A Scene
After some Rolling Rocks and Mudslides, here's an attempt at a short story from
"I should really get going," Christian said, trying to avoid eye contact with either Sebastian or Michael.
"Hang on," Michael said as he rummaged through his satchel, "I want you to see what I bought Seby."
Something stirred inside of Christian upon hearing Michael nonchalantly use Sebastian's nickname that Christian often resorted to during their high school days.
"I told you I didn't need anything," Sebastian said as Michael pulled out two small, individually wrapped items. "I told you not to spend money on me."
Christian managed to steal a glance at Sebastian and the glow on his face forced Christian's face away. He did not want to be here, this was not something he wanted to be a part of at the moment. He could barely stand looking at Sebastian's face much less look at Michael.
Michael, for whom Christian had been secretly excited for since the moment he heard Michael was going away to France for the semester. Michael, for whom Christian's thoughts were often filled with, no matter the time or day, or the hour. Michael, who made Sebastian seem like a new guy every day since they had been together while Christian suffered in silence and in the background.
Now Michael was back and in front of Christian, was going to be giving Sebastian the gifts Christian had hoped would have been his if things had been different between the two of them.
It wasn't Michael's fault that he cared for Sebastian and not for Christian, especially when Michael was oblvious to the feelings Christian had kept under control for so long. Michael simply viewed Christian as a good friend while it was Sebastian he had eyes for, even while in France.
Christian watched as Sebastian took the small gifts from Michael, his boyish smile the only indicatuon of his excitment, curiosity, and happieness that he still meant the world to the boy at his side. Michael turned to smile at Christian as Sebastian began unwrapping the first gift but Christian pretended not to notice him smiling at him for confirmation that Christian too saw the happieness on his friend's face.
"Baby, this is pretty cool," Sebastian said in an excited tone of voice as he held up for Christian to see, a small glass shot glass with gold inscriptions on it. "And it has my initials on it, too!"
From the corner of his eyes, Christian could tell Michael was beaming with satisfaction that his first gift had been met with appreciation. His mouth was dry and his heart was beating fast. He hoped neither of the boys noticed the pain in his eyes as he watched the two of them display a kind of happieness that Christian had once envisioned for himself and Michael.
"I got it in a small town in Italy," Michasel said as he took the shot glass from Sebastian. "I know taking shots isn't really your scene but it was too beautiful to pass up."
"It's awesome," Sebastian said with a grin.
"If he doens't use it for what it's supposed to be used for, never fear 'cause I'll take care of that," Christian said with a forced laugh.
Michael smiled and replied,"Well hopefully you'll be able to content yourself with other shot glasses here, Christian. This one is more of an ornament for Sebastian."
"Right, I mean you know what's another shot glass when there are so many around already?" Christian said, his face tightening and for whatever reason, feeling himself die even more after his stupidity.
Michael looked him oddly- the look Christian had grown to love and been accostumed to receiving from him that satisfied him if only because it meant Michael recognized his existence despite Christian being the sort who never needed this sort of confirmation from another individual.
"German chocolate!" Sebastian explained, interrupting Christian's thoughts.
He watched as Sebastian hugged Michael with more happieness while holding a sealed bar of chocolate in his one hand. He looked at Michael and the expression on his face was too much for Christian to bear.
While feeling like a horrible friend since he couldn't share in Sebastian's happieness that Michael was finally back, he also felt like he was constraining his feelings for the boy even more than he had done so already. While Sebastian had been counting the days until Michael returned, Christian's very being had been bursting with excitement and agony over Michael's return since it had been a long semester yet Christian knew he would not be the one to fully share and enjoy Michael's return.
Christian got up as Sebastian opened the chocolate bar. Michael looked up Christian for a second and then back at Sebastian who gave him a piece before breaking off another one for Christian.
"No thanks," Christian said, "I'm stuffed from lunch."
"Your loss," Sebastian said as he fed the piece to Michael.
Christian felt Sebastian's words cutting straight at him and knew he had to leave right then.
"Well I'll see you lovebirds later then," Christian said he headed for the apartment door.
"Thanks for the ride buddy!" Michael called to him and waved.
"Thanks, I'll call you later today. We should all go out or something," Sebastian said as Michael admired the shot glass.
"Sounds like a plan," Christian said with forced enthusiasm.
He opened the door, forced a smile, and walked out.
With his back to the door and unable to hear whatever else was going on in the apartment, Christian leaned back on the door and took a deep breath.
A moment later, a tear made it's way down one of his cheeks and Christian brushed it off with the back of his hand before heading down the hallway, head low and with the pace of a brokenhearted man.
It's not a big deal, really... just a short story, you know?
"and when she says she wants somebody else... she doesn't mean you... and when she says she wants someone to love... I hope you know she doesn’t mean you... you don’t know what it means to you... she doesn’t mean you..."
