Until Forever Comes

by Jerry Cole

  Bryce might have been imaging it... but he could have sworn that the guy was watching him also, although far more subtly than Bryce was. Bryce tried for a better look, but the darkly dressed man was in the corner, hidden in shadow, with his head bent down.

  A shake of the head, a conscious effort to ignore Amy still watching him, and Bryce was back to his books. But it was to little avail. He read and then reread the same page three times before realizing that maybe giving up wasn’t such a bad thing.

  At the very least, Bryce figured that he could afford a short walk. Maybe a lap around the airport would get him back into gear. So, making sure to keep his eyes averted from Amy the bartender, Bryce quickly scooped his books up, packed them into his bag and hurried from the bar. He could feel her watching him the entire way too.

  “Bryce!” The voice that called out sounded familiar... only Bryce had no idea how.

  Expecting it to be someone he knew from either campus or class, Bryce spun around and readied himself for the obligated exchange of pleasantries and small talk that always came in this situation. Lots of “where you off to,” “looking forward to the break,” and that kind of stuff. But then Bryce spotted the guy that had called out to him.

  Bryce had no idea who he was. Dressed in a pair of black-denim dungarees with black shoes, a black-undershirt, and black hair that was slicked back over his head was a guy about Bryce’s age, headed straight for him and smiling like he knew who he was. His skin was also bone white, and he was rather short and slim. But he walked with confidence; like he knew who he was and was proud of it.

  “What?” The stranger asked as he got closer. He wore a huge smile that formed perfectly on his long, slim face. “Don’t tell me you’re going to kiss and run this time.”

  And that was when Bryce figured it out.

  It was Roman! The kid from four years ago that Bryce had hung out with that day in Sydney. The one who had shown him Vietnamese food for the first time – as ridiculous as that now seemed – and the one that had taken him to the Sydney Cricket Ground, and the one that had...

  “Roman!” Bryce shouted a little too loud. Their last moment together had just come flooding back to him, and he felt his face flush at the memory. “Wow!” He strode across the space to greet the one-day friend. “Look at you.”

  Roman held a hand out for Bryce to shake, which he took willingly. It was a firm grip, and oddly familiar. “I have hair now,” Roman joked. “Wish I could say I was taller though.”

  “Right...” Bryce didn’t know what to say. This was rather awkward to say the least... not to mention random! “I mean... you look... good.”

  “So do you.”

  “Thanks. Puberty,” he tried for the joke.

  “That explains the deeper voice.”

  “Right. Yeah.”

  This was awkward. And it wasn’t just how random it was either. Or the fact that the last time they had met, Roman had literally kissed Bryce and run. It was more the fact that Bryce felt himself become excited at the sight of Roman... and he didn’t really know why.

  It was a subtle excitement too. There were butterflies in Bryce’s stomach that he was having a hard time ignoring. And there was a definite heat rising through his torso and spreading over his entire body. His mouth was dry, his leg was twitching, his heart was thumping. And again, he didn’t know why.

  For a moment, the two just stood and stared. Bryce felt his cheeks flush, while Roman smirked and eyed Bryce with a cool confidence he certainly hadn’t possessed four years previously. The kid had changed, and clearly for the better.

  “So... where you off to?” Bryce tried when he realized he was staring.

  “Small talk?” Roman frowned. “I thought you were better than that, Bryce. Aren’t writers meant to have a way with words?”

  “What do you mean – Oh, right.” Bryce suddenly felt embarrassed. He’d completely forgotten that Roman had known about his once upon a time ambition. “Yeah... I’m not a writer. I’m studying accounting instead. Fun.”

  “Mum and dad,” Roman nodded his head as if it were all coming back to him. “Ah well, so long as you love it, right?” He then reached out and slapped Bryce on the arm.

  “Yeah, that’s the main thing.” Bryce nodded his agreement and tried to make it look and sound sincere. “Anyway -- where are you going? Small talk, I know. But we’re in an airport,” he then laughed.

