Sunburnt

by Joey Jameson

  “That sounds really great…”

  Lenox lit up inside despite being able to detect a “but” coming on.

  “But, it’s getting really late.”

  There it was.

  “And I really should be getting back to the other side of the island.”

  Lenox’s gaze fell to the blanket and he picked at his thumbnail as yet more disappointment weighed him down. There was something about Lyric that made his pulse speed up, like the rush of a wave with an intense energy that surged through him.

  “Oh.”

  It was all Lenox could muster up. He wanted to act cool and aloof as if he was unbothered by this sudden dismissal which sounded like a lame excuse. But instead of the calm and collected response he was rehearsing in his head, paired with a smile and a thank you for joining him, he found himself standing up abruptly and beginning to clear the now empty bottle and plastic glasses away in silence. All the while he avoided eye contact like a stroppy child who was being denied a new toy by his parents.

  Lyric stared up at him, seemingly aware that he had struck a nerve and unsure how to rectify it.

  “I’m sorry, maybe another time?” Lyric stood as Lenox grabbed the blanket and pulled it away from under him.

  “Sure. Whatever. I guess I’ll see you around.”

  But Lenox’s words came out less as a question than a short statement devoid of emotion. He was filled with an intense urge to get as far away from the situation as he could. Embarrassment showed in the colour of his cheeks, peppered with rejection, which made for an excruciating cocktail of self-doubt.

  “Thanks for the drink…” Lyric tried again.

  “Yah, no worries. Have a good night.”

  And with that, Lenox turned away, blanket in hand, and headed back in the direction of his villa.

  As he stumbled carelessly away, he sensed Lyric’s gaze studying him from behind and he felt beyond childish for standing up and leaving like he had. But in his mind, it was obvious that Lyric wasn’t interested, and from where he was standing, that meant there was no use in sticking around for yet more dismissal.

  It didn’t matter how childish he felt or looked, anyway. It wasn’t as if he was ever going to see him again.

  As Lenox struggled to walk drunkenly through the deep sand, his mind couldn’t help but begin to reflect on his life now. Perhaps this was what being single again was going to be like. It wasn’t as if it was that long since he was on his own the last time. But he certainly didn’t expect to be back here so soon. His last relationship, however toxic it had ended up, had given him hope that perhaps he had found someone who really cared for him. He had invested so much energy in making things work, and it wasn’t until things got really bad that his friends had opened his eyes to the truth about his abusive boyfriend.

  With everything that had happened to Lenox when he was with his ex, he was lucky to have come out of it as unscathed as he was.

  Walking towards the road, he heard his phone beep in his pocket. When he pulled it out, the words on the screen caught him off-guard.

  Stay away from him.

  It was enough to stop him in his tracks as his bleary eyes read and reread the warning emblazoned across his screen, delivered from a blocked number.

  He turned back to the beach in a reflex action, suddenly very frightened and hoping that Lyric would still be there so he didn’t have to be alone.

  But Lyric was gone, and Lenox was surrounded by nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see.

  Chapter Nine

  NOW

  “We took the liberty of pulling your file,” the female officer stated, rifling through yet even more files from a briefcase on her right before pulling out an envelope with a stamped title that looked all too familiar.

  “Numerous acts of criminal behaviour, possession, violence leading to one arrest and one conviction for assault and battery.” She paused before lifting her reading glasses to better study his expression. “All before the ripe old age of twelve.”

  She was trying to rattle him. He’d been down this path before and he knew better than to give anything away without an attorney present. He let her gaze bear down on him, unflinching, returning her penetrating stare with the same conviction. He’d had plenty of practice dealing with authority. People like her didn’t bother him anymore. Not since he resigned himself to having nothing left to lose.

  “Shall I continue?” she asked, taunting him.

  He only needed to gesture as his way of acknowledgement.

