t really gotten to sit in on a good deal of drama or excitement for awhile, so this would be occupying enough for them, Devin thought, listening in on the one sided shouting match.

“You didn’t say anything about starting at a new school tomorrow!” Sunny shouted.

“You didn’t expect to be going back home and starting school up there again did you?” Peter asked quietly.

“Why the hell not? I didn’t exactly ask to move here in the first place you know!” a scowling Sunny said rather loudly, trying to reign in his voice while managing to forget the fact that there were people around him besides Peter.

Peter took in a big breath, attempting to keep hold of his temper or be embarrassed at his younger brothers’ ill-mannered temperament.

“Sunny! You live here now, with me, you can’t go back!” Peter said, scowling in exasperation as he felt his control begin to unravel.

“Peter! I don’t care!” Sunny shouted.

“Sunny stop being a spoiled little brat and start acting like an adult!” Peter finally shouted back. Sitting back in his chair, he decided that standing up and trying to intimidate his little brother wouldn’t be the best thing in the world for either one of them.

“A spoiled little…”

“Hi, welcome to the neighborhood, sit down shut up and eat the rest of your food, please,” A quiet voice interrupted.

Everyone’s heads turned towards the soft voice that came from the direction of the grill, startled looks obvious on their faces, before Suzie stood up.

“Oh honey, I’m sor…” she started, before finding herself clamming up as the blank look and narrowed eyes turned towards her.

Devin just looked at her, his expression perfectly blank, as he continued to pile stuff on his plate, ignoring the uncomfortable expression that made its’ way across Dallas and Paul’s faces, as a look of intense emotional pain came across Suzie’s.

Frowning slightly, hesitation apparent in every move her body made, Suzie sat back down and looked at her plate, trying to blink back the tears that were trying to come forward, as Paul and Dallas looked at each other before Dallas reached his hand out and touched his mom’s arm reassuringly, giving her a smile that let her know he loved her.

Devin moved towards the table and sat down, ignoring the sudden tension coming from his family. Devin focused his attention on the guy next to him, appraising him with one rake of his eyes.

“Devin,” he stated softly, looking the older guy in the eyes, deciding that there wasn’t a whole lot of threat there, as he sat there with a patient expression on his face.

“Uh….Pe-Peter” Peter stuttered, finding himself rather unnerved by this guys’ presence and the strange look in his eyes that was sizing him up. He frowned suddenly as the younger mans’ face turned from him to his younger brother, trying to fathom what that look was and why it was so scary.

***************

“Devin” the husky voice came across to him softly.

Sunny swallowed, trying not to drool all over himself as he realized that mere photos alone didn’t do this guy in front of him any bit of justice. He stared at Devin instead, the lithe, muscular build underneath all his clothes held Sunny’s attention as he raked his eyes over Devin in appreciation. Devin stood a few inches taller than him with hair blacker than black, a narrow face sitting atop a perfectly kissable neck with just the hint of flesh underneath the collar of his shirt, and a pair of stormy grey eyes that would put most storm clouds to shame left Sunny blushing while his knees shook underneath him.

“Uhm…” Sunny stuttered, finding himself swallowing nervously.

The two storm clouds continued to stare at him, seeming to peer into the hidden depths of his soul, revealing every secret. Sunny found he was unable to break eye-contact.

“Sunny” he blurted out suddenly, feeling extremely nervous and unable to breath.

The storm clouds moved pointedly towards the rest of the food lying on his plate.

Able to breathe again, Sunny quickly grabbed up the rest of the first half of his burger, finding everyone else suddenly doing the same thing. Dallas, Susie and Paul let out a sigh of relief and allowed themselves to relax.

Devin smirked to himself and took up one of his burgers, taking a bite of it while ignoring the sudden babble of conversation that erupted from around him, while Sunny just continued to stare at his plate thoughtfully.

Peter just stared at Devin and Sunny, reflecting on everything that had just happened in mere seconds, before he himself decided to continue his eating, wondering what it was about this boy that seemed to unnerve not only himself, but Sunny and his own parents’ as well.

