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Chance of Pace, Chapter 2
Jordan was still at his desk late on a Friday night. He cell phone was vibrating on a consistent basis since 5 PM. Derek was relentless on getting him to come out. As a scorpio, Jordan was particular of his lifestyle and wanted the happiness of coming home to someone after a long day, someone to fight with, someone to shop for around the holidays.
He shut down his office computer, packed up his bag and headed out of the office for the night. On a usual night he would have headed to the bar, but tonight Jordan decided to head to the 24-hour gym. There were perks of this particular new way of life. This was also a way to work off the stress of those awful dates he's be going on.
Jordan got on the treadmill and began a nice warm up before his usual 3 mile jog. This time on the jog he thought about those brutal dates. There was no way he could forget about the guy with the bad toupee, the one with the constant texting, the spoiled trust fund baby or the gentleman who excused himself to go to the restroom and returned with white powder on his nostrils.
Jordan had gotten lost in his thoughts and playlist blasting in his headphones before he realized that someone was waving at him. It took Jordan a quick moment to connect the face to his memories. He quickly started to slow down and set the treadmill to a cool down period as the waiver walked over.
"Holy Shit. Kenny man. What's up?" Jordan said as he began to step off the treadmill.
"Not much Jordan. How you been? You're not the scrawny little kid I remember." Kenny replied as he shook Jordan's hand.
"I'm doing well! Working, keeping busy, ya know. Well enough years of you and my brother teasing and pushing me around will be motivation for anyone." Jordan stated as he smiled.
"Ha apparently! Nice work. I've never seen you at this gym."
"I usually use the one near my apartment but when I work late I swing in here. My office is near by. Do you usually work out here?"
"I actually work here. I am the new general manager. I usually work days but I was away in Orlando on vacation and just got back this afternoon. Wanted to catch up on some things."
"Cool cool. Have you seen my brother lately?"
"Actually, we had dinner at his new apartment last week. His girlfriend wanted to cook and I wanted to catch up. He didn't mention that you worked near here."
This actually shocked Jordan. He and his brother weren't on the best of terms. They actually hadn't spoken in about a year after a disagreement on a business deal that they were starting up with their father, Victor. Considering all that, he wondered why he came up in conversation.
"Oh yea, my office is in that building right across the street. "
"Oh sweet, hey are you going to be here a bit?" Kenny asked.
"Yea I actually am, I'm going to lift a bit after this."
"Well I have a few things to catch up on. Do you want to grab some grub after?"
"Yea sure. I'll ask for you after I shower. Cool?"
"That works." Kenny replied as he patted his back and walked away.
Jordan went over to the free weights and started to lift. He thought about Kenny as he worked on his reps. Kenny and his brother David were good friends in school but he had barely interacted in with them. Kenny looked out for Jordan when David wasn't around if someone tried to pick on him but that was about it. Jordan mostly thought that Kenny never noticed him after he graduated high school.
He finished up his reps and headed over for some ab crunches before hitting the showers. Jordan enjoyed conditioning his body. The pain was therapeutic. He enjoyed pushing himself to higher limits and thoroughly enjoyed the results, both mental and physical.
Jordan finished up and headed to the showers. He quickly washed up as his stomach began to rumble. Two things always happened as a result of his workouts: insane appetite and elevated libido. He could never control either until recently. Well not really if you consider the massive amounts of masturbating that he completes on a daily basis due to his new found way of life.
Jordan went to the front desk after he got his bags out of the locker. "Um excuse me, do you know where I can find Kenny Nave?", he asked the overly muscled gentleman behind the front desk.
"Sure, his office is right there." He pointed as he replied in the deepest of voices.
"Thank you." Jordan replied as he turned around to head to the office.
He walked up to the front door as he saw Kenny switching off his lights and grabbing his bag. "Dude I'm starving." Kenny said as he put his bag on his shoulder.
"Burger and beer?" Jordan suggested
"You read my mind." Kenny replied as they walked out.
"See you later Ken. Have a good night." Big muscle behind the desk guy answered as they passed the desk.
The two gentlemen stepped out on the semi cool early autumn air. Kenny looked at Jordan with an inquisitive expression on his aged face. "Where are you thinking?"
"Well my apartment is in Hells Kitchen. Where is yours? We can try to pick something in the medium."
"Hoboken."
"Can take the boy out of Jersey but can't take the Jersey out of the boy huh?" Jordan mocked with a chuckle.
"Damn straight!" Kenny laughed.
The gentlemen decided on a bar right by the path station to take Kenny back across the great Hudson River. It was a place that both knew rather well and perfect for two old friends to catch up.
"So do tell, what's up with you and David?" Kenny asked as they settled in.
"Victor had this brilliant business idea. I was all for it. David was brought in to make sure that we had keep things fair. David then disagreed with everything we had decided and took it out from Victor. He basically forced him into retirement without even knowing it."
"How did he do that?"
"Well he pretty much forced me out and made Victor a silent partner. We haven't really spoken since. "
"Oh wow. Sorry man."
