Always there, yet just met V1

Always there, yet just met.

Damn, writers block, of all the times to get it, it had to be now, just
as I was away to finish the book. I look at the computer screen, trying
to will the words to appear, but nothing, just a blank. Sighing, I save
what I've made and switch off. Getting up from the computer chair, I go
through to the bathroom and answer natures call, afterwards I go get a
bite to eat, I'm feeling a little peckish now. Been typing since six
this morning. I look at the clock on the kitchen wall, a simple basic
clock, nothing special. I should have looked at the time on my
computer, but I guess I forgot, it's 3:41 in the afternoon, haven't
eaten anything for hours. Opening the fridge, I take out some cold
meat, just brought it yesterday, and I open the container, the smell of
honey roasted ham coming from the ham, yum. Can't be bothered to make a
sandwich, eat it as it is I suppose. Taking a few slices from the
packet, I eat them and then get a glass of orange juice , well better
do something else then since I can't think of an ending for my story.
Wonder what's on the tube? I turn on the TV and after spending ten
minutes flicking through the channels, I find nothing interesting, well
what now? No books to read and I'm not in the mood to play any computer
games, so I may as well take a walk. Grabbing my coat, I leave the
house and head for the nearby village, I live in the Scottish
Highlands, I used to live in Dundee, but the noise of the city was a
distraction so I moved here instead a few years ago, 3 years ago to be
exact. I like it here, it's peaceful, beautiful and it somehow gives me
inspiration, just not right now. The village is three miles away from
my house and it's a nice walk, the air is crisp and cold, the sounds of
nature all around me is wonderful, life is just going about it's normal
path. It takes me a few minutes to reach the small path that leads to
the footpath that in turn will take me to the village, I walk slowly in
order to enjoy everything around me, breathing in the clean air. Ahh,
heaven. When I had said I was leaving Dundee, my friends had scoffed
that I would be back within the week, well I guess they were wrong,
their only view of the countryside is from TV, they've never
experienced it. When I was younger, my mum and dad had always taken me
and my brother and sister on camping trips so that we could see life
beyond the TV, I had enjoyed it a lot, my brother and sister had
complained that they were missing their programmes and that the
countryside was for weirdo's, if only they had taken the time to smell
the roses as the saying goes. I haven't made a lot of friends here
since I'm almost always writing, I only really come down to the village
to do some shopping or if I feel like taking a walk, maybe I should try
and make friends with everyone. It takes me an hour and a half to
arrive at the village, I'm a fast walker, even when I take my time.
It's a small village, four streets, about a population of two hundred,
two pubs, why they need two is beyond me, a small shop which stocks
quite a lot despite the size of the shop, a school and a big park where
the kids are forced to play football since that's all the teachers know
about. The people are friendly enough, a little dull, but then I don't
think they realise how lucky they are to live in a beautiful place as
this.
"Hello Miss. Kiron, how's you today?" Mrs. Nicil had seen me as I had
entered the village, everyone knew me, but not as friends, just
neighbours.
"Hi Beth." Her full name was Beth Lara Nicil, her mum must have had a
hard time picking a name for her when she was born.
"I'm fine, just taking a walk, how's you?" Beth is a average weight
woman, not fat, not thin, just in between. She's a nice person who
always says hello to everyone.
"I'm good. It's a nice day for a walk, no rain today. How's your
writing?" I had told a few people why I had come to the village, to
write my stories in a more peaceful environment, they seemed to
understand me, I wonder if there's anyone here who writes as
well?
"I've hit a brick wall in my story, so I decided to take a walk to
clear my head and just let the ideas form. I've been meaning to ask, is
there anyone else in the village who writes as well? I'm just curious,
that's all." Beth shrugged, her way of saying 'don't know', she is a
bit of a gossip, so there must be someone else who does write, but
keeps their talent hidden. I know a lot of people who do that, they
feel like it's a waste in the UK where any talent other than football
is ignored, I know how they feel.
"Well thanks anyway, see you later, bye." Beth waved goodbye and I
headed for the tiny village library, it's a small building, not a lot
of books, but maybe they've got something new in. As I enter the
building, I see someone new, must have recently arrived.
"Hello." I say to this new person, he looks at me and smiles.
"Oh, hello. I haven't seen you before, I just arrived at the village a
few days ago. I'm feeling a little bored, so I'm going to see if there
are any good books in here, I'm all out. Oh sorry, my manners. Names
Neil, Neil Watt." He extended his hand, I was surprised by this, he
didn't even know me, I was a complete stranger. I shook his hand
anyway.
"I'm Nickola Kiron, I moved here three years ago. And it's Nickola
with a K, my mum likes to be different." He nods his head and I examine
him, he seems a little small, almost as tall as me, he has black hair,
a face which looks completely unremarkable and he has an average body,
but he seems to carry it with feeling, as if he doesn't care about his
body at all. But what really surprises me are his eyes, they are old
eyes, as if he's seen things that no one else will ever see.
"Nice name, different is fun. So where did you used to live before
here? My guess is that you used to live in a city, maybe Dundee, your
eyes seem to have trouble with the sunlight, in cities, sunlight is
usually filtered by the buildings or pollution. I've lived in villages
all my life, not all that fond on cities." How the hell did he know I
was from Dundee? Is he psychic or something? And there's something else
I just noticed, he seems to be aware of everything around him, like he
can hear and see everything in the area, even farther than that.
"Ten out of ten for observation, may I ask, but you seem to be watching
everything around you, why?" Neil looks at the forest outside the
village and then he beckons to a small bench outside the library,
curious, I join him when he sits down on it.
"I'm aware of everything around me because I learned how to, I write
stories and I get my inspiration from anything, a simple sound, a small
mark, my imagination is weird like that." A fellow writer? But he
doesn't look like a writer to me, but then I don't know what writers
are supposed to look like.
"What kind of stories do you write? Horror, sci-fi? I'm a writer as
well, I write either romance or horror, I'm a little stuck on a story
I'm working on at the moment." Neil took something from his coat pocket
and he shows me.
"This is a little gem I found when I was younger, it's just a bit of
rose quartz, the bigger piece was destroyed. I wrote a story just from
looking at this, the story was destroyed a few years ago during my
writers block. If I look over there at the grove of pines, I could
probably have a story idea. It's a pain a lot of the time. I write
anything that comes to mind, right now I'm working on eight different
stories, but I'm taking a break to do something else, I need the break.
When did you start writing? I started when I was 13." I wonder if he
could help me with my story?
"I started writing ten years ago, when I was 14. Emm, can I ask you a
question?" Neil seems to sigh silently, do people always ask him for
help?
"Sure, go ahead." I wonder why he seems so nice about it, it's
oblivious that he doesn't think he'll be able to help me.
"I'm stuck on my story and I was wondering if you could read it over
and help me with an ending? If it's okay that is." I hope he says yes,
I could really do with his help if he's getting all these ideas. "Sure,
why not? Be happy to help. When do you want me to help?" Wow, a
complete stranger who now seems like someone I've known for years,
helping me just like that.
"I can pay you for your help, I have plenty of money." He chuckles, an
oddly nice chuckle at that and shakes his head.
"No, I'll help because you asked, money is just a minor need, I'm happy
to help. I've helped a lot of people in my life anyway." Why is he so
nice? Is he always like this?
"Thank you, how about once we're done at the library, you come to my
house and read my story? It's no problem for me, but what about you?"
He shrugs and seems to be listening to something, what though?
"Okay, sure. I'll be waiting out here, I'm a fast reader, so it never
takes me long to find a book, see you in a bit." We get up from the
bench and enter the library.

There wasn't any interesting books in the library, so we went to my
house, Neil was quiet all the way there, looking around, as if he was
cataloguing the sights and making ideas from them.
"Neil, you can speak if you want. Which village did you used to live
in?" He seemed to switch between looking around straight to talk in an
instant, how does he do that?
"I used to live in a little seaside village called Sandhaven, it was a
tiny little place, no scenery to speak of, coming here has been a good
choice, since I came here a few days ago, I've gotten more story ideas
then ever. I take it you left Dundee to come here to also get
inspiration as well?" Damn, he is bloody good at this.
"That's right, how on earth are you so observant, you know I'm from
Dundee just by looking at my eyes, but all I see in your eyes is
someone who's lived a life of strange moments and seen strange things."
He chuckles again, but it seems softer this time, almost as if his
voice is changing. When he spoke again, his voice
sounded...female.
"You could say that, life is not what people see it as, I've seen many
odd things that can't be explained by science or religion. I'm not even
myself most of the time, not mentally unstable, more just sharing my
body and mind with someone older than my body. Weird, very, but
anything can happen in life, and I've found out more than I ever
thought I would. But I can tell you don't believe me, it's hard to
explain right, but what you see is just a limited body, housing two old
souls, one learning, one protecting. Both as one. Go ahead, tell me I'm
weird, I don't care, no point hiding it." Okay, now this is odd, what
he's talking about is something I once read about called reincarnation,
but I never thought it was real, but somehow I know he's telling the
truth.
"It is weird, but it interests me. Is this how you write your stories?
Memories which you turn into ideas, or is it something else?" I know
that anyone else would be feeling like they're with someone not normal,
but then it's not as if I'm a normal brit myself.
"Okay, think of it like this. When you dream, you sometimes dream
things that you would never really know about, like falling off a
cliff, or firing a gun at someone, something we would never do in our
lives unless it was something that is a part of our lives, like say
falling off the cliff signifies depression. I can remember all my past
lives, I have memories of places that no longer exist because either
time or war has destroyed them. I remember what it was like to be a
mother, a father, I even remember what it was like to die. The human
mind is capable of so much, yet we only ever use 10\\% of it, I've
learned to use 70\\% of it, I don't know how, but even though I'm not
the most intelligent person on the planet, I am aware of a lot more
than anyone else. My stories are a product of what I see in my mind.
Many lives are born, many lives are lost, we are many of a much bigger
picture, see, I had a sudden flash of an idea, but it's gone now. One
of many that appear." Weird, but what he said was good, when did he
manage to be this aware? I don't think I'll pry into his life though,
we've only just met, yet why do I feel as if I've known him all my
life?

