1. Elroy

Four years ago

"Oh, come on... I can do this. Just let me try it."

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen,"

"And this is your dream, to become a stripper?"

"Look, I need the money..."

"Well, we don't have an opening at the moment. Why don't you come back here next week?"

"But I need the money now,"

"Well, you can get a job couple of blocks down bagging groceries, you're too young for this stuff anyway kid. Try next week, we might have an opening behind the bar."

I feel defeated, I have try to get a job at a local bakery, diner, garage, even as a janitor, but no respectable establishment would even consider hiring a runaway. And apparently not even a strip club.

It was noon, I was hungry. That morning, I got into a fight at the local shelter where a cute girl robbed my stuff and take my money. Her boyfriend was furious that I was pointing fingers at her and I got kicked in the gut and threaten that he would come at me with a knife when I least expected if I go back to the shelter.

I tried to tell the staff at the shelter, but they didn't believe me, or more that they didn't have time to listen to my carelessness.

And that morning was one of the days that I learned my life lesson, the hard way.

So there I was, nineteen, runaway, starving, and was trying to find a job. All that I have left was in my school backpack. It has been two years since I run away from home, and there was no intention from my side to go back home. Ever.

It was almost dark, I was walking to the nearest abandon construction site. I've slept there before when the beds were full at the shelter, I just have to make sure there was no one guarding the site. And lucky for me, I managed to slip into the abandoned building site easily.

The smell of urine hit as I entered the backside of the building. My eyes were wide, my ears were trying to listen to my surroundings and I relaxed when I reached an empty space. I decided to put my stuff down, rest my back to the wall as I picked a spot, and sit my ass down on the least dirty floor area.

And at a night like that, feelings were flooding my chest, my body shook when the loneliness came to me and finally I let myself cry. My face was wet from my tears, I pulled my knees to my body trying to keep myself warm while the hunger gnawing in my insides. I didn't know when but I finally fell asleep only to be woken up a couple of hours later when I heard the police sirens from across the road.

I looked at my watch telling me it was seven in the morning, my stomach ache from the hunger, my throat felt dry, and I groaned when I got up and my body hurt from my sleeping position.

The air was still cold, I could see the air that I breathe out, and my feet were walking on their own when I reached the local mom and pops shop where the owner was about to open his small convenience store.

"Hey, are you lost?"

I shook my head, knowing I was too parched to even let out few sentences, but I managed to ask the older man if I can use their bathroom.

"Well, come on in, looks like you've been walking all night."

"Thank you," I blinked a couple of times trying not to shed my tears in front of the stranger, but he look away when he did saw a glint of my vulnerability.

It'll be two years next week since the last time I saw my parents. That day was

the greatest birthday present my parents have ever given me.

Elroy, my boyfriend at that time was spending the afternoon in my room, it was my birthday after all. Being gay in high school, I know early on that it's who I am and I didn't try to hide it, not even from my parents and it drives them mad when they saw Elroy was kissing me and we were laying in my bed.

My dad beat me after Elroy was sent home, his parents weren't better than mine and he has his own issues with them. The next morning when my parents were at work I packed my bag, leave the house and never look back.

Elroy didn't want to come with me, I loved him, but I guess he loves his precious family more. I was heartbroken when I continue my plan and leave him behind me, taking the bus with a one-way ticket not even caring where I was headed.

"Boy, come sit down, have some coffee and sandwiches. My wife always packed too much for me."

The older man, Mr. Diaz then became my employer and landlord where I stay above his store and finally find my refuge after years of living on the streets.

Two years later

"Come on Benji, you're twenty-one, how long are you going to earn minimum wage at their store and couped up in that small cupboard you call bedroom?"

Jacqueline, the French descendant college student has been befriending me for months after I rescued her from her failed date night in a nearby bar.

"Jacqueline, it's not all minimum wage, they give me a room and meals too."

"Oh, come on, I'm offering you my bedroom space."

"To which I have to pay you, I can't live rent-free at your apartment."

But after weeks of talking about it, I finally succumbed to her persuasion and move out to live with Jacqueline, though I still come and work at Mr. and Mrs. Diaz throughout the week, but by the weekend I was all Jacqueline's.

"You look hot Benji!" she took my hand and guided me to the bar.

"Jacqueline, I don't know about this club. Everyone looks expensive."

She laughed and told me that I was there as her wingman. She knows that I'm gay, and she never judges me for it. I was liking her laid-back attitude and obviously the free drinks that came with the wingman duty.

"Hey," a deep familiar voice startled me.

"Elroy?"

I didn't expect to see him in the area, I didn't even try to find out about him after he decided to stay with his parents.

"I didn't know..."

"I'm sorry, I should've..." he cut my words which made Jacqueline grip my arm tighter, reminding me that she was still by my side.

"Right, sorry...this is Jacqueline, my roommate. Jacques this is Elroy, we dated in high school."

There it was, the feeling was bubbling up to the surface when I looked into his eyes and he didn't disagree with my statement.

"Oookay, I think I'll let you two catch up, nice meeting you, Elroy. I'll see you guys later." She winked and whispered, telling me secretly to have fun.

I nodded to Jacqueline but was taking in the sight in front of me. I missed him, so much that my chest felt so heavy that I decided to excuse myself to get some air.

But I didn't think that he would follow and grabbed my hand then cornering me to the nearest wall of deserted the balcony of the posh club.

Elroy came from a long line of wealth, his family has always been about prestige and money. But the line always gets blurred when he was alone with me.

And that night he kissed me, and I kissed him back eagerly. Our lips mold and his hands were all over my body as if we haven't parted for years. I loved him, and the feelings were blooming fast when he groaned and slipped me the key card to his hotel room above the club.

"I need you, meet me upstairs in fifteen minutes." His hand was to my neck and pulled me in for another knee-weakening kiss before he leave abruptly and left me breathless.

Snapping back into the moment, I quickly go back inside searching for Jacqueline, and told her that I was going to meet Elroy to catch up. She was quick to know the meaning of my words and give me a warm hug and told me to go have fun.

I was nervous fifteen minutes later, standing in front of his room until it opened and he was standing holding his mobile and talking to the other line, then mouthing me to wait for him.

"Yeah, just give the document to legal, everything should be settled I had given my signatures, dad had agreed and let me handle the sale. Okay, look, I really have to go. I'll talk to you in the morning."

He ended the call, put his phone on the table, grabbed my waist possessively and we resumed our kiss. I didn't ask, I didn't want to know, all I wanted was him.

Elroy has always been bold towards me, he knows what he wants and I always let him. The fact that I've never been with anyone else besides him didn't bother me the least.

I have never wanted anyone else but him, and when he stripped both of us naked and took me to bed I was moaning his name with so much love.

"Ben baby, you're as handsome as I remembered."

I could feel him to my side, he was pouring more lube and stroking my length after he sheathed his cock with a condom. My thighs were parted wider and I was wanting him so bad that I was leaking precum already.

"Slow down, I've never..." he was coming on too strong, the lube was helping but it was my first and that's when he slowed down.

"You've never..."

"No, you will be my first. I love you. I still do." I lowered his face and kissed him deeper, the feeling was coming back strong and I was moaning louder when he pushes himself deeper inside me.

He was kissing me, trailing down my neck. His hand was stroking me while he was thrusting in and out of me. Each time harder, taking both of us so much closer until we both climaxed seconds apart.

"I'm sorry, I'll take it slowly later. It's just that I've missed you, so much."

I smiled when he rest to my side after discarding the condom and pull me to rest my head on his arm.

Later.

Finally.