  “Ah well, seeing as we’re in an airport, I suppose I can allow it.” Roman winked. “I’m out of here, baby.” He mock wiped his hands clean. “I’m moving to Brisbane as of today and I tell you, I am not looking back – you remember me telling you how much I hate this city, yeah.”

  Bryce grinned. “You probably remember how much I refused to believe it too.”

  “Yeah well, you’d never even had Vietnamese food before, so sorry if I never took your opinion too seriously.”

  “Hey!” Bryce pretended to get angry. “Don’t hold that against me. I’d never even seen Sydney before.”

  Roman squinted his eyes. “Is that supposed to help your argument or hinder it?”

  Bryce rolled his eyes. It had been four years, but they were back to the way they had been when they’d first met. Odd that they didn’t even really know one another. They’d literally spent maybe six hours together but were acting like old friends.

  Friends? That word rung in Bryce’s head. Were they even friends? Sure, they’d gotten on well that one day. But that didn’t make them friends. And then there was that kiss...

  “So, when’s your flight?” Bryce asked quickly. It was small talk, but he had to keep the conversation going otherwise he’d risk delving into the past.

  “Not until tonight – would you believe that I misread the flight time?”

  “Not at all,” Bryce laughed. “It’s in twenty-four-hour time, so you can’t misread it.”

  Roman smirked at this. He was clearly lying about misreading the time, but for some reason didn’t want to admit it. “We’re not all brainiacs like you, mate,” Roman challenged. “And besides, I like airports. You never know who you’re going to meet.” He eyed Bryce suggestively.

  “I can attest to that personally,” Bryce joked.

  “Don’t tell me there’s someone else? You’ll make me jealous.” Roman’s smile was knowing, and a little flirty; like he had a secret that he wanted Bryce to beg for.

  “Just Amy the waitress.” Bryce indicated toward Amy who he could see watching them out the corner of his eye.

  “Right, I saw that,” Roman laughed and shook his head. “Did you let her down easy at least?”

  “Who said I let her down?” Bryce shot back quickly, and a little more aggressively than he had meant to.

  “Oh... just a feeling.” And then Roman winked.

  Bryce wasn’t sure how he should read the way Roman was acting. Although fuck, he was trying to figure it out.

  On the one hand, it was easy to dismiss his behavior as friendly. They had had a very good time together all those years ago and it was easy enough to just assume they were picking up where they had left off. That was the safe reading anyway.

  On the other hand... there was that kiss and everything that it had meant and could still possibly mean.

  There was a time in Bryce’s life where all he’d been able to think about was that kiss and what it had meant. Obviously, Roman was gay. That had to have been the case. From how he had dressed to how strange he was in general, there was really no doubt. Add that to the way he was acting now, how suggestive he was being, and Bryce was almost certain Roman was gay.

  But even if Roman was gay, and was flirting with Bryce, what did Bryce want? He had no idea.

  Back to that kiss. He hadn’t hated it, that was first of all. But he also hadn’t known what to make of it. It had been his first kiss, and his last for another eighteen months. For those eighteen months it had burrowed itself within Bryce’s subconscious and grown a life of its own. It had gone from a small peck to a full-blown
make-out; a simple kiss to the height of sexual promiscuity. And then, by the time Bryce’s next kiss happened – a girl named Kylie from campus – it wasn’t as good. But was that because the kiss with Roman was so good, or because he had just exaggerated it in his head?

  The real question here was whether or not Bryce was gay. Bryce had never said so out loud, or even admitted as much in his head. He preferred not to think about it. Things just seemed easier that way.

  “Bryce?” Roman prodded. “Are you all right?”

  Bryce had disappeared inside his head. He blinked his eyes and gave himself a quick shake. “What were you saying?” Bryce asked. Then, “Shit. Sorry. I got a little distracted.”

  Roman smirked. “I was telling you I had all day to kill. And you were telling me...” Roman raised both his eyebrows at Bryce for him to finish.

  “... that I have about three hours to kill.” Despite himself, he was beaming.

