LOST INNOCENCE

 

Chapter 1 - Arrival at the Hotel Solar Dunas

 

With eyes closed I stood on the balcony savouring the cool night air blowing gently on my face, my arms defensively crossed against my chest, slowly relaxed until they hung limply by my sides. Sounds of passing traffic and people's voices drifted up from the street below and slowly filtered their way into my brain. Curiosity got the better of me; I opened my eyes and took a step forward holding onto the waist high railings. Immediately in front of me two floors below, was the sun terrace. Rows of white plastic sun loungers all neatly followed the curves of the large oval swimming pool, lit from beneath making it glow azure blue in the darkness of the evening. On the far side of the pool, hedges divided the main complex from the private chalets whose dimly lit terracotta roofs faded into the darkness.

 

Looking to my left beyond the adjacent balconies was the main road, or to give it's official name Avenida De Tirajana, along which cars and scooters were speeding up and down, tooting their horns at pedestrians and each other. I smiled to myself thinking how foreign it all felt to me; the irony was that it was me who was the foreigner, not them. To my right, beyond the pool area, there was nothing until in the distant lights of Maspalomas twinkling faintly in the inky blackness.

 

I smiled contentedly to myself, scarcely believing that finally I was actually here in Playa Del Ingles, the gay capital of the Canary Islands (or so the internet has led me to believe). It had taken a lot of careful planning and persuading on my part to get my parents to agree to stay at this resort at all. Their idea of an exciting holiday was to go sailing on the Norfolk Broads! Any mention on sexual activity sends them into a conservative frenzy so I deliberately downplayed this aspect of the resort and emphasized the cultural history of the island and the tours that they can go on. My plans were finally secured by using emotional blackmail. I pointed out that at eighteen years old, having just passed my GCSE's and about to leave home for university, this was going to be our last family holiday together couldn't I for once choose the holiday location? My dad sniffed a rat, but mum bless her, always a softy agreed with me and that was that!

 

Now standing here on the first evening of my big adventure I felt like the king of the world, my domain lay before me and I wanted to explore every bit of it! My day dreams were abruptly shattered by the gruff voice of dad calling from inside the apartment asking (read as telling) me to come inside and help unpack our suitcases as they won't unpack themselves. Sighing quietly to myself I thought, not so much a king more like a skivvy the way he talks to me sometimes. We have clashed so many times in the past that I have forgotten a time when we got on at all, mum assures me that it's only natural for teenagers to clash with their parents, it happens with every generation and sooner or later we will become firm friends again. But that's no help when it's me on the receiving end of his harsh tongue and even occasional slap when I've been just that bit too cheeky to him! Not only that, I hold a secret close to my chest, the telling of which will not be warmly received, oh no, definitely not.

 

As I walked back into the lounge and picked up my case heading for my bedroom I hated myself for not having the courage to tell them that I was gay, well I think I am because I've not actually had sex with a guy yet but I can't help thinking about them in a way that with girls just leave me cold (or should that be limp?). There are two reasons why I haven't told them yet, the main one is that I'm plain scared of how they will react and the second one, even more self-serving than the first is that they hold the purse strings to my university funds. I know they have been saving up for years and I don't want to blow my chances of getting my hands on it, that sounds bad doesn't it? But it's the truth; my dad has taught me the value of money well over the years.

 

Putting those negative thoughts to one side I unzipped my case and as quickly as possible transferred the contents to the waiting wardrobe and drawers. I had planned to go exploring but dad had other ideas, in his not to be contradicted voice he informed me and mum that it was getting late, we'd had a long and tiring day (had we?) and that we should go to bed so that we would feel refreshed in the morning. That was that then. Being an independent adult will have to wait for another day I decided as I closed the bathroom door behind me and stepped into the shower.

 

Chapter 2 - An introduction to the dunes

This is heaven I thought as I smeared more of the sun lotion over my body and laid face down on the sun lounger, determined to stake the best spot on the sun terrace before anyone else. It had made my parents laugh but I was serious about getting a tan that I could show off when I got home and it wouldn't be long before the other hotel's residents did the same as me. Just as well I had for within half an hour most of the best loungers had been taken, with the remaining ones being in the shade. I lay there revelling in the sensations of the sun's rays warming my body, at peace with myself, thinking of nothing other than toasting myself gently on one side before turning over to do the other. I must have been there about an hour before a shadow fell briefly over my face, opening one eye slowly; adjusting to the glare I saw the silhouette of a hotel worker pushing a trolley with one hand and a pool skimmer in the other.

