The Truth of Yesterday (15 page)

     I felt my eyes grow wide as Micah started laughing. “You were just kidding, right?” I asked naively.

     “Actually, no, I'm not. Maybe I'll show you later. Hey, I have to go pee.
How about you?”

     “No, I'm fine.” I said absently. My mind was still on the room Micah had alluded to; I wasn't sure I wanted him to show it to me.

     “Ok, then stay right here. I'll be right back.” He leaned in a kissed me again, then jumped up and started for the door.

     I watched him cross the room and realized I wasn't the only one watching his progress. It made me feel good to be with a guy other people seemed to find as attractive as I did. They could look as long as they didn't touch. I was admiring his tight butt as he vanished from my sight through the door. While I was still looking in the direction of the door, I noticed the guy with the long hair from the hallway slip out behind him. I sat up sharply, debating whether or not I should follow. I was about to go when I felt a presence leaning over me from behind.

     I spun around and looked up to find an angel hovering over me. Not really, of course, but that was my initial impression. He was backlit by a bright spotlight, making his halo of reddish-blonde curls seem to glow like fire. His white satiny shirt only enhanced the illusion. As he moved around to stand in front of me, I realized he was quite real and to my surprise, he didn't look a day over 15. He was a little shorter than me, with a pale, creamy complexion and rosy red cheeks that were as smooth as a baby's bottom. He had the biggest pair of blue eyes I'd ever seen and perfect little rosebud lips. His hair hung in ringlets all around his face. In short, he looked like a Renaissance painting come to life.

     “You're with the guy who just left, right?” he asked.

     “Huh?”

     “The guy who just left, the one
Razi
followed out? Is he your old man?

     
“My old man?”
I glanced back towards the door again; still trying to decide if I should stay put or
go
after him.

     
“Your boyfriend.
Is he your boyfriend?”

     I turned back and focused on him again. “Who is
Razi
?”

     “Man, are you on something? Try to focus here.
Razi's
the guy who grabbed your boy in the hallway just now. He's sure he knows him. Is he your boyfriend?”

     
“Yeah.”
I shook my head. I was having trouble following this conversation. “Who are you?”

     
“Tad.”

     
“Tad who?”

     He made a face. “Tad Young if you must know. I'm with
Razi
.”

     I looked him over. “Speaking of tad young, aren't you a tad young to be in here?”

     “Like I haven't heard that before,” he said, rolling those huge blue eyes. “Why does it matter to you how old I am? Besides, you don't look that much older than me.”

     “I'm 18.”

     
“Oh, well ok.
Anyway,
Razi
thinks he knows him. What's his name?”

     I suddenly wasn't so sure I should say anything more. “Why should I tell you?”

     “Is it Micah?” he asked.

     I looked up sharply.

     “It is, isn't it?” he said with a grin, revealing perfect white teeth. “
Razi
was right.”

     “Who is this
Razi
and how does he know Micah?” I asked, deciding there was no point arguing and wondering why Micah had pretended not to know this
Razi
guy.

     Tad, if that was his real name, shrugged. “He's just some guy. I think they used to work together.”

     
“Where?”
I asked, suddenly interested. I knew next to nothing about Micah's life here in the city.

     Tad's eyes shifted away and he shrugged again. “I don't know,” he said evasively.

     “Yes you do.”

     “Why don't you ask Micah?” he shot back.

     “Because I'm asking you,” I snapped.

     
“
Sheesh
.
Excuse me for living. I should have never come over here.” He turned and started walking away. I was on my feet in flash. I grabbed his elbow and he turned to face me.

     “Hey, I'm sorry,” I said quickly. “Let's start over, huh? I'm Killian.”

     He smiled.
“Hi Killian.
You've already made fun of my name so we don't need to go there again.”

     “Sorry about that.”

     “It's ok. I'm used to it.”

     “Is that your real name?”

     He looked at me suspiciously for a second,
then
nodded slowly. “It's short for Thaddeus.”

