Open Hearts

Welcome back guys to part 5 of "Open Hearts" I am really excited to bring you this chapter and move forward with Bjørn and Keaton's story. Thank you to the people who emailed me with a lot of great feedback. Your support and feedback really helps me in the long run. If you would also like to email me any comments, questions, concerns or just discuss the story then you can do so at openhearts1999@gmail.com

Once again I'd like to thank my friend Danny who is also a writer. He's written stories such as "Even If We Tried" and "Spring Tide" and I encourage you to check them out.

Quick disclaimer and then a recap before we begin: ************************************

Recap of part 4:

Bjørn asks Keaton if he can spend the night at Keaton's house tomorrow, Keaton happily accepts. With Bjørn at his house, Keaton ends up revealing a secret that gets a surprising response from Bjørn. The two boys enjoy their day together with antics in the pool and even movie night. Movie night quickly turns into a somewhat accidental cuddle session that also produces surprising results for the both of them. ************************************ Quick reminder: The dialogue in all my chapters reflect real speech and slang. Dialogue will not always be grammatically correct and that is on purpose. This might be difficult for people who struggle with American English slang but just try to read the words as they're written. ************************************ Open Hearts Part 5:

This night was different than the others. My dreams weren't polluted with beams of light or cryptic memories of music and voices. Instead I just slept peacefully without interruption from my conscious. There was a noise though, soft and subtle but steadily rising and fading. This noise wasn't taking place in a dream though, it was real and it was close. I opened my eyes, fighting back the sands of sleep, I started to recall the events of last night.

Bjørn was still here. Not only was he in my memories from last night but I could feel him, his presence filled the room. My eyes adjusted to the dimly lit area, my senses started to return to their normal state. The sight in front of me only confirmed what my heart already felt. Bjørn was here.

Neither one of us had shifted in our sleep. We both laid facing each other, his arm still draped across my hip, and his face only 6 inches from mine. The sound I heard earlier was more apparent now, it was synced with the rise and fall of his chest. I listened, each breathe he took was the only sound that my ears could hear. There might have been birds chirping outside, there might have even been a ruckus of noise downstairs in the kitchen. But my brain singled out one noise, tuning out everything else in the world to focus on this one individual noise.

Bjørn's eyes remained closed, his breathing steady, and his expression soft. The boy slept soundly next to me, no care in the world for the placement of his left arm.

Last night I felt that same arm lay across me. I didn't open my eyes, I didn't want to risk him knowing I was awake. His voice whispered softly, half asleep but not void of emotion.

"Goodnight Keaton."

The memory had not faded overnight. His angelic voice still rang in my ears. He spoke so endearing when he said it. Not the same way a friend would at a normal sleepover. Instead, his voice reminded me of my mother saying goodnight to me after a bedtime story. That same emotion, that loving voice, they were all too similar to each other.

But what could that mean? Bjørn had no reason to show such affection in his words. He isn't my mother, he's my friend, so why would he speak to me that way? Why did he lay his arm across my hip, why did he leave it there while saying goodnight? Why was the physical contact not uncomfortable to him? Why didn't Bjørn act like my friends back in Florida?

The friends of my past had always acted the same. They burped and farted, they pushed and shoved, they threw insults around like a game of it was being played.

Never before did they look me in the eyes the way he does. Never before had they shown the same concern over my scars and accepted them the way he did. Never before did I feel this way about a previous friend, so why was it so different now?

"Goodnight Bjørn."

I had broken my cover when I said that but I was too proud of myself to care. I wanted him to feel the same affection he has shown me. His arm never left my side so I can only assume he was comfortable with me knowing about it. We both slept in harmony with each other, never breaking contact and never feeling out of place.

My mind shifted back to the present, right now I was gazing upon Bjørn, sleeping so beautifully right next to me. Should I wake him? Should I move? I wasn't entirely sure what I should do next. I didn't want the physical contact to end, but I didn't want him to wake up and see me staring at him either. Before I could make my mind up I felt his arm twitch and then move from my side. He took his hand and put it to his face, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he woke up.

There was an empty feeling left behind after his arm left my hip. It was a simple touch, just his forearm hanging over my side. But it was physical contact with Bjørn and that was enough to make me miss it. He rubbed his eyes until he could open them and looked right back into mine. He didn't mention retracting his arm, he just stared back at me with his bright blue eyes and then smiled. Bjørn broke the silence in the room first.

"Good morning"

"Good morning" I returned.

We just laid there on our sides, staring into each other's eyes. There was a certain kind of tension in the air. It was indescribable but it was present and undeniable. Normally I wouldn't be comfortable with this kind of eye contact. And normally a friend of mine wouldn't be comfortable with this either. But for some reason neither one of us flinched, or even laughed. There was something enticing about this feeling we were sharing.

"What time is it?" Bjørn asked sleepily.

I looked over at the clock behind him and answered.

"8:38."

"Perfect, wanna go surfing?" Bjørn said with a hint of hopefulness.

"Sure, I'll ask my mom." I was nervous about learning to surf, but any opportunity to be with Bjørn was worthwhile.

We finally got up out of bed. Bjørn headed for the bathroom while I headed downstairs. Once downstairs I realized my mom had already left to take my dad to work so I had to run back upstairs to grab my phone. Bjørn was coming out of the bathroom as I got back to my room.

"What'd she say?"

"She left already, gotta call her."

