Part IV - Chapter 15

The next day, I got ready for the next shoot before I headed to the same studio again, greeting any crew member or other models I passed by.

I walked over to see Raphael, who was directing another model as the model posed in the garments they were wearing. They were beautiful, but somehow I knew that I was much better.

I waited until he was finished before he saw me, and his face lit up. "Ah, Cody! You really saved us yesterday," Raphael said as he shook me. "We no longer have any need for that one model. In fact, I was very intrigued by the idea of having this catalog focus on progressiveness and illustrate modern day fashion for everyone." He nodded and smiled. "Therefore, I want you to continue to model both male and female wear for us. How does that sound?"

I gasped and couldn't help but grin broadly. Holy shit! "I would be honoured," I said excitedly.

Raphael nodded. "Very good. It's quite rare nowadays to find such epicene beauty in the modeling world," he said, taking a moment to admire my face before shooing me away so I could get ready for my shoots.

After I finished dressing in my clothes, I overheard two models nearby gossiping with each other. Even though they were near me, they sure didn't talk very quietly.

"Can't believe that the new model is getting twice as many shoots as we are," the male model said to the female model. "I heard this is his first big gig anyway. Can you believe that? I've had to spend years just to get here."

The female model sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's 'cause he has pretty privilege," she said as she shook her head. "You already know those Posty influencers with pretty privilege always get their shit handed to them."

"Yeah. Hold on, let me check his profile." The male model pulled out his phone to go into the Posty app and look me up. "Wait, you follow him!"

The female model looked away. "W-well, I will admit that he looks good…"

I smiled to myself, almost wanting to laugh out loud. They're talking smack about me, yet they follow me… Interesting. They're jealous of me, aren't they?

I straightened out my outfit before walking past them as if they weren't there, getting ready to do my shoots and go on set, and show exactly why I was chosen to be here.

---

The evening after the shoot was over for the day, Chance had invited me to meet with him for a drink. I didn't get an opportunity before to meet one-on-one and hang out with Chance, so I thought it would be nice for us to go on an outing for once.

Chance waited outside the hotel for me before we caught a cab and it made its way to the bar that Chance wanted to take me.

It was a somewhat old-looking bar, but it still felt homey in a way. Smooth jazz played in the background, much to my enjoyment. Chance and I got a table and I looked at the menu.

"Do you drink much, kid?" He asked me. I shook my head. "Not really. Only socially, I guess you could say."

"I see. What are you gonna order?"

I looked over the menu for what different drinks I could order. "Hmm… Would it be weird of me to get a 'girly' drink?"

Chance shrugged. "I don't care, you can order anything you want. I'm probably just going to have some whiskey on the rocks."

The two of us told our orders to the waiter before I propped my elbow on top of the table, leaning my head on my hand with a sigh.

"How're you feeling? Your first pretty big shoot, and you still got a few more days to go."

"It's exciting," I said with a smile. "It's a little bit overwhelming, but when I'm in front of a camera, I feel like I'm really in my element. I really believe that this is what I'm meant to do."

"That's exactly the kind of attitude that you should have," Chance said with a nod and an impressed tone.

"That reminds me… Why did you pick to recruit me?" I asked him curiously. "I know you said that you saw the 'potential' in me or something, but… What did you mean by that?"

"Yeah, I suppose it's time that I told you some things about me," he said as he straightened his tie. "When I was a teenager, I was recruited to a talent agency," he explained. "I was an actor. I'd star in commercials, and I even got casted as a character on a kid's television program back in the '80s."

"Oh, wow."

He nodded as the waiter brought over our drinks. "My acting career didn't go very far other than that and a minor role in a few cable movies. My cousin is one of the executives at this agency, and offered me to be a talent scout. I figured it would be a good bet to work here and try to find kids who I think have a much better chance of making it big than I ever did." He chuckled before sipping his whiskey. "I lucked out throughout my career, though. I've brought in kids and tried to get them out there, but none of them really lasted in the industry. Eventually all my clients decide to take a different path in life. I'm a bit known for never really having a client to make it big. But when I saw you in that HueToob video with FreshTechFarid… Somehow, I just knew that you had what it took."

That made me feel a bit shy as I scratched my head sheepishly. "Wow, I still can't really believe it. I'm really honoured you chose me, though."

"Thank you, kid. You're superstar material. You've got the looks, the cool and aloof attitude, it's a good thing." He nodded. "You getting famous is great for both of us. Your success could actually help get my daughter into college. I might actually be able to afford it."

