Gravity
#2 of For the Love of Music
Chapter 2
Gravity
School was over and Kilik had revealed his secret to his family and friends. This didn't go over as well as he thought it would have. He had recieved more than his fair share of comments, religious bullshit and hatred. Simply for being what he was. The only one who really didn't seem phased by it but expressed deeply, was his mother. He just repeated her words over and over again in his head. "It doesn't matter what you do in life. You are my son and I will always love you just the way you are. Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy because of how much I love you." He allowed a small tear to march down his cheek, slightly matting his fur as it crossed over his face. As it fell to the floor, he wiped away the residue and smiled.
His bags had been packed for quite some time now. These he picked up with relative ease. He wouldn't need much. He would get whatever he needed in Canada. He grabbed his plane ticket and stuffed it in his pocket. He wrote a note and placed it on the living room table. He also left a tape recorder with a song on it. The lyrics meant something to Kilik. It would hopefully mean something to the furs he loved. The lyrics resonated inside of Kilik with every syllable. The song actually meant something to him.
I'm chasing time
Looking for a beat
Open your eyes and
Repeat after me
You try so hard to find a rythym in your heartbeat
The less you know the more you want
To try and justify the secrets of your lifetime
In the end he'll come for us
So take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
Take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
Break to break it down
Will I find clarity?
On a hotel floor
When I fall asleep
You try so hard to find a rythym in your heartbeat
The less you know the more you want
To try and justify the secrets of your lifetime
In the end he'll come for us
So take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
Take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
I've been looking for a safe way out
'Cause I'm in the habit of breaking young girls hearts
I've been looking for a safe way out
'Cause I'm in the habit of breaking young girls hearts
I've been looking for a safe way out
'Cause I'm in the habit of breaking young girls hearts
You try so hard to find a rythym in your heartbeat
The less you know the more you want
To try and justify the secrets of your lifetime
In the end he'll come for us
So take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
Take care of you and
I'll take care of me
We're just lonely hearts
Looking for melodies
I've been looking for a safe way out
'Cause I'm in the habit of breaking hearts
Open your eyes
Kilik took a cab to the airplane terminal. As he waited in line, he thought about how hard it would be to locate their meeting place. Would it be made painfully obvious? Well he did have his cell phone number so Kilik assumed it wouldn't be a problem. He then focused on what he could say or what they could do.
It was finally his turn in line and he flashed his ticket and the female standing at the gate allowed him passage. He made his way through the tunnel and out onto the airstrip. He boarded the plane and looked at his ticket to find his seat number. "328," it read. Kilik made his way back until he found his seat. There was only a tiger in a suit anywhere else in this section. He took his seat, plugged his headphones into his ears, turned on his MP3 player and soon fell asleep.
******
Kilik was awakened by a sudden stillness. The only sound he heard was the stewardess pacing towards the back. Most likely checking for other passengers. Kilik rose just as the flight attendant entered the room and smiled as she saw the tired fox rising.
"Are you feeling okay," came a sweet voice. Kilik assumed the stewardess was the owner.
"Yes ma'am," he replied, still tired.
"Well, since your are one hour behind your usual time, I suggest you find a hotel soon. It's midnight now."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome sweetie."
Kilik almost lost his sense of control. That is exactly what Christian's mom had said to him the day before he left. He gathered his things. Thinking about how he was going to get by in this country. He thought of two ways. Be a drug dealer, or find an innocent job and pay Mark rent. After all, he did have his cell phone number. With that, Kilik simply shouldered his bag and walked down the stairs to the terminal.
Walking around and finding the exits in this terminal would be like putting a mouse in one square mile maze and telling it to find the cheese. He eventually would, but it would take him a very long time to find. Kilik wandered around and eventually followed an equine couple to the exit.
As he walked out, he looked up and stopped. This place was HUGE. There would be no possible way he could survive here. He shook the thought from his mind and tried to hail a cab.
After 15 very long minutes, he succeeded. He climbed in the back seat and the coyote sitting in the front seat turned and said, "Let me guess. Your a foreign person, from the States most likely, and you want a ride to the bus station so you can take it easy and not be overwhelmed by the size of this place."