I grabbed my phone and called my mother to ask permission. She just dropped my dad off and was on her way home when she answered.

"Hey mom. Can me and Bjørn go surfing?"

"Honey do you even know how to surf?"

"Bjørn's gonna teach me"

She sighed deeply. "Just don't drown baby. It'll make me look like a bad mother"

I chuckled at her sarcasm. "Yes mom. I'll do my best to keep my head above the water."

"That's my boy. Have fun and stay safe. Love you."

"Love you too mom. Bye."

"Bye baby."

Today was the day I learned to surf. With Bjørn by my side there was no way I could fail. I've imagined being able to surf since I was kid but I never got my chance until now. I could feel the butterflies and adrenaline already starting build up in my stomach. There was also the thought of Bjørn in his wetsuit that kept finding it's way into my brain.

Bjørn was already smiling, he always seemed so excited and ready to go. I tried my best to match his enthusiasm.

"Alright let's go." Bjørn exclaimed

"Wait. I can't yet."

"Why? What's up?"

"I haven't had my coffee yet." I said with a slight pout.

"Ewww you drink coffee!?"

"Of course I do! And don't 'ewww' me, it's delicious!"

"Whatever bro, I won't judge you for being an old man." Bjørn teased.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Bjørn calling me bro. It wasn't as endearing as I hoped but it was nice being one of the "bros" even if the other guys from the group hadn't formally accepted me yet. It was a good start to being accepted into the group if Bjørn vouched for me. But in all honesty I prioritized Bjørn's friendship than the other guys in the group. They all seemed nice but Bjørn was something different than just nice, he was something a whole lot more.

"Do you want to go surfing or not!" I bargained.

"Fine fine go drink your coffee." Bjørn said with some frustration.

The slight smirk on his face told me that he didn't mind me taking the coffee break, he just wanted to tease me more.

Me and Bjørn headed downstairs for a quick breakfast before we left. I made my coffee and toast with jam and Bjørn took a slice of bread with honey butter. Bjørn watched curiously as I sipped my morning coffee.

"So you drink it black?"

"Yep." I said proudly.

"Ewww." Bjørn paused for a minute before adding,

"Can I try it?"

I looked over at Bjørn somewhat puzzled but kind of tickled as well. I know how black coffee tastes the first time you have it and I knew Bjørn was not prepared for it. But the little devil on my shoulder persuaded me to grant his request. I slid the ceramic mug across the kitchen island in front of Bjørn.

"Go ahead" I smirked.

Bjørn tentatively picked the cup up and pressed it to his lips. Oddly he chose the exact same spot where I sipped from. I got a little excited at the idea of Bjørn's saliva mixing with mine but I was also excited to watch his reaction. Bjørn started to tilt the cup and took his first sip of the dark, bitter nectar. There was a slight delayed reaction on his face after the drink hit his tastebuds. Not a moment later it finally hit him, and his face was priceless.

He quickly set the cup down and tried to swallow the bitter liquid. His eyes squinted and his face turned up in an attempt to prevent spitting his mouthful all over the counter. Meanwhile I couldn't help myself from laughing at his predicament. I wasn't trying to be evil or anything but he did ask for this after all. Finally he was able to swallow the drink and looked over at me. You could see a wetness to his eyes and some redness in his cheeks.

"Ya know, it's not that bad" He said slightly coughing.

I stopped laughing and just grinned at him now. He didn't have to try it, but he chose to because I like it. Even as he fought back throwing up he still did his best to smile and lie about the taste.

"You're a bad liar ya know."

"I know but maybe I'll like it more if I keep trying it." Bjørn looked down at the cup, contemplating if another sip was worth it. He decided against it and pushed the cup back to me.

"I'll try it another time." You could hear a bit of dread in his voice. I knew he wasn't excited about tasting it again so I decided on a compromise.

"Sure but I'll get you some sugar next time, we'll ease you into it." I felt satisfied with Bjørn's attempt and took pity on the boy for obviously trying his best.

We washed our plates and my mug before heading out the door and over to Bjørn's house.

His house, which sat right across the street from mine, was a smaller one story coastal cottage. The walls were a faded yellow similar to my old house back in Florida. The paint was chipping in some places and seriously worn all around. The grass was well kept and had a vibrant green color.

'I guess his dad is really proud of the lawn.' I thought to myself as I noticed the stark contrast between the healthy yard and the less than appealing condition of the exterior paint.

Bjørn opened his garage up so we could walk inside. There wasn't much to the garage honestly. It was small, only one vehicle could possibly fit in here. There was a fridge in the corner that had seen better days but it still looked functional. A lawn mower in the center of the garage took up most of the floorspace along with some yard tools. There was sand swept into the corners of the room and what looked like a few bikes propped up against the wall. Besides the bikes were three surf boards. Bjørn pointed to two of the boards.

"We can use those two. Wait here, I'll go grab some suits."

Bjørn returned a minute later with two wetsuits, one slightly more worn than the other and a bit smaller.

"This was my old one so it should fit you." Bjørn said as he handed me the smaller suit.

We then grabbed the boards and headed for the beach. I didn't know a lot about surfing but I did know that it wasn't very fun carrying the board under my arm as we made the trek.

The sun was out by now and just a few clouds remained dotted around the sky. It couldn't have been more than 78°F outside. There was a slight wind and the cool air felt amazing on our walk. You could hear a few cars and lawn mowers in the distance but everything was surprisingly quiet. The whole neighborhood just seemed so relaxed and the level of noise reflected this. Bjørn started up a conversation as we walked to the coast.

