The Little Black Book Chapter One

-Little Black Book- Chapter One: Dead On Arrival1

“This is your captain speaking, we will be landing in New Metronome Flats in about twenty minutes, please ensure that you are seated and carefully buckled into your seat before we touch down. I hope you guys had a pleasant flight and thank you for riding with us on Continental Airlines.”2

“Finally!” I broke out of my trance. Looking out at clouds for three hours can really have an effect on the mind. Of course I wasn’t the only one feeling this sense of finality, but I was the only one who addressed it by yelling out. *Sigh* I’m bad. I earned myself some stares, most from other guys my age. You see, My name is Angelo. Angelo Hawthorne. And I’m one of the very few kids who’ve been selected to attend Academy Notre Dame. The academy for the ‘Superiorly Gifted’. And until now, I don’t know why I’m going. I use to live on the island of Guam, a small island in the Marianas. You know, the Marianas Chain…The Marianas trench? The deepest part in the ocean, on the ENTIRE planet!? Geez, why do I even bother, the only people who know about guam are World War Two veterans and Japanese people. Whoops, can’t forget the Spanish too. Damn Ferdinand.3

“Hey dude, I think you should keep your joys to yourself. Like, not so many people are in the mood to handle a loud guy such as yourself eh?” 4

That was Arnold, my newest friend. Over the course of the flight we’ve talked a lot. Mostly about where we’ve come from, our descendants and what not. Get this! Arnold great, great grandfather was a general during world war two! Yeah, I’ll say no more, except that he got to sit next to Adolf a few times. -Wink-.5

“ Yeah, yeah. I couldn’t care less right now. We just finished three hours of pain and torture! I can‘t wait to get out of here and just stretch my legs.” I said loud enough for only him to hear. I looked at him, he was staring at me weird, “What?” I asked incredulously. 6

“Sitting next to me was painful?” He pouted playfully. Honestly, I think I’m starting to warm up to this guy. He’s so cute. What? Why are you looking at me weird now? Can’t one guy call another guy cute? Oh don’t get homophobic on me now. Here I thought you were my friend too! Like L-O-L.7

I looked up at him and slightly punched him in the shoulder. “Awe shut up, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” He smiled and stuck his tongue out at me. ”Hey.” I said sleepily. 8

He looked back up at me, “What?”9

“Chicken Butt.” I said holding my index fingers out likes guns at him. He chuckled.10

“Oh that was lame Anj.”11

“What you call me?”12

“Anj.”13

“What’s that?” Arnold laughed at my incompetence.14

“Hehe, it’s a nickname. You know, Angelo. Anj. Get it?”15

“Oh” I said, stretching the H as long as I could, “I like it.”16

“Glad you do.”17

He looked away, toward his magazine. It was a Newsweek. I looked around, lights were turning back on. Some girls were chatting. A, uhm…what do you call those people who work on planes? Damn me and my incoherent amount of vocabulary words!” Anywhere, one of them, a women, was walking up the aisle, she was looking into each row, muttering something. She got to us in only a few moments.18

“Sirs, please strap on your belts, we’ll be landing soon.”19

“Yes sir.” Arnold had obviously offended to the women. She walked away while snorting out her nose. Oh, she was mad.20

“Arnold, that was mean.”21

“So?”22

“Just 5 minutes ago you were telling me about being courteous to the other guys here.”23

“So?”24

“Bitch.” Playfully I turned around with a furrowed brow, looking out my window. I was waiting for a retort, all I got was a tap on my shoulder, I turned around smiling with Arnold only inches from my face. I think I was blushing, no, I know I was blushing! I could feel my face burning up. He had this grin on his face, which fit so well with his thin frame. 25

“Hi” I said weakly. His grin turned into a smile and he kissed my forehead. He then pulled away and he kept on looking at me.26

“You’re cute when you are all red. Oh, hi”27

“That was awkward.”28

“I bet, for you at least. You don’t hate me now do you?”
“No.” I was still blushing like crazy, I couldn’t even look at him right now on fear of him laughing at how quickly turned from white to well done.29

“Awesome.” He laughed. And so did a few girls who sat across from us on the other side of the aisle. Apparently, they saw our little cute fiasco. He took out a pen and tore out some paper from his Newsweek, and started writing down some sort of number.30

