***Elik's POV***

Sometimes I wonder why I still put up with this shit. This meeting is a complete waste of actual life. Three meetings in three days, and not one single thing has been accomplished. Fucking children is what I employ.

The arguing started yesterday and you guessed it, it's still going on.

"It's not supposed to be this fucking hard." I scream at my team.

"Sorry Mr. Exavier." Rosy, my assistant, bashfully apologizeds.

"You're not the one acting like a child who wants his favorite toy back." I grind out.

"The Richard's portfolio is a huge client and we just want to make sure we don't lose it." James, an idiot, explains.

"Speaking of losing it, my sanity is about to catch a train to the Netherlands. Get your shit together and meet back after lunch. Two hours! If anyone so much as sneezes in the wrong direction, I'm gonna start relocating your bodies out of the window. Capeesh?" I bark.

For fuck sake. Literally imbeciles.

I'm on edge. I can admit it. I miss Dek and I don't even want to help it. The sooner we get this fuckery over with, the sooner I go home.

I pull my phone out to initiate a video call, no doubt that will temper my mood.

"Good afternoon my love." Dek smiles widely.

Jesus Christ take me now. This boy is sinfully beautiful. I can just imagine how good he would feel writhing beneath me.

"Good morning Baby." I coo. I'm so blessed.

"I miss you." Dek smiles. He flutters his lashes. It is definitely a sin to be so damn sexy this early in the day..

I think I just heard the sun relinquishing it's title of the brightest star.

"I miss you, what have you been up to?" I ask. I want him to talk, to fill my soul with his every word. I want him with me.

"Waiting." Dek laughs.

Do I hear angels singing?

"I have been in meetings every day and nothing is working out. I'm just ready to get back to you." I explain pitifully. I wonder if he can hear the desperation. I can.

"I have been packing. I looked over some colleges." Dek admits. His words are far away. Apparently, I'm not the only affected by our separation.

"Have you found any you like?" I ask.

"I'm going with UCLA, it's not far and has an excellent curriculum." Dek announces.

"Good choice, that's where I studied." I beam.

"I didn't know." Dek amuses. He looks closely at me, squinting his eyes as if I may be lying. I'm not. I graduated there.

"Well we will talk later tonight baby. I love you." I blow Dek a kiss and wave by as I remember I need to get back to the zoo I call an office.

"I love you!" He winks.

So god damned sexy.

I pull my big boy pants on and decide to get something accomplished during this meeting.

After a very long night, things are looking up. The next few days will be more meetings, more portfolios. Not all of them are as large as the Richard's, but every client is equally as important.

I make up my mind that from now on, these meetings will occur from home, over Skype.

Nothing that had to be said couldn't have been said over the internet. There was no need to leave my love.

Waste of fucking time!

<<<<<<<<<<<<

***Dek's POV***

It's only been 7 days, one week.

How do you get to the point that one week feels like a lifetime?

You date fucking Elik Xavier!

We talk every morning, text during lunch and talk again at night.

It's just not enough!

I miss him, and I'm fucking whiney.

"Dek, come on let's do something fun!" Cali begs.

"Like what?" I groan.

"Anything to get you out of this damn house." Chance argues.

"Fine!" I give in.

"Let's go watch a movie." Broady offers.

"No." I deny him. That will not keep my mind occupied.

"Six flags!" Yani squeals. She's so adorable.

"Deal!" We all laugh. You just can't say no to her. It's impossible.

We pack into Chance's Escalade before heading up to Valencia.

Once there we immediately shovel as much amusement park food in as we can fit.

Bad idea!

I let the bastards talk me into roller coasters, we don't mix.

"Jesus Dek, you puked on that little girl." Cherry is doubled over laughing with tears in her eyes.

"She was too small for the ride." I yell from my spot hugging the ground.

"I have never heard someone scream so loud in my life." Chance comments. I know he is making fun of me. I don't care. I'm not good with motion. Or heights.

"Well she did have funnel cake in her hair." Cherry giggles.

"I was talking about Dek!" Chance deadpans. He points his finger towards me. I throw my middle finger up at him. No care.

"Just glad we were sitting way ahead of you." Cali gags.

"I told you guys I don't do well with heights." I explain. I mean what did they expect would happen.

After the world stops spinning, we go on to ride literally everything in the park. It is ridiculous.

We even do the kids rides, much to the guys dismay. You can't just say no to four pouts and four sets of puppy dog eyes. The girls get their way every time.

"Bumper cars?" Cherry asks.

"Yesss." I fist pump the air.

Something on the ground, sounds perfect.

"You fuckers are cheating." Zaya yells. Her face is sneered with angst. She hates losing.

"Not our fault your car got stuck." Cali giggles. This only exasperates the issue.

"That kid totally smashed you." I laugh out loud. I love riling up Zaya. She is an easy target.

"Shut up, Dek." Zaya sticks her tongue out. Broady grabs it, holding it between his fingers. Zaya slaps him, effectively getting him to release her tongue.

We try and fail at miniature golf.