"That house right there is Chris's. His mom is kinda cool, she usually makes us sandwiches whenever we hangout at his house."

I suddenly felt a pang of jealousy when I heard Bjørn had been to Chris's house. Of course he had, Bjørn has been here for two years and I've only been here a few days. But still, it reminded me that even though Bjørn acted different than all my past friends did, he might act that way towards everybody. Maybe his kind hearted affection was just unique to him and had nothing to do with me. Or maybe it was a Norwegian thing. Bjørn's words interrupted my train of thought.

"Yours are better though" Bjørn said.

"Huh?"

"Your sandwiches, they're better than hers." Bjørn smiled

"Oh, right yeah. Thank you." I blushed and looked down at the concrete sidewalk. I was caught off guard by the sudden compliment.

There was a few seagulls flying around overhead as we got close to the beach. "Or maybe they were pelicans." I thought to myself. Regardless of what they were it was undeniably peaceful being around so much nature. Even though this was a city you could still see plenty of grass, sand, water and wildlife. It felt like a perfect blend of humanity and nature.

We approached the main highway, only a few cars were going in either direction so it didn't take long for us to find the right time to cross. The board was really starting to wear me down now so the warm sand under my toes felt like instant relief. There wasn't many people on the beach today but we did spot some familiar faces coming out of the ocean. David and Michael were already here and surfing themselves.

"Did you ask them to come?" I asked Bjørn.

"No. I guess they had the same idea as us." Bjørn seemed a little disappointed but didn't say anything about it.

We kicked off our flip flops and put our boards down in the sand. David saw us on the beach and started to head our way with Michael in tow. When they reached us we were already attempting to get our suits on. I was struggling to get mine on when David started speaking to Bjørn.

"What's up bro?" David said. He had a certain look on his face, almost like he was annoyed about something.

"Nothing much, just teaching Keaton how to catch a few." Bjørn replied.

"Cool. Didn't hear from you yesterday. We all went to Chris's to hangout."

"Yeah I was busy, dad needed my help." Bjørn lied.

I was happy to hear that Bjørn kept us hanging out a secret. I didn't want to cause a rift in his friendship with the other guys. At the same time I took notice that Bjørn chose to ignore his friends for me. It gave me a sense of pride knowing he prioritized our friendship so much even though we just met a few days ago. Maybe Bjørn did feel that same connection that I did, maybe he didn't treat me like all his other friends after all.

David seemed displeased with Bjørn's answer. "You wanna catch some waves with me?" David asked.

"Sure, I just gotta help Keaton out first, show him the ropes."

David once again looked displeased and shot me a look.

"Good luck bro, hope Bjørn doesn't let you drown."

David's comment was odd, slightly sarcastic too. It seemed like he didn't like me very much. Was he jealous of Bjørn hanging out with me?

Bjørn already had his suit on and was looking over at me. Michael and David returned to their own surfing so it was just us again.

"You need any help?"

Bjørn saw I was struggling to get my legs through the suit.

"I got i-" I struggled trying to pull suit over my legs.

"Here let me." Bjørn interrupted.

He grabbed the bottom leg hole and properly stretched it out. Then he put his free hand under my thigh and stretched my leg out straight so I could slide my foot through easily. Even with the wetsuit on I could feel Bjørn's hand gripping my thigh. The contact gave me a little chill but I did my best to keep my composure.

With both my legs in the suit it was time to stand up and do the arms. Bjørn didn't say anything, he just grabbed the arm sleeves and started assisting me the same way he had before. I could probably handle it myself but I wouldn't dare complain to him about his help. The physical contact with him was too great for me to pass up on. It felt like I was kid again having my mother dress me before kindergarten.

'Hmm. That's the second time Bjørn has done something that reminded me of things my mother did when I was little.'

As odd as that thought was, it was true. Bjørn made me feel like a little kid who was being attended to by his mother. His voice from last night and the way he's helping me now are echoes of familiar feelings of motherly love. It was heartwarming, I felt reassured and safe in his presence.

With Bjørn doing most of the work now, I looked past him and towards the ocean. The waves were a decent size today, just a couple feet really. It was a beautiful day outside but the thing that stuck out the most was David. David was looking back at me at the same time I was daydreaming. I glanced over at him and saw an expression of frustration on his face.

Something about me maybe? Or was it Bjørn that made him upset? I couldn't tell what his issue was but he quickly turned back around and went back to paddling out in the water. My own attention returned to Bjørn now. He reached down and grabbed the zipper to my suit and pulled it up to my neck.

"Okay now let's learn the basics." He exclaimed.

Bjørn lead me to my own board and repositioned his in the sand. He got on his board with his stomach flat and his arms at his side like he was going to do a push-up. He motioned for me to do the same and copy him.

"Get flat on your board like this. Now keep your elbows bent and your back straight."

I did my best to keep up and take notes as Bjørn practiced the motions with me. I listened to his every command and tried to replicate them correctly. But soon I felt my mind drifting to something else. Something rounder, more firm and prominent but still hidden behind the black fabric of Bjørn's wetsuit. I was looking at Bjørn's butt. It was hard not to, the wetsuit was tight and left very little to the imagination. Bjørn picked up on my distracted gaze and tried to get me focused again.

"Keaton!" He shouted. "Give it a try now."

