The Attraction Of David

Chapter 9

As I let the air dry my hair, I scoured through the hungered jackets and shirt in my closet. Regarding the place Stan and I were going to head to, preferring casual clothes was the excellent decision. The storm finally had settled, and not surprisingly, the stifling air of summer was back. Wearing a jacket might make me feel like I was in an oven, but I snatched one anyhow.

I chose a gray printed polo shirt, shrugged it in, and finished it with a pair of black jeans. I determined that casual clothing would work out for a casual evening. This would just be one casual night, anyway. One that I was expecting to take place. Stan and I have carried out that we should meet somewhere the last time we spoke over the phone, which I cheerfully prepared for. We settled to meet up at one of the busy pubs in the city.

I was skeptical if the place will be loaded with the typical patrons, particularly office employees and college students on a Tuesday evening, but I thoughtlessly obliged. I sat down on the bed, getting jittery, but yet, excited. As I fixed my sneaks, I wondered how Stan would look like. I visualized him in his button-down shirt, a pair of trousers, and unshaven.

And, God, was it so f*****g great to picture while I imagined. I sighed and smirked to myself as the image of him went through my mind. It was not even cold, but just in case, I determined it'd be better to carry my jeans jacket with me.

Once completed with getting myself dressed, I climbed down to our living room, seeing Davion seated on the couch with his laptop on top of his lap. When he'd noticed my presence, I bypassed him, proceeding to the kitchen to grab my watch that was on top of the counter.

"Hmm, I wonder where you're going," he opened, sounding so amused. "You rarely go out on Tuesdays. You're going out on a date?" he pursued.

I glanced at him, seeing the youthful smile that he repeatedly had used to vex me. "Date? Yeah, how I wish," I responded, fixing the strap of my watch. "Just going out with an acquaintance."

A laugh erupted out of him. "Come on, you're wearing your favorite shirt, your favorite watch, and your damned favorite shoes. Acquaintance my ass, David."

I groaned and rolled my eyes at him. "Can you shut up? You're good at pissing me off. Anyway, where's mom?" I questioned, noticing that my mom was out of sight.

Davion moved his gaze back down to the screen of his laptop. "Probably in her room. She's been on her phone all day, I wonder whom she's talking with. Why don't you check out on her before you leave? Did you tell her where you're going?

"Just tell her I'd be back around midnight, perhaps sooner than that," I responded. "Besides, what am I, a kid?"

"Yeah, you said that last time, remember?" he glanced back at me, holding in the laughter that I despised. "And now you're scowling at me? Unbelievable."

I relieved the same phrases I have replied to my brother last week. It was definitely like this. I told Davion that it was an acquaintance whom I was meeting with and that I'd be back home before midnight. The last thing I knew, I came home at dawn, almost walking side to side with hickeys and bite marks all over my body. Yeah, that was memorable.

I shook my head. I was undecided if the gesture was for my brother since he knew I'd be meeting the man whom I made an excuse for the last time, or at myself. The difference this evening, though, was that I knew I was not as jumpy. This time, I was certain. Damn, I've never been this sure since when I can even recall.

I peered at the time, seeing that it was still early and I still had an hour to prepare. I knew I needed to look good; I needed to feel desirable. And since my brother was here, I might as well ask if I was just looking fine.

"Do I look okay?" I asked my brother, making his eyes move from the screen of his laptop, to my direction.

He grinned at me and said, "let's see" before he closed the lid of his laptop. He rose and went beside me. "Give me your phone, let's take a photo together."

"You're crazy," I handed him my phone. I looked at the front of the screen as my brother took a photo of us, both our lips curled up in a smile.

Davion handed the phone back to me. "We both know I'm the better-looking son, but right now, you look like a snack."

I had to let out a self-deprecating cackle. "So, I'm the uglier sibling? What made you surmise you were the better-looking son?"

He beamed and shrugged. "You can't grow your facial hair. You know how much girls love it."

"Uh, no, not all. Remember the time when you brought in a girl here with your friends? Still can recall how mad you were because you liked her, but turned out, she fell for me in a snap, with just a single look at my face?" I almost guffawed as I left my brother with a look of disbelief on his face.

Yeah, I could be a bastard if I wanted to sometimes, I thought as I stepped out of our house, walking past the strangers that I used to fantasize with before. That was the normal self I used to be before. But what was routine for me now was just the picture of the man that I foresaw meeting for days already.

The streets were back to their regular state. All that was left behind from the past few days of torrential rainfall were muddied roads and clogged sewers. Even the queue at the train terminal was back to what it used to before. The train cars were buzzing with individuals as the eight-thirty ride fulfilled its task of aiding people to make it through the obnoxiousness of the rush hour.