  Roman pressed his lips together to stop himself from smiling. “And you’re not going to use it to study and blow off bartenders, are you? That’s so five minutes ago.”

  “Yeah well... she wasn’t really my type.” What did that mean? Bryce wasn’t sure. But it had sounded cool, so he stuck with it.

  “I’ll bet,” Roman winked and licked his lips. A tingle ran up Bryce’s spine and he felt himself become suddenly hot. “But I guess that means you and I are hanging out together? Round two.” Roman clapped his hands together.

  Bryce hesitated. He wanted to hang out with Roman... but he also didn’t want it to seem too obvious. He was playing games, and it wasn’t even on purpose. “I suppose I could swing that.”

  “Perfect. Now—” Roman looked about suddenly as if searching for something. “Say... how do you feel about breaking the rules?”

  “I hate it.”

  “I know you do. Come here— He held his hand out for Bryce to take. Bryce eyed the hand, wanting to take it but not sure that he should. Not only was Roman sure to lead him somewhere he didn’t want to go... but he didn’t want to risk what he would feel when his hand wrapped inside Roman’s. “Come on!” Roman groaned.

  Bryce rolled his eyes at himself and took Roman’s hand. It shot through him like a lightning bolt. “There.”

  “Perfect!” Roman gave it a squeeze. “Now, let’s do it.” And then, without another word, Roman pulled Bryce with him deeper into the airport. Where they were going, Bryce had no idea. All he knew was that he was excited. More than any amount of studying could ever make him.

  As for that kiss and what it had meant? Bryce decided not to think about it. Not now anyway. The truth was, he was more excited than he had been in as long as he could remember. Best to ride that feeling while he could and not let anything else concern him. Who knew when it would happen again?

  Chapter Six

  Roman couldn’t believe his luck! Seriously! What were the fucking odds here! A million to one? A trillion to one? Maybe even more? Roman didn’t know how to explain it... so he didn’t! Instead he just basked in the goodness that was his bumping into Bryce at the airport.

  “So where are we going exactly?” Bryce asked as soon as they started walking. “There isn’t a cricket stadium hidden away in here, is there?”

  “Faaaaark,” Roman groaned. “How’d you know?”

  “Because you’ve become predictable, is how,” Bryce joked and then nudged Roman. Just the contact of his elbow against Roman’s ribs had him hyperventilating.

  “Classic Roman,” Roman joked. “I guess we can skip the tour.” Roman came to a sudden halt. “Maybe I’ll see you in another few years?” He pretended to walk away.

  “I was kidding,” Bryce assured him playfully. He then grabbed Roman by both hands – another thrill – and dragged him forward. “When we get there, I promise to act surprised.”

  “Fiiiiiine.” Roman allowed himself to be pulled until he was back in the lead. “But start working on your shocked face now, so it’s convincing.”

  Seriously, what were the odds? Of all the people to bump into at the airport, Roman was lucky enough to bump into the one guy he’d wanted to see more than just about anyone. Indeed, Roman had lost track of the number of times he’d thought of Bryce over the past four years. It was too many to count.

  But as far as Roman was concerned, that was perfectly normal. Even putting aside how great that single day had been, there was just so much to think about.

  First of all, Bryce was the first person to treat Roman like... well, like a person! His mother never had, his brother certainty didn’t and there wasn’t one kid in his school that Roman could point to as a friend. Until Bryce came along, Roman had been pretty certain that he was alone in the world and completely incapable of making even a single friend. It was a laughable concept now, but back then it had been very real.

  Honestly, that day had changed Roman in ways he couldn’t have even comprehended. He stopped caring what other people thought about him. He stopped worrying about being a ‘loser with no future’ or the fact he had no friends, or that his life was headed nowhere. After that day with Bryce, Roman started leaning into his personality more and seeing it for what it was, a boon, not a hindrance. Bryce had changed him.

  “But seriously, where are we going?” Bryce asked once the two started walking again. The airport was getting busier now, so they were forced to walk closer together so as not to block or cut off anyone else. “Tell me we’re not just doing laps.”