"It's cool. That was about a year ago. I have my own life going on here. What about you? What's going on?"
"Well I did some personal training after college. Worked for a few gyms here and there. I decided I wanted more for my life. I wanted to learn more too. So I went back to school for a business degree. Now I'm managing this place to learn a little bit more about having my own gym. It's my goal one day to own one."
Jordan was very impressed with Kenny's goals. Kenny was always a partier in school. He came from a well off family that pretty much let him do what he wanted to and just paid off any trouble he got into. As Kenny got older, he troubles increased and this somewhat caused Kenny to grow away from his childhood friends.
They placed their orders for burgers. Kenny got a beer and Jordan got some bourbon. Kenny observed the bourbon order and took note that this wasn't his friend's kid brother sitting across from him anymore. This was a strong, independent man that grew into his own.
"What have you been up to?" Kenny inquired.
"Well after college, I got into this company I'm working for now. I've been working my way up. That's about it. I've reached a place where I've created a name for myself and I'm looking to start working on some of my life goals."
"And what are some of these marvelous life goals that you are aspiring to?"
"What makes you think they are so marvelous?"
"Oh please. I've known you for how many years? 15 I think. You always had this look in your eye that you were looking for something besides what was available to you. There wasn't much to do where we grew up. You always wanted more."
"Well it's nice to be noticed. I've always wanted to explore the world, to write, live other places, go rock climbing, hiking. Pretty much just enjoy life to the fullest."
"Wow. I must say this is a far change from the guy that liked to read and just hang out. Mucho impressed little man."
"Who are you calling little?" I asked as I took a sip from my glass of bourbon.
The two had little chitchat and exchanged numbers before they left the settled the bill and left the late night hang spot. They chatted a bit more as they walked to where they would split.
"Okay, this is where I get off." Kenny stated.
"Yea I'm up this way."
"Cool, well keep in touch Jordan. It was great catching up."
"Yea for sure. You do the same." Jordan replied as he stuck out his hand.
Kenny took Jordan's hand and then he pulled him in for a half shake half hug. Kenny smiled and remembered what a good guy Kenny was always to him. He turned and began walking away as Kenny made his way down the stairs to the train.
Jordan put on his headphones as he began his short walk back uptown. He could have taken the subway but it was a great night out and he wanted to enjoy it. He put on one of his many playlists. Jordan had a playlist for everything. All-American Rejects "Time Stands Still" came on. A most perfect song he thought as he walked.
Jordan got up to his apartment and began to unpack his gym bag and work bag. He wanted to get his computer setup to do some quick work before he began his Saturday. He put his laundry in the hamper and set up his laptop at his desk. He then made his way over to the coffee pot to get it ready for the morning. He enjoyed hanging out at home on a Saturday morning catching up on life and work. Brief work emails followed by social media time and then finishing it off by some online shopping as he consumes a pot of coffee.
Just as he finished his preparations, his home phone was ringing. He hit the speaker button, "Yo, this is Jordan."
"Hey man, it's Kenny."
"Oh hey, what's up? How was the train?" He inquired a little caught off guard by the call.
"Well I waited and waited for the path and then they made an announcement about a problem with the tracks and that they would be out until 5am. So I was wondering if I could crash at your pad?"
"For sure Kenny. No worries. I'm on 49th between 9th and 8th. The building number is 360."
"You're a life saver Jordy."
Jordy. No one has called Jordan that since he was a sophomore in high school, the year that Kenny and David graduated from high school. It definitely brought back a nostalgic feeling. "Anytime time Kenny. Just ring apartment 601. See you soon."
"Yea, about fifteen minutes. Bye." Kenny replied as he hung up the phone.
Jordan went into the hallway closet to get some spare pillows for the couch and a blanket or two. He also grabbed a pair of shorts for Kenny to sleep in. He placed the items in a neat pile on the couch.
Just as he was about to get some glasses out for water the intercom went off. "That was fast." He said he picked up.
"Yea man. I ran. I have to pee."
"Come on up." said Jordan as he buzzed the door open.
Before he knew it Kenny came flying through the open apartment door. "Bathroom please."
"Down the hall to the left." Jordan replied as he sat on a bar stool at his kitchen island and sipped on his water.
Kenny returned to the kitchen as he was removing his jacket about five minutes letter. He was quickly trying to catch his breath too. Jordan slid over the full glass of water to Kenny as he drank from his own. "You're a lifesaver man."
Kenny sipped his water and looked around the apartment from his bar stool. "This place is nice man."
"Thanks. It's what eighty hours a week will get you."
"I feel ya." Kenny replied as he yawned.
"You must be tired form traveling all day and then working. Come on, I'll show you to the your sleeping quarters." Jordan ended in his best British accent.
"It's best you stick to your day job." Kenny stated as he followed Jordan down the hall.
"Yea I know." Jordan chuckled.