I was embarrassed for being caught in my trance but I tried to play it off by continuing with the lesson like nothing happened.

I did my best to replicate Bjørn's movements and stand up on the board properly.

"Eyes up." He coached.

After a few failed attempts Bjørn decided the hands-on approach would be best. He stood up and positioned himself behind me. He told me try again. As I repeated the steps and did my best to stand up properly Bjørn grabbed ahold of my hips to ease me into the right position. I slightly flinched at first because his touch caught me off guard. He was gentle but firm. My body was now moving the way he told it to as the lesson continued. He pushed and pulled my hips to alter my movements as I went through them to get them just right.

'Great idea Bjørn, that will definitely get me focused and not distract me at all! Ugh.'

Feelings of sexual frustration were flooding my body. The way he held my hips and moved me with physical authority had me nearly breathless. I prayed that a boner wouldn't appear and ruin the experience.

The wetsuit was very revealing and I could not afford to get hard while wearing it. If anyone saw that I would die from embarrassment, especially while Bjørn was touching me. They would know that Bjørn's touch gave me a boner and figure out that I'm gay.

I struggled with my own internal turmoil as Bjørn kept his hands firmly on my sides and guided my movements.

Not too far from us sitting in the sand, David and Michael watched us intently. Well mostly David.

"You see this shit?" David asked angrily towards Michael.

"What?"

"Bjørn and the new kid."

"What about them?" Michael asked.

"They're practically jerking each other off over there." David was watching the scene unfold between me and Bjørn. His anger grew with each passing moment.

"Why you mad about it?" Michael responded.

"Cuz the shits gross. Kid only been here a few days and Bjørns already trying to fuck him? Fuckin fags."

Michael just kept his eyes down and slowly traced his finger through the sand. "I think you're thinking to much on it. He's just teaching him how to surf."

"Yeah sure, while playing grab-ass with him." David retorted.

Me and Bjørn were out of earshot of David but it didn't take a genius to decipher his dirty looks.

"Does David hate me?" I said with a hint of uncertainty.

Bjørn didn't take his hands off my hips or attempt to stop the lesson.

"Nah, you're just new. He'll get used to you."

I decided to not push the subject anymore.

"Okay I think you're ready." Bjørn said excitedly.

I was nervous but we did get plenty of practice so it would be great to see it all pay off. The sun was really shining now, the reflection off the water was almost blinding. There was a cool breeze coming off the ocean and it created a soothing atmosphere as we walked our way to the water. The sand lost its crunch and grew wetter as we found ourselves standing where the tide had already reached. When the tide returned it met my toes with a shockingly cool touch. The water was refreshing and balanced well with the suns heat.

David had noticed us going out and decided to tag along. Michael stayed behind and sat in the sand playing on his phone. The three of us ventured out into the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.

At first it seemed like a normal swim in the ocean. But as the water reached our waists we jumped on our boards and started to paddle out farther. I started to feel nervous again but Bjørn's words from yesterday echoed in my head. "Dont worry I've got ya." Yeah, Bjørn had my back so there was nothing to be worried about. We reached a stopping point and sat up on our boards and waited for some better waves to come in. David broke the silence.

"So Keaton, where ya from."

"Florida." I said plainly.

"Ah cool cool. Yeah Cali is cool. Lots of stuff to do, always hot. Lot of gay dudes though. I guess you get used to them after a bit." David said smugly.

I was already feeling uncomfortable with David here and now his comments weren't helping. I stared down at my board in silence but I could feel Bjørn looking at me.

"What're you getting on about David." Bjørn said.

"Nothing really. I'm just saying, lots of gay guys ya know. Gotta be careful or someone might try to grab your ass when you ain't lookin."

I was more than just uncomfortable now. The flurry of emotions had clouded my head and made me lose track of my surroundings. David could tell I was gay. He knew it and he was going to torture me for it. I wasn't welcome here and David wanted me to know that. I was about to start swimming to shore, if I didn't leave I would cry in front of both of them. If David told Bjørn I was gay then Bjørn would probably stop hanging out with-

Bjørn's words cut through the air and interrupted my thoughts.

"Nobody cares about your opinion David. Stop rambling about gay people and surf." Bjørn stated firmly.

I froze, I chose not to swim back to shore but I didn't want to look up from my board either. I just sat there in between the both of them. Bjørn wasn't letting David carry on with his remarks. Maybe Bjørn could tell he was upsetting me.

"Here we go Keaton this wave should be good." Bjørn said.

David stayed silent after Bjørn's comments but prepared for the wave just as we were. I readied myself as the swell started to take shape. We all three began paddling and picking up speed.

"Now Keaton!" Bjørn shouted.

We stood up in unison and I replicated the same moves that Bjørn had taught me earlier. Before I knew it was standing up on a surf board!

'I'm actually doing it, I'm surfing!' I thought to myself.

What came next was more of the expected outcome. It only took me a few seconds before I felt my balance shift and my board slip out from under me. I crashed into the water below as my board shot into the air. I came up for breath and found myself not far from the shore. Feeling the sand underneath me I was able to stand up in the water and wade my way back to the beach. 'That was such a rush!'

I looked back over my shoulder to see Bjørn riding out the wave to its very end before hopping off a decent distance from me. David was close to Bjørn, I realized that the two of them were talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Bjørn didn't make eye contact with David he just looked forward at me and responded to his comments blankly. Just out of earshot I heard David say something a little louder but I couldn't make it out. Bjørn turned and looked at him, his stare was cold. Bjørn said something to David that made him look away in shame. You could see the anger in David's eyes even from here.

