by David Horne
Ryan beamed, “So glad you could make it!”
All right. They were being extremely grateful for me just showing up for dinner. Something was up.
Sal finally spoke, “Hi, Harrison. How’ve you been?”
I’ve been horrible, you bastard. You haven’t called me in weeks.
Giving Sal a tight smile, I said, “Fantastic. You?”
Sal pondered this for a moment before responding, “Could be better.”
It annoyed me that this was his response after not speaking to me in weeks. Coldly, I sighed. “Oh well, trouble in paradise?”
Sal gave me a confused look. Don’t play stupid with me, Salvador! I wanted to scream.
Tabitha broke in. “Ryan and I have some wonderful news we wanted to share with our very best friends!” She looked at Ryan eagerly.
Ryan declared happily, “We’re getting married!”
Tabitha giggled and held out her hand. On her finger was a beautiful starburst floral diamond halo ring. It sparkled in the light.
Sal pointed out, “That’s fantastic, but you’ve only known each other a month.”
I countered, “It’s hardly your place to give relationship advice, Sal.”
Tabitha held her hands up. “Now, I know it’s soon, but…” She looked at Ryan again who smiled at her sweetly. “We went to my spiritual advisor, Rita, who said that we were an auspicious match!”
Sal charged at me, “I’m not giving advice. I was making simple observation.”
Sal was starting to really piss me off. “So now that you’re happy with your ex-fiancée who is probably only trying to use you again, you are an expert on romance!”
Sal threw down his napkin. “Again! I said I wasn’t offering sage advice. I was making a simple observation.” He looked at Tabitha and Ryan. “You’ve only known each other a month, right?”
Ryan said quietly, “Five weeks actually.”
Sal sighed. “Five weeks! Okay.” He turned to me, “See! I was just stating facts.”
“Well, you should probably have all your information before you make a fool of yourself.” I snorted.
Tabitha interrupted, “What’s going on? Why are you two fighting?”
I cleared my throat crossing my arms defiantly. “You should ask him.”
Sal shook his head in dismay. “I have no idea.”
I exploded. “Where have you been? Why haven’t I heard from you?”
The server, a sweet looking blonde girl, stepped up to the table just then smiling uncomfortably, “Are you ready to order?”
Tabitha grimaced. “A few more minutes please.”
The server nodded her head with relief as she scooted away.
Sal exhaled deeply. “I’ve been busy. I’m sorry.”
“Busy?” I laughed. “Busy, huh?” My anger took hold of my imagination as images of Sal and Greg enjoying themselves flew into my mind. There was no way I could continue on with an entire dinner sitting next to Sal.
I looked at Ryan and Tabitha. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for the two of you.” I stood up. “But, I can’t join you in the celebration today. I’m sorry.” With a sideway glance to Sal, I explained, “I’m just really busy right now.”
Sal reached out and grabbed my hand. “Red Line has made an offer on our script.”
I shook him off me with disgust. “When were you planning on telling me? Or were you too busy to tell me about the script we both wrote together?”
Sal looked down at his napkin. “I’m sorry you’re upset. I was planning on telling you tonight.”
Clapping my hands together, I guffawed, “How convenient!”
The server came to the table but walked back away. “I’ll give you all a few more minutes.”
Sal grabbed my hand attempting to pull me down in my chair. “Please stay. I’m sorry.”
Wrenching my hand from his, I’d really had enough. Fighting back tears, I croaked, “I can’t. And as for the script? You can have it all to yourself. I don’t want anything to do with it.”
Sal stood in protest. “No. I want to direct it with you.”
I shook my head. “You can’t always have what you want. It’s all yours.”
Quickly, I left the table marching out of the restaurant all the way to my car and only letting myself cry once I was safely inside. I drove back to my house sobbing and wishing I’d been more prepared to see Sal. He seemed so unaffected by my absence in his life. I was such a stupid fool.
At home, I resorted to calling my old standby Arnie. He wasn’t the solution to my emotional pain, but he could be the handy distraction he always was. I dialed his number. When he didn’t pick up, I left a message, “Arnie. It’s Harrison. Give me a ring back if you’re in town.”
