snippet #2

[Shali had a dream where his parents disowned him for being gay, and broke it off with Fallon]

"I just want to sleep, sleep for a thousand years, maybe more. All I know is that I never want to see that pretty little face again.

I'm not a crying man, but god, I wish I was. Maybe then I could get this awful pressure out of my chest, this horrible feeling. I mean, it was a dream. And then he suddenly broke it off. The dip-shit. God, I miss 'im." My head fell forward, hitting the bar with a loud thud.

The guy sitting next to me looked at the drained bottles around my head. "So you're a fag?"

"Naw, man. You wouldn' understand me. See, right now, I'ma drunk. When I'm with him, I still ain't a fag, or a homo, or none o' that. I'm me. I'm happy. And now he fucking broke it off." I'd lifted my head as I spoke, but it fell again. I couldn't feel it, even if I knew how hard it had hit.

Then, I heard that heavenly voice calling my name. "Fallon? Fallon, you around here?" I almost sat up, but the room started spinning, so it hit the bar again.

"Ah'm o'er here," I slurred. I saw the bouncy hair first, deep red, and orange, and blond. He was pretty, especially when I had my beer goggles on.

"Jesus, Fallon, what the fuck did you do? Did you drink all of this? You're an idiot!" He pulled on my arm to make me stand up, but it was hard when the floor wouldn't stay still.

"Hey, barkeep, can I get one for the road?"

"No, Fallon, just stay there and shut up while I pay for this! Goddamnhere you go." He handed some money over to the bartender, who seemed to have sprouted another head. That was cool. I wanted two heads, too.

"Shal, why are we leavin'? I was havin' a good time." I smiled drunkenly as he put my arm over his shoulders, dragging me out.

"Because, Fallon, you are drunk and you are an idiot. I don't know why I'm even lugging your sorry ass out of there"

"Yeah, well that makes two of us." Without the steady supply of alcohol, I sobered up fast. I wasn't completely there, but the angry part of me sure was.

"Fallon, I told you, I justI can't, you know that, we can't just go back"

"Yeah, we can, because we really didn't leave it. You're still hangin' around, aren't you? How else would you know which bar I was in? Just-Just get off, will ya?" I removed myself from him, sitting on the pavement. "Look, kid, you wanted it over, it's over. But you keep followin' me, we're gonna have problems."

Shali narrowed his eyes. "I was coming to apologize. I saw you go in, and I thought I'd wait 'til you came out, but you didn't, so I went in. I guess I was wrong to think that you'd care." He started to walk away angrily.

Oh. Oh no. I wouldn't lose him, not again. I stood up, wobbling a little, and followed him. When I caught up, I put my arms around him, leaning my forehead on his shoulder. At least I wasn't drunk enough to try to kiss him.

"Look, Shal. I justI didn't take it well. I thought you were just giving me a reason for not bein' with me. I'm sorry. Let me get a little more sober, and we can talk, okay?" I know I tear began to trickle down my cheek when he put his hands softly over mine.

"I-I guess. Just don't drink again. You're an idiot when you do." He leaned his head on mine, and I saw a small smile hiding in the corner of his mouth. It was kinda like Peter Pan. I wanted the kiss that hid there. But I'd have to wait until my mouth didn't taste like ass to try for it.