Mending Hearts

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by D. M. Cupp




  Mending Hearts

  By D.M. Cupp

  Copyright 2015 D.M. Cupp

  Smashwords Editíon

  Discover these other great titles from D.M. Cupp

  Business of the Heart

  Act of Love

  Kiss Me at Midnight

  Smashwords Editíon, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  I want to continue to thank my Family, Friends, and my Babe for their continued support of my crazy ideas and giving me the courage to pursue my dreams.

  To my Fans thank you for your continued support, comments, and loving my characters as much as I do.

  Chapter One

  It’s funny how life can change and alter your current path and send you in a completely different direction in a single moment. I never imagined my life would end up the way it did. I never thought that going to a single party would make me find the love of my life.

  I had moved to San Angelo to attend college and escape the grasp of my conservative family upbringing. I had grown up in Austin and even though the city was liberal in its thinking my parents were not. I knew that I could have gone to school at the university in Austin, but I didn’t want my parents attempting to reach out to me. I wanted this opportunity to claim my independence and find myself.

  I had always known there was something different about me while I was growing up and there were times that I would cry myself to sleep because I was not like the other children. It finally dawned on me when I was in middle school and the boys started to think of girls as hot and no longer having cooties; while I was finding myself attracted to the boys and their developing muscles.

  When I finally came out in high school my parents had told me that if I continued on this road that I would go straight to hell and some of my friends decided that it would be better for them not to be my friend so others in school would not think they were gay as well. As if it was a contagious disease.

  So being the only openly gay man in high school made for a nonexistent love life and I could not wait until college when guys were more aware of whom they were and with the help of alcohol I could possibly be braver and not so nervous. So after graduation I packed my bags and moved to San Angelo to attend college signing up for summer classes just so I would not have to stay in my parent’s conservative house for three more months.

  I met my new best friend that summer and we instantly clicked. She instantly knew that I was gay and there was no awkward unrequited love moment. We were there for each other that entire summer. There to listen to me about my first time experience with a guy, our first fraternity party, and new memorable moments.

  She was the one forcing us into new experiences and I outside my comfort zone to experience what life had to offer. She was the reason I had met Charles Matthews.

  ****

  I did not even want to go to the party. It had been a long week of finals and I had gotten very little sleep and was looking forward to finally getting caught up before the fall semester started on Monday. Donna had dragged me there under the perception that she needed backup in case the guy she was meeting was a creep and needed a getaway guy.

  I hovered close by nursing my beer when this guy walked over and begin mixing his own drink. The conversation was casual and I could tell that he was reaching his cut off point. College parties are confusing to begin with in my opinion. Everyone goes there to get drunk and hook up with someone of the opposite sex, but add college gay men to Co-ed College mix and the equation gets even more confusing. I could never tell if the guys at the party are trying to hit on me or drunk. However, my dating dry spell told me that the guys at these parties were the latter.

  I would not define myself as drop dead gorgeous, but I was not a dog. I stood about five foot six with short brown hair that I styled in spiked or in a faux-hawk. I had a slight tan but not dark enough that I was ever confused of being other than a gringo. I would define my best feature as my eyes because they were the one thing that I received the most compliments on. My hazel eyes would bring out just the right color so they were my most important accessory. Even with this confidence boost I still continued to feel shy around guys.

  After the guy had finished mixing his drink he extended his hand and introduced himself, “My name’s Chuck and I like to fuck.” He said laughing at his own rhyme of his name.

  “Nice to meet you Chuck, I’m Daniel.” I said taking his hand in mine.

  I’m a hopeless romantic but at the time I’m a pessimist; which is a strange combination but this is a trait I’m working to remove it, but I doubt it will happen.

  “I actually prefer Charles.” He said correcting me.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I actually hate the name Chuck and don’t like people calling me it. I just thought you were cute and needed some cheesy line to talk to you.”

  I smiled inwardly. I never would have thought that he was gay, and I knew right then and there that I needed to improve my gaydar. This was a way people met in movies but not in real life. I was determined to play it cool, and I was not going to allow this guy to know that I melt easily.

  “Want to go somewhere and talk?” Charles asked.

  “Sure.” I said smiling.

  He took my hand and lead me away from the punch bowl. I briefly remembered Donna and wondered if she would need me, but then I remembered this handsome man that was holding my hand and forgot all about Donna. My last thought of Donna was that I’m a bad gayfriend, but she’ll forgive me.