Damn! Where was Arnie when I needed a quick and dirty lay to push my feelings away?
I was happy for Tabitha and Ryan, although I did somewhat agree with Sal’s concern that they’d just met. I’d been so angry with Sal that I wasn’t going to admit it.
Heaving myself on my couch, I clicked on the TV hoping Arnie would call me back any minute. Was he on location on a film somewhere? I hopped on Instagram to check out his profile to piece together his whereabouts.
His last post shook me. He had his arm around a blonde woman, who was dressed in a long white beaded gown. On her head, she wore a white crown of flowers. The woman and Arnie both beamed back at me from the screen.
The caption read: “It’s official! Starting the new year off right with my beautiful bride!”
Bride? Arnie was married? To a woman?
What about his sob story about being a wandering gypsy? About being incapable of commitment? About not wanting to be tied down to one person?
Now, he was married?
Chapter Sixteen
Sal
After Greg showed up at my New Year’s Eve party begging for a reconciliation, I retreated from everyone. The universe intervened and brought Greg right to my doorstep as a warning of what could happen with Harrison.
I had no romantic feelings for Greg any longer. If I really thought about it, I was unsure if I ever really did. How could I know if my feelings for Harrison wouldn’t morph into utter indifference like they had for Greg?
I felt absolutely nothing for Greg anymore. After he confessed his dormant love for me, I sent him on his way. Jumping into my old trusty Tesla, I drove around Los Angeles trying to piece together my pile of incongruent feelings. Being the coward I was, I checked into the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
I’d never stayed at the hotel before, but it was the same hotel Pretty Woman had been filmed. I’d always wanted to see the hotel from the inside. In my distressed state, I threw myself down on the 400-thread-count sheets and let the night pass.
When I got home the next day in the mid-afternoon, after sleeping in an intolerably long amount of time, I found my house empty just as I had wanted, except a small part of me hoped that Harrison would be there. All the decorations and food from the night before had been taken down and cleaned up. It was as if the night before had been a dream.
The weeks after were spent in strict isolation. I even refused to speak to Barb, who left numerous Skype video messages, demanding me to call her back immediately. I ignored her requests and focused on trying to get Harrison out of my head and my heart. Even when she frantically left messages that Red Line wanted to produce the script, I rolled over in bed and went back to sleep.
A tiny hope lived inside me that maybe Harrison would call or come over, but when he hadn’t, I knew that it was best to leave things as they were. He had a key, so it wasn’t too much of a reach to believe that he’d drop by, but he never did.
Ryan invited me to dinner at Kismet mentioning that Harrison would be there. My gut told me to not go, but I wanted to see him. I missed him so much. It turned into a disaster, of course, with Harrison irate that I’d been MIA for the last month.
When he stormed out of the restaurant, I was sure that I’d never see him again. So, it
was a surprise when he called me an hour later. I’d just finished a quick dinner with Tabitha and Ryan and was waiting for my car.
I answered in surprise, “Harrison?”
Harrison’s voice was soaked in tears. I could barely understand him. “Sal!”
“What’s happened? Are you okay?”
Harrison sobbed into the phone. “It’s Arnie.”
“Arnie? What’s happened with Arnie?”
Harrison continued in between loud cries, “He’s married!”
The valet handed me my car keys and climbed in. “Married?” What was Harrison talking about? Arnie was the last person I would expect to get married. “Calm down. Are you sure? How do you know this?”
Harrison’s bellowed into the phone, “Instagram!” He erupted into a series of deep sobs.
Instagram? I put Harrison on speaker phone while I opened the app. Then I saw Arnie’s post. Holy shit.
I sighed. “Are you okay, Harri?”
Harrison screeched, “No! I’m not okay! Can you believe it?”
I started up my car. “Where are you?”
“Home!” Harrison sobbed.