We arrive at my house just as it starts to rain, so much for a nice
day, lovely unpredictable Scottish weather. I take my coat off and
throw it on a hook as we enter the house, I invite Neil in and he takes
off his coat and places it on a spare hook, I have a lot of coats, yet
I only use one of them, I tend to buy a new coat all the time, but find
out I don't actually need it, annoying.
"Welcome to my humble abode, would you like something to drink, I have
beer, soft drinks, mainly Pepsi, I seem to end up drinking a lot of it
as I write into the wee hours, there's tea, coffee and water, take your
pick." Neil looks around, like he's still cataloguing everything, does
he always do this?
"A Pepsi sounds great, thanks. You have a lovely home, very tidy. Mine
is still in the 'just moved' stage, so moving around is hard unless you
like a cardboard box in your leg." I remember what that was like for me
when I first moved here, I actually almost broke my neck when trying to
get down the stairs, one of the removal men had left a box right at the
top of the stairs and I hadn't seen it until my leg bumped into it. I
go get the drinks, I have a Pepsi as well, hell I'm going to write
anyway, I think Neil is going to be a great help, but I don't know why.
I go back through to the living room, which is also my study combined,
my house is a small two bedroom house, the bedrooms are upstairs, I
have a living room, two bathrooms, I love the downstairs one, I paid a
lot of attention to that one, I painted the walls of it as a mural to
reading, so I have The Hobbit, Star Trek, The Shining, and even Harry
Potter on the walls, I'm a big kid sometimes.
"Here you go, one Pepsi, it's Pepsi Max, hope you don't mind." He takes
it and pieces the top with the ring pull.
"Oh no, I love this stuff, always drinking it. Thanks, ah, cold and
refreshing. Better then alcohol, cheaper too." I sit down next to him
on the sofa, it's a big sofa, I like to lounge when I'm watching TV, if
there's anything on anyway. I take a sip of my drink and notice that
Neil seems to have a scar on his left hand, somehow the light in the
room seems to make it easy to see.
"Nice scar, how did you get that?" Neil looked at his scar and then at
me.
"Got it when I was little, fell on some glass and it made the scar.
Anyway, how can I help you?" He's quick, not two minutes and he's ready
to help.
"Okay, I need your help with the ending of my book, I've been working
on it for a year now and I just can't seem to make an ending. If you
want, you can read what I've done so far." Taking a sip of his drink,
he seems to be in a trance, he's breathing, but he looks far away in
thought.
"Neil? You okay?" I shake him a little and he looks at me with those
eyes.
"I'm here, just in thought, sure, I'll read what you have, do you have
any print outs, or is it all on disk or file?" I get up and walk over
to my computer, I've had this old thing for five years and it hasn't
failed me yet.
"Yep, printouts, disk and file. Which do you want?" Neil gets up and
walks over, I think I see hatred in his eyes for my computer, or has he
had problems before with other computers?
"Printouts will do, after my last computer, I'm careful with them, I
bought a new one and it works great now, I can even play a Trek game at
last." A Trek fan? Don't see a lot of them in the UK, they're a dying
breed. I take the printouts that form my manuscript and pass them to
him. He takes them and studies them.
"Interesting, I think I'll enjoy this. Thanks." Neil went back to the
sofa and started reading, I switched my computer on and played a little
game, nothing much, just a little Age of Empires 2, a fun diversion for
a while. As I charge Napoleon's forces, I hear movement and I suddenly
remember Neil, I completely forgot he was there, he was so quiet.
"This is very good, you have great detail and characters. The locations
are nice and you have a good plot in place. I can see the problem with
the ending, it's a hard one to add in. You've made a very well told
story. I'll see what I can do to help." He read all four hundred pages
that quickly? I look at the time on the small clock I keep by the
computer, even though I tend to forget it's there, holy shit! He read
it all in two hours! How the hell?!
"How on earth did you read all that so fast? I'm a fast reader, but it
takes me six hours to read this much." Neil just shrugs and passes me a
pen.
"I was considering adding footnotes to help you, but since it's your
work, I left it as it was." The pen is from across the room, about
three steps from the sofa, how did he get it without making any noise?
"Thanks, I didn't hear you at all, and I normally have good hearing."
He shrugs again and goes and sits down. I switch my comp off, don't
care if it takes age to load up next time, Neil is on my mind, how on
earth did he stay so quiet? I sit down beside him, he seems to be in
thought again, but yet completely aware of me and his
surroundings.
"Neil, what are you? You seem to be aware of everything, even when deep
in thought, you move without making a sound, and you read at a speed
that not even I can manage and I'm a good reader. I understand the
things you said earlier, they make sense oddly enough, but you make me
seem like a primate." Neil looks at me and I see those eyes again, so
old, yet so young. What kind of life has he lived?
"I don't know how to explain what I am, a few friends have been let in
on my somewhat strange talents, but only a little. Miss Kiron, what I'm
going to say may sound strange, but it's the truth. Over ten years ago,
I almost died from a heart attack, but for some reason I never died,
instead I came back and for a while I was in a daze, my memory was
fragmented and I was confused a lot, and then one day I seemed to get
better and I was overwhelmed with story ideas and I felt different.
Over the years, I wrote a lot and improved my body and mind to new
levels, my hearing improved, my sight, everything but my hand eye
coordination has been improved in some way. And then I hit a depression
for six years and I had trouble writing anything. And then one day I
found a game that somehow cheered me up a lot and then I began to write
again after I came across an internet site that allowed writers to post
their stories for people to read, I posted a lot of stories until it
went bust. I managed to save my stories from the site before that
happened though. For three years I felt pretty low, I couldn't get my
stories published since I didn't have enough money at the time, still
don't since the UK joined the Euro and the prices rocketed up. I've
saved up everything penny I have to move away from Sandhaven and come
here to get inspiration, and if I can, get a few stories published here
and then leave the UK, hopefully for the rest of my life. And there,
that's why I'm here at the village of Glen Tises, to write and then
hopefully leave my home for good." Woah, that was a lot, and he's just
sitting there like he never even said anything. Damn, someone with a
purpose and the talent to make it work. And yet he's willing to help
me, even if it slows him down from his goal. I think I've found a
friend, I wonder if he feels the same way?

Chapter 2

We end up talking about stories, writing, life in general and just
about anything and then Neil gets up. "Well I better get going, I
should have some ideas for you tomorrow. Thanks for the drink and for
inviting me, it was nice. I'll see you later then." I walk with him to
the door and watch him as he leaves, despite the fact it's gotten quite
dark, he gets his bearings quickly and heads back to the village, he
must live in the village, and then I remember something.
"Neil ,wait!" He stops and looks back at me, his eyes are shining in
the dark, cool.
"Yes?" I tear a piece of paper from a sticky label phone book and grab
a pen near the phone, I keep the phone near the door since I can't seem
to make up my mind where to put it and write down my phone number. I
then run up to him and pass my number to him.
"Here, in case you get any ideas when you get home." He takes it and I
wait for his.
"I guess you want my number, okay, hang on." He rummages in his pocket
and takes out a piece of paper, it looks like an old bus ticket, he
must forget to throw his rubbish in the bin and keeps it in pockets
instead. I pass him the pen, I forgot to leave it near the phone and he
writes his number on the paper by balancing it on his hand
carefully.
"Here you go, one phone number. The phone isn't connected yet, been too
busy, I'll connect it when I get home. See you later then, bye." He
then turns round and heads back to the path, I know I shouldn't stare,
but why am I watching him walk?

