Best Friends Means you Pull the Trigger

Three


Gerald worked at a coffee shop. He only made minimum wage, but the tips made it worth it. He always got good tips; he was friendly, fast and never got an order wrong. His shyness had no place at work. If he was as withdrawn and quiet as he was at school and around others his age, then he would get no tips—and tips meant food.

There was one customer that was particularly nice with his tips. He also loved to talk and was actually a very nice and interesting person. He was also hot.

Gerald felt that the days the man walked in were too short and the days he didn’t were too long. His name was Ray. He was in college and was at least 5 years older than Gerald.

He wasn’t that tall, maybe only 5’ 7”. He wasn’t as built as Michael, but he was lean and you could tell that he had muscle.

Gerald got butterflies in his stomach whenever Ray walked in. He would jump every time the bell at the door sounded, thinking that it might be him. Whenever it was finally Ray that walked through the door, with his hair held in a small pony tail, he had to take several deep breaths before he was able to walk up to his table, but once he was in front of Ray and Ray gave him his trademark smile, his nervousness would disappear.

Ray told him that if Gerald were only a few years older, he’d whisk him away from everything.

Sometimes, when things got really bad, Gerald would wish that Ray would take him away. He would imagine them driving down the highway on Ray’s motorcycle, leaving it all behind; his mom’s alcohol problem, Michael, school—everything. He just wanted to hold onto Ray’s waist and disappear. But when he thought about it, he knew he would never go.

He needed to care for his mom, because he loved her and she loved him. But Michael? Michael didn’t need him, and he would probably be happier without him, but Gerald allowed himself to be selfish when it came to Michael. He’d never give Michael up willingly. It knotted up his stomach to think of life with out his blue eyes, with out his smile.

He’d never be willing to leave Michael behind. Even if he only saw him from afar, even if they completely grew apart, he needed him, because as strong as his crush with Ray was, it was not as strong as his love for Michael.

Ray stayed past closing time, talking to Gerald and playing music on his laptop while Gerald swept the shop.

“I’ll give you a ride home,” he offered once the shop was closed.

“My friend said he’d pick me up at 8.”

“Its 8:13,” Ray said offering his extra helmet to Gerald. Gerald looked down at his watch. It was 8: 13.

“I don’t want him to get here and not find me.” He fidgeted and looked down the dark road hoping to see Michael’s headlights.

Ray placed a cell phone in his hands.

“Call him.”

Gerald bit his lip nervously. He dialed the number and heard it ring.

“Hello,” came the out-of-breath voice of May…

“Mmm- eh, Hey- hey May.” He hated talking to May.

Ray’s eyes were making him even more nervous; it was like he was studying him. Ray was studying him. Ray noticed how much his demeanor changed, and was surprised by how he suddenly seemed even smaller.

“You’re interrupting,” May said in a sing song voice before hanging up the phone.

“Did you answer my cell phone?” Michael asked, walking into his room to find May with his phone in her hands.

“Yes. Why? Are you afraid I’ll find out about your other girlfriends?” She handed him the cell phone.

“Of course not. They know to hang up if you answer.” He laughed as she threw a pillow at him. “Who was it?”

“No one important.” She said, slinking her way onto his lap. Michael flipped his phone open to check his call log. He didn’t recognize the number but when he saw the time he jumped up, dropping May off his lap.

“What the fuck?!” she yelled from the floor.

“Shit, sorry.” Michael bent down to help her get back on her feet. “I said I’d pick up Gee twenty minutes ago.”

“So?” May said, sneering at him. “You’re with me now. He can take the bus, probably already did.”

“I’ve got to go,” Michael said, looking for a shirt to wear.

“Drop me off first,” May said, walking out of the room, with a pout.

“I can’t; I’m already late.” Michael hurried behind her. She stood by the passenger door of his car, her face clearly saying ‘you are taking me home, or else.’

“Fuck,” Michael swore under his breath, “get in fast.”

“My freaking god, Michael. Were you trying to kill me?”

They stopped in front of her house, Michael tapped nervously against the steering wheel.

“Bye May,” he said, leaning over to open her door.

“Don’t I get a kiss?”

He gave her a quick peck on the lips.

“That does not count as a kiss.”

Michael looked at his watch.

“May, please, get out of the car.”

“Kiss,” she said, stubbornly.

Michael grabbed her from behind the head and roughly kissed her.

“Bye,” he said.

“Fine. Bye. Call me tomorrow.”