I widened my eyes. "Well, I'm doing my best, and I hope I can make it big for both of us," I said with a sure nod. He smiled softly and we clinked our drinks together to that before drinking.

---

The next few days went well, I'd do my shoots for both male and female wear, much to the jealousy of some of the other models. But they could be jealous all they wanted, I knew that I deserved to have this opportunity. Maybe I didn't have years of experience under my wings, but my career only just began, and I was flying smoothly.

Eventually, we finally wrapped up all the shoots for the catalog, and the photos looked absolutely amazing, even without any editing. They informed all the models that they would be sent exclusive Pieri clothes as thanks, along with a hundred-thousand dollars. But because I did double the work, I'd receive one hundred fifty-thousand dollars.

The night of the party for all the models finally came on Friday. It was being held at some Posty influencer's penthouse suite, and there were quite a few people there. I chose to wear a casual suit, and I felt I was even a bit underdressed compared to some of the other guests at the party.

There was a server who went around serving glasses of champagne, and I decided that I should have a little bit for the occasion. I mean, I was at a fancy little party with people I didn't know and probably much more experienced than me in the industry. I was like a little fish swimming in the depths of the ocean.

I made my way around the suite, admiring how the owner had decorated the place. It was definitely the interior work of someone with high-class taste, from the choice of the paintings that were hung up to the chandelier in the living room, to the view of the city through the glass windows. I almost felt like a celebrity.

I got away from the crowd and headed to the balcony out back. I knew I was far from being an actual celebrity. Sure, I was popular on social media, but I doubt any of the people following me would even recognize me in real life unless I told them who I was.

I looked out into the city as I drank my champagne. Though I knew that I should have been socializing, the natural introvert in me needed to get away from the crowd for a bit. It wasn't like anyone else wanted to socialize with me, anyway. I leaned against the banister and thought about what those two models were saying about me at the shoot a few days prior. Did I really deserve to be here? People have been working so hard towards an opportunity like this, and perhaps maybe it really was handed to me just because I was naturally beautiful.

The view from all the way from the penthouse balcony really was breathtaking. I felt like I could see so much of New York just from up there. A part of me wished that I could be there with someone, it was so romantic.

And I didn't want it to just be anyone. I wanted it to be with someone I had feelings for and genuinely connected with.

I sighed and took another sip of my champagne as I breathed in the night air, listening to the faint bass of the music coming from the party along with the noise of the city. I heard the sound of footsteps, which made me presume someone else wanted to get away from the party and get some fresh air, too.

The person walked over to the banister as well. It was a handsome man, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties dressed in a casual suit with a patterned jacket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket along with a fancy-looking lighter as he brought a cigarette to his lips and lit it, blowing smoke into the night air. He looked over at me. "Sorry, you mind?" He asked me respectfully, gesturing to his cigarette.

I shook my head. "It's fine," I said before turning back to look out into the city again. The man slowly walked up to me. "You needed a breather too, huh?"

"Well, I can't really 'have a breather' when someone's smoking right beside me," I said, but mentally hit myself, reminding myself that I can't just say that anymore—I had to be nicer to people. That's what you're supposed to do to be successful, right?

The man only chuckled. "You're honest, that's cute," he said. I rolled my eyes. Of course he's hitting on me. Who wouldn't, right? I'm just so pretty right? Pfft, of course. It's not like they even care to get to know me as a person. After all, I'm only my looks, aren't I?

"What's going on?" He asked in a quieter voice, as if he was genuinely concerned about me. "I know you probably wouldn't want to spill your guts out to a stranger, but maybe that might be exactly what you need."

I chuckled softly and shook my head. "I don't know. Parties like this aren't really my scene," I said before taking another sip of my champagne. "I like modeling, but having to go to events and engage with other people socially is exhausting. I don't even know if I deserve to be here."

The guy shrugged. "Well, you are here, so that says a lot," he said with a nod. "You obviously wouldn't be if you didn't deserve to. Obviously, someone thinks you're good enough."

I went silent for a moment. "I suppose you're right."

"Being a natural at something doesn't mean it's unfair for other people. Some people are just good at something, and it's not a bad thing," he said. "And you don't have to force yourself to be here if you don't want to be here. I'm not having much fun either, anyway." He took a drag from his cigarette and blew smoke into the air. "If I could, I'd dip."

"Why don't you, then?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe because there was a glimmer of hope there'd be someone here who wasn't just a model with a big ego."

I scoffed. "I'm still a model with a big ego. I mean, how could I not be, I'm so perfect aren't I?" I asked sarcastically with an eye roll.