I sit back down at the computer once I go back inside and decide to
write a short story, at least I have an idea for that. As I switch the
computer on, I look at my print outs of my book, I've written a fair
bit. I have no idea where the idea came from, I was just finishing my
lunch when I suddenly decided to sit at my computer and start typing,
that was last year, now, a year later, I've written a lot from nowhere.
But now I can't think of an ending and it's pissing me off no end. I
wonder what my mum would say if she was here at the moment, probably
something like, 'Good, now you can do something productive for a
change, like take the dog for a walk or wash the dishes.' I was never
encouraged to write, my parents were always saying it was a waste of
time and my teachers just wanted me to play sports. I like to write,
it's good and I like to vent my feelings this way. I'm glad my mum
isn't here, she loves nature, but she would be trying to get me to
dress up like a tart and go clubbing, no thanks. These days, clubbing
is for drunks and druggies, it's not safe at all. My computer finishes
loading and then I notice something odd, a little picture has appeared,
it's of a ship from Star Trek, I don't remember putting it there, and
Neil never went near my computer, so how did it get there? Oh well, may
as well keep it there, it is nice. The colours are good and the ship in
question is beautiful, I think it's the Enterprise, not sure. As I log
onto the net, I'll check my mail, a message pops up, it's from someone
called Maria, never heard of her. As I go to close it, the message
enlarges and then I can read it, it says, 'Talk to him again, he has an
idea.' What? Who is this? Does this mysterious person mean Neil? And
then the message changes. 'Yes, I do.' I get up, scared now. Who was
this? I then notice that the computer has crashed, so it couldn't have
sent a message like this, could it? 'Nickola, what you're reading is
from someone close to Neil, very close. Go and talk to him, the house
will be fine, I'll be here until you get back.' Shit! She's in the
house?! Now this is weird and like out of a movie. 'I'm in front of
you, typing this, you sat on me. Go and talk to him, he's already
halfway to the village. I know this is weird, but it's not a dream or
anything out of the movies, the movie you saw where something like this
happened was dull and false, this is real life. I know your thoughts
because I'm linked to your muse for a while, go on, get going.' And
then I feel a hand push me towards my coat and the door, grabbing my
coat, I run from the house, terrified, I have a bloody ghost in my
house! I run after Neil and catch up with him, out of breath and still
scared.
"Neil, wait, please. Can I stay with you? Something really odd has just
happened, I was away to write a story and someone called Maria sent
messages to me, telling me to talk to you. Did you do something?" Neil
smiles and chuckles. What's so funny?
"Ah, so that's where she is, I wondered why she wasn't talking. It's
okay, Maria's harmless. She must have linked with your guardian in
order to stay there to write to you, not worry about it." How the hell
can he be so calm about it? Guardians? What are guardians?
"Neil, I want answers and I want them now, who is Maria? What are
guardians? And I want full answers, not riddles." Neil looks back at
where my house is, I can run fast when I'm scared.
"You're a fast runner, I can't run that fast. Okay, lets go back to
yours, it's closer and I'll tell you everything. Lets get going then."
Back to the house? Oh, fine. Maybe I'll finally be able to get the
answers I want this time. We head back to the house, Neil trying to
calm me down, but it's hard to be calm when you get odd messages.

We arrived back at the house and I waited to see if anything or anyone
would run out, but nothing. "Like I said, don't worry about it. Come
on." I follow Neil into the house and as he enters the house, he stops
and seems to go all stiff, and then a second later he turns to
me.
"You can go in now, Maria looked after the house for you. She says that
I have to give you the idea now, but would you rather I gave it you
tomorrow?" Okay, this is weird, Maria is inside him?! Damn, I really
need to cut down on the Pepsi's if this is what they do to me.
"It's okay, you better go home, you can tell me tomorrow, thanks. Are
you okay? You look a little tired." He does at that, he seemed all
awake a moment ago, now he looks like he's going to collapse. "I'm
fine, I better get going, see you tomorrow." And then all of a sudden
he collapses on my doorstep. "Shit!" I yell as I go to check on him, I
feel for a pulse, it's there but faint, I get up and grab the phone,
but as I type in the number for an ambulance, something like a hand
stops me and then a voice. But there's no one there, Neil's over at the
doorstep.
"Don't, he'll be fine. I just exhausted him, that's all. Get him over
to the sofa, he'll stay the night and sleep there, he'll be fine, don't
worry." Damn, this is weird, but whoever it is, I guess I better do the
right thing, I put the receiver on the candle and go over to Neil. I
take his arms and lift him slowly, I have some good upper body
strength, not much, but enough, and slowly take him over to the sofa.
He isn't breathing, not from what I can see anyway, but if he'll be
fine here, then maybe it's just his body healing itself.
"Thank you, I'll return to him and speed up the healing, you go to bed
or do whatever you want, I'll handle the rest. He'll be just fine."
Okay, this is turning into one weird day, I must have hit my head and
not known, maybe I'm the one dreaming. Neil looks different when he's
sleeping, almost childlike. I leave him alone and check up on him
before I go to bed an hour later, he is really out of it, he hasn't
even moved. I feel bad for leaving him on the couch, but it would take
too long to get him upstairs to the spare bedroom, so I get a blanket
from the airing cupboard and drape it over him. I look at him one more
time and I swear I see a child there, not an adult, as if he's reverted
to a much younger age, but it's just me seeing things. I say good night
quietly and go to my bed.

The smell of fried mushrooms wakes me up and I groan as I look at the
clock beside my bed, it's 9:25. I get up and rub the sleep from my eyes
and get washed and head down stairs in my pjs, a big T-Shirt with a
picture of Garfield on it saying I hate Mondays, and every other day of
the week, I notice that Neil isn't on the couch and I go through to the
kitchen. He's in here, cooking.
"Morning, thought I would make you breakfast as a token of thanks for
helping me last night, I understand I collapsed on your doorstep,
sorry. Breakfast is fried mushrooms with eggy bread and some tomatoes,
hope you don't mind. If you want, you can have something else." It
smells great, he must be a good cook, as he was talking to me, his eyes
were exploring everywhere and his attention on his cooking was poor,
but somehow it was turning out right. I sit down and I notice a glass
of orange juice, how did he know I liked orange juice in the
morning?
"Before you ask, I took a guess. I wasn't sure if you had tea or coffee
in the morning, so I poured you an orange juice instead." I take a sip,
ice cold, perfect.
"Thank you, you didn't have to you know. You could have left a note
saying you were gone, I leave the front door open a little at nights
since I'm so remote here. But thank you anyway." Neil seems to be
humming a little tune, I don't recognise it.
"What you singing? It sounds catchy." Neil stops, I think I embarrassed
him.
"No, keep going, it's nice. I just asked what it was, that's all." He
resumes his music and I listen closely, really catchy.
"It's a tune from a game called Final Fantasy 9, I played the game when
it came out, a little easy, but a good story and the music was nice.
What I'm singing is a piece of music from a battle called Sliver
Dragon. It seems to stick in the head. I can stop if you find it
annoying." I get up and move closer to him, he seems to make cooking so
easy, I always make a mistake, how did he learn to be so focused? "No,
keep going, please, the chorus in it is nice." He shrugs and keeps
singing, I join him and we sing together, the tune is easy to learn and
I soon have it in memory and I see what he means by it being catchy. He
asks me to go back to my seat when the foods done and I sit down. He
serves me a nice big amount of food, he really went all out for me,
when he sits down he has nothing, why?
"Aren't you eating anything, this is lovely." He shakes his head and
sits back and close his eyes, now what?
"Are you okay? Still tired?" He shakes his head again and then begins
to sing a song, one I haven't heard of before. When he's done a few
minutes later, I feel oddly calm, like I've been massaged with tender,
caring hands.
"That was beautiful, what was it?" Neil opens his eyes and I see the
old life in his eyes, he looks oddly venerable for some reason.
"It was a song called Melodies of Life, I'm sorry to have scared you
like that. I know it's rude to suddenly sing." What is he saying? It
was incredible, his voice was so clear and the words were
amazing.
"Don't be modest and don't be sorry. I've never had someone sing while
I'm eating, what made you sing anyway?" He shifted in his seat and
rubbed his eyes.
"I don't know, just felt like it I guess. Sorry." I wish he would stop
apologising, I liked the song and I like Neil, hang on, did I just say
that?
"Look, you sang a great song, has anyone ever told you that you
shouldn't put yourself down?" I finish my orange juice and Neil gets up
and gets me another one.
"You don't need to get me anything, let me get you something to eat,
did you have breakfast?" Neil shakes his head and passes me the
juice.
"It's okay, I'll get something later." I get up and push him down onto
the seat.
"Just sit there, shut up and let me make you something." He shrugs and
sits there, I feel like hugging him, he looks so lonely, like he's out
of the crowd and yet he's right here with me. It doesn't take me long,
I have no idea what he likes. But he eats it slowly, not really hungry
by the looks of things. Afterwards, he washes up, pushing me into my
living room saying I should put my feet up, well my bare feet. Hang on,
when I was with him, he saw a lot of my body through the thin material
of my t-shirt and he just didn't seem to care, what's with him?

Neil enters the living room once he's done washing dishes and sits down
beside me.
"Neil, are you gay?" He looks at me and starts laughing.
"No, of course not, what makes you think that?" What's so funny? At the
moment, he can see right up my t-shirt and he doesn't even care.
"Oh come on, I'm sitting here showing a lot of my body, I'm practically
naked, and you haven't even raised an eyebrow, am I that hideous?" Neil
stops laughing and shakes his head.
"No, it's not that, it's just that I'm not letting what I see affect me
hormonally, as far as I'm concerned, you're just another human being
who just happens to be almost naked in a well worn t-shirt and no
underwear, that doesn't bother me at all. If you want, I can behave
like a sex crazed beast, but it is a little rude and I hardly know you
and you hardly know me." He has a point, it is rude, but isn't he
feeling even a little sexually excited?
"Oh come on, you can't say that your not having thoughts filled with
sex, how do you do that? No one can, not even me, not even a monk." I
take his hand, damned if I know what I'm doing, and place it on my leg.
He just looks down and removes his hand.
"Stop that! I was testing you and you didn't even brink, come on, show
something." He looks at me and then smiles.
"Sigh, fine, do you want me to touch you, make love to you, declare my
undying love to you, because to me your just a friend and I won't take
advantage of that." Fucking hell! How does he do this, how does his
very voice make me feel so tingly?!
"Neil, I like you, I don't know how, but I like you, but more than a
friend and you're just sitting there, behaving like a friend, but
you're not showing any sign that you find me nice as well. Show me a
feeling, please." Sighing he places a hand on my leg and I feel that
tingle again, damn, he makes me feel so, so, I don't know, horny.
"That's a start, but show some emotion, this isn't an order, I'm asking
you to show emotions, feelings, love." I grab his hand and move it up,
why on earth am I doing this? But yet I like it, I really like it, but
Neil just looks like I've signed his death warrant. I move his hand up
higher and then he pulls his hand away.
"No, stop. I better go, me being here has done something to you. I'm
sorry, I'll write the ideas I have down for you later, bye." He gets up
and moves for his coat.
"Wait, I'm sorry, you're right. I'm not being myself. Please, stay." He
looks at me and then grabs his coat and opens the door.
"I would, but you could accurse me of rape, I don't want that on my
conscience. I like you, but this is rushing things. I'll see you later,
look after yourself, bye." And then he left and I stood up and went to
the window and watched him go, damn it, have I just destroyed our
friendship just as it's began?