  “Between the ages of twelve and fifteen, you spent time in and out of a juvenile detention centre. Things seemed to calm down for you then, until you reached seventeen when you were sentenced once again, this time for another count of assault and battery, possession with intent to sell, and the aggravated assault of a police officer.”

  Her statement came out tinged with doubt as if her records were unclear.

  “Are you asking for me to confirm your details, officer? I thought we were just having a trip down memory lane,” he retorted with a smirk.

  The officer leaned back in her chair and closed her lips tightly before crossing her arms over her chest. He had obviously tapped into something.

  “Luckily for you, when you finished your stint in juvie, the court approved a petition and sealed the juvenile records. Therefore, the juvenile court proceedings are treated in many respects as if they never occurred.”

  “Do you need some water, officer?” he teased, sensing she was out of breath.

  “Excuse me?” the male officer began, clearly shocked by his smugness. But he was quickly silenced by his partner’s raised hand.

  “Oh, I’m just getting started,” she continued, unfazed and perhaps a little smug herself. She sat forward again, rifling through more papers. “Just after you turned eighteen…There was an accident. A terrible accident that sent you off the rails. Remember that? Of course, you remember that. How could you not? Because you underwent a psychiatric evaluation and were sentenced to live in an institution, as a patient in the high-security lock-down wing of L’Institut Pere Mata in Reus, Catalonia.”

  He flinched at the mention of the psychiatric hospital’s name; a slight movement that he realised the officers had detected. They exchanged glances before leaning back in their chairs, appearing happy to have finally struck a nerve.

  Chapter Ten

  THEN

  The next morning, Lenox woke up with a hangover that was worse than it should have been, having not drank nearly as much as the pain in his head indicated. He wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and avoid all the nagging stares of his friends. The girls would be sure to accost him downstairs, demanding details of how his night ended with the beautiful dreadlocked stranger from the beach. He wasn’t sure he was ready to rehash the rejection and disappointment so soon after the damage to his ego.

  Stay away from him.

  His whole frame shuddered as if someone had just walked over his grave as he remembered the text he had received on the beach. There was no denying it was odd and somewhat creepy, and certainly threatened to prey on Lenox’s overactive and paranoid imagination, but it wasn’t the first time Lenox had received a text warning him to back off from whatever conquest he was after. He made a conscious decision to push it to the back of his mind and get back to enjoying his holiday. Sexless as it was sure to be.

  He attempted to turn over and go back to sleep but the unforgiving Ibizan sun was already high in the sky and demanding attention. As Lenox lay there in his king-sized bed, he could already detect its heat. Moments later, he succumbed to its demands and lazily pulled back the sheet and dragged himself out of bed.

  When he spied the clock on the wall, he realised it was much later than he’d thought. He prepared himself for the onslaught that was sure to hit when he reached the kitchen, but to his surprise he was greeted with nothing but silence. The house appeared empty and tidy, the only giveaway to the recently departed presence of others the sharp scent of f
reshly brewed coffee coming from the percolator on the counter.

  As he poured himself a generous mug of black coffee, he saw the note which lay on the counter. It was written in Bambi’s familiar, loopy script.

  Hey sleepyhead,

  We’re at the beach. Take your time. Hope you had fun last night, stud!

  Can’t wait to hear all the raunchy details,

  B

  Lenox groaned as he took a deep sip of the bitter drink. He paused with his eyes closed to feel the full effect on his core as the caffeine did what it was intended to do.

  After a moment’s reflection, Lenox decided that he wasn’t going to do his usual “feel sorry for me” song and dance. He was on holiday and, after a year’s worth of bloody hard work at university, he was damn well going to enjoy his time on the island, regardless of last night’s slight setback to his ego.

  He finished his drink, took a quick shower, and set off for the beach.