We do a team challenge, girls against guys.

Picture three men over six foot tall bending over a 27" club.

We fail. Miserably.

The girls kick our asses. Then, like the children they always are, they rub it in our faces.

"Dek you looked so cute, like the Hunchback of Notre Dame." Cherry pinches my cheeks.

"Broady concentrating with his tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth was hysterical." Zaya laughs.

"Oh really, cause Yani pushing the kid out of the way was the best part." Chance bellows. His laughter booms through the park.

"Kids have no respect." Yani huffs. She isn't ashamed that she murked a child to get a hole.

I am having a really good time.

After closing down the park, we go out to eat at Casa Pisilla, I love their fajitas.

We play I Spy on the drive back and listen to our favorite 90's hits. Carpool karaoke is the best.

By the time we get back to my house I am completely beat.

After a short conversation with Elik, I retire to my room for the night.

I refuse to sleep in my parent's room without Elik.

<<<<<<<<<<<

The next week is full of distractions.

I appreciate my friends going thru so much trouble.

We spend the week going to movies, hanging out on the beach and even visiting some homeless shelters.

We help Zaya move out of her parent's house. She is now staying in one of my spare rooms.

She has always had issues at home. I have four spare rooms. So, after talking it over with Elik, we decide she should stay with us.

We go grocery shopping for a welcome home barbecue we were planning for Elik.

We might have got kicked out of the Whole Foods Market.

I think posing the fruit as sexual organs is not an offense worth being banned, but the manager didn't agree.

We donate all the stuff from my house that was of no use any longer and even go to my grandparents for an evening meal.

Seriously, I have the best support system.

<<<<<<<<

Last day before I get to see Elik.

I'm so fucking stoked.

In less than 24 hours I will be wrapped up in his arms and making up for the last two weeks.

"When are we going on vacation?" Chance asks.

We are all sitting around the pool, sipping on margaritas.

"Up to you guys really." I shrug. I have plenty of free time.

"What's Elik say?" Cherry questions.

"Up to you guys." I shrug again as they and laugh.

"You're exceptionally helpful." Broady chuckles.

"Our schedules are the most flexible." I argue. I have a point.

"Where is this second home anyways?" Zaya asks. She is probably the one who deserves this the most. She hasn't been far. I plan on changing that.

"Honolulu." I smirk.

"Fucking Hawaii!" Cali screams so loud that I have to cover my ears..

"Jesus Dek, this is crazy." Broady beams. He is obviously fine with it.

"My parents!" I laugh. You can't be surprised after all that we have learned with their passing. They really had me set.

"How is it you knew nothing about your own wealth?" Chance asks quizzically.

"I guess they wanted me to be a responsible member of society." I argue. Seems plausible.

"So we just fly over to Hawaii for a week and it's not even a big deal?" Cherry ask.

"Pretty much." I confirm.

"Dek! Really, this is gonna cost a fortune." Cali whispers. Suddenly she forgets that money is not an issue.

"Think of it as my folk's graduation present. They loved all of us." I explain. It's just money. There is always more. Even if I did nit have a ridiculous amount, money is always attainable. Friends are the real prize in life.

We spend hours looking thru the internet and booking flights. It is a long night. Finding a flight on short notice for eight is not an easy task.

I get the travel arrangements squared away and set up for a two week trip. One week was just going to be too hectic. My friends are all wickedly excited.

I already set up a maid service for the vacation home. I want everything perfect. No one wants to spend their vacation cleaning.

I just want to show my appreciation for how much they have supported me these last couple of months. Not to mention, I want Elik to relax. He has been wound tight with work and dealing with me. I might be a handful.

We plan a massive shopping trip the day before our flight. The girls want to shop in Hawaii too. I already planned for that one. The extra luggage space is confirmed ahead of time.

Elik doesn't even know where we are going. I plan on informing him tomorrow. I have been keeping it a secret. It's going to be super romantic hanging out in Hawaii with him. I really can't wait.

After we are thoroughly drunk and happily full, we decide to go to bed. Of course everyone is staying over, that's the norm. I give up my room to Cali. I choose to sleep in the Cinema Room.

Sleep evades me. Mr. Sand Man and I are not on good terms the last two weeks. It makes for an extremely long night.

When I do fall asleep, the nightmares start. Like the demons they are, they make every fear I have multiply by the hundreds.

I dream of plane crashes, bombings, fires and the worst dream of all, my parents.

You ever dream of something so real and in your dream you know it's a dream. Well, that's a scary damn place to be. So, I end up dozing off in between nightmares.

By sunrise, I feel like I have been hit by a semi. I give up the good fight and go to the only place I knew, the beach.

I watch the sun come up. I thank God that tonight I will sleep peacefully.

I watch the shoreline climb the sand dunes as I review the past couple of months.

Life doesn't always give you what you want, but somehow it still gives you what you need. That's my shining silver lining.

I need my friends and most definitely need Elik.

I somehow fell head over heels for him in a matter of days. And, I pray I continue falling.