Chapter Four: Bombshell
I woke peaceably the next morning, more rested and refreshed than I could ever before remember. Bill was nuzzled against me, one hand on my arm, the other resting on my chest. He looked so calm that I hated to wake him. It felt so good to me just being with him. These thoughts come to me every morning, just like clockwork. We've been seeing each other, discreetly, for about a month now and he's slept at my place pretty much every weekend. I love waking up next to him.
His hand brushed across me as he yawned, beginning to stir.
"Morning, dude." Bill smiled at me, leaning into my lips for our customary morning kiss.
"Hey, buddy. Sleep well?" I asked, returning his smile.
"I always sleep great with you." With that statement, the day could officially start. It was already 8:50 and we were supposed to start practice at 10:00. Bill and I took turns in the shower and made a quick breakfast of cereal and milk before heading to the coffee shop.
It was just a few minutes before 10 when I pulled my Honda next to Blake's Expedition in the parking lot. It figured that he was already here, I grumbled to myself getting out of the car. No matter what I did, I was never the first person to arrive for anything. The story of my life...
I unlocked the back door to the building and we charged down the stairs. Strangely, the lights were off. Maybe they went across the street for a doughnut or something, under the assumption that we were going to be late anyway. Usually Brock was testing equipment and setting up while Blake had a cigarette, while they awaited our arrival. We really had been lucky so far, when I think about it. Neither Bill nor Brock had their own car, so my cousin and I chauffeured them to and from practice each weekend. Since Bill lived closer to me, I picked him up, as Blake did for Brock. This was perfect, since they didn't realize that we typically came from the same place. I reached the bottom of the stairs, flipped on the light and nearly fell over. I probably would have if Bill hadn't gripped my shoulder so tightly, holding me up as we both looked on in disbelief...
We probably looked like a couple of 12-year-olds getting our first glimpse of a nudie magazine. The shock was written all over our faces, I'm sure. I know my jaw dropped. I couldn't move; couldn't speak; couldn't even blink. Judging by his painfully tight grasp on my shoulder, which was quickly cutting off circulation, Bill was having the same problem.
The lights had definitely startled them. Blake's eyes went wide, staring straight at me. Their lips separated and the embrace broke fast, as Blake looked quickly elsewhere. Though he was facing away from me, I could see Brock tense up, arms falling mechanically to his sides, body going stiff as a board. The tension in the air was so thick that we were all straining to breathe.
"Jesus Christ." Blake mumbled, fishing a cigarette out and lighting it. He began to tremble as he inhaled deeply. Brock just stood there, frozen, completely unable to move. I wondered what to say or who would speak first, to break this eerie silence.
"Uh, guys," It was Bill, "what were you doing?" Blake went bright red and stared straight at the floor, puffing madly away at his smoke. Brock turned to face us, pale as a ghost, shaking slightly, as he, too, found a spot on the floor to stare at.
"Well, this is interesting, isn't it?" He said softly, to no one in particular.
"Guys," I stated, "I'm really sorry that we..."
"No," Blake replied sadly, "it was bound to happen sooner or later. Do you want to tell them or should I?" Apparently, this comment was directed at Brock, who just shrugged and shook his head in confusion, still staring intently at the floor.
"Look, guys, we've been friends a long time and I hope this doesn't change that... Brock and I, well, we're dating."
Talk about a bombshell! While this development would certainly make my relationship with Bill a little easier, it was, to say the least, something I'd never expected....