  The air outside was hot and sticky and the sun beat down on him with a fiery intensity that instantly slowed his pace and almost took his breath away. As he wandered in the direction of the water he allowed himself to take in the scenery around him. Casting his lucid gazed over the surrounding palm trees and turquoise hue to the sea, he felt a million miles from in the stresses of London. This was his time to relax and unwind and let go of all the pressing and demanding aspects of his life back in the UK. Here, he could get back to himself and not fuss or worry about anything.

  It wasn’t difficult to spot his vagabond crew from where they perched by the water’s edge. It was hard for them not to command attention when they went out together. And this morning was no exception. Tulip, Del Rey, and Bubbles were all topless, which was no surprise; the only thing that hid their modesty was the tiniest slip of fabric, practically flossing the skin between their legs. Bambi wore a bikini top. Although not at all ashamed of her 32 C breasts, she preferred to keep some things to the imagination outside the walls of the strip club.

  The girls were sprawled out on colourful beach towels like an ad for tanning lotion, their bodies glistening sleek and bronzed beneath the shimmering rays of the sun.

  Tulip was the first to spot Lenox as he approached. He peeled off his navy-blue vest and spread his towel out in a position that best optimised the current position of the sun.

  “Morning, sunshine,” she joshed, her wide red lips spreading into a mischievous grin. “Good of you to join us.”

  “Finally,” Del Rey added.

  “We’ve been here for ages, why’d you sleep so late?” Bubbles chimed in.

  “He’s late because he had a wild night last night,” Bambi interjected, not waiting for Lenox to respond on his own.

  “Well I hate to disappoint…” He grabbed Bambi’s Hawaiian Tropic dry-oil spray and slathered his skin.

  “Oh, don’t you even say it, Mister Winter. That guy was practically handed to you on a silver freakin’ platter,” Bambi tutted, removing her oversized Jackie O sunglasses so he could get the full effect of her disapproving and disappointed stare.

  “Hey, no one was more disappointed than I. And believe you me, I tried!”

  “You tried, did ya?”

  “Harder than I did in my year twelve law exam…” Lenox quipped.

  “What happened?” Tulip asked with genuine concern.

  Lenox sighed and rested back on his elbows, feeling the searing heat on his skin already.

  “I dunno.” He shrugged. “I guess he just wasn’t into me.”

  The girls exchanged an all-knowing glance with one another which Lenox clocked, sitting up at attention now.

  “What?”

  Bubbles giggled as the tension rose.

  “Did I miss something?”

  “Well, if he wasn’t into you, he sure must have a lot of time on his hands because he’s been sitting over there waiting for you for the last hour…”

  Bambi tilted her chin in the direction behind where Lenox sat. Following her gaze, it took him a second to put together what she was signalling.

  Perched on a beach lounger, in that same exact way as the first time he saw him, was Lyric. Lenox’s heart picked up speed as excitement began to prickle at his scalp.

  Lyric had his eyes cast down at the guitar in his hands and he seemed to be engrossed in the strings he was picking. His full lips were pursed as if they were hugging the words to a song Lenox couldn’t hear, and his brow was furrowed ever so slightly with the emotion of the melody he strummed. His muscular tanned legs were stretched out in front of him in that same casual manner that sent the blood rushing between Lenox’s legs, and his bare chest made Lenox wonder if he actually owned a shirt.

  The sound of the gentle waves seemed to quiet down and Lenox imagined the song Lyric was playing. He could almost feel the words as they wrapped themselves warmly around him like a cashmere blanket.

  After a moment, lost in a fantasy that only he was a part of, Lyric looked up from his guitar and caught Lenox’s stare. He held it for a moment as he continued to play like he was composing a song that was just for Lenox. He smiled and Lenox felt instantly at ease. He returned the smile then forced himself to look away and back to his friends who he had almost forgotten about.

  “Holy shit!” he mumbled, very thirsty all of a sudden. “He’s over there.”

  “We know,” Del Rey said curtly.

  “What is he doing here?” Lenox continued as nerves took over.

  “He’s waiting for you, obviously.” Bambi cut in. “He came over as soon as we got here, asking if you were with us.”