I didn't want to be a nuisance and it was obvious that I caused an issue between the two of them. When Bjørn finally made his way to me I kept my words short and averted his gaze.

"You did great! Ready to go again?"

"Thanks but I think I bruised my shin on the way down. I'm gonna watch from the beach for a little bit." I said plainly.

Bjørn looked disappointed, he kept staring at me, it's like he knew I was lying but didn't want to call me out. David scoffed at my comment and started to head back into the water.

"Alright, well I'll catch a few more and meet you back on the beach." Bjørn stated before following David back out. You could hear the lack of enthusiasm in his voice when he spoke.

I made my way back to the spot where Michael was sitting and laid my board in the sand behind his. Michael didn't protest or shoot me any dirty looks so I decided it wouldn't hurt to hangout with him for a bit. He looked up from his phone for a moment to greet me. We didn't speak much but that was fine with me. I just wanted to avoid David and let Bjørn have his fun.

"David being a dick to you?" Michael said suddenly.

"Nah, I'm just resting a bit." I paused for a moment before adding. "Does David not like me?"

Michael never looked up from his phone but answered me anyways.

"He's a bit of an ass. Gets jealous easy too. Me and Chris have known him for most of our lives but when Bjørn moved here he started to get jealous when we hung out with him instead."

"So you guys like Bjørn more than him?"

Michael hesitated, not sure if he should say more but ultimately decided to go ahead with it.

"Bjørns pretty cool. He's not a dick like David but I've known David forever so I can't really say. David isn't that bad really, just takes some getting used to."

Michael didn't say anymore so I decided not to push the issue. Instead I looked on at the ocean and admired Bjørn. He was far off and I couldn't really see anything besides the dark material of his wetsuit and the blond wet hair hanging off his head. He and David both spent some time sitting on their boards floating in the ocean. It was hard to make out and impossible to hear them but it looked like they were still arguing.

I felt bad for causing an issue between them. Even if David was just being an asshole he was still their friend and has been here forever. I shouldn't have tried to become so close to Bjørn so quickly, I've only been here a few days.

Bjørn began paddling now, it seems their argument would be postponed so they could catch this next wave. I watched on hoping to see Bjørn do well. Just at the right moment Bjørn pounced upwards and maintained his balance. His movements were swift and refined. You couldn't see any form of struggle in his actions. 'Flawless' I thought to myself. 'Bjørn was flawless.'

David joined Bjørn on the wave and seemed to mirror his path until suddenly he cut his board to the right and veered towards Bjørn. David had dropped in right in front of Bjørn with his cut and passed right in his path. This sudden change of direction forced Bjørn to bailout in order to avoid David. In the blink of eye Bjørn was swallowed up by the wave.

I looked on in horror at the sight before me. David had deliberately caused Bjørn to bail on his board and crash into the water. Bjørn disappeared under the wave. I stood up now and began running to the water. Michael also stood up and followed. The seconds kept passing with no sigh of Bjørn. David rode the wave through without ever looking back, no remorse for his actions. The moments kept passing, it felt like an hour had gone by when in reality it was less than 10 seconds. But still, every second was a new weight being dropped on my chest and I started to feel like I couldn't breathe.

Just as quickly as it started it was over. Bjørn surfaced, he wasn't far from the beach so I started to run to him. He was coughing and trying to catch his breathe. The sudden crash left him unprepared to be submerged in the unforgiving waters. In his panic he must have swallowed some seawater and he was now desperately trying to cough it up. I rushed to him and grabbed his board that floated next to him. I dunked my head beneath the water and released his ankle strap so the board wouldn't pull him with the next wave. Placing my free hand on his back I gently rubbed it in my best attempt to help him through the coughing.

After catching his breathe Bjørn walked back to the shore in silence. He didn't speak, he just kept his eyes forward and walked calmly to the beach. Once he got back to where we laid our boards earlier he unzipped his wetsuit down to the waist and peeled the arm sleeves off so his upper body was exposed. I was scared to ask him anything, his face was emotionless and his eyes were cold. David was approaching us now and I feared what would happen next.

"You alright." David shouted from behind us.

I turned to face David now. I was angry. I was furious beyond words. 'What if Bjørn drowned, David could have killed him over a stupid argument!' My rage clouded my thoughts and I could feel my blood boil as David grew nearer. 'How could he do something so reckless to his friend!?' I wasn't sure what to do next, in fact I don't think I was capable of rational thought. In the heat of the moment when David reached us I felt my anger explode. I pushed the much larger boy with all my strength, causing him to stumble backwards but still keep his balance.

"What the hell is wrong with you! You could have killed him you idio-"

Before I could finish I felt the hands of the bigger boy hit my chest with enough force to throw me back onto the sand. I looked up at David who stood over me. He was angry, you could see by the look in his eyes that he wasn't interested in hearing me speak and he wasn't going to let me off the hook for pushing him. I was scared, I felt his menacing eyes picking me apart before he even had the chance to do it physically. I was as good as dead now and no one could save me.

But suddenly David wasn't standing over me anymore. He was gone. In just one second he went from standing over my helpless body to lying on his own back a few feet from me. I struggled to gain my composure and find my bearings but there was one thing that was clear to me. David was in the sand and someone was on top of him. It was Bjørn.

