One year later
Koray POV: Age - 24
I stretch in the bed and on instinct I reach out for Jessica but I wake up more as I realize she's not there.
-Jess...........
I get up and as I do that I get by the house I find her asleep on the couch, a half eaten sandwich on the table with a glass of soda and the TV playing the ending credits of a movie. I smile and getting a sigh I grab her gently and as softly I get her back on the bed with me and I allow myself to sleep a bit more with her now.
The next time I wake up is even better as we wake at the same time.
J-Morning babe.
-Morning.
We share a soft kiss before we get up to start our day with a delicious breakfast.
-So, what do you feel like doing today?
J-We really got too long of a honeymoon. I feel a bit disoriented.
-Well, at least we can be disoriented together.
J-I know I want something but maybe you won't want it.
-Why? What do you want?
J-A pet.
-A pet. What would you like? A bunny, dog, cat, bird?
J-Babe, calm down. We have all day to choose and consider our options.
-Alright.
J-Aw, I really like when you spoil me.
-You deserve to be spoiled and I'm going to spoil you every chance I get.
J-I love you.
-I love you too.
We share a quick kiss before I kiss her hand gently.
J-Oh and we have to make an appointment with the doctors. Remember?
-I remember and I really think we shouldn't but if that will make you feel better then we can do it. Now, what do you think we need?
J-You hate it but I need to make an appointment with the gynecologist.
-I can tolerate it but I have an idea.
J-Do tell.
-Well, first we go to the doctor and do the checkups and then we go get our pet.
J-The wait for the results will seem shorter that way, right?
-Definitely.
J-Well, let's go get ready for the day then. Now that we plan it out we have to execute it, together.
-Sure.
With one last kiss we finish breakfast and get ready to go.
Aibek POV: Age - 23
I smile up as my eight year old brother Mako helps my fiancee Tamara set the store to open for the day.
Mako-Hey brother, now that the store is open can I go upstairs?
-Sure, thanks for helping us open up.
Mako-Alright.
He turns to go upstairs but I hold him by the hand and arm.
-Don't climb on the windows or get on the balcony either.
Mako-I'm just going to read. I won't climb anything. I promise.
-Go enjoy your book.
I let go of him and he disappears upstairs and into the house and I go back downstairs to the flowershop. I find that Tamara is already selling a few things to a customer.
Tamara-Thanks, have a good day.
The customer only waves and smiles before he goes away and the store is left empty again and I hug Tamara from behind.
-Hi.
T-Hi love.
-I have a surprise for you.
T-Really?
-Yes but, this specific surprise is, I can't control much about it so the time as to when is going to happen is also a surprise for me.
T-A mixed surprise. I like it but can't you tell me more about it so we know the same stuff.
-No. Sorry but is a surprise.
T-Really?
-I promise you will like it.
T-Fine. I'll wait patiently for the surprise. Knowing how you treat me is going to be something very good.
-Of course it will be. Is for us and in the name of love.
I kiss her and the kiss deepens but we have to break up as the doorbell rings telling us a customer just came in. This time is me who helps the customer and so we spend the rest of the day tending to the store.

Santiago POV: Age - 15
I groan and sink down in my seat as I read my friend's text message. She's not coming after all. We were supposed to catch up as we haven't been in contact for almost a year now. I sigh as it finally happened, we're growing apart and she's the only person besides my dad that knows everything about me. I really need to make new friends and possibly find a lover. I order juice, milk and sodas along the night and I stay there the rest of the night until the waiter, the only waiter left comes to me. I'm almost asleep but I'm being lazy, grumpy and tired.
?-Hey, I have to close up the restaurant and so you have to go.
-Leave me in here.
I hear him mumbling before he comes up to me.
?-Come on, I'm taking you home.
I groan but I let him take me away. At least he knows what he's doing and he gives off a sense of safety, security and confidence, warm and strong. I walk behind him as he goes and we are silent for a while until he speaks up.
?-My name is Adam, Adam Cruz. Is originally a Spanish name but no one can say it in Spanish so I go by Adam instead.
-Santiago but I like Santi.
Adam-So, is this the correct way to take you home?
-I don't want to go home.
A-Somewhere else or just walking aimlessly?
-I just, I'm confused and I would like to relax and forget everything that troubles me.
A-Well, if you want to relax I know of a place that really helps me when I feel like that.
-What is that place? Are you sure it will work? Is it even open?
A-Of course it is. Is one of the reasons I moved here. It has most of the things I want and freedom and at a walking distance from each other.
-You don't drive.
A-I have a car and I drive but I use it for big trips, vacation and things like that, saves gas and money and is good for the environment.
-Wait wait wait, if you walk everywhere you go on a normal daily basis then you have to live very close by your work and such things.
A-I do. Look, that's the restaurant right there and over on this side is my apartment, I can see the restaurant from my apartment's balcony.
-I'm curious already.
A-Come on, let me show you my favorite place in the city.
With that he takes off and I follow him to an underground entrance. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the noise and loud music and everything else as I'm not used to partying. He takes me to a more isolated corner of the place wich gives us a bit of privacy and comfort. We order a snack and drink each and he speaks to me about anything, nothing specific and he makes occassional jokes after everything he says. I listen intently paying complete attention to everything he says and laughing at his jokes. We stay a while there until I start getting sleepy and he does too. We pay the bill, he does, before we head to go back home.

