Nausea

“Pretty little thing aren’t you?” he asked quietly, sliding the back of a finger across the warm tender flesh. A sinister smile appeared on his stern face.

***

“Nothing,” Tatsumi replied. “Ye…yeah…I’m sure I can go out tonight I guess. As long as I don’t come home severely drunk with a foot missing my parents won’t mind,” he said, chuckling lightly, holding the phone in one hand and winding his finger around the telephone cord to wrap his digit in grey covering and reversing the motion to undo the act. He did this repeatedly until the conversation stopped and he let out a sigh. Tatsumi wasn’t really one to go out and party; he was a homebody, an introvert and maybe even a recluse. He had few acquaintances and even fewer friends whom he wouldn’t even really consider as friends.

Although with nothing to do this evening and because it was a friend of a friend’s birthday he would make an exception, go to this soiree and keep up appearances. He thought he would probably just drop by and chat for a little while then head home normally. The bar/dance club was only about five blocks from where his apartment complex was, so Tatsumi thought he would walk there.

He looked at himself in the full length mirror in his room, leaning towards it as if to bow. His chestnut eyes, complete with long lashes, were slightly slanted but still full as a result of being half Japanese and half Caucasian, which didn’t help to make him more masculine. His body was no better; slim, slender and lacking in muscle, quite androgynous if not effeminate. Tatsumi kept his raven hair straight and at medium length with some across his face and kept to one side.

Sighing briefly as he put on his glasses, a wooden-bead necklace, a watch and some plain-looking bracelets, Tatsumi then slipped on a black shirt with some generic logo on it. He didn’t really care for brand names, immune to all that hype and frivolity. Though only sixteen he was rather mature for his age and was optimistic and stubborn. It would take much to break this one’s spirit. He would usually be able to get in to bars without any hassle, but he had a fake ID with him just in case the need for it arose.

He checked his watch. 9:30. Only half an hour to get to the bar.

“We are lost…we can never go home…,” he hummed softly to himself, mimicking the voice in the song. The stereo was soon turned off and Tatsumi rushed down the stairs whilst haphazardly donning a red hoodie along the way. After leaving a note for his parents, he slipped on his flip-flops and was soon out of the apartment and walking down the street. It was a cool night and the moon was full with a slight red tinge to it. His steps were hurried, often checking his watch to see the time, thinking that punctuality was a virtue.

9:58. He finally arrived and as usual without any hassle. The bar was packed for it was a Friday after all. Multi-colored lights spun around in a frantic dizziness with the loud thumping of the music, enough to cause one to feel it in their chest, pulsing and beating like a second heartbeat.

“Tatsumi! Over here!” Simon, one of Tatsumi’s acquaintances and the one who invited him, hollered as he waved at the boy. It caught his attention immediately and he made his way towards the group of people at the table. A fake, forced smile was plastered on Tatsumi’s face, approaching them. He waved slowly; rather shy towards people he’s never met before. Only Simon and another friend were familiar to him and he really didn’t even know them that well.

“Tats… this is Rick, Isabelle, Eve, Brett and Mitch,” Simon uttered, pointing to each stranger as he said each name.

“Hi…it’s nice to meet you all.” Tatsumi said, taking a seat beside Mitch and Simon. Soon a drink was ordered for him: a margarita in one of those wide mouthed glasses. He took a sip, listening to the conversation. It was something boring about the latest television programs and such, subjects which he had no real interest in. He was quiet for the most part and caught some of the other men eyeing and glancing at him. His eyes quickly looked away and slight blush came to his face. Some questions were asked by the other guys addressed to him about the location of his birth, if he could speak Japanese and if he was single, etc. He answered them quickly in order to try not to seem too shy and reserved.

Soon the girls and Rick went off to the dance floor and only Simon and the other two guys were sitting at the table with Tatsumi. After a quick bathroom break the boy came back to the table and finished the drink. He blinked and then shut his eyes for a bit. Opening them moments later with some difficulty he found himself quite dizzy and drowsy. The colors before him seem to blur and the music was growing fainter and fainter. His head was heavy and he rubbed his temple in order to alleviate the feeling. Moments later Tatsumi succumbed to the embrace of unconsciousness and his head fell towards the hard surface, but not before Mitch caught it and gently rested it on the table.

“Heh. He’s a real lightweight…” Mitch said somewhat firmly, the side of his lips curling upward to form a wicked smile.

“Yeah…Hmm. Can you guys take him home safely? He lives in the Hills apartments just five blocks south of here. Number 44.” Simon requested.

“Sure…we’ll take ‘good’ care of him…” he said with apparent innocence, turning to the other and smirking coldly…