At first it was all a blur but then I quickly came to realize what happened. Bjørn had tackled the boy before he could hit me. In one swift movement he had erased David from his previous spot and was now straddling his chest. I scrambled to my feet to figure out what was happening. A barrage of fists coming from Bjørn were striking David in the face. Bjørn was shouting something at David in Norwegian but I couldn't understand him.

"ikke ta på han for fæn!" He shouted at him.

David's arms were pinned underneath Bjørn's knees, he couldn't dodge or block any of the punches he was receiving. Even though David was incapable of defending himself Bjørn wouldn't let up on his assault. You could see some blood coming from David's nose and lips now but Bjørn still kept hitting him.

I was scared now, it was all happening so fast but I knew I had to stop it before things got worse.

"Bjørn stop!" I yelled.

He didn't stop, he just kept hitting him.

"Bjørn!"

It had no effect on him as I shouted and pleaded. I ran to him and grabbed him from behind. Wrapping my arms around Bjørn's chest I felt the tears start to build up in my eyes. Bjørn stopped. His breathing was erratic and his hands were almost bleeding, but finally he stopped.

I started to cry on his shoulder now. I caused this, I caused all of this and it was my fault Bjørn was fighting. The tears were flowing now and I couldn't stop myself. Bjørn shifted and stood up. He turned to me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me towards the boards and away from David.

"Let's go." He said plainly.

David rolled over now, clutching his swollen and beaten face. He wobbled a bit but managed to get to his feet. He made no attempt to walk towards us, instead he picked up his board and moved towards Michael.

Michael just looked on at us and the scene we created. He chose not to speak, or to take sides. He seemed shocked, scared even, witnessing Bjørn lose it like that.

Bjørn kept pulling on my waist trying to get me to follow him. I did my best to wipe my tears and follow along. He grabbed his board and I grabbed mine as well. Bjørn started to leave but as we left David yelled out to the both of us.

"I see how it is. Choose the fag over me huh."

Bjørn stopped. He turned slightly and looked back at David. I feared the worse.

"Please keep walking." I begged him.

Bjørn looked back at me now, he could see the tears in my eyes. Instead of saying anything to David, he chose to turn back around. Except this time he reached back and took ahold of my hand. He grabbed my hand gently and started walking again, leading me off the beach and away from David.

The walk home was quiet. Bjørn had released my hand now and we just walked side by side in silence. I shuffled my feet, my flip flops were scraping against the concrete and provided the only noise between us. Soon we made it back to Bjørn's home. He opened the garage the same way he did before and set his board down in the corner. There was a tension in the air so thick that you could almost reach out and touch it. It's like neither one of us knew what to say in that moment. I chose to just set my board down and try to get my suit off.

I unzipped my suit and pulled my arms out. I was wearing an undershirt still so my upper body wasn't exposed like Bjørn's. With just my lower body to go I sat down on the ground and tried to peel it off my legs. I struggled to get the tight rubbery material off my skin. Bjørn noticed my struggle and once again tried to assist me. He got down on his knees and grabbed ahold of the waistline of the suit. My eyes followed him until I looked at his hands. His knuckles were swollen and red. You could see small cuts and gashes on some of them and large bruises started to form.

Not only were his hands covered in wounds and sand but now they were wet. Small droplets started to fall on his bruises and run down his fingers. He stopped what he was doing when he felt them. The droplets were my tears.

All of my emotions from today were coming to a peak. Bjørn was hurt because of me, because I pushed David.

'Why did I have to be so stupid and cause him this pain?'

'Why didn't Bjørn let me get beat up?'

'Why didn't he just hangout with his old friends and leave me by myself?'

Bjørn spoke up first.

"What's wrong Keaton" Bjørn said sincerely.

I kept crying. It was all I was good for. I couldn't do or say anything to change the past or heal Bjørn's hands. None of this would have happened if I had kept my cool and not pushed David.

But David deserved it, he was an asshole, he should have taken it all out on me not Bjørn. It was his fault too. David's words kept ringing in my head. "The fag" That's all I was to him. Just another gay kid he could bully and make fun of. He was right though, I was gay. I liked Bjørn and it caused all this. This is why I couldn't let anyone know that about me. I was too weird to be anyone's friend including Bjørn's.

I was going to get up and leave, I'll give Bjørn his suit back tomorrow I just needed to leave now. I pulled away from him and tried to stand up but as I tried Bjørn placed his hand on my shoulder and firmly sat me back down.

"You're not leaving until you tell me what's wrong." Bjørn sounded frustrated but still sympathetic.

I continued to cry. I said nothing to him I just cried until I started to hyperventilate. Bjørn stood up and grabbed me by the arm. He pulled me to my feet and grabbed my hand. Turning towards the door he pulled me along with him into his house.

The garage door led into a dining room. From the dining room he pulled me into the living room and then a hallway. He stopped at a door and turned the knob.

I wasn't in control anymore, Bjørn wouldn't let me leave and wasn't taking no for an answer as he dragged me through his house.

We entered the room, it was definitely Bjørn's bedroom. He motioned me over to the bed and made me sit down on the edge of it. Once I was sitting he kneeled down and grabbed my wetsuit, he then yanked it off effortlessly somehow.

"Now that that's out of the way will you tell me what's wrong. It's just me and you now." Bjørn looked genuinely concerned, almost heartbroken.