This took Kilik by surprise. He nodded his head and the driver said, "$12.50 sound fair?" Again, Kilik was taken by surprise. Not only was it fair but it was exactly what he was reaching for. He placed the money in the fur's hand and he shifted the cab into drive and they were on their way.
Kilik was too busy looking out the window to notice a sly look on the driver's face. When they arrived at the bus station, Kilik exited the vehicle and thanked the driver for his services.
As the cab drove away, he turned and looked at the building before him. He groaned because the structure was about as big as the terminal. Kilik made his way through the rotating doors and was surprised yet again by the inside.
It was smaller, easier to navigate, yet there was more space and the bus to London, Canada was due to leave in ten minutes. This last sight had Kilik scrambling. He did this because he noticed what the board said next to it. "There will not be another buts here until Friday, June 1st." Kilik did not want to wait a whole month to go see Mark.
He stepped in the shortest ticket line and waited. He was finally at the counter and he looked at his watch. 5 minutes left. He asked the clerk for a ticket to London. She responded by rolling her chair over to the other side of the office and grabbing a slip of paper. "What is your name?" Kilik hadn't expected this question but answered. She grabbed another slip of paper and rolled back to the window. She handed him the ticket and she said, "This was left for you by a timber wolf." Kilik took the ticket and on his way to the bus, he wondered how on earth he would thank Mark for doing that.
He boarded the transpot and found an empty seat towards the back. As he passed, he looked at some of the furs. All enjoying what their lives had given them. One in particular boy caught his eye. It was a German Shepherd. Kilik took his seat and saw that this fur was laid back and knew that Kilik was staring at him, because he turned and gave him a grin. Kilik's heart skipped a beat as he decided it wouldn't be so bad in Canada after all.
Kilik spent the entire trip just blatantly staring at the canine that sat before him. The shepherd never really looked at him but Kilik felt that he was sneaking peeks. As the trip wore on, Kilik felt a pressing emotion that this would not be their last encounter.
The bus rolled to a stop and Kilik watched the boy rise then took a glimpse out of the window. He lurched out of his seat as he realized that he was going to miss his stop. Was this...male really that...eniticing? He would have to figure that out later but for now, he was getting off the bus and looked around for a map of sorts. Kilik felt a presence behind him and he turned to look over his shoulder and found himself staring at the same shepherd that was causing him so much trouble at the current moment in time.
They locked eyes for 3 seconds and the boy moved along. Kilik never dropped his glance. Well he did. But it never left his body. His eyes fell to the canine's tail. Which was hard to get a good look at in between passing furs. He looked away pained to try and find a map again. He finally located one and approached it. He traced the map from his current location to a place called Jack's Fast Food. This was the place that he and Mark were supposed to be meeting. He could walk from here.
As he traveled the streets of Canada, he looked at everything. And felt it too. Most of it was cold but Kilik really didn't mind. The scenery was really hard to look at from in between the trees of a concrete jungle. But when he could see it, he took a mental picture.
He arrived at the meeting place and asked for a table for two. The host looked at him confused but led him to a table nonethless by a window. Kilik sat down to gain a moment's reprieve and as he glanced out of the window, as sure as night follows day, he saw Mark across the street. Reading a magazine. He pulled out his cell and sent Mark a text message saying: Hey, how is it I got here before you did?
He waited and watched as the timber wolf pulled his cell phone out and read the text message. He looked up and Kilik waved out of the window. Mark made an "Oh. Hi." expression and walked inside of the restaurant as well. As Mark was led across to his table, Kilik pocketed the cell phone and created a bored expression to wear.
Mark sat down and asked,"What's up? Better yet, what's with the text message?"
Kilik just stared at him and then twisted his face to look goofy. "Why do you ask?"
"Because, you know how you got here before me. I left you a ticket at the bus station. Remember?"
Kilik laughed now and nodded.
Idle chit chat crossed between the two as the waiter approached the table. "What can I get for you two today," he said, never looking away from the clipboard. Kilik looked at the waiter, only to lose every word that he had thought up. Kilik thanked Lady Luck that Mark was around.
"You know what I want mister."