Chapter 3

I stop halfway on the path and take a deep breath, damn it, why did
Nickola have to do that? I like her, but she's just a friend, nothing
more. Bloody Maria, why did she have to interfere, everything was going
well and now this, I slept over, I made breakfast because I wanted to
say thank you, but now I know that Nickola likes me more than a friend,
damn it. 'Go back, you like her, she likes you. What else is there to
it?' Bloody Maria, why can't she just shut up? 'No, you know why, just
forget about it. I have work to do, can you maybe just be quiet for a
while?' Maria shuts up for a change and I get up and continue back to
the village, my house is on the far end of the village, it's nothing
much, small, living room, small kitchen, two small bedrooms, a
bathroom, tiny. But it will do for now, I only plan to be here for a
couple of years, I've saved up a small amount of money to last me for
the time I'm here, I don't need to eat much and I only need the basic
things for my home and myself. I have more important things to do, I
have to write the story what will get me out of the UK and to my new
life. I know that it's going to be hard, both my old life and my new
one and I've accepted that, I just want to leave the UK. I like the
village a little, it's quiet, but I've lived all my life in villages,
so this is just a stopover for now. I'll try and make friends here,
don't want to seem anti-social. I enter the village an hour later, a
little out of breath since I was walking too hard. May as well get
something to eat from the shop and then go home. It takes me a couple
of minutes to buy something and then after a little chat with a few of
the people who see me, I head home. The day is cold, the air crisp and
fresh, nice for November. I take my key from my coat pocket as I near
my home and unlock the door and go in. Taking my coat off, I remember
that my computer is still on, I meant to return to it after I returned
from the library, I didn't expect to meet Nickola. I go and switch it
off, it's in my living room for now until I can manage to tidy the
second bedroom up, the previous owner had been a pack rat, there were
all kinds of things in there. As I go to switch it off, I notice that I
have mail, must be Rachel. It is, just asking how I am and why I wasn't
online. I reply and switch off, Rachel is a friend I made a few years
ago when I was a member of that short story site, we're still friends
surprisingly, even after the site closed and my stories were
unavailable to everyone to read. She lives in the States and we're both
working on meeting each other someday to say hi face to face and go for
a meal. Maybe once I finally leave the UK, we both know each others
looks and we've heard each others voices, and we've shared addresses as
well. I go through to my little kitchen and get a glass of juice,
orange juice since that's all I have left at the moment, I'll have to
go shopping later in the nearby town, about ten miles away. As I sip my
juice and nibble the water biscuits I brought in the shop, I look up
the bus times, there's a bus in an hour. I'll tidy up a little more
once I get back, oh wait, connect the phone first. I go over to a box
and take my phone out, it's a normal phone, I coloured it in Star Trek
colours because I was bored one day. I find the phone link in the hall,
it's a bugger to find, whoever decorated this house must have liked
green, they had painted the link the same colour as the walls. I
connect the phone and get my number sorted out, it takes a few minutes,
BT's service was finally improved a year ago when the company was given
a shake down after it's terrible Internet service almost caused the
World Wide Web to crash completely, idiots. Right, better check what's
more important to buy, let's see. Bread, milk, not that I drink it, but
I make milkshakes with it since it's the only way I'll drink the stuff,
cereal, may as well, there has to be something good, a few meals, maybe
I'll just make my own, I like cooking. Not a lot, but it will have to
do, maybe I'll buy Nickola something to help her write, and I think I
should maybe buy a new book, wonder if there's anything interesting in?
I did notice a bookshop there before as I was passing through on my way
here, a friend had driven me here and I had insisted on paying for the
fuel, but he had refused my money and after helping me get my things in
the house, he had left for his home. Only have a little to tidy away,
the furniture was already here and it will be easy to clean it up, it
is a bit messy. I'll buy some furniture polish and other cleaning
things in town. So much to do, so little time.

The bus is five minutes late, as I expect it to be, an early bus would
be a miracle. I pay the fare once the bus arrives and I get onboard and
find a seat, a lot to choose from, not much people take buses anymore.
The bus journey takes about fifteen minutes, thanks in part to no road
works, and I get off at the bus station. It's a mess, vandals seem to
love this place. I first go to the bank and take out some money for my
shopping, not much, enough to buy the essentials. The town isn't all
that busy, the nearest city is twenty miles away and most of the
shoppers go there instead. It takes me all of two hours to do my
shopping and I go and buy Nickola something. I find a small crystal
ornament of a dragon, it's quite nice, but I don't think Nickola will
like it. I keep looking and I find something she might like, when I was
at her house, I noticed she had a huge range of computer games and
console games, she must use them for inspiration like I do, when I
looked at what she had, I saw she was missing the newest Harvest Moon,
I had brought it myself before I had come here a few days ago, I'm sure
she'll like this, a Harvest Moon game a few years ago gave me
inspiration to write a story, it even lifted my depression. I buy it
and head for the bus home, I'm carrying a lot, but I don't mind, I
hardly notice. As I near the bus station, I hear someone call my name,
but I don't know anyone around here yet. I look for where the voice
came from and I see her, Nickola. She runs over to me and takes a
couple of the bags from me.
"I saw you go into a shop and I waited here for you, I was sure you
would be coming to the bus stop to catch a bus anyway. Here, let me." I
notice that she has a car, and then I see it's a taxi. "Isn't this
expensive? I'll pay the fare." Nickola puts the bags into the boot of
the taxi and takes the rest from me and puts them in with the rest.
"No, my treat. Get in and I'll take you home, or will we go by mine
instead?" As if I have a choice.
"We'll stop at yours, it's closer anyway. Thanks." I get in the back
seat and Nickola joins me.
"Don't you want to sit in the front?" I ask, Nickola just shakes her
head.
"No, I want to sit with you, is that okay?" Why me? "No, it's fine.
Better get your belt on." The taxi starts up and gets underway, manual
taxis were replaced with computer driven taxis last year, so far they
seem to be quite good, still expensive, but in the UK, what isn't
pricey? Nickola starts to get closer to me and I move away from her,
not again.
"Neil, stop it. Let me kiss you, please. Or you kiss me, whichever way
is nice. Since you left this morning, you've been the only thing on my
mind and I don't know why. We only just met and yet I feel like I've
known you for much longer than a day and a half. Is that how you feel?"
In fact, no, not really.
"No, I don't. I like you as a friend, isn't that enough?" Nickola
doesn't even look hurt at what I said, why?
"It is, but don't you want more than a friendship? Don't you want
love?" I shake my head, no, I don't, not yet.
"Damn you, why are you so hard on yourself? Can't you even allow
yourself to love?" And then she grabs my head and kissed me hard on the
lips. I pull away from her.
"Stop it! Nickola, please, I like you, I really do, but I'm not ready
for love yet. I know this sounds nasty, but I really don't think I'm
right for you." Nickola just looks into my eyes and kisses me again.
"Shut up and kiss me back, make love to me here and now, I love you,
why I don't know, but I love you so much it hurts. Ever since I first
saw you, I've loved you and I have no idea at all why I do." Oh great,
trapped in a taxi with a sex crazed woman who I've only just met a day
ago, why me?

Chapter 4

Why do I feel like this? What is making me love him so much? He's the
one, the right one, I can feel it, but I find it hard to believe.
"Shut up and kiss me back, make love to me here and now, I love you,
why I don't know, but I love you so much it hurts. Ever since I first
saw you, I've loved you and I have no idea at all why I do." Am I
really saying these words? Yes, I am, damn it , I am. What's wrong with
me? Not even when I was a teen have I felt such passion in my mind and
heart for one person, and yet he won't show his love for me, a friend
is all he wants. I can give him so much more than a friendship, and he
just won't take it. "Will you just show your true feelings for me! Come
on, how often as this ever happened to you in your life, any other male
would be making love to me for the third time by now if I asked, but
you, you just say no, why!" I'm glad that the taxi is automated and no
one can hear us, it would make quite a bit of gossip this would.
"I can't, I made an oath. Even if I did love you, I wouldn't allow
myself to feel love, not until it's time." I want to hit him, but I
can't bring myself to. "An oath? Why?" I take my hand from his privates
and lay it on his leg instead, he doesn't even notice, or maybe because
he's just hiding his feelings, I don't know.
"I made an oath nine years ago that I would wait until I felt it was
time to fall in love, and I still don't feel it's time. I'm sorry."
Fuck the oath, he needs love, I can see it in his eyes, hear it in his
voice. "Fuck your oath, nine years is a long time to not allow love
into your life. You must love me, if not, then break your oath, you
shouldn't deny yourself love. Everyone needs love in their lives, even
you, even me. You've felt love before, when you were born, when you
loved the first time when you were a teen, don't go blocking yourself
from it now." He looks at me and then to my utter surprise, he kisses
me.
"I know that, but I just don't know if I'm ready, I might hurt your
feelings, I might hurt you by falling love with someone else. I just
can't let myself do that to you." He has a point, but in the tiny
amount of time we've known each other, I know that he would never hurt
me, he would die for me if he had to. And I would do the same.
"Kiss me again, kiss me and make me feel good, warm, loved. Forget your
oath, be loved and love." I watch him as he thinks about this, is he
going to break his oath?