He didn't seem to make fun of me, even though he should have. "Just questioning yourself if you should even be here shows that you're even just the slightest bit down to earth. I dig that."

I couldn't help but smile. "Are you a model, too?"

"I am. I should be a bit hurt that you didn't notice me at the shoot, but it's fine. The world doesn't revolve around me."

I shook my head. "Sorry… I guess I just get so focused on what I should be doing that I tend not to notice other people around me," I said. "It's nothing personal."

"I get that," the guy says. "You're the new model, aren't you? The other models have been talking about you. But I don't like gossip. That shit sucks."

"That would be me," I said with a little nod. "Just the newbie with 'pretty privilege.'"

The guy laughed before taking another drag from his cigarette. "That's just their jealousy talking. Even if that was true, it's not like you did anything bad to get to where you are now. At least I hope you didn't."

I softly chuckled. "No, no I didn't."

"Then don't let it get to you," he said. "You have something special about you, and they're just upset they probably don't."

I looked at him. "I'm special? How so?"

He looked into my eyes. "Well, you're surprisingly modest. I can tell that you're confident about yourself but still know how to keep your head from growing too big despite all the attention you've been getting," he said before taking a drag from his smoke again. "It's a really good thing. And you're out here instead of in there, most newbies would be jumping at the chance to make some connections."

I blinked and felt my face slightly heat up. "I haven't even told you my name."

"Well, mine's Art."

I couldn't help but snort. "Your name is Art? So profound and deep."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "It's short for Arthur." He sighed and looked out into the city with me. "What about you?"

"Cody," I said as I felt the night air blow through my hair. "My name's Cody."

"Well, Cody…" He gestured to the view of the city with his cigarette. "You wanna get out of here?"

I widened my eyes. "Uh… We can just leave?"

He shrugged and smirked. "Well, who's gonna stop us? It's not like there's anyone hosting. We should just dip and hang out somewhere else."

"Where do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Anywhere you want," he said with a smile.

---

That's how Art and I ended up ditching the stupid party, and once we got into a taxi together, he asked me what I liked. That was easy, reading, jazz music, and getting my pictures taken.

So Art being the sweet guy he was, took me to a cute bookstore that he said that his parents took him to when he was little. It looked small on the outside, but the inside was much bigger than I had expected. It kind of had a rustic yet fresh charm to it, from the sleek wooden panelled walls to the potted plants that were all around the store. I spent a bit of time looking over different sections and deciding what kinds of books I could buy, and he even offered to pay for them! I couldn't turn that down.

After Art bought me a bag full of new books, I gave him my phone so he could take candid photos of me as we walked through the streets, trying to get those 'exploring in NY with a mysterious man' vibes. I wasn't sure of Art's photography skills, but he seemed to snap some nice photos of me. And of himself, too. On my phone.

Finally, he brought me to a jazz club, which I was very thrilled about. It was amazing—from the smell of cigarette smoke that filled the air to the glorious sounds of the jazz-funk band playing relaxing tunes, and the fruity drink that I ordered… It was all so sublime. I almost didn't want the evening to end.

I got to know Art a little bit, he was a model as well, much more experienced than me. He had been modeling since he was a kid, and when he wasn't modeling, he was working in retail. Art was a very sweet guy, and he seemed to be genuinely interested in me… But I wasn't sure if I was feeling any sparks between us.

After all, he was no Mr. Fotia.

After a fun evening had finally come to an end, Art and I stood on the Brooklyn Bridge, looking out into the water. He was right, it was much better out here than it was being confined inside a suite with a crowd of people that I didn't even know. I felt free out here.

"Is it your first time in New York?" Art asked me as he smoked a cigarette again. I nodded. "Yeah. I didn't really travel much until I started modeling."

"Who'd you come here with?" He asked.

"My older brother," I said with a chuckle as I looked up into the sky. "My parents were scared of me travelling so far away by myself, so they sent my brother to accompany me."

"Oh? Where are you from?"

I looked at him and told him about my simple life living in an old suburban neighbourhood outside of the city where I lived. When I asked about him, it turned out that he actually lived in New York, in Brooklyn.

"So you actually live here, huh?" I asked. "It must be nice."

He shrugged. "It is what it is. I just live here for work. Honestly, I'd rather be living in the countryside. I like nature."

"I honestly thought you'd be a nightlife kind of guy," I said with a little smile. "Well, I only like nightlife if I've got someone with me who's worth checking out new things with."

He winked at me and I looked away in embarrassment. We stood there for a while, staring out at the view. It really was a nice night.

