Standing in front of the door, waiting for someone to hear the doorbell, Dustin briefly wondered if this was a good idea. It wasn’t that he had a lack of faith in fortune tellers – he never met one, so it was best to be open-minded about the whole thing, and so far this town had proven that the most unlikely things to exist did in fact exist. He could heal people by touching them. People with the ability to read the future weren’t so far off.
Suddenly, the front door opened right in front of him, revealing a person. Not exactly someone Dustin would have expected, no. The person in front of him was just a little shorter than him, with dark hair and brown eyes. He actually didn’t look too much older than him. Okay, definitely older, but not a lot.
“Um, I’m here to-“ Dustin started before he realised that the other boy had just spoken his name. For a second, he knew he had definitely come to the right place when the psychics in this house could tell his name by looking at him for just a second, but then the stranger went on speaking and yes, he did remember speaking to that person online. However, he probably never would have recognised him from the picture on his blog. It was just so unlikely for him to run into the people he spoke to online in real life. “Yeah, that would be me,” he answered, putting his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “Um. I do remember you, yeah. You’re the one with the insane high school subjects. The person who didn’t get pissed off when I called him a nerd.” He nodded slightly as he spoke. “Uh, what am I doing here? Not stalking you, I promise,” he mumbled. “I, er, I’m looking for a reading? You’re not the fortune teller, are you? Wait, you are. Like, this is the place and you just opened the door. Wow, you’re just- anyway, is it okay I just dropped by? Or do I need to make an appointment?” he asked, taking one hand out of his pocket to reach an itchy spot on his neck.
Neven chuckled once Dustin remembered him, and about just what he had decided to remember. “Yup, that’s me. Nerd with insane grades.” He felt a little awkward about it, but it really was a badge he wore with pride, so he didn’t let his sellf-consciousness show through. At least he tried not to. It didn’t stop him from starting to fidget a little in the doorway.
‘Uh, what am I doing here? Not stalking you, I promise.’
He let out a pretty unflattering laugh at Dustin’s words, and before he could stop himself, he was speaking. “Good, because I already have a boyfriend.” Whoa. Hold the phone. Back up. Be kind, rewind. What did he just say? Was Reza his boyfriend? Were they actually at that stage yet? The words had slipped so easily out of Neven’s mouth without him even thinking. No hesitation at all. That was...a good sign? Right?
Then Dustin started talking about why he was really there, and Neven shook his head quickly. “Oh no, I’m not the fortune teller. That’s my mom.” He wanted to fill Dustin in on the truth that his mom was pretty much a big sham, but something on the boy’s face spoke of silent desperation. For what exactly, he wasn’t sure. Answers? Validation? Usually his mother’s ‘readings’ did more good than they did harm, so what was the worst that could happen? From behind Neven, his mother’s voice floated toward the door.
“You don’t need an appointment, child. Please, come in. I have many things to tell you.”
Neven had to resist the urge to roll his eyes or crack a smile when he turned around to see his mom in the full fortune teller getup. He opened the door and let Dustin enter, guiding him toward the converted den his mom used as the set piece of her ‘performance art’. She sat at the table, complete with crystal ball and a deck of tarot cards, among other things, and gestured for Dustin to join her. Neven hung back by the doorway, leaning against it and crossing his arms with a knowing smirk on his face, now that Dustin’s back was to him.
“What’s troubling you, son? I see a burden weighing down on your soul.”