     “So where did Micah and, uh,
Razi
work together?”

     “Look, I don't know for sure so I probably shouldn't say anything.”

     I pleaded with him with my eyes. With a sigh, he gave in. “
Razi
said he used to be in the business.”

     I frowned. “What business?”

     Tad gave me a measuring look. “You're not from around here, are you?”

     “Will you just...”

     “Ok, don't get your knickers in a bunch. The same business
Razi
is in.”

     “Which is?”

     He looked around, as if to make sure no one was listening,
then
leaned towards me conspiratorially, slipping an arm around my shoulder. “The escort business,” he whispered dramatically.

     It felt as if the room retreated from around me. So this was Micah's big secret, the one thing he couldn't trust me with. And now I knew why. Micah used to sell his body for sex. He'd been a prostitute.

     Tad yanked his arm back suddenly as if he'd been burned. The crowd came flooding back into focus as he hurried away. I started to call after him but I felt someone slip their arms around my waist from behind. I jerked my head around to find Micah.

     “Who was that?” he asked in a falsely bright voice. His eyes staring after Tad were troubled and distant. “Was someone trying to pick you up? I knew I shouldn't have left you alone.”

     I pulled away from Micah's embrace and turned to face him. “That was
Razi's
boyfriend,” I said, matching his faux-cheerful tone as his eyes flew open wide in surprise and his mouth turned down sharply with dismay. “You remember
Razi
, don't you? You used to work together after all.”

Chapter 7

     “We need to talk,” Micah said softly.

     “You think?” I snapped.

     “Killian, it's not like it seems.”

     
“Oh, my mistake.
Then you weren't lying to me about the fact that you used to be an escort?”

     “For God's sake!” he hissed between clenched teeth as he looked around. So far, no one was really paying attention to us, but a few heads were beginning to turn as my voice climbed in volume. “I never once lied to you. I told you there was stuff in my past I wasn't ready to talk to you about; you knew that. Well, here it is. Now you know. Can you see why I wasn't all that eager to trot that little piece of information out on our first date?”

     “Our first date maybe, but we've been dating for months now. When were you going to tell me?
Never?”

     “I was going to tell you this weekend.”

     “Oh please! You expect me to believe that?”

     “I was! Ask Steve.”

     “Steve? What does he have to do with this? He knew?”

     “It's what we were talking about the other night. I told him and he thought that you would be able to handle it, and that I should tell you too. I was planning on telling you while we were here.”

     “You told Steve before you told me?”

     “Will you stop twisting everything I say? I needed someone to talk to about this, someone objective. Can we not talk about this here? I'd rather continue in private.”

     “Fine, then let's go.” I stormed out the door without bothering to see if he was following me. An angry guy fighting tears and crashing through the hallways must not be too unusual for this place since I hardly garnered any attention during my dramatic (so I thought) exit. I arrived in the parking lot chest heaving and unable to hold back the tears any longer. I leaned against a pole and let the sobs come. Micah must have been right behind me the whole time because he was at my side in a second. He placed a hand on my arm but I jerked away from his touch.

     “Killian, please,” he pleaded, “I'm sorry. I'll explain everything, I promise.”

     “Just get the car,” I choked out. He reluctantly backed away for a few steps before turning and jogging off towards the parking lot.

     “Men,” a husky, smoke-filled voice said acidly from behind me. I turned to find a tall, rail-thin black man leaning against the wall smoking a long, thin cigarette. While minutiae such as his age and general description were lost thanks to my bleary eyes, I could tell he was rather effeminate by his stance and voice. “What did he do, baby? Did you catch him with another guy?”

     I shook my head in confusion.

     “He'll explain all right. He'll have an answer for everything. I know his type. They think a handsome face can get them out of anything. Don't stand for it.”

     “I...”

     “Well don't worry your pretty little head about it. A pretty boy like you could have any guy in this place. You remember that. Oh, and also remember that all men are dogs.”