I can't break my oath, not yet, but, maybe she has a point, I can't
deny myself love. 'Break it, it's a worthless oath. You deserve love.'
But what if I make a mistake, what if I hurt her by falling love with
someone else, what if I'm not what she thinks she wants? No, not yet.
'Fool.' I look at her and tell her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't break it, if I hurt you, I could never live
with myself. Please, understand it from my point." Damn it, damn it to
hell!
"Your oath is nothing, you made it, you can break it. You kissed me,
isn't that the start of something, doesn't that show you love me as
well?" He shakes his head and before I can comment, the onboard
computer of the taxi tells us that we've arrived at my house. I pay the
fare and get out, Neil gets out after me and goes round to the boot of
the taxi and takes his bags out.
"Neil, please, think about it. Come in at least, I can help you get
them home later, hell, you could stay with me, maybe then you won't
have to go so far to get home." Neil looks up at me as he finishes
taking the bags out.
"Nickola, you're being silly, I can't move in with you, we just met for
crying out loud. Once I'm done here, I'll just head home. I'll let you
calm yourself down, your not thinking this through." I am, of course I
am, it's all so clear.
"Neil, you don't know me and I don't know you, but what does it matter,
we could get to know each other better, think about it." Please Neil,
please say yes to me.
"No, I'm going. I'll see you later when you're not so hard to reason
with, bye." His bags on his arms and in his hands, he walks for the
path, fuck him, why is he so hard to get?!
"Neil, come on, please just show your feelings for me at least, can you
do that?" He turns to me and I see almost anger in his eyes, it makes
him look dangerous.
"I'm not ready to show my feelings, so just stop asking me to, Nickola,
take a cold shower, maybe that's all you need. Goodbye for now." And
then he leaves again, leaving me with a yearning for him in my heart,
why does this happen? Why do I love him?

After the taxi leaves and I enter my house, I go and get a cold shower,
maybe he's right, maybe that's all I need. I go through to my bathroom
and undress, turning the shower on first. I step into it once I'm done
and I stand under the spray, but it's not helping me in any way at all,
my feelings for him are still so strong. I get out of the shower before
I get too cold and get wrap myself up in a towel, I'll get dressed in a
bit. As I go to the kitchen, the doorbell rings.
"Hang on, hang on. I'll be just there." I pick my clothes up from the
floor and quickly dress, almost braining myself on the coffee table
when my jumper goes over my eyes and it gets stuck. After I dress I go
to the door and open it.
"Hello?" It's Brian Carson, he lives in the village with his daughter
June, a cute little five year old who likes to run around me when she
sees me.
"Miss Kiron, are you okay, I heard you yelling. I saw someone leave
from your house, who was he?" Great, first mistake, let the neighbours
know.
"He was a friend, it was nothing. Please, come in if you want. I'm away
to make a hot drink, want one?" Brian's an okay guy, he likes a lot of
people and dots over his daughter, his wife died before I arrived and
he's been looking after June by himself since. He spoils her rotten,
but he also teaches her the value of human life and not to treat people
badly.
"Thank you, but I can't stay, June should be coming out of school in an
hour and she likes me being at home waiting for her, I'll meet her at
the school gates instead, but thank you anyway, see you Miss Kiron." I
wave as he heads for the path and I close the door, I wish I had a
child of my own, maybe with Neil if he can just express his feelings
for me? Oh well, better get myself a hot drink.

It's been four hours and still I can't get Neil out of my mind, I can't
even write, I wonder if he's got an idea for the ending of my book? I
don't know where he lives at all, but I have his number, maybe I should
call him, no I don't want to seem like I'm stalking him. Fuck! Why
can't I just forget about him? I sip my Pepsi and try and come up with
a story, but all I see is him, his smile, his eyes. Oh this is
ridiculous, I can't do anything now without seeing him in my mind. Damn
it, I'm going to call him, no wait, no maybe I shouldn't, but I have to
hear him, see him, does he even have a video phone like me? Why do I
feel like a lovesick teenager? AHHH!!! I can't live like this, I'm
going to call him, I don't care if it seems like stalking, I must hear
him, see him, I must, I must, damn it, I can't even think of what to
say now! I get up from my computer chair and go over to the phone, I
hope he's in.

Chapter 5

I hope this table is enough to hold the computer, it was in the spare
bedroom and it looked stable enough, but now I'm not sure. Oh, I'll
take the risk. I place the computer on the table and the table wobbles
a little, I've already moved the phone link to the living room, it was
easy enough, I just increased the size of the cable by using the
extension I bought in town. Right, it's stable, good. Okay now to make
sure the table can still be easily moved in case I have to move it at
any time in the future. Putting my hands on it's sides, I slowly move
the table a little, good, it moves. I then check the cable to the
phone, I have also managed to get a connection to the Net that allows
me to use both the phone and Net at the same time, so no more missed
calls in case I get any. Not that I care if I do or not anyway. Right,
almost done, all that's left is to tidy up the spare bedroom, all my
things are tided away at last. The living room is nothing special, it's
small with a sofa that I've to clean and make useable, two chairs as
standard, not all that comfortable, but then I don't plan on sitting on
them all that often anyway. I have a TV and VCR, old fashioned ones
since I can't afford to spend the money I have on trivial things like a
TV and VCR. The walls are a bit gross, the wallpaper is hideous, it's
green with bits of blue on it, looks like mould, I'll have to change
it, may as well, maybe I'll paint on the walls, I was taught to paint
by a friend of my parents and I liked learning, I'm surprised at how
well I did, I guess writing isn't the only thing I can do as a talent.
Right, now to finish putting the shopping away, I've put the frozen
food away, not that I like precooked meals, it's all the ingredients
for cooking that need to be frozen to keep longer. I go into my little
kitchen and sort out the rest of my shopping, coffee, since even though
I don't like it much, I'll drink it if I have too, bread, milk, food in
general and then I come across the game I bought for Nickola, damn it,
I'll have to give it to her when I see her next, I'll see her tomorrow
maybe, too busy at the moment. I put everything away and then the phone
rings. I go and answer it, the caller is using a video phone, I don't
have one because they're a little too much for me to afford at the
current time. Oh well, better answer the caller.
"Hello? Neil speaking." I recognise the voice instantly, it's Nickola.
"Neil, good you're in. Emm, could you come round please, if you're not
too busy that is." Oh boy, well I am busy.
"Sorry, can't. A bit too busy tonight. Are you feeling better now?" As
Nickola talks I switch my computer on, may as well get to work.
"Neil, is that your computer on already? Why don't you just take your
work up here? How big is your computer?" Why does she like me so much?
I can tell it's an attempt to see me again, she must be really smitten
with me.
"Nickola, stop it. I can't show the feelings you want, look I have a
gift for you that I bought in town, I'll give it to you tomorrow, it's
not much, just something which might give you some inspiration for your
story, now please just let me get to work and you go to your work or
whatever you were doing before you called, I hate to be rude, but you
really should just stop thinking about me. See you tomorrow, bye." I
hang up and start on my work, I've done 50 pages so far on this story,
200 hundred pages on another and the other stories are being worked on
in my mind slowly, no hurry. Nickola doesn't call back thankfully and I
spend the rest of the night working. 'Break your oath, you like her,
but your stupid oath is holding you back.' Not again, this is annoying
me. 'Go away, I'm busy. Work on my other ideas for me if you want, but
Nickola is just a friend, nothing more, nothing less.' Maria shuts up
again after our mind chat and I continue working.

I finish my work for the day at about one in the morning and I decide
to call it a night. As I get up, the phone rings.
"Hello?" I say as I answer. It's Nickola again. "Just saying good
night, you must be turning in, so am I, just thought I would let you
know I'm wearing sexy underwear that I'm going to take off very slowly
as if you're watching me, okay?" Bloody hell, she's obsessed.
"Good night Nickola. Your plan to get me aroused won't work. See you
tomorrow." I hang up and disconnect the phone, I have a mobile if I
need it, I'm glad I didn't give her that number, I would never get any
sleep tonight otherwise. I hope she comes to her senses someday.

I can't believe it, he hung up on me. I lay the receiver on the cradle
and curse. I know that telling him that I was almost naked was a bad
idea, but I had to try something, anything, to get him aroused, and
even that didn't work. I guess I better go to bed, no point staying up
all night. After going to the loo, I go to my bedroom and into my bed.
One of these days my plans to get him to love me will work, they have
too. I fall into a dream filled sleep, all of them about Neil.