Instead of taking Wilshire to San Vicente, I hopped on I-10 and sped my way to Pacific Palisades. I hurt for Harrison. His long and tumultuous relationship with Arnie was terrible, but it was Harrison’s first love.
The reason Harrison had moved to LA was to try to make it work with Arnie. Arnie hadn’t changed his ways repeatedly cheating on him. But now, Arnie was married to a woman. I could only imagine how Harrison felt.
When I got to Harrison’s house, he was a blubbering mess. Opening the door immediately, he fell into my arms shaking. “It hadn’t been Arnie all that time! It was me! I just wasn’t good enough.”
I led him to the couch. “That’s not true. What makes you think Arnie has changed? What if he’s just using this woman? You think suddenly he is not going to be the philandering Arnie we’ve always known?” He fell into my arms as I continued, “I bet you he will go back to his old ways and run around on her. People don’t change.”
I held him close to my chest as he cried. Stroking his hair, I could feel his heartbeat thumping against mine. Harrison’s familiar sandalwood smell wafted to me.
Harrison’s hands gripped my shoulders as he cried. “You’re probably right.”
Patting his cheek, I said softly, “You deserve better. First loves are hard to get over, but you’ll get past this.”
A tear rolled down Harrison’s cheek. “You think so?”
I nodded. Harrison smiled wiping tears from his cheeks. Holding Harrison in my arms, something came over me. I pulled him to me and kissed his soft lips gently.
Harrison jerked back in horror. “What about Greg?”
Shaking my head, I asked, “What about him?”
Harrison searched my face. “Aren’t you back together?”
Placing my hands on both sides of Harrison’s beautiful face, I explained, “God no. Greg and I will never be together again.”
Harrison then leaned in closer to me. His tongue touched mine, and I drifted away in desire. He ran his hands through my hair sending chills down my spine.
Harrison stood holding my hand. I followed him to his bedroom. All the conjecture and logical explanations I had told myself floated away as I slowly undressed Harrison. With the same methodical care, Harrison undressed me too.
Harrison climbed into bed pulling me to him. I laid next to him kissing him and stroking his thick cock. I looked down at his large sturdy cock and needed it in my mouth. Pursing my lips tightly around it, I sucked. Harrison moaned in appreciation.
He ran his hands through my hair while I tongued the tip lapping up the drops of pre-cum. Harrison’s delicious salty taste made me wild. Plunging his dick deeper into my mouth, I sucked harder relishing his girth and length.
Harrison’s fingers gripped my hair tighter until he uttered a loud gasp. Harrison’s savory cum flooded my mouth in a rush. Swallowing it down in a gulp, my dick almost exploded.
Harrison sat up to kiss me before pushing me down on my back. His lips wrapped around my engorged dick tightly. I moaned trying hard to not blow my load so quickly. Harrison bobbed up and down the entire length of my cock driving me to the edge.
Harrison pulled his head up to look at me. “I want you to have me.” He opened a bedside table drawer to take out lubrication.
He positioned himself on his hands and knees. Swiftly, I mounted behind him squirting the lubrication all over my cock and on his asshole. I was blind with desire, but I steadied myself pushing into Harrison slowly.
Harrison moaned in pleasure. “Keep going! Keep going!” he urged me.
I thrust into Harrison full hilt feeling the sweet tightness of his asshole. Thrusting harder and faster, I couldn’t control myself as Harrison continued to scream, “Yes! Keep going! Keep going!”
My body shook uncontrollably as I came shooting my cum inside Harrison. I groaned loudly as my dick emptied. Out of breath, I put a hand to my chest feeling my heart beating rapidly. Harrison turned over and smiled.
He pulled me down next to him and kissed me gently on the lips. He rested his head on my chest. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the day we met. I care about you so much, Sal.”
A crash of emotions shook through me. Emotions too strong and forceful for me to handle.
What had I done? Why had I done this to myself? To Harrison?
A crippling anxiety attack stormed throughout my body. Thank God Harrison didn’t notice, most likely because I’d already been out of breath and sweating from the sex. Gritting my teeth, I took deep breaths to steel myself out of my panic.