 

Something about him attracted my attention, so turning over onto my side with my head resting on my arm I discretely watched the worker go about his business. I estimated him to be about my age or maybe a little older, a local I presumed by his coloration and the way he talked in fluent Spanish when the reception manager spoke to him briefly. At one point he appeared to look in my direction, but I couldn't be sure, it was then I saw for the first time how attractive he really was. I felt my cock twitch in response as I scanned his face in an instant taking in his brown eyes encircled by long black lashes, his tanned face framed by unruly shoulder length wavy black hair and for someone so young he had a stubbly beard as if he had forgotten to shave that morning. He was tall and slim, but not skinny, he reminded me a little of a puppy that had not yet fully grown for his hands and feet seemed a little too big for his frame. I wondered to myself if that meant he would bulk out more as he got older.

 

I was totally absorbed watching him first use the pool skimmer to take out floating leaves from the pool and then to retrieve any sunken debris which he carefully collected in neat piles. Once that task was over he set about sweeping up the sun terrace using a wide broom, I admired how deftly he angled the head of the broom between the sun loungers so that he quickly collected any rubbish without knocking into anything. In fact I was so preoccupied watching the worker that I was unaware of someone sitting himself down on the sun lounger next to me and staring at me intently.

 

"Guten Tag. Sprechen Sie deutsch?"

 

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the voice and spun round to face the person who had just spoken to me, who was by now grinning from ear to ear at having caught me so totally off guard. Sitting upright and running my hands through my hair to play for time and gather my thoughts I replied

 

"Sorry, I don't speak German. I'm English. I know a little Spanish but that's all."

 

"That's okay. Most English people don't! I'm Dieter by the way" the young man replied chuckling and held out his hand towards me.

 

Smiling despite myself I stuck my hand out and shook his gripping it hard as I could to come across all manly.

 

"I'm Dale, we arrived last night."

 

"We?" Dieter asked as he retrieved a small bottle of sun lotion from the bag by his feet and proceeded to smear it over his legs.

 

"Yeah. Mum and dad are still upstairs. They're planning to go sightseeing round the island and are hiring a car for a couple of days." I explained trying not to sound like the little kid I now felt.

 

"Will you be going with them?" Dieter asked raising an eyebrow as he did so.

 

"No way!" I replied genuinely horrified "I have plans of my own, and that's not one of them."

 

Dieter laughed again, once he had calmed down he leant forward and in a quiet voice asked "Did you like the pool cleaner by any chance? You seemed to be watching him very intently."

 

I felt myself blushing knowing that I had been caught out, not trusting myself to speak I simply nodded and smiled sheepishly.

 

"Hey man, why are you acting like that? I think you've got good taste, that guy was hot! I've tried catching his eye several times but failed on each occasion" Dieter confided before lying down on his sun lounger with hands beneath his head and closed his eyes.

 

Following his lead I did the same and for the next half an hour or so we made small talk about our respective previous holidays, how long we were staying at this resort, what our flights had been like etc. During this time mum came down and informed me that they were going to collect the hire car and start exploring the local area, did I want to join them? I thanked her for the invite but said I had plans of my own and that I will be fine. She smiled as if she knew I was going to say that and as she turned to leave just asked me for one favour and that was to leave a note if I decided to venture out of the hotel so that they wouldn't worry if I wasn't around on their return. I assured her that I would, trying to act as maturely as I could in front of my new found holiday friend.

 

A little while after they had left Dieter sat up abruptly as if he had suddenly thought of a good idea.

 

"Dale, have you been down to the dunes yet?" he asked quite casually.

 

"No, I've not had a chance yet. Are they any good?" I replied.

 

"Mmm depends on what you're seeking, but yes, each time I've gone I've enjoyed myself, immensely. Do you fancy going?"

 

"Sure, why not? You can show me the good places to go." I said sitting upright too.

 

"Okay, that's settled then. Tell you what; I'll meet you back here in ten minutes. If I were you I'd put on a pair of shorts, a T-Shirt and trainers for the ground can be rough initially and bring with you a large bottle of water, a towel and plenty of sun cream because you're going to need it!" Dieter said with confidence.