BLUES

By Emerald

22/10/2001

“You embarrass me!”

  These three little words had such a great impact. They hurt a lot. And while Vince played the guitar those words, and mostly how they were said, sang along in his head. Those words were little knives in his gut and heart.

  Today he had blindly tried to set his place secure by Dominic’s side. That never worked as planned, actually the whole thing ended up in a major mess for his own side.

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  Earlier in the week Dom had told him about the blond guy who came over every evening for a tuna sandwich. Dom told of his pretending to get a beer only to check the guy out. How his clear blue eyes seemed to be searching for something more than the beauty of his sister. How good looking he was, how cool and fast his car could be. Vince could notice an unmistakable pleasure in his friend’s voice. A spark that he was not able to light on the other man’s dark eyes for months. The excitement he heard and saw was barely hidden by the mask of a zealous brother and alpha macho posture.

  He felt betrayed. Twice. First was Mia’s rejection of his invitations for a romantic dinner. He had planned everything: the place, beautiful and nice, the songs they would listen to, the food they would order. All perfect. But she never gave him a chance. And now her brother’s distance…And the cause of it all? The blond guy with blue eyes, clear face and bright smile.

  It seemed like long years had passed since his best friend bestowed him with the simplest kind of affection. He still was his brother, his buddy, but noting else. The tight embraces, the shared secrets in opened heart conversations, the late night’s Coronas followed by intimate strokes, drunken happiness, hard and too fast release. Afterwards, when he would try to tenderly kiss Dom’s lips he would end up connecting with a smooth cheek, a rough whisper brushing his ear “Don’t my friend”, a warm hand patting his shoulder sending their bodies apart. Vince never lost his hopes of maybe, one day, he would be fully accepted by Dominic.

  Meanwhile, he would be by the man’s side no matter what it cost. For many occasions his life was put at risk just to please, help or gain his friend’s trust. How could that buster get the man’s graces just by showing for a snack? Just by smiling and bragging about a car he could barely control? How could he steal his friend? His love? Damn the man!

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  The party was noisy: loud music, TV, laughter, moans of heated couples, his own music. And no sound of Dom’s boots crossing the front door. Vince was sure he would somehow pay for his desertion, leaving Dominic behind with the chasing cops. Normally he would pick his friend up in another car. But not tonight, not after the humiliation he went through in front of the whole team. So he suggested the party in the lion’s den. A provocation, yeah.

Problem was that he could only hope for the lion to come back home. Safe, free, unharmed.

*Jeez, what a mean person you are V…* His bitterness was cut by a sudden shadow and more angry words.

  He gave lame excuses for not helping, was grabbed by the shirt in a furious movement from Dom, lifting him from the chair. He saw then the other guy standing by the staircase.

Dom had invited him! Brought the buster to his house!

  Worse than his presence was to feel that, after taking his own bear to offer to the blond, Dominic already had a strong bond going on with the guy. His name was Brian, but to Vince he was just the buster.

  He wished he could crash and smash every bone in the buster’s body. He wished could go back in time and undo his acts. He wished he were more like Dom, with a cool attitude and nice brains. He wished too much.

  Breaking the dangerous atmosphere between the three men, Jetty reclaimed her man’s attentions and led him to upstairs.

  Vince had the impulse to jump on the man, his other friends with him. But he would not do a damn thing. Not for a while… at least.

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                                                                                                             THE END

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