Chapter 6

I wake up not to the smell of breakfast, but to my head smacking
against my bedside table, why did I do that? I get up and see why, the
dream I was having must have made my body jolt, it was a dream where
Neil was making sweet love to me. Rubbing my head, I fully wake and get
out of bed, damn it's cold in the house, better get warmed up. Not
bothering to get dressed into something warm, I go and get washed first
and answer natures call, and then a shower. I get in once the water is
warm enough and wash up, and the water goes cold a few minutes later. I
jump out and get dressed, that woke me up for sure. After some
breakfast, I try and work on the ending of my story, but I just can't
think of anything. Sighing, I play a game for a while and then the door
ball rings.
"Coming, coming." I go to the door and open it, it's Neil, yes!
"Hi, I have a gift for you, I forgot to give it to you yesterday.
Here." Neil passes me a small slim object and I examine it, its a
game.
"Thanks, I'll play it later. Did you come here just to give me this,
that's sweet." Opps, said something stupid.
"It's just a gift, to say thanks for yesterday morning. I'll get going
now, oh, I almost forgot, I have that idea for the ending of your
story." Oh? At last, maybe now I can get it finished.
"Thank you, why don't you come in, don't worry, I don't bite." Neil
comes in and I take his coat.
"I'm here to help, nothing more." I'm glad I'm in control of my mind
right now, I really want to just rip mine and his clothes off and make
love to him here and now.
"The computers over there, go ahead and type it in" Neil takes a few
papers from his coat pocket and passes them to me.
"No, you type it out, it's your story. I best go." Oh no, he's not
getting away from me that easily.
"Sit, please. I'll write the ending you've given me, you sit and read
or play games, just sit." He shrugs and sits down, looking over at the
small bookcase I have next to the sofa. He gets up and picks a book and
sits back down and starts reading. I go back to my computer and start
writing. Wow, his ending is great. The hours pass and I finally finish
the story, at last. I then realise that Neil hasn't made one sound at
all. Better do a test.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! OH NO, IT'S ALL GONE!!!! MY WORK HAS BEEN
COMPLETELY DELETED!!!" Did he even hear me, or is the book that
good?
"Hmm?" Is that all he can say, and then I realise he's standing right
next to me, holy shit! Where did he come from?!
"It's okay, stop trying to get my attention, I can see just fine and
hear just fine as well." Neil goes back to the sofa and I watch him,
trying to keep my desires in check. I turn back to the computer and
save the story and then switch off.
"Neil, how do you move so quietly?" Neil looks up from the book and
then looks back down at it. "Easy enough, just shift the weight in your
legs around until you can walk lightly, it's simple, if you want, I can
teach you." Oh yes, maybe this will be a good excuse for me to be able
to touch him again. "Sure, lets do it." Me and Neil get up from our
seats and Neil comes over to me.
"Okay, first stand where you are and take a small step, just a small
one, a little baby step." I do as he says and I realise that it sounded
quiet.
"Right, now while doing the baby steps, walk over to the door and back
again, but do it as quickly as you can and as quietly, shift your
weight by not swaying your hips like that since I know you're trying to
seduce me again, stop it. Right, try it." Okay, here goes. I start to
walk towards the door and somehow I get there quickly, yet I was taking
tiny steps. I walk back, keeping my eyes on Neil, it was easy.
"Well done, see, it's simple." And then he go over to the door and
grabs his coat.
"I better get going now, see you later." And then before I can say
anything, he's gone. I'm going to trap him someday in this house or
his, and then I'll make him love me, he has to love me, I love
him.

The next day I invited Neil round for a meal, just to say thank you for
giving me the ending to my story. I cooked one my favourite meals, and
I hoped it was one of his as well, Gammon steak with ginger sauce and
pineapple, for dessert we had cheesecake with whipped cream, strawberry
flavour cream and chocolate cheesecake at that, it was nice, but not as
nice as the company. Afterwards we went through to the living room and
talked. I noticed that Neil seemed distracted by something and I asked
him what is was.
"Nothing much, just a story I've been working on for a few years. It's
almost done, but what with everything else that's happened in the last
few years, then the story has been on the sidelines for a while. You
should let me cook you something someday, your meal was very good,
thank you." Sod the meal, I want the after dinner mints, if you know
what I mean.
"Excuse me, nature calls." Neil gets up and heads for the bathroom,
when the door closes, I quickly get of my seat and go over to his coat.
Now it should be in here, ah, here it is, one front door key. I take it
out of the pocket, being careful not to make a noise as I remove it and
quickly take it over to my other bathroom. There I use my home made key
cutter, a bar of soap, and press the key against it, leaving a perfect
imprint. Right, now all I have to do is get this imprint copied and
made into a replica key, and then I'll have the key to my love. I then
quickly return the key to it's pocket and sit back down, just as Neil
comes out of the bathroom.
"Well I guess I better get going, work to do and all that. Thank you
for the meal, it saved me cooking myself something for a change. See
you later, bye." Neil grabbed his coat and left, I didn't bother
stopping him, I had what I wanted. I watched till he was out of sight
and I called for a taxi to take me to town, I have a key to copy.

It didn't cost much to get the key copied, I'm to go back tomorrow and
pick it up about 2, 3 in the afternoon, no problem. Returning home, I
make a mug of cocoa and watch some TV until midnight and then go to
bed, I won't bother calling Neil this time, I'll see him tomorrow
night.

I spent the next morning waiting until the afternoon and then I called
a taxi about 12 noon and went into town, after a little window
shopping, I go and get the key. Now I'll be able to trap him, at last
I'll get what I want.

It's two in the morning, he should just be turning in for the night
now, good. I insert the key into the keyhole and slowly and gently turn
it and then open the door as quietly as I can. That's the hard part
done, now for Neil. I guess his bedroom is up the stairs and I quietly
walk up the stairs, making sure not to move too fast as I ascended each
step. So close, oh so close!

There it is again, the sound of footsteps walking quietly on the
stairs. I guess I better go and check it out. I get out of bed and
slowly walk towards the door, I'm wearing nothing but boxers and the
house is cold. The footsteps stop at the top of the stairs and I open
the door carefully, I peek out through the small crack and see a shape
looking around. Right, an intruder. This will be fun. I open the door a
little more and quietly creep up on the intruder and they turn
round.
"Who are you!" The intruder jumps and I grab whoever it is as they get
too close to the stairs, I then look at the person's face, great, it's
Nickola.
"What are you doing here at this time in the morning? Lost your way
home?" Nickola then hugs me and I pull away.
"You look sexy almost naked, do you want to see me naked?" Bloody hell,
can't she just quit it?
"No, I don't. Can you please leave?" Nickola ignores me and grabs my
arm, dragging me into the bedroom.
"Oh come on, forget your oath, you must love me? I love you." This is
getting annoying, I have no feelings for her other than
friendship.

Oh man, he looks so, so, so bloody sexy almost naked, even more so when
he's wearing clothes. "Nickola, stop it, I have no romantic feelings
for you, now can you please leave." I manage to drag him into his
bedroom and I begin to undress.
"Shut up and kiss me, make love to me, just love me." I can't believe
I'm doing this, but I am, and I really feel it's the right thing to do,
within a minute, I'm completely naked and I stand in front of him, the
moon light through the window to my left, probably making me look even
more beautiful.
"So, what do you think?" He just looks at me, he looks a little
annoyed.
"You look nice, now get dressed and leave." This is impossible, what
will it take to get him to love me?
"If you want, you can sleep in my bed, I'll sleep in the other room.
And then in the morning, I'll make you some breakfast and then you can
go home, okay?" I guess that will have to do, maybe I can try again
later.
"And don't bother trying again, the door makes a noise, even if you
open it slowly, so I'll hear you, good night." He leaves the room and I
stand there in his room, as naked as the day I was born. Fuck it, one
of these days I'm going to make him love me, one of these days.

Chapter 7

It's Christmas day, almost two months since I fell in love with Neil,
I've tried a lot to get him to love me, but nothing works. But I'm not
giving up, never. He took the copied key from me the morning after I
entered his house during the early morning, yet despite what I did, he
was still a friend with me, he even made me breakfast the next morning
and talked with me as if nothing had happened. Maybe I'm trying too
hard. Neil just called me an hour ago and asked me if I wanted to join
him for Christmas dinner, I accepted, the last time I made Christmas
dinner, I burnt it to a crisp, I'm not all that good at cooking. I can
cook some things, but only little things, nothing like turkey. That
gammon steak with ginger and pineapple I made last month was just one
of the little things I know how to make. As I leave the house, I pick
up the gift I bought him and head for the village. The day is nice, no
snow, well not much anyway, the sun is out but there's no warmth from
it. The air is very cold and crisp and it doesn't bother me at all, my
mind is only on Neil. I arrive at his house an hour and a half later
and he lets me in.
"Happy Christmas Nickola, please, come in, the dinner's almost ready."
I give him his gift and he takes it as I kiss him. For a change he
doesn't pull away.
"Happy Christmas Neil, thanks for inviting me. Maybe we can have a
little after dinner dessert?" He looks at me and sighs, shaking his
head.
"Go through to the living room, I have a gift for you in there. The
dessert is trifle, not sex." Damn, oh well I like trifle. I go through
to the living room and I see the gift. I open it by ripping the paper
to shreds since I'm like a kid when it comes to gifts and smile at what
he bought me. It's a book of sex jokes and a second book about the
differences between men and women, two joke books, which means he finds
my advances funny. I don't want to distract him so I read the books
instead, three hours later, more or less, dinner is ready. He calls me
through into the kitchen and we eat at a small table he must have
bought since it looks brand new.
"It looks great, where did you learn to cook?" The turkey is tender,
the Yorkshire puddings are wonderful and everything else has been so
well made, it's like he's been cooking his whole life.
"I just watched other people cook and tried my hand at it now and then,
I like to cook, when I'm not writing, it's the next best thing for me
to do. I'm still learning though, Christmas dinner is just one of those
easy things for me if I pay attention to it. Want gravy?" I nod my head
and he covers my food with gravy that's not too thick, not too thin,
just right. I tuck in and so does Neil, we talk a little as we eat and
afterwards I help him wash up.
"So, would you like some trifle, or wait until you're not so full?" Sod
the trifle, give me the mints, but I better control myself. We go
through to the living room and talk some more, and then before ten at
night, we have some trifle and Neil asks me if my story has gotten
published yet since I sent it to get published.
"No, I got a letter telling me that it had been accepted and was ready
to publish, all I have to do is send the money off, which I've got
ready to send. Hope people read it." We talk a little more and play a
little game on his computer, nothing much, just a time trial, seeing
who could get the best time in the Windows games. Afterwards, around
one in the morning, I ask him if I could stay the night, since I wasn't
in the mood to go home at the moment.
"Sure, I'll be sleeping down here if you need anything, good night." If
only he would come to bed with me, if only.