Once we get to his apartment I'm practically sleepwalking and we agree that I stay to sleep at his place today and I do. He shows me the guest room and although is very small I feel comfortable and I'm too tired to even do anything but still, I stay down on the bed and I take my clothes off completely and is not until I'm just in my underwear that I fall asleep, very deeply.
The next morning I wake up feeling refreshed and very good. It takes me only a few seconds to remember where I am and what happened but I don't stress over it. I just get dressed again with my clothes and after checking that I have all of my things I get out of the room and I look around a bit unsure as I call him out.
-Adan? Awake? Still home?
A-I'm over here.
I turn to follow his voice when he appears almost instantly in front of me and we go together inside.
A-Did you slept well?
-Very deeply and comfortable. It was a good night.
A-Glad to hear that.
There's silence as I watch him start eating and I sigh and speak to him almost incredulous.
-Is that your breakfast?
A-Yeah.
-Why don't you cook something for yourself?
A-I don't usually eat here so I don't even bother buying a lot of stuff to cook and since I eat out most of the time or friends invite me or bring me dishes I never really learned to cook.
-Well, then allow me to cook you something proper. You have a few things here, right?
A-Just a few random things.
-Let's see what we have here.
I start digging through the kitchen and once I have everything out I see eggs, cheese, a few stripes of bacon, a pepper and a can of Carmela sausage.
A-You can't possibly cook something out of this.
-You'll be surprised. Just wait a little bit and before you know it you will have a warm, decent and very delicious breakfast.
A-Well, since I can't help you in the kitchen I'm going to shower and get ready for the day.
-Sure.
I start cooking and I have barely started when I notice he doesn't goes away.
-Why are you looking at me?
A-I think we're about the same clothing size. You can borrow some clothes of mine so you don't have to stay with those dirty clothes.
-Do you have laundry?
A-I do, that I did learned to do.
-I can wash them when you give me the borrowed clothes.
A-Get undressed now, it would be like teammates on the showers because we're both guys.
-I'll undress if you give me some shorts or a towel. I'm not very used to being naked around people but underwear works.
A-Swimsuit works?
-They will.
With that he hands me a swimsuit and after he goes in the bathroom that I hear the water running I get undressed and changed to the swimsuit and so I start cooking. I manage to get enough to serve him and myself and so when he comes out of the shower I take one myself and he leaves the clothes on the door of the bathroom. I don't take too long but still we manage to do most of the things together and we even wash and dry the dishes together.
A-How do you feel my clothes?
-Good choice. Is casual style and we are quite similar so they mostly fit.
A-That mostly worries me.
-It shouldn't, I appreciate the gesture.
A-Sure. Well, tell me about you. Last night, I told you about me and I'm curious about you.
-Well, how about this. One question and we both answer it and if we don't the other doesn't answer either. We can choose to tell why we won't answer or not.
A-Fair enough.
And so we start.

-Alright, so, basic questions then. Your name is Adan with Spanish accent even though no one can actually pronunciate it with the Spanish accent.
A-And your name Santiago but you like being called Santi.
-I'm 15 years old.
A-I'm 19.
-I like reading, drawing, dancing and singing. Dancing and singing can be combined to listening to music on my phone but I can do it if I feel like it.
A-I like dancing and sometimes I play an instrument. The guitar and piano mostly. I read once in a while if the story seems good and interesting but I rather watch the movie version if it has one. Is faster and more realistic.
-I got three younger sisters and I love them with all my heart.
A-Three? And you're fifteen?
-They're triplets.
A-Oh. Cool.
-They're 12 years old.
A-I don't have any siblings or any family at all. Dad died on military combat three years ago and mom died of broken heart a year later.
-My mom died almost a decade ago. I barely remember her but I remember that I felt happy and that I was loved. Is an incomplete memory but it warms my heart and fills it with love each time I try to remember it.
A-I wish I had something like that for myself. My parents were very strict, straight and always doing the correct thing. Dad was almost unknown to me as he was always working away for long periods and when he was here he was very strict and demanding. Mom was loving, she was but even though she was loving she was religiously strict and she taught me mostly respect and loving everyone like I love myself. To be helpful to the world and humble and all that stuff.
He laughs at his own remark and that wakes my curiosity.
-Why the laugh?
A-That part is, I'll tell you another time.
-Sure.
With that we keep speaking and being together for the rest of the day and we quickly become best friends.

To be continued......................