  ****

  Present Day

  It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years and Charles and I are still together. I think about that night all the time and smile thinking how I didn’t want to even go to that party. I don’t remember what exactly we talked about. I just know that we started talking and didn’t stop until the sun was coming up the next morning over Lake Nasworthy. He dropped me off at my apartment and gave me a kiss goodnight or morning and told me he would be dreaming about me and would call me later. I think how my life would have ended up if I hadn’t gone…would I still be single, would Charles and I have met eventually, or would I be with someone else, and would we have been as happy as I am in this very moment.

  The bell rung and jarred me from my thoughts. It was the Friday before Spring Break and I was excited that I would be off for the entire next week and Charles and I were escaping for a mini vacation for a few days to San Antonio.

  The last student left my classroom and waved goodbye and I smiled at her. I loved my job and loved my high school students, but I enjoyed my breaks throughout the year. I packed up my backpack, turned off my computer, and turned off the lights without looking back.

  The drive wasn’t as long as it typically was and I imagined that many commuters had left early from work making rush hour traffic less congested. We only lived about twenty minutes from my school, but in traffic it could take almost an hour to get home. Today I got lucky and was home in thirty minutes.

  I pulled into my parking space and put the car into park and walked towards our apartment on the third fl
oor. I saw that Charles was already home and wondered if he was as excited as I was about our anniversary celebration getaway. I unlocked the door and sat my bag down and walked towards the bedroom. I wondered what Charles would want for dinner. Maybe we could go out to eat somewhere special.

  “Hey babe I’m home –” Charles was lying there naked and I heard the shower running and a male voice singing behind the closed door. I looked from Charles to the closed bathroom door and saw the used condom disposed on the floor. My heart began to pound in my chest, my mouth went dry, and a wave of nausea swept over me. I had lost the ability to speak and all I could do was to stare at Charles who had now covered himself up with the bed sheets.

  “Baby let me explain. It isn’t what it looks like.”

  I turned and left the room. I picked up my bag that I had left by the door and got in my car and drove not sure where I was going.

  It’s funny how life can change and alter your current path and send you in a completely different direction in a single moment.

  Chapter Two

  I felt like a zombie just going through the motion of life. My life had stopped. My routine had been simplified to waking up, showering, going to school to teach, grading papers, eat, sleep, and repeat. Most nights I cried to the point of exhaustion and fell asleep. Donna had been there for me in more ways than one. She offered me her guest room to stay until I could get back on my feet. I knew that I didn’t want to return to our apartment because I didn’t want to see Charles. I didn’t want to hear his excuses of why it happened. I already was beating myself up with those same questions: what had I not done, what the mysterious man looked like, did he have something that I didn’t, and the questions continued. Donna continued to tell me not to beat myself up, and that I would be much better without Charles.

  I had gone back to the apartment after Spring Break had ended and knew that Charles would have returned to work from his vacation. When school had resumed I spoke with our principal and explained everything and he had given me a personal day so that I could collect my things without having to see Charles given the fact that he would be at work. It was eerie being back in the apartment even though it had only been a week. I tried not to look around in fear that I would see the mystery man’s belongings and that Charles had already moved on and replaced me. I threw all my clothes in a suitcase trying to move quickly. I looked over at the nightstand and saw a photo of Charles and I that was taken on our one year anniversary. Charles must have sat it there because the frame usually hung on the wall in the living room. I picked up the frame and looked at it sitting on the bed. I felt my eyes sting as tears formed. I wiped the tears away forcing myself not to think about why Charles moved the frame to the bedroom. I couldn’t care if he felt guilty he had gotten caught or if he regretted the affair. I couldn’t be with someone that would cheat on me. I sat the photo back on the nightstand and removed the promise ring that Charles and I had exchanged on the night of our one year anniversary and sat it next to the photo on the nightstand. I zipped the suitcase closed and walked out of the apartment.

  ****

  One month later

  The pain had gotten easier to deal with and my heartache was beginning to heal. I never did speak to Charles and he attempted several times to call and text, but eventually gave up. Donna and I had settled back into our old routine of when we were roommates in college, but an adult version of us. Instead of rushing to class it was work and meetings, but we always found time for weekly dinners where we could catch up.

  “I’m not going to renew my contract next year.” I told Donna one evening during one of weekly dinners.

  She put her fork down still full of grilled chicken, “Why? What are you going to do?”

  “It was never my plan to stay in San Angelo after graduation. I stayed because Charles accepted a position and I was able to get a teaching position here too, but my plan was always to return to Austin to be closer to my family.”

  “Honey, you don’t even talk to your family now,” Donna said matter-of-factly.

  “Well maybe they’ve changed, and maybe I’ll have the chance to have an honest relationship with them without judgment and meet someone that won’t cheat on me.”