I wasn't crying anymore, I just sniffled and sat there on his bed looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry Bjørn. I'm sorry that I ruined your friendship with David. I'm sorry you got hurt. I'm sorry for ruining everything."

"You? You ruined something? Keaton all that happened today was David ruined his chances of being friends with me and you. You didn't cause any of that."

"But I-"

"Keaton you stood up for me. You told him off and you came to me when you thought I was hurt. You're not the bad guy here. I'm sorry I didn't thank you yet. I was gonna wait until we got back." You could hear Bjørn almost pleading with me as he spoke. He wanted to try and soothe my pain.

Bjørn took a seat beside me on the bed.

"Thank you for being a better friend than David." Bjørn said.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry I just told you-"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Tell me what Keaton?" Bjørn said confused.

I could feel the pain in my chest. I was scared but something kept driving me to speak.

"Tell you that... t-that David was right." I stammered.

I had to do what I could to save Bjørn's friendship with David. If he knew the truth then maybe Bjørn would forgive David and just hate me instead. I didn't want to mess up his life after only knowing him a few days.

"What do you mean David was right?"

Tears once again flowing I decided it was time to end it and just come out with it already.

"H-he was right. I...I.. I'm gay" I was sobbing once again.

I waited for Bjørn to yell. I waited on him to hit me or throw me out of his house. I finally told the truth and now Bjørn knew why I couldn't be his friend anymore.

"Din idiot" Bjørn chuckled.

I felt Bjørn move and I closed my eyes. I flinched because I thought he was going to hit me. But what I felt wasn't his fist on my face. It was his lips. My eyes opened slightly and there was Bjørn. His lips were pressed against mine and his eyes were shut. His lips were warm and soft. The feeling wasn't something I could imagine in my fantasies, this was different, it felt electrifying. It was as if tiny sparks were coming off our lips as they pressed against each other. This feeling was unimaginable and I thought at one time unobtainable.

Bjørn didn't hesitate or even stop to breathe. He gently pushed on my chest until I was laying down on his bed with my legs hanging off the side. He swung his leg over me and straddled my waist but never broke contact with my lips. By now I reciprocated the kiss fully. My thoughts of rejection and hatred had drifted from my mind. Bjørn was kissing me, I don't know why but he was kissing me and that was all I could focus on.

His lips left mine for a brief moment, we both needed air. Not a moment later his lips returned and we continued to kiss. I never kissed anyone before, besides my mom of course. But that was obviously nothing like this so I wasn't sure what to do. There was a mix of curiosity and adrenaline in every movement. We both tried to feel each other out and figure out what to do as we went along. Bjørn took the lead once again by slipping his tongue in between my lips. I wasn't sure what to do next so I just pressed my tongue to his. Then our tongues started to dance, sliding against each other and parting each other's lips. It was warm and wet but most of all it was exciting. Energy was coursing through my body throughout the entire experience and I didn't want it to end. Eventually Bjørn came up for air again, this time he paused for a moment.

He smiled at me. It was the first time I've seen him smile since the beach. I was melting underneath him. He was still shirtless, straddling my waist and staring down at me with his deep blue eyes. The moment was intoxicating and I felt the air escape my lungs as if he could literally steal my breathe away.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it." Bjørn said softly.

I was still in a daze. It was as if my mind couldn't remember anything that happened today or even think past the last few moments.

"Why... why did you do that." I asked.

We were whispering now, almost as if we were afraid to get caught.

Bjørn chuckled. "That's how we apologize in Norway."

"Oh."

"I'm just kidding you dork." Bjørn giggled again.

Without fully answering my question Bjørn crawled off of me and laid back on his bed beside me. We both stared at ceiling now and collected our thoughts. Bjørn started to speak but I remained silent.

"Sorry if I surprised you..."

"I should have asked first..."

"Sometimes I do things without thinking..."

"It was nice though...."

"Did you like it?" He whispered.

Bjørn was rambling on but I heard the question tacked on to the end. I wasn't sure how to answer but I did like it, I liked it a lot.

"Yeah, I did." I responded softly and quietly.

I was afraid Bjørn didn't hear me. I looked over at him and he was still smiling. He had a big goofy grin aimed at the ceiling.

"Yeah me too. You're uh... you're a good kisser." He was blushing now.

I hadn't seen Bjørn blush before. It was cute, seeing the way he smiled with so much excitement. He was beaming with exuberance after our kiss. I was smiling too, it was contagious. Everyone smiled when Bjørn did you just couldn't help it.

"You're a good kisser too." I said.

"You didn't answer my question though. Why'd you kiss me?"

Bjørn paused for a moment. He hesitated before speaking.

"When I first met you, in your driveway that one night, I knew that I wanted to."

"Wanted to what?"

"That I wanted to kiss you dork. I don't know why, I just wanted to."

"Oh." I responded plainly.

"You're mad at me aren't you Keaton?" Bjørn said suddenly.

"What? No. How could I be?"

"You didn't asked to be kissed. I just assumed you felt the same way I did."

"I do."

My own words surprised me. They flowed out of my mouth without me even thinking. I guess I couldn't hide the truth from him even if I wanted to.

It grew silent in the room now. We both just kept staring at the ceiling. Now it was my turn to speak up first and break the silence in the room.

"I'm sorry about your hands." I said with concern.

"They're fine, don't worry about them. But you can make up for it by answering my question from earlier."

"What question?" I couldn't remember Bjørn asking me anything.

