Fortuitous (BoyxBoy)

Twelve

NEXT TO YOU

            We did get closer. The weekend came around and we spent it together. I left his apartment Sunday morning then I went to church with Dad and Simon. We went to iHop after. Dad was getting impatient to meet him. Simon and I spend a lot of time together, mostly evenings, and a lot of time Sein is there. Sein and Simon have their own little connection that did not include any action of mine. I guess they have become friends. Which is fine. But that meant Dad was hearing a lot about Sein and not actually seeing him and that was wearing at him. I know they have to meet soon. I don’t know what’s keeping me.

            One evening we were all hanging out, pizzas on the coffee table, my mind on a computer program, and Sein and Simon playing some video game, when Brian came over unannounced. That was something I was used to but it never happened when Sein was here before. I think Brian was purposely avoiding seeing me. He was too busy these days no matter how hard I tried. That was odd, though because he insisted that I not avoid him but…I won’t look into it.

            Dad sent a car to pick Simon up because he was running late. He saved the game and Sein and I had to promise not to play it without him. No problem. Simon and Brian said goodbye while they walked out and through the door. Sein knew who Brian was because of the whole online dating thing and Brian knew who Sein was because of the whole online dating thing. Knowing of someone and knowing someone are two completely different things.

            I invited Brian in and introduced them to each other. I offered Brian pizza but he declined. I offered him beer and he declined. I offered to mix him up something stronger and he declined too. He did accept water though—odd—and then took a slice of pizza when I offered again. He was extremely quiet, which, no. That was un-Brian like. Sein tried to engage in conversation with Brian as I was, and while Brian wasn’t being rude he wasn’t being pleasant either. Civil would be the word to describe what was happening and even that was too kind a description. And I saw a side of Sein I didn’t think existed. It was the “fuck it” side of him. He grabbed my iPad and started flipping through Netflix for something to stream. It took about two minutes before he put it on the table next to the pizza boxes, kissed my cheek and said he would be back and then he told Brian it was nice to meet him and shook his hand. He grabbed his coat and left. Brian relaxed after and that did not sit right with me but I didn’t say anything. Obviously something else was going on here. I ended up saying something anyways.

            “Remember that you’re the one that invaded my life and you’re the reason Sein is in my life now and if you’re going to act like a child about seeing me with him at least tell me in advance when you plan on stopping by.”

            “Yeah. Okay,” Brain said. He was the third person to walk out of my house that evening in a rush. Brian met Sein. Dad was going to be pissed if he didn’t meet him soon. A call to Sein yielded no answer. I cleaned up the mess that everyone left with a sad feeling in my heart. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. Logically, I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong but logic doesn’t prevent certain feeling from crawling unto you.

            My doorbell rang shortly after I finished cleaning up. Sein was leaning against the railing for the stairs when I opened the door.

            “I’m sorry,” were the first two words out of his mouth. “I just took a walk.”

            “No, it’s…come in. I don’t want to talk to you while you’re standing outside my home like you’re not welcomed here.”

            He came inside, took his coat off and went to the living room, sat on the couch with his back against the arm and pulled me to sit between his legs, my back against his chest. He hugged me around my shoulder and nuzzled my neck for a bit.