After Art finished smoking his cigarette, he turned to me. "You wanna check out my place? It's not far from here, actually. We just have to catch another cab. I've got to feed my cats, anyway."

I raised my brow. "You have a cat?" I asked. Julian had a cat… Her name was Peggy, I think. It's been so long since then.

He nodded. "They were strays. I couldn't let them just go hungry in the streets. I grew up with a cat," he said. "So I took them in. I kind of have a soft spot for animals."

I smiled. "That's a good thing to have."

He nodded. "Anyways, you wanna come? I enjoy your company. Perhaps there's more we could do back at my place," he said in a suggestive manner, which obviously indicated that he wanted to hook up.

I looked back at the view. It's been a really long time since I had sex, I thought to myself. Is this going to be the night that I fuck for the first time in forever? And I can't just refuse to go with him, that'd be kind of rude. He did take me out for the evening and took me to places that I liked, after all.

Well, he didn't say that we were going to do anything. Maybe he's suggesting that we go back to his place and play with his cats, I thought, trying to reassure myself. I took a deep breath before I looked at him and nodded. "Okay, sure."

He smiled. "Great. Let's go, then."

---

That's how Art and I ended up getting a taxi to his place down in Brooklyn. The entire ride there, I just kept watching the view out the window, my heart beating strongly in my chest as I wondered where the rest of the night would take us.

Once we got to the complex, Art led me inside the building before we headed to his room. It was a nice building, not at all shabby but not over the top either. It was a pretty nice place, the kind of place I think I'd like to live.

We walked up the stairs to his condo and he unlocked the door, to be greeted by two black cats running to greet him. It almost made me sad—whenever I thought of cats, I thought of Julian. But the thing was, I barely thought about Julian anymore.

If I was being honest, Mr. Fotia was the only one who occupied my thoughts.

Art refilled the food and water for his cats before showing me around his condo. He seemed to be a simple yet sophisticated guy, his apartment was clean and decorated in a very minimalist way.

He showed me his bedroom, which was just as neat and clean as the rest of his condo. I wondered if he was expecting to bring someone home, and that was why his entire condo was so clean.

He walked over and sat on his bed, gesturing for me to take a seat beside him. I gulped nervously. So this is it, huh?

I slowly walked over to sit beside him on the bed, and he placed his hand on my thigh, slowly rubbing it as I could feel my heart rate quicken. "So…" He says quietly.

"So…" I said back in response as I awkwardly sat there and let him caress my thigh. It wasn't like Art was bad-looking, he was a model after all. But I was experiencing mixed emotions at the moment, between wanting to be with this sweet guy who seemed to be genuinely interested in me, or not—because I had feelings for someone else.

As he moved closer, there were so many thoughts going through my head. You hadn't had sex in so long, Cody. Why not just go for it? He's a good-looking guy and he's totally into you. Come on, what are you waiting for? Screw that whole 'celibacy' shit! This is your chance to get laid!

I decided to give into those thoughts, leaning in to press my lips against Art's as we engaged in a kiss. It began slow and sweet, but the more kisses we shared, the more passionate they grew.

His hands slowly roamed my arms and my back, even through my hair as we kissed, and he tasted like cigarettes. I parted my lips further and let him take the lead as he sighed into my mouth, his hands continuing to explore my body through my clothes. It felt good making out with someone, I hadn't kissed anyone since that one night with Daniel. It felt fresh to kiss someone like this, like having a dessert that you hadn't had for a long time.

His body pressed closer to mine as one of his hands grabbed at my hair as he deepened the kiss, his other hand still stroking my thigh, dangerously close to my groin. It felt good, it really did—yet somehow it felt like something was missing. Though we were passionately making out, I felt no passion. No sparks. No love.

It was just like back then when I kissed that one boy at that house party back in my college days. Was I just doing this to run away from my feelings? Was I just trying to feel something, trying to satisfy my heart by getting physical with someone?

He gently pushed me back on his bed and climbed over me, going back in to kiss me again as we continued to make out. My body wanted it, but somehow my heart wasn't fully into it. It was as if it didn't feel quite right somehow, but I just couldn't pinpoint why.

It wasn't until I felt Art's hand grope my crotch that it hit me.

He's no Mr. Fotia.

That was it. I wanted Mr. Fotia. I wanted him so badly, I wanted to spend forever hearing him talk, I wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him, I wanted to know how it would feel for him to take me and ravish me.

And even though I knew that Mr. Fotia and I would never happen, it just felt wrong in my heart to be with someone like this when I already had Mr. Fotia in my heart. The old me at nineteen would have gone for it and let this stranger fuck me without hesitation, he was a 'slut' after all—but I was a different person now. I didn't want to hook up with just anyone.