Jordan showed Kenny the large couch with pillows and a blanket waiting for Kenny. "Here you go. And here is a pair of shorts for you to sleep in. If you need anything you know where the bathroom and kitchen is. Help yourself."
Kenny pulled Jordan into a hug again. "Thanks again Jordy. Night"
Jordan smiled after returning the hug and went into his bedroom. He smiled at Kenny sitting on the couch as he closed his bedroom door slightly. Jordan slipped off his clothes and threw them into the hamper before he slipped into bed. He switched off them lamp and lay on his back looking at the ceiling.
Jordan awoke in the middle of the night with an extreme desire to empty his bladder as well as a parched throat. Quite an ironic combination of feelings but he must attend to them none the less. He quietly opened his bedroom door and snuck off to the bathroom in stealth mode so as not to wake Kenny. After relieving himself he made his way to the kitchen in continued stealth mode. He got there to find Kenny had the same idea. "Thirsty?" Kenny asked leaning against the kitchen island drinking from his glass with the pitcher next to him.
A groggy Jordan nodded as Kenny poured him a glass and handed it to him. "Here you go Jordy."
"No one has called me that in years."
"I figured. I've been trying to call you Jordan all night but you'll always be Jordy to me."
Jordan smiled and blushed a bit. He was thankful that the kitchen lights were off so Kenny wouldn't notice. It was also at this time he noticed that Kenny was shirtless. Jordan said good night again and turned to walk away as a huge bolt of lightening cracked across the sky accompanied by a clap of thunder so loud that it shook Jordan's insides. "Still scared of thunderstorms?" Kenny asked.
"How did you know that?" Jordan asked.
"Your freshman year of high school I walked through the cafeteria at the end of lunch as you were throwing out your trash. There was no one left in the cafeteria. It was so dark outside. You could smell a thunderstorm coming. And BOOM! The thunder came out of no where and you jumped just as fast."
Jordan was taken back that Kenny would remember this. "You saw that?"
"Yup." Kenny replied as he walked back to the couch.
Jordan walked back to his bedroom trying to hide his smile. As he was getting back to his bedroom another clap of thunder twice as loud as the previous slammed the silence away. Jordan jumped so hard he hit his arm against the wall. This Kenny definitely saw as he erupted into a loud roar of laughter. Jordan grabbed his arm, walked back to the kitchen, picked up his glass of water that was halfway full and then returned to the living room to a laughing man who was clutching his stomach and quite possibly crying from laughter. Jordan took a quick look at him and threw the water on him. Just as calmly as he entered the room, he exited to return the glass to the kitchen.
When Jordan returned to the living room he saw Kenny siting on the couch frozen in the position he was in at commencement of the dumping of the water. Jordan stood and looked at Kenny. It was his turn to laugh. "You think this is funny?" Kenny asked.
"Yup."
Just as Kenny was getting up from the couch to get even with Jordan, another loud clap of thunder rattled Jordan. This one was different, it was so unexpected that Jordan had a look of terror on his face and was near tears. Kenny stopped in his tracks and knew exactly how Jordan was feeling. Before he knew it, he saw a tear fall down Jordan's face. Kenny had no idea what to do. He looked at Jordan who seemed so frozen. Before he knew what he was doing he quickly moved to Jordan and hugged him, hard. "It's okay Jordy."
"I I I I..." Jorday tried to get out words but couldn't.
"It's cool man." Kenny interrupted him as he walked him over to his bed and sat him down.
He made Jordan lay down and was about to let go as the dark room lit up from the brightness of the latest thunder bolt. He felt Jordan tense up and his hear broke. He couldn't leave him. "I'll be right back." Kenny whispered in his ear.
Kenny returned thirty seconds later after turning the light off in the living room. "Scoot over Jordy."
Jordan obeyed the request and scooted over to make room for Kenny in the bed. Kenny climbed in and grabbed Jordan again. "Victor?"
"How?"
"David and I were a lot closer than you remember."
That said enough. That explained that Kenny knew about how thunderous David and Jordan's father was when he was upset. Kenny was well aware of how strict their upbringing was. He remembered how one night he was on the phone with David and heard Victor yelling in the background. "One night I heard Victor yelling at you and David got off the phone. The next day at school he told me about how thunderstorms freaked you out because of it reminded you of Victor's voice."
Jordan nodded. Kenny continued, "I guess tonight I remembered that. I also guess I should apologize Jordy because I always thought it was really nothing."
"Thanks."
"Cool if I stay in bed with you."
"Yea sure. I'd like that."
"Night Jordy."
The two men nodded off to sleep.
Jordan woke up the next morning to an empty bed. He walked out into the living room to see it empty, blanket neatly folded with shorts on top and pillows right next to it. He looked into the kitchen and there was no one. As Jordan made his way to the bathroom he saw a note on the bathroom sink saying "Thanks."
So now Jordan thought, "Interesting."
There you go readers. Already working on Chapter 3. Send me some thoughts. Good. Bad. Directions.
Jesse.skyline@gmail.com
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