Posts from July 2009.

Reverse-Chronology

one: not alone

Lance sighed as he dropped his briefcase on the sofa, then slumped against the doorframe, utterly exhausted. He’d fought with Kevin today, arguing about the future of the Deshazior account, and had left the office so frustrated that he couldn’t help but walk through the Park, taking the long way home. He’d turned off his cell phone, stuffed his Palm in the bottom of his bag, and absolutely refused to look at his computer for three hours. More… »

Not Near Close Enough (The Time is a River Remix)

Remix of Near You Always by Shanalle.

*

[ten o’clock in the morning]

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in love.” He says the words with careful consideration, as if he has held onto them for a long time before putting them into the air. As if the air makes the meaning behind them real. It is as much the person he is saying the words to as the person he is saying the words about that makes the act of utterance a moment of worth. More… »

I Know This Bar

Chris had always had the notion that when he got finished with the whole pop star thing, he’d open up a bar somewhere. More… »

Getting Out and Going Places

JC peered across the table, looking through his perfectly positioned fingers and catching Chris’s glaring eye. He grinned, something Chris couldn’t see because JC’s mouth was currently below the table, and with a quiet snick, JC launched the paper football across the table. It landed with perfect precision through Chris’s hands, and as Chris’s mouth set into his “I am annoyed” line, JC stood up and cheered for himself. More… »

Calmer Still the Waves

Dom was in love with the ocean. More… »

Permeable

Tag to “Grace Under Pressure.”

They come through the door, David carrying the food, hugging it close like he can’t let it out of his sight, and Joe opening the doors, realizing now that he’s managed to bring the fucking sweatband home with him, again. More… »

Relearning Known Forms

The invitations for Lance’s bachelor party came on cream paper with gold leaf inlay addressed to four people in different parts of the world. More… »

A Pleasure Doing Business

The one with the thinly veiled QAFUS references.

Lance straightened his tie, brushed a hand down the front of his jacket. He smiled slightly at himself in the mirror. He didn’t need to look at his watch to know that soon, the client’s son would be coming through that door; he was never wrong. More… »

A Study of the Mating Patterns of California Teenagers

JC splashed into the ocean, the sunlight dancing on his skin and making him appear golden in the full noon light. He was laughing; his face lit up with the joy of it, of feeling the sun on his back and the waves at his feet and Chris on the beach, watching him play. It was Chris’ eyes that made this perfect, JC thought to himself; playful with a hint of reserve, knowing and accepting of all that JC was. It was Chris that made this happen, Chris that brought him here. JC was happy and everything was *perfect.* More… »

Better By Far

JC was in a hurry. He was always in a hurry, but this time it was really, *really* important, because if he didn’t get to the chemistry lab in five minutes, his students were going to rake him over the coals again. He dropped his skateboard to the ground with a clatter and did his best to speed across campus. It didn’t matter, though. He knew he was going to be late. More… »