I wanted to be his. I only wanted him to touch me like this. Not some random hot stranger I met at a party—I wanted Mr. Fotia. I wanted Nia's father.

I gently placed my hand on his chest, indicating that I wanted to stop. He pulled away and looked at me with concern. "You alright?"

I closed my eyes and sighed before he climbed off and I sat up, looking away in embarrassment. "I… I'm sorry. I can't do this."

"What's going on?"

I bit my lip and took a moment to think before answering. "I have feelings for someone back home," I said sheepishly as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I really, really like them. I just… Don't feel right hooking up with someone when I already feel so strongly for them."

Art sadly nodded. "I get it."

"I'm really sorry, Art. You've been so kind to me, and you're a really great guy," I said as I clutched my chest and stood up from the bed. "I appreciate what you've done for me this evening. I had a lot of fun… But I think it's time for me to go."

Art didn't look at me, and just kept staring down at the floor. "Can you close the front door on your way out?"

I widened my eyes, slightly taken aback by how cold his tone sounded. "Yeah. I will. Thanks again for this evening," is all I said before I left his room, walking down the hallway to leave his condo, closing the door behind me.

As I left the building, I almost felt relieved that I didn't hook up with Art. He probably thinks I owe him sex for taking me out this evening, I thought to myself as I hailed a taxi out on the street. I don't 'owe' him anything. It wasn't like we made a deal that I would have to pay him back with my body.

I told the driver the address to the hotel Nathan and I were staying at before the car drove along. I stared out the window in thought as I watched the scenery go by.

I wonder if Mr. Fotia ever thinks of me the way I think about him, I thought to myself before shaking my head. No way. He's a straight man who probably still loves his late wife. He'd never think of me like that.

But somehow, deep down inside me, something told me that maybe I was wrong. Maybe I did have a chance, maybe he did think the same way about me.

All I knew is that he had me, and I didn't want anyone else to have me but him.

---

It was finally time for Nathan and I to return home. We were at the airport, waiting for our flight to arrive as Nathan was playing some sort of 'gacha game' on his phone. I decided to read one of the books that I got from the previous night about some of the hottest fashion trends throughout the twentieth and twenty-first century. It was very important for me to improve my knowledge on fashion if I wanted to succeed in the modeling industry.

"You came back to the hotel late last night," Nathan said as he continued to play his game. "Was the party that fun?"

I pursed my lips. "Actually, I left the party early. I went out with someone instead."

"Oh?"

I nodded. "Yeah. But we didn't hook up or anything. I mean, he was a really great guy, super cute and nice, but…" I sighed deeply. "I just couldn't do it. I'm way too head over heels for my best friend's father." I hung my head in frustration. "Am I stupid for that?"

Nathan just shrugged. "No, I don't think so. If you didn't feel like hooking up with him, then you didn't. You can't control how you feel," he said as he swiped up on his phone screen, waiting in anticipation to see the characters he would summon. He smiled and pumped his fist in the air when an anime girl showed up on screen. "Yes! Finally, a five-star girl! I can finally beat the boss I was stuck on."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously? I'm asking you for brotherly advice about my love life and you're more focused on a bunch of pixels."

He looked at me and frowned. "Don't say that about Perla. She's ultra-rare for a reason."

"Whatever. Sorry for even asking for your help," I said before going back to my book, and that was when he finally put away his phone. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I'll be serious now." He leaned over and folded his hands together in a more serious stance. "You're really serious about your friend's dad, huh?"

I clutched my chest. "I don't know. We'd probably never be together, anyway. He probably just sees me as a little boy."

"Well, as I said, you never know. Maybe he's into you, you never know. He could be secretly bi," Nathan said. "Why not try and make a move and see how he reacts?"

"But… What if he isn't bi? What if he rejects me and it changes our relationship forever?" I said with a deep sigh. "I don't want to ruin what we have."

"Is he the kind of guy who would let you down easy, or do you think he'd react negatively if he wasn't interested in you?" Nathan asked. I rubbed my chin in thought. "He's a really nice man, but I'm not sure. He knows I'm gay, but he didn't seem to mind at all. But I don't know if he'd feel comfortable with me trying to make a move on him."

"You'll never know unless you try," is all Nathan said before the intercom announced that it was time to board the plane. Nathan and I waited in line to board before we finally got to get on the plane, making our way to our seats as I let him sit by the window this time.