Kilik couldn't take his eyes off the waiter as he replied to Mark. "Hey, what's up Mark?"
"Ah, nothing much. Just talking to this kid here," he said with a gesture, "He's still getting used to EVERYTHING."
The waiter looked at him and Kilik looked away. Silently becoming red under his fur. He laughed and looked to Mark.
"Get a double on that?"
Mark nodded and the shepherd walked away. Kilik slumped into his chair, feeling his pants tighten. This was an irregular feeling to the fox. So he really didn't know what to do. He had truly never felt like this about anyone before.
Mark couldn't resist laughing at the bashful fox. "You like him don't you?"
Kilik's eyes slammed shut and his gut wrenched. Now that he had been caught, how anyone couldn't have, he didn't know, didn't want to lie. "Yeah," he said softly. Afraid of being heard.
Mark leaned back and sighed, "He's gay too you know."
Kilik's eyes sprung open. "What?"
"That shepherd. He's gay."
Kilik slid back up into his seat and replied, "I know but you said I was too. Your sadly mistaken. I'm not-"
He was cut short by Mark. "Alright you're bi. Got it."
Kilik resumed his silence and just stared down at the table, tracing odd patterns and such in the wood grain. He finally worked up the courage to ask, "What's his name?"
Mark laughed again. This time drawing the look of some furs who thought him a nuisance. "Can't you read? He's got a tag you know."
Kilik punched his inner self for not thinking of it. "I know, but I'm kinda not able to look at it. Too busy staring him."
Mark sighed and replied, somewhat bored, "Daniel."
Kilik felt that he was making progress and asked more questions. He found out that Daniel loved DDR and played guitar. But he was considering a switch to drums. He also learned that he was a martial artist. That could come in handy later.
The information just kept flooding. After asking every question imaginable he asked, "Could you tell me more about him?"
Mark smirked and said, "Ask him yourself."
Kilik whirled to see Daniel crossing the room. His tongue locked up again and he just kept his silence as Daniel set their lunch before them. It was a simple burger, but a bit bigger. There was also a red basket of fries off to the side and an empty cup to get what they desired. As they ate, Kilik thought of a way to talk to Daniel without totally messing everything up. An idea formulated in his head and he kept it to himself.
Mark did notice a lightening of Kilik's mood but didn't inquire. He agreed to pay for the bill and as he walked out of the restaurant, he saw Kilik take a comment slip and scribble something down. He waited for the fox and they walked out together.
******
Daniel watched as they left. He sighed thinking, "If only that fox were gay. I believe we could have worked something out." He crossed the room to pick up the plates and noticed the slip of paper. He picked it up like he always did and read it:
"Hey Daniel, yes Mark told me your name. He also told me you were gay and I find that attractive. I can't bring myself to actually talk to you so I left this instead. I asked Mark about your work hours and figured that you would be out at around 8:00 p.m. tonight. Do you think you could meet me at the bus stop around that time? I really think we can work something out between us."
Daniel clutched the note and sighed. Today was really his day. He pocketed the note and picked up the plates. Already formulating plans for a new boyfriend. He just hoped it wasn't some cruel joke.
******
Kilik couldn't stop thinking about Daniel as he rode the bus. Mark had taken his stuff to his apartment for him. Kilik had never even noticed. He pulled out his MP3 player and inserted his ear plugs and turned it on. He sang along with the soothing music.
Been a long road to follow
Been there and gone tomorrow
Without saying goodbye to yesterday
All the memories ahold
Still there left
Oh have the tears
Deluded them
Maybe this time tomorrow
The rain will cease to follow
And the mist fade into one more today
Somethings all the way up there keeps going
Am I going home?
Will I hear someone?
Sing solace to this silence
Zero gravity
Would take less
Is somebody there
Beyond these sadly aching feet?
Still the road keeps on telling me
To go on
Something is pulling me
I feel the gravity
Of it all
As the song ended, his bus stopped in front of his apartment complex. He stepped off and ascended the stairs to his room. So that he could prepare for a night to remember.
Sorry I took so long. I thought I would never get this finished. I have the next 4 chapters written. As soon as I get them on my computer, you'll see them here. :>