Date: Sun, 06 May 2001 08:41:11 -0700
From: ricky m <sliders23@zdnetonebox.com>
Subject: simple things 3

Note: I really hated English class in high school and college. I'm not that
great when it comes to grammar. This isn't a great piece of literature.
This is just something I do in my spare time. But I hope that you guys
would still like it for what it is. A story about Jason and Ryan and how
they fell in love with each other.


*************
Simple Things 3
*************

***********
Ryan's POV
***********

	Fuck! I'm getting really depressed over Jason. Why does he continue
to avoid me like I have a disease? I'm almost at my wit's end at what to do
with Jason. Maybe I should just give up this stupid idea that we could be
together that way.

	"Any problem?" Lisa asked me while we were waiting for the other
for the meeting to start. We were supposed to have an emergency meeting
about the huge project we have in the conference room.

	"No, No problem," I tried to force a smile but failed.

	"You've looked melancholy since you arrived from your lunch," Lisa
pressed the issue. "Maybe I could help."

	"Well," I looked at her carefully. "There's this person that hates
me. I just want us to be friends but he's very hostile towards me."

	"Who is he?" Lisa looked at me quizzically.

	"Jason," I sighed out deeply. "Sarah's brother."

	"Oh him," Lisa nodded her head. "He seems aloof sometimes. I went
to see a movie with him and Sarah once. He seems like a pretty nice guy but
he hardly spoke. He seems like he has a lot of things on his mind."

	"I get this feeling that he just hate my guts," I gave her a
slightly bitter smile.

	"Jason's a nice guy," Lisa said to me. "At least that's what Sarah
says. He visited me and gave me chicken soup when I had the flu some months
ago. He didn't stay long but it was thoughtful of him to cook for me."

	"You sound like you guys are real close," I said in an almost
jealous tone.

	"I heard from Sarah that Jason's really nice," Lisa shook her head
no at me. "He just have some personal problems to deal with. Something to
do with his best friend back home. They kinda grew apart. At least that's
what Sarah said."

	"What happened to his best friend?" I asked her slowly.

	"Ask Jason," Lisa shrugged her shoulders. The others arrived just
then and we started the boring meeting. Jason was all I could think off for
the rest of the day. Why is he so bitter and angry?

******************

	I found myself knocking at Jason and Sarah's apartment later that
day.  I just can't help but think about what Lisa said. Jason seems like a
really nice guy. Why is he acting like a jerk towards me then?

	The door opened and Jason was just in a shirt and boxers. He looked
like crap. His eyes were red and his hair was a mess. He was sort of
massaging his temples.

	"What do you want?" Jason scowled at me. "Sarah's not home yet." He
started to close the door but I held it open as I gave him a weak smile. I
didn't really know what to say to him.

	"Are you okay?" I stepped closer to him and put the back of my hand
on his forehead. He had a slight fever. I looked at him concernedly and was
surprised that he didn't push my hand away. He must be really sick.

	"I just need some rest," Jason replied weakly.

	"Have you taken medicine yet?" I took off my coat and threw it in
the couch. "Maybe you'd like me to make you a glass of warm milk or
something?"

	"I'm alright," Jason sighed out deeply as he faced me. "Sarah's out
with some friends and might come home late."

	"I didn't come here for your sister," I answered him as I went to
the kitchen. "I thought we could hang out for a while."

	"I'm kinda busy," Jason said without much conviction.

	"Why is it your always busy when I'm around?" I said a half-joking,
half-seriously. I opened the fridge and saw some leftover soup there. I
took it out and started to reheat it.

	"I'm just busy with some new account," I heard Jason say to me
defensively.

	"Right now you just lie down on the couch," I turned around to face
him. I saw he was about to argue but I just walk up to him and push him on
the couch. He was too weak to resist. I was sitting down by his feet as he
made himself comfortable on the couch. I gave him a goofy grin and said
softly, "Don't take this the wrong way but I kinda like you more when
you're sick. At least you're not scowling at me all the time."