The entire plane ride back home, I tried my best to focus on reading my book, but all I could think about was how to deal with my feelings for Mr. Fotia. God, I'm falling for someone whose first name I don't even know…

Eventually, I ended up falling asleep to the thoughts of Mr. Fotia on my mind. The way he smiled, and laughed… The way I'd feel butterflies in my stomach whenever he'd pat me on the shoulder or when he adjusted my form when we played pool together… It made my chest feel warm just thinking about him.

Before I knew it, I woke up, and we were already getting pretty close to our destination. For the rest of the flight I continued to read my book until we finally landed. Our parents picked us up from the airport, our mother hounding us with questions about how the trip was and if we did anything crazy in New York, telling us she prayed for us every night while we were gone, while our father just drove along and just said that he hoped we had fun.

After we got back home, our parents fed us a home-cooked meal before Nathan drove back to his place. I felt relieved that I could finally return to my room and relax in my own bed again. I put my luggage on my bed and opened it up to see all my used clothes that were pretty much all thrown in there, along with all the things I bought while I was in New York. I looked in one of the bags to look at the souvenirs I got, and reminded myself to give my parents theirs later.

I picked up the souvenir keychain and took a moment to stare at it. I can't wait to see Mr. Fotia tomorrow, I thought to myself as I felt my heart skip a beat at the thought of him.

I sighed and folded my hands together in prayer. God… Please give me the strength to be able to control myself around him. Amen, I prayed in my head before doing the sign of the cross.

---

I got ready to head over to Nia's house. She had asked me how my trip to New York was, and I filled her in on the details—minus anything that had to do with her dad, of course. I didn't like hiding secrets from her, but I couldn't tell her that I had a raging crush on her father.

Now that I had come to terms with having feelings for Mr. Fotia, I was beginning to stress over how I should look for him. Should I just wear a T-shirt and shorts like I usually do? Or should I wear something nicer? I asked myself.

After overthinking my outfit choices for a while, I eventually decided to get real and wear what I usually wore. I convinced myself that Mr. Fotia probably wouldn't even care. I looked through my drawers to find some shorts, but unfortunately I had no clean ones—except for a pair of cloth shorts that were from when I was younger.

I tried them on, and thankfully they still fit—but were quite short on me. Like, really short. As in they just barely covered my bottom, and if I bent over, surely my ass would be exposed. I sighed and tried to look and see if maybe there were other shorts I had, or maybe if I could wait until the laundry was done, but neither of those were options at the moment. So, I decided these shorts would have to do. It wasn't like I was going to be out in public, anyway. Plus, it was really hot outside.

I put on a T-shirt before grabbing for the little keychain I bought for Mr. Fotia, heading out of my room and saying goodbye to my parents before I left the house and got into my car, driving down to Nia's home. While driving, I couldn't help but feel so excited about seeing Mr. Fotia. I just didn't know if I could even speak around him anymore—my feelings for him were so overwhelming.

I cursed myself for falling for him. Why can't I just be normal and not fall for almost every man I get close with…

After arriving at the home, I parked by the curb and headed to the backyard as I usually did. I made my way through the gate before I stopped and widened my eyes, blushing at the sight. Mr. Fotia was shirtless as he was up on a ladder, beginning the installation of the roof slidings. His sweaty skin glistened under the sun, and he looked like some kind of god.

He turned and looked at me. "Hey, Cody. How're you?" He asked as he continued to work.

I awkwardly kicked a pebble that was on the ground as I averted my eyes from him and tried to hide my blushing face. "I-I'm alright," I said. "It's… Really hot today, isn't it?" I mentally hit myself for sounding so stupid.

"Sure is. Got me sweatin' like a damn sinner in church," he said. "Come over n' help me, boy."

"R-Right!" I said with a swift nod before quickly scurrying over to help him. He instructed me to hand him each panel at a time. Even though I wanted to stare at him and how glorious he looked, I had to control myself and try not to get distracted. "So, how was New York?" He asked me as he installed the panel into the roof. I handed him another panel. "It was okay. The photoshoots were fun," I took a deep breath. "And, um… I actually got you something…" I shyly said.

He stopped what he was doing before he looked at me and raised a brow. "Really, now? You didn't have to do that."

I touched my cheek and shook my head. "I-I wanted to," I said. "I got something for Nia, too."

He installed the panel I gave him before climbing down the ladder. "Well, in that case, thank you," he said with a little smile and a nod. "You're a good kid." He patted me on the shoulder, making my heart do a flip, before he walked over to the patio table to get a drink of water from his water bottle. I closed my eyes and lifted the bottom of my T-shirt to wipe my sweat from my face, the shirt hiking up my waist.