He pulled the door close and took off.

He was more than half an hour late. Gerald had every right to hate him.

Michael drove faster and faster, imagining his smaller friend sitting on the curve side waiting for him, seeing his disappointed eyes. When he finally arrived to the coffee shop, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

There was no one there.

Gerald not waiting for him meant that he was pissed.

“God Michael, it seems like you are purposely trying to ruin this friendship,” he said to himself.

He drove back slowly, keeping his eyes open for Gerald, and checking the bus stop. He went to his house but there was no one there. He walked to the beach, searching for Gerald at his favorite spots. He went to his house and asked if anyone had stopped by or called, but no.

“Hey, Mike what are you doing home?” His little brother Sean was sitting on the floor, his back against the couch in the family room, playing video games.

“Did Gee stop by?” Michael asked again. He had already asked his mom and his dad, but he hoped maybe Sean had opened the door.

“Gee?” The boy thought for a minute. “Ahh… Gerald. Since when do you call him Gee?”

“I don’t know. Did he?” Gee was a new nickname, he started calling him that maybe six months ago. He liked it. It didn’t sound so nerdy.

“Does he like you calling him that?” Sean asked, swerving past a red car in the video game.

“I don’t know. Sean, just answer my question.” He was getting more aggravated.

“Well isn’t it obvious? If he would have come by I would have told you when you walked in. He hasn’t been by here in a really long time, it would be big news.”

“Fuck,” Michael said, dropping his head into his hands.

“What you do now?” Sean asked.

Sean was twelve almost thirteen. He knew how Michael and Gerald’s friendship worked. Michael always did something stupid and Gerald always forgave him. Like the “Gee” thing—he could bet good money that Gerald hated the nick name, but didn’t have the heart to tell Michael.

“None of your business,” Michael said, taking the video game remote out of Sean’s hands.

“That bad, huh?” Sean asked, pulling himself up to sit on the couch.

“Shut up.”

Gerald deserved better in Sean’s opinion.

-

Once again, Gerald wasn’t disappointed. Really, he wasn’t. He can’t expect Michael to drop his beautiful girlfriend for him. Plus, if Michael is happily fucking her who is he to get in the way? He’s no one.

Ray didn’t take him straight home like he asked. The older male noticed the sadness darkening Gerald’s eyes, he saw how his smile was replaced by a cheap imitation, how his shoulders fell forward. He wouldn’t let him go wallow in self pity, locked up in his apartment. He wouldn’t let the idiot who had stood this angel up have the chance to find him there.

He wasn’t sure where he was taking him, but he was taking him. He was taking him away from his pain, away from the shadows.

He knew his angel liked the beach and so he drove towards the beach, but not the one close to Gerald’s home, but the touristy one, the one with music and people instead. It was busy out there, with it being a Saturday night. Ray drove them past the people and then turned onto the sand, driving to the edge of the water. The water splashed up, wetting the bottom of their pants. Gerald held on to Ray’s waist, enjoying everything; the view, the music that softly drifted from the clubs, the stars.

They just drove, until the need for gas brought them back to the road.

-

Michael didn’t call any of his friends. He didn’t call May. He sat at home on a Saturday, next to his brother, playing video games. Yes, he had a good time, but he knew it was social suicide. He hated himself for thinking about that. He should be worried about Gerald.

He checked the time—it was almost ten. Gerald would never come over after 9. He would say it was disrespectful, that he didn’t want to disturb. He wanted to call him to apologize, again, and make sure that he was ok, but Gee didn’t have a house phone or a cell phone. He didn’t understand why.

He had asked Gerald, “Why?” once, and he had told him his mother found it to be an annoyance. He didn’t know Gerald’s mom all that well, but she seemed strange enough, to think that. The truth was that they didn’t have the money for it.

“I’m out,” he said, standing up. His little brother looked up at him.

“Going to look for Gerald?”

Michael nodded, patting his pants to make sure that his phone and keys were in them.

“Can I go with?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Sean had always looked up to Gerald. He wasn’t blind like his brother and knew how much was on the boy’s shoulders. He didn’t understand how his brother couldn’t see it, but he wouldn’t be the one to tell him. Michael was an idiot and Sean would wait until he hit the big wall in front of him to laugh.


A/n: Thank you to everyone who reads the story, please if you have the time leave me a comment it'll be much appreciated.

Pierette Don't worry I don't plan on abandoning it. Thank you for leaving a review, it's nice to know someone likes the story.