"I should really get going," Christian said, trying to avoid eye contact with either Sebastian or Michael.
"Hang on," Michael said as he rummaged through his satchel, "I want you to see what I bought Seby."
Something stirred inside of Christian upon hearing Michael nonchalantly use Sebastian's nickname that Christian often resorted to during their high school days.
"I told you I didn't need anything," Sebastian said as Michael pulled out two small, individually wrapped items. "I told you not to spend money on me."
Christian managed to steal a glance at Sebastian and the glow on his face forced Christian's face away. He did not want to be here, this was not something he wanted to be a part of at the moment. He could barely stand looking at Sebastian's face much less look at Michael.
Michael, for whom Christian had been secretly excited for since the moment he heard Michael was going away to France for the semester. Michael, for whom Christian's thoughts were often filled with, no matter the time or day, or the hour. Michael, who made Sebastian seem like a new guy every day since they had been together while Christian suffered in silence and in the background.
Now Michael was back and in front of Christian, was going to be giving Sebastian the gifts Christian had hoped would have been his if things had been different between the two of them.
It wasn't Michael's fault that he cared for Sebastian and not for Christian, especially when Michael was oblvious to the feelings Christian had kept under control for so long. Michael simply viewed Christian as a good friend while it was Sebastian he had eyes for, even while in France.
Christian watched as Sebastian took the small gifts from Michael, his boyish smile the only indicatuon of his excitment, curiosity, and happieness that he still meant the world to the boy at his side. Michael turned to smile at Christian as Sebastian began unwrapping the first gift but Christian pretended not to notice him smiling at him for confirmation that Christian too saw the happieness on his friend's face.
"Baby, this is pretty cool," Sebastian said in an excited tone of voice as he held up for Christian to see, a small glass shot glass with gold inscriptions on it. "And it has my initials on it, too!"
From the corner of his eyes, Christian could tell Michael was beaming with satisfaction that his first gift had been met with appreciation. His mouth was dry and his heart was beating fast. He hoped neither of the boys noticed the pain in his eyes as he watched the two of them display a kind of happieness that Christian had once envisioned for himself and Michael.
"I got it in a small town in Italy," Michasel said as he took the shot glass from Sebastian. "I know taking shots isn't really your scene but it was too beautiful to pass up."
"It's awesome," Sebastian said with a grin.
"If he doens't use it for what it's supposed to be used for, never fear 'cause I'll take care of that," Christian said with a forced laugh.
Michael smiled and replied,"Well hopefully you'll be able to content yourself with other shot glasses here, Christian. This one is more of an ornament for Sebastian."
"Right, I mean you know what's another shot glass when there are so many around already?" Christian said, his face tightening and for whatever reason, feeling himself die even more after his stupidity.
Michael looked him oddly- the look Christian had grown to love and been accostumed to receiving from him that satisfied him if only because it meant Michael recognized his existence despite Christian being the sort who never needed this sort of confirmation from another individual.
"German chocolate!" Sebastian explained, interrupting Christian's thoughts.
He watched as Sebastian hugged Michael with more happieness while holding a sealed bar of chocolate in his one hand. He looked at Michael and the expression on his face was too much for Christian to bear.
While feeling like a horrible friend since he couldn't share in Sebastian's happieness that Michael was finally back, he also felt like he was constraining his feelings for the boy even more than he had done so already. While Sebastian had been counting the days until Michael returned, Christian's very being had been bursting with excitement and agony over Michael's return since it had been a long semester yet Christian knew he would not be the one to fully share and enjoy Michael's return.
Christian got up as Sebastian opened the chocolate bar. Michael looked up Christian for a second and then back at Sebastian who gave him a piece before breaking off another one for Christian.
"No thanks," Christian said, "I'm stuffed from lunch."
"Your loss," Sebastian said as he fed the piece to Michael.
Christian felt Sebastian's words cutting straight at him and knew he had to leave right then.
"Well I'll see you lovebirds later then," Christian said he headed for the apartment door.
"Thanks for the ride buddy!" Michael called to him and waved.
"Thanks, I'll call you later today. We should all go out or something," Sebastian said as Michael admired the shot glass.
"Sounds like a plan," Christian said with forced enthusiasm.
He opened the door, forced a smile, and walked out.
With his back to the door and unable to hear whatever else was going on in the apartment, Christian leaned back on the door and took a deep breath.
A moment later, a tear made it's way down one of his cheeks and Christian brushed it off with the back of his hand before heading down the hallway, head low and with the pace of a brokenhearted man.
It's not a big deal, really... just a short story, you know?
"and when she says she wants somebody else... she doesn't mean you... and when she says she wants someone to love... I hope you know she doesn’t mean you... you don’t know what it means to you... she doesn’t mean you..."