Unfazed with the traffic as I left our home early, I blankly stared out of the car's window, gripping the metal bar for support as the train jostled forward. There was something so surreal about what was happening to me. If there was one element that I never truly felt clear of, it was being attracted to just a specific person.

Attraction always had been random to me. An attractive person was hard to overlook, and when I stared at the right corner of the ride, I saw a beautiful woman, her attention attached to her phone. I could've been attracted, could've been enticed, could've already formed those silly narratives of romance and affection in the back of my head.

When the train halted to a stop, I wondered where those thoughts I always weaved in my mind before, went. As my feet moved forward, I cemented the sense that even I was ambiguous with the sudden three-sixty of my demeanor. As I descended the stairs of the crowded train terminal, I wondered what transpired. Was it reasonable to feel like this? To neglect what I constantly have considered as a routine?

I determined I didn't need to know the answer. The dank air flung my hair around as I went, unconcerned about my surroundings as all I could think of was Stanley. I was content. I realized I preferred to feel that way. I always yearned to get this kind of feeling I was experiencing.

At least, even once in my life, l knew I will seek an original narrative. The kind that was not in the back of my mind, the specific kind wherein it was palpable, where it was real and not just something I could forget with just a single blink of an eye.

Before I noticed, I was nearing the pub where I hoped Stan and I were going to savor a wonderful time. My nerves felt shaken with the thought that it made me pause to the side, staring at the neon signage of 'The Orange County', the smell of grilled food wafting through the air.

"Get your nerves together, David," I babbled to myself.

He'll f**k your brains out later, get it together.

Wait, what the f**k was I even thinking, seriously?

Feeling the rising sense of - again - uneasiness, I settled that it was better if I'd stall. I just needed a couple of minutes to contain myself.

Haphazardly, I drew my phone out of my pocket and dialed Stan's number. He answered right away.

"Hello, Stan," I said, feeling the sweat forming in my collar and palms. "I'm near the pub, are you there already?"

"Yeah, I'm here at the parking area. Where are you?" he queried. The sound of the car having its door closed followed afterwards. "Are you inside already? I will wait for you at the front if you aren't."

"Almost there, just five minutes away, I think. I'm sorry, the traffic was terrible," I apologized, creating an excuse for myself.

"Alright," he chortled. "Can't wait to see you, David."

His comments were of no benefit to my condition, but good heavens, were they so damned good to hear?

"Me, too. Okay, see you." I finished the call, realizing I was acting like a kid with how I'd let the tension take its toll on my composure

I knew I needed something that might help me calm down later. I had no concept of what I was up to tonight, or what I was to expect after this night. Simply biting the insides of my cheeks or twisting my knuckles may not carry out, I knew I needed a better substitute.

Just a few streets away from the pub, I came across a convenience store. Luckily, it was clear when I went in, and right away, the store clerk faced my direction, almost dropping the phone she was using when the sound of the metal doors took over the tune that was being played in the background.

"Hi, good evening," she glowed when she greeted. She flattened the front of her uniform and tucked a hair at the back of her ear.

I moved towards the counter. "Hello, a pack of Marlboro Blue and a small lighter, please," I told, smiling back at her. I fished my wallet out, noticing MARY written in bold on the nametag that was fastened on top of her right chest.

I took the bills out and placed them down on the counter, feeling uneasy about how Mary beamed at me as she passed the cigarettes and lighter. I was sticking around for the change when a slight nudge at my shoulder blade almost caused me a heart attack.

I spun around, taken aback by the prodding and the face I was not supposing to see. "Oh, Kate, hey? What are you doing here?" I took the change I had, ignored sorting the bills, and shove them in my front pocket.

"I saw you from outside while we were walking," she said, eyeing at the window of the convenience store where the lady she was pertaining to was standing. "Oh," she uttered when she saw the pack of cigarettes I was holding.

"Yeah, need something that'll ease me up." I opened the door wide enough for both of us, letting her walk out first. My presence took her friend's attention, making the woman look at me.

"David, this is Jean, a friend of mine. David's a colleague," Kate declared.

I smiled and offered a hand. "Hi, I'm David. I work with Kate, it's nice meeting you," I acknowledged, growing conscious of each passing minute. My five minutes of stalling was already over.

Jean took my hand and shook it. "Hello, David. Wow, you're hot," she giggled and freed my hand, then glanced at Kate, who then mouthed words with her mouth that only both of them deciphered.

"It was great seeing you both, ladies. I have to head now. A friend's waiting for me there at The Orange County," I apologized, ignoring their exchange.

"Oh, we're going there, too," Jean exclaimed. "Let's go together then," she added.