"I asked you what was wrong. Why were you crying?"

"Oh. Well... it's because I was afraid I ruined everything."

"Like what?"

"Like your friendship with David. And our friendship too. I thought you would hate me when I told you the truth."

Bjørn chuckled again. "Well you were wrong. I don't hate you. Not even a little. In fact-" Bjørn reached over and took ahold of my hand. "In fact I like you, a lot."

"Bjørn?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gay too?"

Bjørn turned and looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.

"I just made out with you for like 5 minutes and I'm holding your hand right now. Yes I'm gay!" Bjørn exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah right. Thank God! I was starting to think it was just a Norwegian thing." I said sarcastically and started to giggle.

Bjørn flipped onto his side and smiled at me. "Shut up" He said teasingly through his own giggles.

"Make me." I retorted.

Bjørn shot a devilish grin at me before grabbing my shirt and pulling me into another kiss. This time he wasted no time sticking his tongue into my mouth and feeling around. He circled my tongue with his a few times before letting it retreat back into his mouth, then he bit down on my lower lip and gave it a little tug. When he pulled off of me I was still smiling and so was he.

Now all my feelings from before had been flipped on their head.

'Bjørn didn't hate me, he liked me, he even liked me the same way I liked him. How did this all happen so suddenly? Bjørn was gay like me, this changes everything! I was excited, more excited than I had ever been before.

But there was this fear in the pit of my stomach. This was uncharted territory, I had no idea what I was doing anymore. Actually I wasn't sure about anything at all anymore. This was all new to me, and these feelings, I couldn't even begin to comprehend them. Bjørn once again broke my train of thought.

"Sorry for springing this on you but my dad will be home soon and I didn't ask if I could have company over."

"Oh, that's fine. I should probably get home now too."

"I'll walk you out."

Me and Bjørn stood up and headed back out through the house the way we came in. When we got to the garage Bjørn stopped and looked over at me.

"Sorry it had to end so soon. And I'm sorry about David today. Thank you again for being there and... you know... stopping me."

"Thank you too. If you weren't there then David would have killed me."

"You won't have to worry about him anymore I promise. One other thing though... you should... call me later on. If you feel like it."

I smiled back at him. He was so cute when he didn't know what to say.

"I will. Definitely. And you should put some ice on those hands mister ultimate fighter." I teased.

Bjørn laughed shyly.

I started to leave for my house but I felt Bjørn's hand grab my wrist. I turned around to find Bjørn face to face with me. He leaned in and gave me one more peck on the lips before releasing his grip.

"Sorry. Couldn't help it." He stuck his tongue out at me in a teasing manner and then turned around to go inside his house.

I was so happy and overcome with emotion I practically skipped home. My heart was still pounding and I could taste Bjørn on my lips. This day had quickly turned around to be the best day ever. The boy across the street was not only my friend, but now he was something more. He was something special, but I still couldn't explain exactly what that was.

I made it across the street and into my house. My mother was sitting on the couch watching TV. She greeted me as I came in.

"Hey honey, how was your day?"

"Amazing." Was all I said before bounding up the stairs and into my room.

I wanted to avoid explaining anything to my mom because I still had a lot to think about and I was still too scared to tell her the truth about me. A short response was all she was going to get for now.

I decided it would be best to wash the sand and salt out of my hair before I do anything else. I took a quick shower and put on some house shorts and a plain white T-shirt afterwards.

I jumped into my bed and laid there for awhile. Staring at my ceiling I went over the events of the day in my head over and over again. I felt a small vibration on my bed sheets, it was my phone. A text message from Bjørn actually.

Received: Had a lot of fun today, besides David and all that, it was a pretty cool day.

Received: Maybe tomorrow night I could show you that one spot where I watch the sunset.

Sent: I had a lot of fun too. I'd love to see it. I'll ask my mom tomorrow.

Received: Cool

Received: I gotta go, we'll talk later ok

Sent: Cool :)

'Cool, I had a date with Bjørn.... Omg.... I have a date.... with Bjørn!' My mind went into overdrive as I started to imagine all the things surrounding this "date" I had.

"What would I wear?"

"Will my parents get suspicious of me?"

"Was he going to kiss me some more?"

I had turned into a teenage girl without even realizing it. But I couldn't help it, Bjørn had that effect on me. His presence alone could change my entire mood and now I know that he likes me too!

As my mind drifted away with thoughts of Bjørn I started to feel my eyes get heavy. Sure it was still light outside but I could use a good nap. I had a long day so far anyways, so I was worn out.

I let the feelings of sleep take over me as I closed my eyes, within moments I had dozed off.

Today the boy of my dreams had kissed me, so it was only natural that I fell asleep thinking about him. A large smile was printed across my face as images of Bjørn kissing me flowed through my mind and into my dreams.

What a beautiful day it was. ************************************

Okay guys that's the end of part 5. Sorry this one took awhile to get out there, life happens. Let me know if you guys enjoyed this chapter and the direction it took. Remember you can email me anytime at openhearts1999@gmail.com

Thank you guys for reading and here's your preview of chapter 6. ************************************

Next time on Open Hearts:

Keaton and Bjørn are both still reeling after their first kiss. With emotions running high they decide to spend some more time getting to know each other. Keaton presses Bjørn, desperately trying to learn more about his past and Norway. The truth isn't always pretty and Keaton soon finds out a lot more than he expected to. ************************************