I turned and looked at Mr. Fotia, who seemed to be staring at me, specifically at my body. He seemed to be curious about how my body looked from just what I was revealing, from the short shorts to the bit of skin that was exposed between the waistband and the end of my shirt. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. Is he… Checking me out…? No way, he couldn't be…

"Them's some awfully small shorts, boy. I ain't seen boys your age wear shorts that short since the freakin' '80s," he said with a small chuckle. "I'd never thought I'd see 'em back in style."

Oh, he wasn't really checking me out… At least not in the way I wished that he was. I shook my head before lowering the hem of my shirt. "I just didn't have any other clean shorts. This was my only option."

"I see," is all he said as he took another sip of his water before we got back to work. I would hand him panels while he'd install them on the roof as he asked me how New York was. I told him about the sights I'd seen even though there wasn't too much to tell. I showed him pictures that Nathan and Art took of me, and he just nodded and said they were 'nice.'

We continued to work on the panels for one side of the roof before we moved on to the other side. "Have you ever travelled?" I asked him.

"Ya mean other than Afghanistan? Mmm…" He had to take a moment to think. "I ain't much into travelling outside of the country. I think the farthest I've been would be Oklahoma."

"You've been to Oklahoma? What's it like?"

I handed him another panel as he installed it into the roof. "Well, I was visiting my family. I'm actually from Oklahoma, born n' raised there. Plenty of nature, if you're into that. We lived in a nice lil' community, a lotta people respected the hell outta my dad. It wasn't 'til he passed that Cynthia and I moved here n' started a new life together."

"Oh, wow," is all I said. "Would you ever want to travel anywhere else?"

He hummed softly in thought. "Huh… I never really considered it. Maybe I'd like to see the World War I museum in Kansas city," he said thoughtfully. "My dad talked a lot 'bout wanting to take me there."

I continued to hand him more roof panels. "You should go one day. Kansas city isn't that far, right?"

"It's 'bout a twelve-hour drive," he said as he installed the panels. "S'pose I could take a plane, but I ain't gonna put in the effort to catch a plane ride all the way down there."

I smiled at him. "You could have a road trip. I always wanted to go on a road trip, they sound like fun," I said. It was true, I liked driving around, especially places where there's plenty of scenery.

He chuckled softly. "Maybe. If the opportunity ever arises, I suppose."

We continued to talk as we worked, eventually finishing installing all the sliding for the roof. We then moved on to installing a door.

"Just like this?" I asked as I held the frame in position for him, and he nodded. "Yep. Aaand…" He installed the door into the hinges. "There we go." He took a few steps back to admire how the shed was looking so far. "Whad'ya think so far?"

I nodded. "It's looking good. We just have to paint it, right?"

"Yeah. I've got the paint over here," he said as he pointed to the buckets of paint along with paintbrushes beside them. We opened up the cans and begun to paint, with Mr. Fotia painting one side of the shed as I painted the other side.

"So, I know that you're into modeling, yeah? You have to follow a strict diet, or somethin' like that?" Mr. Fotia asked me.

"Yeah. I haven't been told anything about my physique yet by any photographers, but I want to maintain the body that I have," I explained. "So, I do a lot of leg exercises and make sure to add a lot of soy into my diet."

"That makes sense…" He seemed to say quietly, and that made me curious as to what he meant by that.

But he quickly followed that up with another question before I could even think about the previous one. "So what can't you eat?"

"Well, I'm trying to avoid any red meats," I said as I continued to paint the shed. "So, no beef or pork or anything like that."

"Ah, okay. I was wonderin' if you wanted to stay for dinner again one of these days, but I wanted to ask if you had any dietary restrictions," he said. "I wanted to make sure I'd be able to make somethin' you can eat."

Oh, he wants me to stay for dinner again sometime? I blushed, grateful that he couldn't see my face at that moment.

We continued to talk a bit more while painting the shed, and only finished painting half of what we intended to do then decided to take a break because of how hot it was. He went into the house to get me a glass of water without me even asking. Just a small sentiment like that made me feel special.

After taking our little water break, we went back to painting, finally finishing painting the entire shed with the first coat of paint. Mr. Fotia said that we would just have to finish it off with the last coat. I couldn't lie, it was really hot outside, and I wanted to be finished with painting as soon as possible. I tried to hurry my painting, but Mr. Fotia must have noticed.

"Ain't gotta rush, boy. Take your time with painting. It's s'posed to be good meditation, I heard."

