9 July 2012
*** I was going to write a romance story but at the last second, I decided to make the main character gay and I don't know how the story will pan out now so I put it into general. Just a heads up in case you're not into that but as long as we're respectful of everyone's right to be who they be, we're good, right? :) ***
Chapter 1 "Well that was a waste of time" thought Jack, shimmying his new fitted grey jacket down along his arms as he turned to hang it up in the wardrobe. He had just returned from another failed date. It had taken a two hour bus journey and a twenty minute cycle to get home seeing as he left his car lights on in the garage all night. What choice did he have? He craved a connection with someone he could relate to and he wasn't going to find it here.
Jack lived in a village called Linestone. The population reached an all time high last year after the birth of triplets and the arrival of a family of eight. A grand total of 156 residents.
Outside the village lay miles upon miles of fields and trees. The residents of Linestone didn't put a toe out of line. They prided themselves on perfect lawns, pressed dresses, and a friendly disposition, although they weren't above gossiping about the neighbour who hadn't cleaned the moss off her roof that one summer.
To say it wasn't a beautiful place would be to lie. Jack adored the quaint and friendly village. He moved to Linestone a month after stopping at the local shop for a bottle of water as he passed through on his way to a wedding three years earlier. The people were extremely friendly, the houses pristine, with beautiful gardens to match. Jack had glimpsed at a "To Let" sign as he drove away and smiled to himself. Imagining his perfect wife and perfect kids living in Linestone caused involuntary laughter to escape his lips, followed by a sharp phantom pain as he cruelly guessed how he would live out his days.
After the wedding, Jack returned to his job as a writer in the city. Upon arrival he was informed that he, along with several others were no longer required to travel to work. The company had decided to close off two floors of offices to make way for a new sister company that was in the works. Jack could now work from home. After contemplating for two weeks, Jack decided he wanted to move to Linestone. It would be perfect. It'd give him more time to work on his paintings without the distraction of the city. He didn't live in the city but the commute was short enough that it became a distraction on several weekend evenings.
As he closed the wardrobe, Jack spotted a light coming from his next door neighbour's bedroom. Phil, the man who lived there, had an Internet business selling wooden crafts, everything from ornaments to furniture. He was very talented. Local shops carried pieces from his collection and he ran a made-to-order service online. He operated a successful business and from what Jack could gather, the smaller pieces were most popular because they were cheap to post. Phil made the larger items like chairs and tables in his back yard and he spent a lot of time working on ornaments under a bright light in his kitchen.
Jack was besotted with Phil. He had dark hair, blue eyes that looked almost green at times, a mischievous smile and an athletic physique. Phil seemed to enjoy their coffee breaks in the garden when he was making furniture. Jack decided to introduce himself when Phil moved in a few months earlier and offered him iced strawberry tea he had concocted. They both agreed Jack shouldn't be allowed near tea bags after tasting his thick brew and so began their tradition of iced coffee and idle chatter in the afternoon.
Tonight though, Phil didn't look too happy to see him. Jack could have sworn he scowled before quickly closing his curtains. "That's odd" he murmured, drawing his own drapes and allowing himself just a moment to dwell on Phil's toned arms in the window before shaking off the memory and collapsing into bed, exhausted from the cycling, not to mention the effort he put into seeming interested at dinner with a man he could only describe as sweaty, hairy and obnoxious. "Oh well, maybe next time" he yawned, surrendering to an awful day, sleepily intent on kicking tomorrow's ass.
Jack And Phil Chapter 1 • Opuss № I