“So uh.. Do you have a cell phone? I asked. Yeah, I bet you can’t believe what your hearing. I couldn’t believe myself either.31

“Way ahead of you Anj.” He finished writing on that torn piece of paper and handed it to me. “Call me alright?”32

“…” I couldn’t say anything. Is this guy really interested?33

“Alright?” He put his hand on my leg. Oh god. I guess so. I think my face is regaining it’s natural color. Thank god. I don’t think I could take the heat any longer.34

I smiled, “Alright…you win.”35

His face gleamed with happiness. It was like he was expecting me to say no. “Really!?”36

“Yeah Really.”37

He went into an all out smile and he turned away. I guess it was his turn to blush. For the first time in a long while. I feel good. For a long time, I’ve been happy. Not because of just happened. But … because I’ve left home. I’d rather be anywhere but home. It’s not the neighborhood at all, we live in a gated community. Security all around. No crimes whatsoever happen. It’s not the people. I don’t have that many friends, though, a lot have tried to be mine. I guess I was just too stupid at the time. It’s…my parents. I wont say I hate them. ‘Cause I don’t. Hate would be a strong word to use. At least.. I don’t think I hate them. They were never there for me you know. The only time I ever saw them was during the holidays, and that was short lived. The only people I saw were our maids and butlers. They were the only ones that loved me. My fave maid and butler, Adam and Donna. They were there for me. Adam taught me how to ride a bike. Donna watch me cook for the first time. Adam helped me with my homework, took me to the beach, let me go to the mall with the friends I did have. Donna stitched me my first scarf. Taught me how to sew. They were my parents. Not my biological ones, but they were there.38

I was rudely brought out of my thoughts to Arnold shaking me, and the captain speaking over the com.39

“Okay everyone, you can unbuckle yourselves. We have successfully landed in NM International. I hope to see all of you again on my air liner, please enjoy your stay in New Metronome.”40

“Oh.” I felt dumb now.41

“Dude, where did you go?” Arnold joking poking me in the cheek. 42

I pushed his hand away, “On, nowhere.”43

“Sure you did. C’mon, lets go.” 44

“Yeah, we should.” I stood up, and stood close to Arnold. He was warm. I think I can get use to this guy. The girls that sat across from us looked at us wide eyed for a moment, then smiled and giggled off into the line. Lots of teens passed by us. Oops, I should say peers. I am only fifteen of course. When it was clear Arnold opened up the compartment up top and took our stuff down. He had a small bag, one that could double as a school bag. And I had a beige one strap bag, the kind that could just go over the shoulder.
I held my hand out for it but…45

“No, until we go our separate ways tonight, it’s mine.” He smiled, and so did I. Damn, I am seriously warming up to him.46

As we walked on, we made it to the door of the terminal, and lo and behold, there was the woman Arnold called a man. We were approaching slowly and she furrowed her brow when we got to her. I was expecting Arnold to cower away, but what he did surprised me.47

He stopped at the door next to the woman and held out his hand. “I apologize for calling you sir earlier, it was inappropriate and I’m sorry.” 48

I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t surprised. “Oh, oh… It’s quite alright young man. We need more kids like you. Please enjoy your stay with your boyfriend in NM.”49

He grabbed my hand, “Oh I will. Bye!” He ran out into the terminal, pulling me out with him.50

“She was nice.” I said looking away, trying to hide my new blush. He didn’t reply, I guess he was as embarrassed as I am. A few minutes later, a found a large group of guy and girls our age. We found the troop to Notre Dame. There was a lot. I mean. A LOT. Like, maybe a hundred? I don’t know, just a rough estimate. I was standing next to Arnold at the time. Pretty close to. Just as I breathed in, he grabbed my hand, making me choke on my own saliva. He let go and looked away. 51

“Sorry.”52

“It’s okay” I said and grabbed his hand back into place with mine. There was a man talking, maybe in his thirties. But I couldn’t hear that good, I tried to get closer but Arnold stopped me by pulling me back by the shoulder. He was gonna say something, his mouth was so close the back of my head. I felt him breath on my skin. I felt a sensation purge up and sown my spine, and my legs almost gave out. He was my support now as I fell back into him. People were staring, I just knew it, My eyes were closed, but I could just feel there eyes boring into me.53

“Hey Anj…”54

“Yeah….?”55

“…I’m Gay.”56

“Me too.”