"Ah, sorry!" I said in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to rush… It's just so hot outside that I just want to get it finished."

"I understand. But even so, you gotta take it slow. Trust me, it'll make better results in the end."

I sighed before deciding to follow his advice and so about it at a slower pace. Surprisingly, he was right. It was actually calming to paint when I was taking my time, despite being so hot outside.

We finally ended up finishing painting the shed, and we took our time to just stand and stare at our work in awe. "The shed's all done now," Mr. Fotia said in an impressed tone as he nodded, smiling at me. "Thanks for all your help, boy. Seriously. I owe ya my sincere gratitude."

I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck as I blushed and looked away. "I-It's nothing, really… Anything to help out."

"Come on inside. There's somethin' I wanna give you," he said as he walked inside the house. I raised my eyebrows and blinked before following him. He wants to give me something? I wonder what it is…

I got inside the house and Mr. Fotia was looking through the bookshelf in the living room, before he pulled out a book that seemed to be a short novel. He brought it over and showed it to me. "Here. I know ya said you were into readin' books, so I thought maybe I'd lend ya my own favourite book."

I took the book into my hands and looked at it with wide eyes. The title of the book was called Hanna's Locket, which seemed to be some kind of war novel.

"You're really letting me borrow this?" I asked him. He nodded. "Yeah. Just bring it back when you're finished with it."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll be sure to. Thank you, Mr. Fotia," I said to him. I suddenly remembered that I had to give him my souvenir, too. I pulled the keychain out of my pocket before presenting it to him. "I got this for you when I was in New York… I wasn't really sure what you'd like, but… I hope this is fine," I said shyly.

He took it and spent a moment just looking at it, before he closed his hand around it and nodded at me. "Thank you, Cody. As I said, you didn't have to do that. I appreciate that ya thought of me, though."

I bit my lip and looked down. "I-It's nothing, really." I took a deep breath. "There's actually something I've been wanting to ask you, too."

Mr. Fotia looked at me curiously. "What is it?"

I scratched my head. "Well, I'm planning on buying an apartment soon. As soon as I receive my paycheck for my shoots down in New York, I'm planning on possibly renting an apartment in the city," I said. "Since Nia's working too, we were planning on splitting the rent and living together. I want to ask your permission in letting us live together."

"I see," Mr. Fotia said as he crossed his arms and took a few moments to think. My heart was beating hard in my chest as I anticipated what his answer would be. I was really hoping that he would say yes, or all my hard work would have been for nothing.

Well, not for nothing…

He uncrosses his arms and nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd be fine with my daughter living with you, as long as there ain't gonna be any funny business going on," he said as I gasped and smiled. He seemed to notice how excited I was, because he held up a hand to indicate he wasn't finished speaking. "But you're a good kid, and I trust ya. But if you two do live together, I want you to watch over her and make sure she's doin' okay. Make sure that she ain't gettin' into any trouble, n' all that. Can ya do that?"

I nodded surely. "Of course. Even back when we were living together at school, Nia was the first one to establish ground rules and boundaries," I said. "She's actually very responsible."

"I ain't doubting that. But just knowin' that someone's looking out for her would help me sleep better at night."

"Then I promise that I'll look out for her, like I always do," I said with a smile and nod. He nodded and smiled back at me before chuckling and patting me on the head, ruffling my hair as I widened my eyes. "Ya really are a good kid."

I felt myself blush as I didn't say anything. He took his hand back. "Thanks again for helpin' me on the shed. If ya need anything from me, don't hesitate to call me. Especially if it got anythin' to do with Nia," he said. I nodded. "Of course," I said.

Mr. Fotia led me to the front door. "Oh yeah, there was one more thing I wanted to ask," I said as I looked at him. "What's your first name?"

He seemed surprised that I asked, but still answered anyway. "Miles," he said. I nodded and smiled at him. "Miles… Got it. Goodnight, sir," I said to him before heading out.

"Goodnight, Cody," he said to me before I made my way to my car.

I turned up the jazz tunes all the way on high as I drove home, occasionally looking at the book Mr. Fotia gave to me that was sitting in the passenger seat. I finally did it. I finally accomplished the mission. I got Mr. Fotia to like me, and now Nia and I are finally good to go with our living plans. Everything is going according to plan.

But what didn't go according to plan was me falling hard for Mr. Fotia and wanting to spend more time with him, despite not needing to anymore. That's right… We've finished building that shed. There's no reason for me to see him any longer. Just the thought made my heart sting with pain.

I wanted him. I needed him. But I knew he'd never see me as anything other than some kid.