Chapter 8

The next few days passed quickly, before I knew it, it was New Years
Eve. The villagers are going to be celebrating the new year in their
own way and I plan to do so with Neil. Now, if only I could get him to
my house and hopefully, my bed. The table is set, the music is soft and
I'm feeling very randy. Maybe I should wait for him, but then that
would seem like I'm desperate, but then I am. I called him this morning
and invited him round, I hope he comes, I really do. I don't have to
wait long, the door bell rings.
"Come in!" The door opens and it's him, Neil.
"Hi. Nice set-up, nice dress." I'm wearing a very revealing dress, my
breasts are almost falling out and I've made the skirt part of it very
short. So short that if I sit down you can see right up to my
underwear. I am really desperate.
"Thanks, how about a pre-meal romp?" He sighs and shakes his head. "I'm
here because you invited me, not for sex." Pity. Oh well, better be a
good host.
"Well it's a candle lit dinner, you, me, the stars through the window.
And since you don't want sex, how about a dance?" Neil shrugs, so it
means yes to me.
"Sure, I can't dance, but if that's what you want to do, then I would
be happy to." I would rather have sex, but a dance will have to do. We
sit down after I take his coat off and place it on a hook.
"I'll go get the food, you wait here." Neil nods and waits as I go
through to the kitchen and get our food. After we eat, the whole meal I
was rubbing my leg against his and he didn't even notice, we go outside
and look at the stars, for once in a long time, the sky is
cloudless.
"Many a life is a star and many a star is a life, life is stars in many
ways and when a star dies, a life dies." Wow, did he just come up with
that?
"Neil, where did you hear that?" He looks at me then and I see those
eyes again and I feel myself being pulled into those beautiful
eyes.
"I just came up with it. You must be cold wearing that dress, why don't
we go back in?" I am feeling a little cold, but if he hugs me, kisses
me, makes love to me, I'll feel warm. We go in and spend the rest of
the night talking about our lives in general and also about all kinds
of things, not that I want to talk that is. As it hits midnight, we
dance the new year in, and he kisses me, not in love, just in
friendship. "Happy new year Nickola, may it be a good year." Oh it will
be if I can just get him in me and loving me.
"I can tell you want more, but no. I better get going now, see you
later." I stop him by grabbing his arm.
"Please, stay, at least till the morning. Please." I use my puppy dog
eyes with a hint of 'please have sex with me' in them as well.
"I'll sleep on the sofa, not in your bed. Nickola, give it up." Damn,
someday he'll stop resisting, he can't keep this up forever.

Chapter 9

Valentines day, this has got to work, he can't resist me on Valentines
day. I'm bloody freezing under this coat since I barely have anything
on underneath, but I don't care, this is for love. I knock on his front
door and wait for him to open it. He better like this, if not then I'll
have to try something even more desperate.

Now who could this be? I get up from the computer and go and answer the
door, when I open it, I'm greeted by Nickola, who's wearing a very
large coat.
"Hi Nickola, what is it today? Wait, I know, it's Valentines day and
you want me to love you today of all days, sorry, I can't, too busy.
You can come in though, can't leave you out here on such a cold day." I
let her in and I notice that she's shivering, whatever she's wearing
under there must be skimpy.
"You can't resist me, today of all days. What you're going to see has
to work, if it doesn't then you need your head examined." Here we go
again. Nickola takes off her coat and I try and hold back from
laughing. She's dressed up as Cupid, nappy and all.
"Cute outfit, I love the nappy, you suit it. But it isn't working, now
go upstairs and get some clothes on, you must be freezing in that
getup."

Fucking hell, what does it take to make him aroused? I'm wearing just a
bra and nappy, I have hand made wings on and I have a child's bow and
arrow kit attached to a holster on my left thigh. When I had looked at
myself in the mirror before I had come here, I had thought I looked
rather sexy.
"Oh come on, you can't say I don't turn you on, how can you resist
this, I'm almost naked for crying out loud!" But Neil just laughs, I
guess it is pretty funny.
"You look silly, what do I have to do to show you I'm not interested?
Look, just go get dressed." How long is this going to take to get him
aroused?
"Look, you can change me if you want, anything, just love me like I
love you." I know, I know, I'm sounding really desperate, but I really
do love him, why won't he just break his stupid oath and love me
back?
"No Nickola, I have work to do, if you want I can make you a hot drink,
you must be cold from walking all the way here in just that and a big
coat. Go and get changed, there'll be a hot drink waiting for you."
Damn it, well since I didn't bother to take any underwear with me, I'll
have to keep the nappy on, hopefully no one will notice the bulge since
I'll have to wear a pair of Neil's clothes.
"Fine, at least kiss me, it is Valentines day after all." He sighs and
kisses me, a small brief kiss, but it's enough to make me tingle all
over.
"There, now go get some clothes on." He goes to the kitchen and I go
upstairs, as I get dressed, I scheme something else that has to work,
something has too.

Chapter 10

It's been two months now since my last plan to get Neil aroused, but I
haven't seen him for a while now, he told me he had to go home for a
while, a family problem. That was a few days after Valentines day and
he hasn't come back yet. I've looked after his home for him, any excuse
to be near anywhere and anything of his, when I had told him that I
would be doing that, he had said it was fine. I hope he comes back
soon, I miss him. Right now I'm searching though his few processions
that he had left behind, one of them shows that it's his birthday soon,
and it's on the same day as mine, what a stoke of luck, that means I
can give him a very nice gift and he'll likely give me something nice
as well, even though it won't be what I really want. His home is small,
not enough room to swing a cat so to speak. Picking up a baby photo of
his, I can see his eyes are the only thing that haven't changed at all,
I can't find a picture of him naked, but that's okay, I've seen him
almost naked anyway. I wonder if he has any other photos? The phone
rings two hours later as I'm looking through one of his photo albums
and I get up to answer it.
"Hello?" It's Neil.
"Ah, good, you're there. I'll be coming back tonight, the problem is
finally sorted, sorry it's taken so long. How's things?" I tell him
everything that's happened in the last two months, not a lot, the most
exciting thing to happen was Mrs. Barien giving birth to a healthy baby
girl.
"Well it sounds like all excitement and fun there. Well got to go, the
phone is away to be used for nothing other than a chat to a girlfriend,
my brother's girlfriend, not mine, I don't have one. Anyway, see you
later tonight, I have something for you that I bought here. Bye." He
hangs up and I return to the albums, I wonder what he got me?

Neil comes round my house when he gets back and gives me the gift, it's
a copy of my published book, I had gotten it published just after he
had left.
"Thanks. So have fun?" Neil looks tired and unhappy about something,
but he's hiding it the best he can.
"It was alright, I hated being there every minute I was there. It was
just a dull time, even though it was a funeral, I just didn't want to
be there at all. I've never felt a part of the family. Anyway, you look
good. Well I better get home, I'm a little tired. See you later, bye."
I hug him before he goes and he doesn't pull away, the funeral must
have been harder on him than he's letting on. He waves goodbye and I
wave him off, it's his birthday tomorrow, I'll try and cheer him up, he
looks like he needs it.

After returning from town and buying his gift, I call him round to my
house, he seems to be happy to see me when he arrives.
"Happy birthday Neil. How old are you anyway?" I told Neil my birthday
last year and I had noticed he had marked it down on his calendar, so
at least he remembers people's birthdays. He gives me a gift and I give
him his.
"27 now, getting old. How old are you?" Wow, we're the same age.
"27 as well, weird, we're both the same age, same birthday, maybe we
can both love the same?" He sighs and shakes his head.
"Nickola, I'm not here for that. It's your birthday and I'm here to say
Happy Birthday and then go home. Even on my birthday I'm busy." Oh,
that does it, he's going to have one day when he's not working. I had
noticed that he had taken his computer with him when he had left, so he
must have been working then as well.
"Take a break, you deserve it. You work every day, why not just stay
here with me until you feel sleepy, I don't mind if you stay here
tonight. It would be nice to have company, and I promise to control
myself. Why don't we talk instead, I'm sure it's about time you told me
more about your life, before you came here would be nice. Come on,
relax." He almost seems to say no and then changes his mind.
"Okay, you have a point. I do need a little break. Just no silly sex
things please, I'm not in the mood at all." Fine with me, he does look
like he needs TLC anyway, even with the happy look on his face, his
eyes say he's in pain.
"Alright." We sit down and we talk about our past, our dreams, what
happened when he was away and he told me what had happened when he went
home for the funeral. We talked for a few hours and then I hugged him
and kissed him gently, not sexually though, as much as I wanted to. He
kissed me back, a gentle friendship kiss and also hugged me in return.
If only it was more, but he just doesn't seem like even laughing.
"Thanks, I needed to talk to someone about this. You're a great friend,
I'm just not ready to love you. Our friendship is enough. I know you
want more, but I don't think it will ever happen, but then stranger
things have happened." I guess he's right, the way he's feeling, I
don't want to annoy him. We talk a little more until one in the morning
and I go and get a blanket for him since he'll just sleep in the spare
room and the bed there doesn't have any covers on it.
"Good night Neil, thank you for the gift. Sweet dreams." He says the
same things and I go to bed, tomorrow is another day.