  “You really think I’m going to tell you that?” Roman shot over his shoulder. “Give me some credit.”

  “A hint?”

  “Where’s the fun?”

  “I forgot how much you liked to tease me,” Bryce sighed.

  “You have no idea.” Roman looked over his shoulder again and winked suggestively.

  That was the other major effect that Bryce had had on Roman, the realization of his sexuality. Until Bryce had come along, Roman had never been certain what he was. He’d grown up being told that it was normal to be straight, and weird to be gay. He hadn’t wanted to be gay. And the few times he’d thought he might be, he tried with all his might to reverse it, like that was how it worked. But then that kiss happened...

  And it wasn’t just the kiss. It was the fact that it had happened with someone so amazing. Bryce was cool, confident, funny, popular, and smart. Yet the fact that he was gay too must have meant that it was Okay to be gay? That was how Roman had chosen to look at it. And since that kiss, Roman hadn’t looked back.

  Roman was now an out and proud gay man. Since that kiss, he’d managed to kiss dozens of more men... and do a lot more than that with others. He had no desire to be with a woman and was glad for it. Bryce really had changed his life, even if he didn’t know it.

  “How about what you’re doing in Brisbane?” Bryce matched Roman’s pace. “Will you at least tell me that?”

  “Ha!” Roman laughed. “I think you’ve earned it. Even if it does fall into the maligned small talk category.”

  Roman was on his way to Brisbane for two reasons. The first was to get out of Sydney. He hated Sydney with a passion and needed a change. The last four years were spent living at home, working odd jobs while telling himself that one day he’d get his life on track. Finally, he stopped telling himself he would, and he did it.

  Film had always been a passion of Roman’s. As a teenager, he’d channeled that into drawing and painting. But now that he was a little older, he’d gone and bought himself a camera and started filming shorts. Nothing fancy, but it was content, nonetheless. He’d managed to use these to get a job on a film set as a “runner” which was basically just a bitch boy with a title. But at least it was a start.

  “Wow.” Bryce actually sounded impressed. “You’re working on film sets? Fuck, that’s cool.”

  “It’s nothing,” Roman waved him down. For some reason he felt embarrassed. “I mean... you’re in university. I’ll just be making coffee—”

  “Fuck off,” Bryce cut him off. “You k
now it’s more than that.”

  “I guess...”

  “It is.” Bryce grabbed Roman by the shoulder and spun him around. “Seriously. You’re following your passion and doing something with your life. At the very least, it’s a step in the right direction, yeah?” He put his hands on his hips and fixed Roman with a challenging stare.

  Roman met the stare with his own... and a small smile. “True,” he agreed and tried to ignore the way his pants were suddenly tightening. “Hey, when I’m a famous film director, I’ll cast you in one of my films.”

  “No nudity though,” Bryce joked. “At least full frontal.”

  “I guess I won’t look you up when I start making porn then.”

  The thing that Roman really couldn’t get over was how fucking good looking Bryce was. Like... what?! He’d only met him the one time, and that was four years ago. Since then, he’d tried his best to picture him in his head, but each time the memory became fuzzier and more exaggerated. Seeing Bryce now though, in the flesh, Roman had to admit his imaginings didn’t do the man any justice whatsoever.

  Bryce was tall. He was also pretty well built in the shoulders, and clearly had a good body underneath his clothes. His chin was square with a little dimple in the center, his eyes were bright blue, and his hair fell naturally on his head like he was a Calvin Klein model. There was just something about him that was so inviting, so charismatic... so unattainable.

  All of this led Roman to the biggest question of the day, the one that had been on his mind since he first spotted Bryce thirty minutes ago at that bar. Was Bryce even gay?

  “Well, we’re here.” Roman came to a sudden halt.

  “We are?” Bryce blinked back his surprise as he looked over where Roman had led them. “This is...”

  “Baggage collection, yep.” Roman grinned knowingly as he watched Bryce become more and more confused. Indeed, he had led Bryce to the bag pick-up area, arguably the most visited spot in the airport and thus very unexciting. “Exciting, yes?”