I wasn’t ready for a love like this. I never wanted to be in a relationship. I never wanted to be in love. Swallowing down bile, I lifted Harrison up off my chest. I muttered, “Bathroom. Be right back.”
In the bathroom, I quickly flipped on the overhead fan and ran the water before I vomited into the toilet. Greg had been so much easier simply because I wasn’t in love with him. I had cared for Greg, but I was in love with Harrison.
Heaving into the toilet, I realized I was much too deep and over my head. Tears streamed down my face into the toilet water mixing with my vomit. Being in love put me in a precarious emotional position, and I wanted no part of it.
Chapter Seventeen
One Year Later
Harrison
The night Sal and I made love had been an emotional roller coaster. Finding out Arnie had gotten married crushed me, not because I was still in love with him, but because what did that woman have that changed him that I didn’t?
After seeing Arnie and his new wife’s happy Instagram posts together, I felt like the ugliest, most unlovable person on the planet. Where was my happily ever after? Where was my wedding? My honeymoon?
I’d been so close to calling Tabitha, but I’d just stormed out of her engagement announcement. In fact, I’d just ruined it by picking a fight with Sal. Tabitha deserved to be happy. I couldn’t further ruin my best friend’s night with my selfish feelings.
The only person that knew about Arnie and my long torrid ridiculous relationship was Sal. I was feeling a tad guilty for yelling at him, although I still felt that he’d deserved it, but I needed to talk to him.
When he answered, I was a mess, and he came to my rescue like a knight in shining armor. But it only lasted for one magical night. When I woke up, Sal was gone. I’d fallen fast asleep after our lovemaking, lost in a bliss of happiness.
The next morning, all that was left of Sal was a note on my kitchen table. Right when I’d awoken, and Sal wasn’t there next to me, not a negative thought crossed my mind. I’d assumed he was downstairs in the kitchen, maybe even making breakfast.
When I padded into the kitchen, it was empty aside from the note. Again, I fooled myself into thinking that maybe the note said he had run out for bagels or doughnuts. The note was brief and without much explanation.
Dearest Harrison,
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I’ve made a terrible mistake. Forgive me.
Sal
Reading the words in Sal’s handwriting crushed me. I staggered into a chair reading the note over and over. Each time, my chest ripping apart.
It had been a mistake. The magical night. Our first kiss. Everything. It was all a mistake.
I sat at my kitchen table for the longest time sobbing. Sal’s rejection hurt more than Arnie’s marriage. Arnie had always been my Old Faithful, an emotional crutch, but really? He was my first love, but he wasn’t the love of my life. Sal was.
When we finally consummated our relationship, he’d run away. That tore into my heart. For the first time in my life, I didn’t run to Tabitha, Arnie, Sal, or anyone to help assuage my pain. My pain was my own, and I had to face it.
Cradling my head in my arms, I cried so hard I lost my voice and my eyes were swollen and red. When I stopped crying, it was only a few brief minutes before I cried again. Each cycle of crying lasted shorter and shorter until I was stable enough to shuffle to the sink to drink water.
The temptation of drinking martinis until the pain would go away came to me, but alcohol would only be another escape. Sticking to being sober, I gulped more water down.
I staggered up the stairs to my room where I tried to go back to bed. The torrential sobbing exhausted me, but my bed smelled of Sal, preventing me from resting.
Rousing myself, I hid myself away in one of the guest rooms, where I slept the entire day away, waking up the next day. An entire day had passed. Soon, the days stacked up one after the other. Before I knew it, it had been an entire year since I’d last talked to Sal.
In that year, Ryan and Tabitha eloped, opting for a private wedding in Iceland atop a glacier. I’d been glad they eloped, so I wouldn’t have to think up an excuse for not going. Cold and I never got along well.
Cubicles and The Bored Room were both going strong. My sadness over Sal tossing me aside transformed into anger, but only my characters were on the receiving end of my rage. To my fans despair, I ended the on again off again romance between Mandy and Ephraim on Cubicles.