  “Really?” Lenox was incredulous.

  “Yes, really!” Bambi replied. “So I don’t know what you believe happened last night through your champagne haze, but you obviously didn’t strike out as much as you think you did, otherwise he wouldn’t have come down here looking for you.”

  Lenox looked down at the sand, gathering his thoughts. Bambi was right. Maybe it hadn’t gone as badly as he remembered. Perhaps he still had a chance.

  A chance at what, he wasn’t sure.

  “What are you waiting for?” Tulip whispered.

  “What?”

  “Go over there!”

  Lenox nodded and took a deep breath. As he slowly approached where Lyric sat he gave him a shy wave and instantly regretted it, feeling juvenile and unsure of himself.

  Lyric didn’t take much notice. Instead, he put down his guitar and sat up with his bare feet in the sand. He was the first to speak.

  “Buenos días,” he said in that raspy tone that Lenox had prayed he’d get the chance to appreciate again.

  “Good morning,” Lenox responded in English.

  “Your friends said you’d be along soon enough.”

  “Have you really been waiting here for me?”

  Lyric just nodded, squinting up at him through the harsh light of the sun. He padded the seat next to him, inviting Lenox to sit.

  “How are you?” Lenox asked, accepting the invitation.

  “I’m good, thanks. How are you feeling?”

  Lenox nodded, understanding the subtle dig at how drunk he was last night. “Yeah, feeling all right. I guess.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, and steepled his hands. “Look, I’m sorry for last night…”

  “Sorry for what?”

  “Sorry for shooting off in a bit of a huff…”

  Lyric stared, sensing he wasn’t finished.

  “I guess I had a bit too much to drink.”

  “No worries, I’m glad I got to see you again.”

  “You are?”

  “Sure! Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Well, I thought…I guess I just assumed when you didn’t want to…”

  “You mean get a bite to eat?”

  “Well, yeah…”

  Lyric leaned in, closing the distance between them a bit. He reached out a finger and pulled Lenox’s face towards his own until they were once again eye to eye. Lenox found himself drowning in those fluores
cent blue eyes and felt the world around him begin to slow to a stop.

  “I just didn’t want to do something I’d regret and that you wouldn’t remember.”

  “Something you’d regret?” Lenox repeated his words back to him.

  “Well, less that I’d regret, and more that you wouldn’t remember enough to appreciate…”

  And with that, Lyric pulled his face in for a kiss, planting his lusciously full lips on Lenox’s mouth. Memories of last night’s embrace came flooding back to Lenox like still frames from a film. He closed his eyes and let himself fall deep into the kiss; Lyric’s pillowy soft mouth pressing up against his own, firm yet gentle, sweet yet lustful.

  Lenox waited for him to pull away like the last time, only he didn’t. Instead he pulled himself in closer, hungrier, as if he couldn’t get enough of Lenox’s taste. Lenox met his intensity and returned it with the same gusto; a slave to his instinct and unaware of rational thought.

  Their lips parted and Lyric pushed his tongue into Lenox’s mouth. It was warm and wet and searching, and Lenox’s body reacted to the sensation of having a part of Lyric inside his body. He found Lyric’s face with his hands and gently traced the line of his jaw from his chin to the back of his head until he reached the mane of thick dreadlocks which cascaded down Lyric’s back. Lyric returned the gesture and let his own hands find Lenox’s face, his fingertips dancing gently across his stubbled cheeks and tangling themselves in his long black hair.

  His hands were strong as they pulled Lenox’s face in closer. Their noses touched and their heads tilted to opposite sides to make room for their kiss. Lenox was enslaved to his passion and shifted his body to make room for his hardening cock inside his shorts. The creak of the beach lounger beneath him reminded him of where he was and he quickly pulled away from their embrace.

  Licking his lips, he looked away, struck with worry as to the scene they’d probably caused on the beach.