Book of Love - David Horne Page 0,2

got back to his feet. Meeting Alfred's gaze again, he noted that Alfred was looking at him puzzled.

It was then that Alfred took a good long look at Matt.

The once-proud footballer seemed half the man he was in high school. There was an air of pure defeat. The man had dark shadows under and swirling in his eyes. His once clean-cut look was more that of a street bum, his dark hair looked dirty, and his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks. He looked a bit sloppy as if he hadn't had a decent shower in a while, and he carried a large duffle bag.

"Matthew… I think I should be the one asking if you’re all right." The man might have never helped him in his times of misery, but Alfred wasn't stupid. He knew Matt was most likely stuck between helping him but then being shunned by his own friends and doing nothing. Life was never just black and white, after all.

Matt shrugged and looked off to the side before his shoulders slumped. "Not really."

Before any more could be said, Matt's stomach decided to reveal its state of hunger with an imitation of a dying whale.

A sheer look of mortification settled on Matt's face as he lowered himself onto the ground and gave a shuddering breath that sounded disturbingly like a sob to Alfred.

Looking down at his dog, who was staring at Matt with a tilted head. Alfred sighed silently and slowly moved closer before he kneeled in front of Matt. His shoulders were slightly shaking, but no sound came from the clearly down-ridden man.

Matt felt so utterly defeated at that moment. He was just thankful that it was in front of Alfred and not one of his ex-friends or worse his dad. He jolted when he felt a soft hand wrap around his left wrist.

"Matt, please look at me."

A gentle tug made him move his left wrist to look into worried green eyes. "What happened to you?" Alfred was looking at him in a way that made warmth spread throughout his chest. How long had it been since someone had looked at him that way? Matt knew that if he were to tell his mother, she'd give him a place to stay. But, her house was small, and he didn't want to burden her with his problems.

Before he could open his mouth to answer Alfred, a look crossed his face, a look of determination, and then the look melted into something softer. "Come on." Alfred gently tugged Matt to a standing position before he lightly dusted him off. Matt watched as Alfred studied him up close and wondered what was going on inside the other man's head. It was then when he noticed that Alfred had an undercut and the upper longer hair was tied into a short ponytail at the top back of his head.

Nothing was said as Alfred grabbed Matt by the wrist and started to lead him to a bookstore that was close by. It was a quaint and utterly unique store. The windows were framed by painted books while the middle remained bare so you could look inside. Alfred reached into his front pocket and brought out a set of keys.

"You work here or something?" Matt asked, still utterly confused as to why he was being dragged along and why he was even allowing it. Alfred glanced behind him and smirked. "Or something." He then went into the store and quickly punched in the alarm code. Then he flicked the light switch.

The inside of the bookstore was crammed with bookshelves. The books were clearly sorted to be by genres as Matt spotted the tags bolted to the shelves. He then noticed that near the window was a seating area. The furniture had a vintage feel but looked new and colorful. Nothing was the same color besides the wood being all dark mahogany wood. There was a fireplace that looked like it hadn't been used in decades. Overall the place had such a homey feel that his shoulders drooped in relaxation.

"I own this bookstore."

Matt spun around to look at Alfred, who was locking the door again. "You own this place?" Matt knew that there were young entrepreneurs, but still, this was in an expensive area, and the books looked to be first edition books as well. Alfred ran his fingertips over the surface of the counter. "I inherited it." A look of sadness flashed over Alfred's eyes before it vanished. "My grandfather