Of all the damned nights, seriously. I kept my disappointment in, not picking up the chance to refuse their offer. What I simply could do was go with them, thinking about all the conversations I had projected in my brain once Stan and I were at the same table, fading into thin air.

It merely took a minute for us to arrive at the pub, and there was the man I counted on meeting, waiting outside. The prospect of expending time with him was all drawn over by the chuckling of the two women in front of me.

So I moved forward, going past Kate and Jane, my gaze concentrated on Stan who was staring back at me. Not caring about anything, I lurched forward, hurling myself into him for a hug. His scent was so potent that I practically forgot that we were in public, that it almost made me too giddy and selfless. I had to pull away when I remembered the two girls behind me.

"Hi," Stan grinned, baring his beautiful teeth. He looked so darn attractive under the orange lights. Jesus Christ.

"Hi," my greeting came out as an exhale. "Nice seeing you," I followed, staring at his glorious, unshaven face.

"Indeed," he nodded at me. His nod and devilish grin seemed like the kind that was only meant for us, the kind that had that perverse underlying message. "Oh, you brought your friends with you? Hello, I'm Stan," he beamed.

Almost forgetting Kate and Jean, I glanced back at them. The expression on their faces made them act as if they were as bewitched as I was when I first laid my eyes on Stan. I was not surprised, even the passerby was glancing at him.

"Hi, I'm Kate, and this is Jean. I'm Stan's colleague and also a good friend. We just stumbled upon him."

A pleased look came across Stan's face. "I see. Well, let's go inside, I'm famished."

We went in, and the place was packed. Almost, or maybe all the tables were already occupied. As I looked around, I couldn't push away the sense of annoyance away from my head. First, the unexpectedness of meeting Kate and her friend. Suddenly now, the place was crowded.

"Oh, God. Looks like there aren't any available tables for us," Jane ran a hand through her hair, looking as disheartened as Kate, who was standing beside her.

"I saved a table for us, don't worry," Stan said, smirking. We followed him, the three of us amazed at how he got a table reserved in such a busy place.

The table was at the most left section of the pub, making me think that he might have opted for the spot to make sure that we were as obscure as possible. When we've reached the table, he signaled a hand to let Kate and Jean be seated on the wooden stool, while he and I were in no choice but to sit down on the wall-mounted chairs.

"Sit on the corner," Stan suggested, waiting for me to get in first.

I had to slide my body in with a groan, the wall almost pressing against my left arm. When Stan slid beside me, it felt like I was so crammed with how much space he consumed. His frame was wide, and I didn't f*****g know why I had to endure such a claustrophobic feeling.

It felt like my balls were being crushed with how snug my jeans were, and I could not even spread even a bit of space down my legs as he spread his first, which made me look at him. He was smirking, looking at me even before I did. If this was my brother or Aris who had placed me in this impasse, I could have smacked their faces.

But it was Stan, and his face was so darn close, his warmth and scent enveloping me. I folded my jacket in two under the table, not perceiving what to work out, or rather, with nothing to work out but draw all of him in.

I was feeling uncomfortable being in a tight space and being beside the man that had such an overwhelming impact on me. Not to mention, the impasse of having to dine with Kate and Jean, of all nights. I couldn't damn understand. Why did coincidence allow this thing to occur?

But what else could we do? It was not like I could kick them out of the table and ask them to sit somewhere else. I was so busy with my thoughts that I didn't even notice the server who stopped by beside Stan and greeted all of us, handing down the menus on the top of the table.

"Hi, how are you guys doing tonight?"

"Good. You?"

My gaze moved from the woman, down to Stan's face, and then a smile curled up his mouth. One that looked so sexy, so enticing, the kind that shows those white teeth.

The server, I swear to god, held gaze with him, looking so hypnotized and drawn into him. With just a single f*****g greeting and smile.

"Great, thank you, ready to order?"

I had to clear my throat. "Let's order, then. I'm famished," I looked down the menu, not sure with what I would get.

I flipped through the pages and figured out that everything looked delicious. I was looking at Kate who was murmuring something intelligible as she scanned the menu, when I felt a hand on top of my lap, gripping lightly that it turned my attention away from staring at my friend.

Knowing that it was Stan, I turned in his direction, seeing that he was flipping through the menu with a single hand down on top of the table. The one underneath was soothing my leg. When he looked up and faced my gaze, his eyebrow was arched, his lips pressed together.

I did the same, raising an eyebrow at him, the kind that asked 'what are you doing?' as his hand skimmed on my leg, almost hitting my crotch with each glide. All I could do was nudge his leg with mine, and when I did, I have seen amusement when his mouth curved into a smirk, the kind that answered "I know you like it."