Chapter 11

At last, it's finished. It's taken me four years, but it's finally
done. Saving my work, I then print it out and go through to my kitchen
for a drink. I'll let Nickola know it's done once it's printed out, no
hurry right now. I started this story in 2002, when Rachel had asked me
if I had ever tried to write a novel, I told her I had tried once, but
I wasn't good enough at the time to write it. Then during the summer of
2002, a couple of months after I had told her I couldn't write one, I
had the idea for it and started it. It was nothing much, just a vampire
story based on a series I had only just finished a few months ago. I
hope I can get it published, maybe people will read it, I hope so
anyway. After a bite to eat and a drink of my own made mixture, a mix
of orange juice, apple juice, lime juice, a twist of lemon and a little
strawberry flavouring, I head back to the computer and watch the
computer as it finishes printing, not in the mood to play a game today.
Once it's printed out, I read it and check for mistakes, not one
mistake for a change, good. Well better call Nickola and tell her.
Picking up the receiver, I call her and she answers almost
instantly.
"Hi Nickola, it's Neil. Just thought I would call you and let you know
I've finished my story, will I come up so you can read it. I'm sure
you'll like it." Nickola accepts and I get my coat and go out the story
in a waterproof bag. It takes me an hour and a half to get there and
Nickola is waiting for me, the door is open which means she is very
happy to see me today.
"Hi Neil, haven't seen you for a few days, was starting to worry that
you were dead. Please, come on in." I go in and pass her the bag with
the story in it.
"Enjoy." I sit down and Nickola sits down beside me. Getting a book
from her bookcase, I'm starting to wonder if she actually buys new
books in case I come round for a few hours and if she's writing at the
time, there's always three new books. Seven hours later, I've read all
three new books that looked interesting and Nickola finishes reading my
story.
"Neil, this is incredible. Everything about it is amazing, how did you
manage to keep this going in all this time?" I shrug, no idea, just
been writing it when I have the time from other stories and things.
"The idea came to me after I finished a vampire series I had been
writing for a few years slowly, after the last chapter, I came up with
a new story about a vampire, but it was set in a different world than
my series. Rachel helped a lot with some ideas and so did other
friends, it took a while, but it's finally finished. Now to try and
publish it. Easier said than done." I've saved enough money to get it
published, but will it be accepted, hope so.
"Well I'll tell you what, before I got my story published, I hired a
good agent to help me get it done. I'll ask him and show him your
story, could you print out a copy for me by tomorrow? I'll ask him
tonight." That's really nice of her, I accept.
"Sure, I'll get back now and print the new copy. Glad you liked it. See
you tomorrow then, bye." I get up and leave, glad to have a friend like
Nickola.

The next day I go to her house with the copy and Nickola tells me that
her agent would be happy to help.
"Thank you, I'm going to have to pay you back for this, it must be
expensive." She shakes her head. "No, don't bother paying me back, I'm
happy to help you. Maybe you won't be so busy after this and we can
talk about something that I think is slowly starting to show." Ah, she
has a point, maybe it's time we talked about it.
"Nickola, I'm still not ready for love yet. I'm sorry, but I still have
a lot to do. But I have to admit, there's something about you I like
and I think it's when you're like this, not trying to get me aroused at
all, just talking nicely, calm, dressed. Maybe next year, okay?" She
looks a little disappointed, but she just smiles and says it's okay,
she can wait. But will I ever love her?

A few weeks later, I get a letter saying that my story has been
accepted for publishing, I can't believe it, at last everything's going
right. I tell Nickola and then realise that the rest of my stories can
be worked a lot less now, they're just small stories, little more than
50 pages each., no hurry. I guess next year, I'll leave. Two years in
one place, not much but then this was never planned to be a long time
home, just a short stop to write my story and hopefully get it
published. I hope Nickola doesn't take the news hard when I tell her
next year.

Chapter 12

His story is published and it's doing very well, a lot of people like
his work and I'm not at all surprised. He has a lot of talent, in fact
he's better then me, a lot better. He's modest about his work, he's
gotten a lot of praise and he just takes it in his stride. It's been a
year since he finished the story, a long year with me not trying to
annoy him much, he seems awfully distracted lately, he must be thinking
about leaving now. I'm at his house at the moment, he's working a
little on a story that is very good so far, he thinks it's a little
flawed though. When I came in, I noticed he had an envelope in his hand
and he had put it into a desk drawer when I had asked about it, it must
be something important. As he's not listening to anything, he seems to
zone out when he's writing, I'm going to see what was in that envelope.
I open the drawer slowly and carefully, not one noise at all, and take
the envelope out and check it's contents. It's a plane ticket, for a
plane in the next two weeks, which means he's leaving two years to the
day since we first met. Well if he thinks he's getting away from me
that easily, he's got another thing coming. I put the ticket back in
it's envelope and the envelope back in the drawer and close the drawer
carefully. I don't think he heard a thing. I enter the living room and
sit down next to him at the computer.
"Hey Nickola, want anything?" I shake my head, no.
"Okay, I don't mind you sitting next to me, maybe you can give me some
ideas if you want." I would love to, I love his work.
"Sure, why not, not that I can give you any ideas that are better than
yours." Neil smiles, did I say something funny?
"You sound like Rachel, she keeps saying she's terrible, yet I've read
her work and she's excellent. You're excellent as well, and can you
please take your hand off my privates, thank you." I take my hand away
and watch him as he types, damn, he's fast. In just a few minutes, he
types half a page and yet he seems to no longer be zoned out, maybe
because I'm sitting next to him. I watch him for four hours, not at all
bored since we talk as he types and then he turns and kisses me
softly.
"Nickola, I have feelings for you, but it's not love yet. I owe you a
lot for helping me, but I can't love you. I'm sure you understand me."
I do, but maybe, just maybe, this could be a start.

Chapter 13

Today's the day he leaves and I'm not bothered at all, since today I'm
leaving as well. Neil sold his house and I found out about where he's
going to start a new life away from the UK. I know he'll be up here in
an hour, he is too nice and not saying goodbye would be like rude
manners to him. The doorbell rings and I answer the door, now for his
goodbyes.
"I guess you know why I'm here, I told you that I was leaving soon last
week. Nickola, thanks to you, I now have enough money to leave the UK
and I am eternally grateful to you. I'm catching a taxi to the airport
in two hours. Thank you." He turns to leave and then stops and turns
back to me. "Oh, there's one more thing." He walks over to me and
kisses me hard, a kiss of love.
"I love you Nickola, I love you deeply. Ever since I came back from
that funeral last year, I've had feelings for you and just in the last
week I've realised that I love you. But I can't stay here in the UK, I
have to leave to start a new life somewhere else. I would ask you to
come with me, but I'm sure you want to stay here. I'll be going now,
maybe we can keep in touch. Goodbye." I watch him as he leaves and as
soon as he's out of earshot, I pump my arms in the air.
"Yes! Yes! I knew it, now to leave, better get my bags and call the
taxi." He's not getting away from me.

Chapter 14

I arrive at the airport and get out of the taxi, going round to the
boot and taking out my bags. Almost there, almost at my goal, my new
start. I'll miss Nickola, but life moves on, maybe I'll see her again
someday. I go through the check point, my bags are sent to the plane
and I go and wait until the plane is ready to go. There's a lot of
security and the service has improved since the terrorist attacks of
2001, there hasn't been a lot of hijacks in years now since any
potential terrorists or just plain maniacs are stopped in time. I buy a
drink from the airport shop and sit down and wait in the waiting area.
An hour later the notice comes through that the plane is departing in
twenty minutes and can all passengers please board the plane. I get up
and then a voice stops me, I recognise it.
"Hey wait up will ya? Not planning on leaving me behind are you?" It's
Nickola, I knew she would be here, I know that she found the ticket,
just like I knew she would.
"Nope, but you took your time. I was going to buy you a drink, but you
weren't there. Well, will we get going?" Nickola stands up, her small
bag full of what she'll need on the plane looking like it was going to
burst.
"Sure, lets get going. Pity we have to wait to share a bed, sex on the
plane is not a good idea, I hear they eject anyone doing that these
days." I give her a kiss and take her arm.
"Never mind, the longer we wait, the more rewarding it will be." She
smiles at me and kisses me back. "Yep, you have a good point. Well,
shall we?" I nod and we head for the terminal and to a life
together.

I'm going to miss Scotland, but I love him so much that it's a small
price to pay for true love. A future together is better than a future
apart. Good bye Scotland, goodbye everyone.

2105

In a graveyard several thousand miles away from Scotland, there is a
big grave stone with two names, Neil Carl Watt and Nickola Carla Watt.
There are also the birth dates and death dates and the names of all
their children and grandchildren. The grave has not had fresh flowers
in almost twenty years, but then the children themselves have either
died of old age, in accidents or moved away. When Neil and Nickola had
died together in their sleep, in each others arms, their children had
ordered a special grave stone for them so that their names could be
together and also added a little piece from one of their parent's many
books. It reads like this:

In life they were apart,
In life they were together.
In death they are apart,
In death they are together.

End.