	Jason must be really sick because he just closed his eyes and
groaned out a bit as he touched his forehead. I asked him where the
medicine where and he pointed the bathroom at me. I got him the medicine
and made him take it before returning to the soup.

	I poured some of it in a bowl and returned to Jason's side. I
helped him sit up on the couch. I wanted to help him eat the soup but he
firmly told me that he could do it by himself.

I left him alone to clean up in the kitchen and when I returned he had
finished the soup already. He was leaning back on the couch and was looking
at me keenly.

	"What?" I asked him worriedly, not wanting him to be angry with me
anymore.

	"Thanks," Jason whispered to me very softly. That single word
managed to lift up my spirits considerably. One word and my whole day were
complete.

	"Anytime Jason," I beamed at him happily.


***********
Jason's POV
***********

	I took the next day off and just went back to the office Thursday.
I was surprised that Ryan called me a couple of times yesterday just to
check up on me. He had to go out of town and wanted to make sure I was
okay. I didn't speak to him for too long. I didn't want him to get the idea
that we're his friends because we're not. We can't be friends. Never.

	I busied myself with work for the rest of morning and was about to
take my lunch break when I saw Ryan walking up towards me. I stared at him
in disbelief. Why was he here? A small voice inside me said that he might
want to see me but I pushed that thought away.

	"Hey," Ryan gave me a warm smile. "You getting ready to go to
lunch?"

	"What is it to you?" I tried to sound sarcastic but somehow my
voice was flattering. I can't seem to hate him now that he showed too much
concern for me the other day.

	"I thought we could go to the park across the street and eat these
sandwiches I bought," Ryan just grinned at me and ignored my somewhat
acidic reply. He probably saw that I was about to say no so he added, "Come
on Jason. Going to the park will probably do you good anyway."

	I wanted to say no. I was going to say no. But I heard myself
saying the opposite. I closed my computer and stood up. Ryan looked at me
in shock but he quickly smiled at me. We rode the elevator down silently
and walked across the street to the park. We bought some soda and sat down
in a bench.

	"What did you get?" I asked Ryan as he opened the paper bags he was
carrying.

	"Roastbeef," Ryan answered me.

	"I love roastbeef," I said to him softly.

	"I know," Ryan grinned as he handed me my sandwich.

	"How did you know that?" I looked at him curiously as I took a bite
out of my sandwich.

	"I asked Sarah," Ryan replied as he took out his sandwich. It was a
clubhouse.

	"You called up my sister in her office just to ask what my favorite
sandwich is?" I didn't quite believe him.

	"I wanted you to enjoy lunch," Ryan shrugged his shoulders like it
was nothing. We fell silent again for a while and just watched the ducks
swimming in the lake. "You believe in true love?"

	"Huh?" I looked at him; not sure what he just asked me.

	"You probably don't believe in destiny," Ryan smiled at me a little
sadly. "You're too smart to believe in something like that. But I do. I
believe that there's someone out there that's meant for me. Just for me. I
think it's nice to think that you're not meant to be alone all your life."

	"Anyway," Ryan decided to change the topic. "How are you feeling?
Maybe you shouldn't have went to work today."

	"I'm needed at the office," I replied to him simply.  We finished
our lunch in silence and then he walked me back to my building.  He said
goodbye when we reached the entrance and was about to walk away when I
called out his name softly.

	"What?" Ryan looked at me, puzzled.

	"I used to dream about finding my soulmate a lot," I stared at his
deep blue eyes. I didn't know why but I really liked looking at his eyes. I
find myself so at peace whenever he was around me and looking at me that
way. "But it's not fun waking up alone every morning and realizing the
happiness you felt is nothing but some stupid dream."

	"Jason..." Ryan trailed off, not sure what to say to me. I just
smiled at him a little forlornly and turned around and walked away. I could
have said that it felt like my dreams are coming true every time I was with
him. I could have said that the last hour had been the happiest one in my
life. But I didn't say anything. I just walked away and went up to the
office.


*************
To be continued
*************

All comments are welcome at:   Sliders21@iname.com or Sliders23@zdnetonebox.com