  “Well I hate to see you go, but I don’t think you should make any rash decisions. When do you have to inform Ken?”

  “I have to tell him by the middle of next month, but I really don’t see the reason in waiting.”

  “I think you should wait. You never know what fate has in store. What if you decide to work things out or something?”

  “Yeah I guess I can wait, but I know that I’ve closed that door for Charles and me. I have to move on, and there are so many memories here with him, and what would I do if I run into him?”

  “Well I’m sure that it would be awkward the first time, but that’s why you need to have that closer and not allow him to run you away from this town that has become your home and a school that you have helped change.”

  “I know I would miss my students and you so much, but it’s so hard to be here with all the memories.”

  Donna picked up her wine glass and took a long sip and sat it back down, “Enough with the sulking. It’s time for us to make some new memories and if you are going to move and leave me I want it to be on a positive note. We’re going out tonight and you’re going to have a blast,” she said matter-of-factly.

  ****

  I stared at myself in the mirror drying my hands and giving final approval of my hair styling. This was my first night going out since that day I walked in on Charles, and I was beginning to get nervous. I know I looked good, but not in a conceded way, but I knew I didn’t need a guy’s approval to think I was attractive. That is one thing that I learned from Charles. In college I was shy and unsure of myself and with Charles he gave me the confidence to know I was attractive.

  I had chosen a black button up shirt and stone colored jeans that fit my legs and ass perfectly, and I finished off the outfit with a leather-roped cross necklace. I walked out of the bathroom and walked towards the living room.

  “Wow sexy,” Donna called giving me a little whistle.

  I smiled, “Thanks, but I have to admit I am really nervous about tonight. I haven’t been out since Charles and I split, and I rarely went out without him unless it was a work function or with you and the girls.”

  “Honey it’s natural to be nervous reentering the dating scene after so many years, but it’s just me and you going out for drinks and dancing. You don’t have to go out with the intentions of trying to find a new man.” She said stepping towards me and embracing me with a warm hug.

  “I know,” I said wrapping my arms around her and taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

  Donna always knew the right thing to say to make me feel better. She had always been that way. I had met her at summer orientation when I moved to San Angelo to attend college. She and I hit it off instantly and found that we had almost everything in common. She and I stood at the same height of five and a half feet. Her straight black hair reached her shoulders and her laugher was infectious.

  “Ready to get out there,” she asked looking at me with her dark brown eyes.

  “Yeah let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Three

  Wild Nights was busy for a Friday night and the DJ was awesome. It had been forever since I had been out with Donna at Wild Nights and it reminded me of all the crazy weekends we had together in college.

  We walked up to the bar and ordered our drinks and went to find a table to drink and gain the liquid courage to start dancing.

  The dance floor already had several couples dancing to a remix of a pop song and I couldn’t help but dance in my chair feeling the warm alcohol flow through my body. The opening beats for the Cupid Shuffle sounded across the dance floor and my head shot up to look at Donna.

  “We have to dance!” I demanded.

  “I haven’t had enough to drink yet.” Donna said laughing.

  “W
ell time to put ourselves out there and shake what our mamas gave us.” I said standing up and pulling her towards the dance floor before having anytime to protest.

  As the song continued I couldn’t help but look at the people around me and laugh and smile at them as we all listened to the words of the song and dancing in unison. Halfway through the song I caught the eye of this guy and he was staring at me as we danced in place and turning directions. He was staring intently at me and I felt a stir in my stomach. I looked away feeling my face redden as if I shouldn’t be looking at this man. It had only been a month since my five year relationship had ended, but at the same time he was the one staring at me.

  Donna looked at me and then looked in the direction that I had been looking and saw the man that was looking at me.

  “He’s cute!” She said leaning forward and shouting above the music but only loud enough for me to hear.

  She was right that the man was cute. He stood about five foot nine and piercing brown eyes. In the bar’s lighting I couldn’t tell if the man had brown or black hair. He was tan in complexion and lips that just told you he was a passionate kisser.

  The song ended and a Tejano song began to play. This wasn’t uncommon for bars in west Texas. The city had a diverse population and the bars accommodated to all types of music taste. Donna and I exited the dance floor as we had not had enough to drink to begin dancing to any Latin songs just yet. As I took my seat I looked onto the dance floor and saw the man continuing to dance away with such fluency that it was obvious that the man had Latin in his blood.

  “You should go talk to him!” Donna yelled over the music.

  “Huh?” I yelled back trying to sound innocent even though I know that I’d been caught staring.

  “Don’t play coy with me Daniel. I saw you staring at him, and I also saw him staring at you. Go and ask him to dance.”

 

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