Interesting, his younger brother doesn’t seem to be afraid of him, Peter thought to himself, watching as Dallas gazed at Devin, a slight frown marring his face before he turned to Sunny, only to turn his attention back to his own plate instead.

Sunny found himself chewing his food slowly, barely tasting a thing while reflecting on those pair of eyes that had burned themselves subconsciously into his soul, wondering why they seemed to make this person so dangerous, to the point that even picturing them sent a thrill down the nerves of his spine, making him shudder while his knees continued to shake.

Finishing his food, Sunny snapped out of the daze he was in and glanced up, realizing everyone else around him seemed to have their attention on him or the storm-clouds that he found himself drawn into once more.

“Going to school tomorrow?” The storm asked.

“Yeah” Sunny mumbled, “I’ll see you there?” he asked.

Devin looked at him, a tinge of confusion crossing his features, before Devin finally stood up from his seat, and stretched, revealing a smooth taut stomach lined with muscles that would leave most folks drooling in envy.

“No you won’t, but, you’ll like it. Think you and Dallas are the same age,” the storm whispered, sending a gentle spring shower cascading down Sunnys’ back, shivering despite the sweat that was dripping down his back. Devin picked up his plate and threw it into a garbage can that lay close by.

Heading towards the pool house and opening one of the garage doors, Devin hopped into a vehicle that purred loudly as he started it, going down the drive on the side of the house, noticing out of the corner of the eye his parents watched with worried expressions, before he reached the end of the drive and turned off the car. Devin hopped out, grabbing the water hose on the side of the house; and a bucket filled with soap from the passenger seat so he could wash his car.

Sunny just sighed to himself, ignoring the strange glances that were coming from his brother and from the remaining three members of the Townsend family, who seemed to be strangely tense as they watched Devin driving down the drive-way, finally relaxing as came to a stop and began to wash his car. Sunny found himself intensely curious about Devin and the weirdness that seemed to surround him. Then he started wondering why he wouldn’t see Devin in school tomorrow.

Turning his attention to Dallas, Sunny found Dallas already watching him with a slight look of concern on his face. Sunny just smiled at him and then leaned forward, whispering softly so his voice wouldn’t carry to anyone else around them.

“He is going to school with us, isn’t he?” Sunny asked.

Dallas looked searchingly into Sunny’s before he leaned forward, “No Sunny, Devin doesn’t go to school here. He usually doesn’t even like being here with us for some reason,” Dallas answered, a sad smile making a brief appearance on his face.

“Oh,” Sunny said, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

“He’s leaving in a couple days, it’s not like he has to, he just…doesn’t love us anymore I guess,” Dallas whispered hoarsely, trying to keep the pain that he felt stabbing him in the chest out of his voice, unable to keep the sad smile off his face as he looked at Sunny.

Sunny reached out and patted Dallas on the shoulder in sympathy, feeling bad for his new friend; before they both turned their attention to Devin. Devin was washing his car in plain view of everyone, his tightly defined abs and muscular chest, wet shorts, and a pair of expensive looking sunglasses that covered his eyes making Sunny fidget slightly as he covertly adjusted the bulge in his shorts.

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Devin watched Dallas and Sunny behind his sunglasses as they whispered to each other, noting the sad expression that was on Dallas’s face as they talked, still watching them as they turned their attention towards him and started watching him as well, Sunny’s face openly showing his curiosity while Dallas’s continued to remain sad.

“Damn it,” Devin whispered, looking down as he realized he’d been washing the same spot for a few minutes now, before he glanced up again and fixed his attention back on Sunny and Dallas.

“I can’t stay here, if I do people are going to get hurt,” he argued out loud, the same argument he’d been having in his head for the last couple of years.

Scowling slightly he finally, softly growled in agitation, “Fine! You win damn it, but I’m not responsible for the things that are going to happen!”

With that said he turned his attention back to his baby, ignoring the two boys who had stopped paying attention to him and were laughing quietly in the background, talking with each other as his parents and Peter kept talking, smelling in the distance the storm clouds that were heading their way, planning things in his mind as he begun to make a mental list of what he was going to have to do.