Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 18:11:58 PDT
From: Chip Dyp <chipdyp@hotmail.com>
Subject: Moving On? 2

  The following program contains material suited for a mature audience.  If
you are not over 18 you should be leaving now.  Of course I can't control
you and neither can anyone else really.  This story is entirely false
except for the true parts.  And now for our feature presentation.  Viewer
Discretion is advised...

    My web site is located at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/2898.


Moving On 2
by:  Chip Dyp  (chipdyp@hotmail.com)

    As I stood in the shower, I thought about all the fun Shawn and I had
been having.  He and I had been going out for one whole month and things
were fantastic.  He was so kind to me, without a doubt a perfect gentleman.
He could tell a joke and make me smile, or he could wrap his arms around me
and make me feel warm.

    Tonight though, was going to be special.  I had gotten tickets to see
Our Lady Peace at the campus pub from a friend who owed me a major favour.
Tickets for the show had been sold out for over two months.  They were the
hottest tickets in town, and I had two of them.  I rinsed the last of the
soap out of my hair, and turned the hot water down.  I was getting a little
too excited in the shower.

    While Shawn and I hadn't been intimate yet, Codie and Simon sure had
been.  Ever since that first night, those two had been doing it with wild
abandon.  It was great to see Simon walking around with that dumb grin on
his face.  Every time I saw him, I had the urge to go up and smack that
silly grin off his face.  My dislike of silly grins didn't stop me from
wanting to see a silly grin on Shawn's face after I made love to him.

    I had just finished brushing my teeth when the phone rang.  I ran into
the bedroom and grabbed my cordless phone off the night table.  "Hello,
MacLeod residence."

    "Hey beautiful."

    "Hey yourself," I said, smiling, "How were classes today?"

    "Not bad," Shawn said.  I could imagine him sitting on the bed, dressed
in a pair of blue jeans.

    "So are you ready for the big concert?"

    "About that.  I want you to promise me something."

    "You name it." I sat down.  This didn't sound good.

    "Promise me you won't get mad."

    "Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to be disappointed?"  I
groaned as I bowed my head.  Now I knew what Shawn had to say wouldn't be
good.

    "I can't make it to the concert tonight.  I have to redo a project and
hand it into my professor tomorrow morning before 9 am.  I fucked
everything up on it, and it's worth 15% of my final mark.  I'm sooo sorry,
I really wanted to go to the concert with you, and then afterwards,
well..."

    I sighed openly.  I really wanted to go to the concert with Shawn, but
if the assignment was that important.  "Well, I guess I can't get mad at
you.  I'll give Simon a call and see if he and Codie want the tickets."

    "That's a great idea.  And for being a good boy, tomorrow is going to
be a day that you'll never forget."

    "Mmmm, sounds... interesting," I said seductively.

    Shawn giggled. "I'll see you tomorrow, babe."

    "Till tomorrow."

    I hung up the phone and fell back onto the bed.  There was no real
hurry for me to finish cleaning up.  I pressed the speed dial button for
Simon and waited for the slacker to answer the phone.

    "The Love Shack, sex fiend Simon speaking."

    "Hey Simon.  I've got a couple of tickets to the Our Lady Peace
concert.  Do you and Codie want them?"

    "That would be great, but I have to go into work.  I thought you and
Shawn were going to that concert?"

    "We were, but Shawn had to redo a project that's due tomorrow, so he
can't go."

    "That's too bad, man.  I know he was looking forward to spending the
night at your place after the concert."

    "Really?"

    "Uh huh.  Look, I know it's not the same as going with your boyfriend,
but would you like to go with Codie?  He's not doing anything tonight."

    "Do you think he'd want to go with me?"

    "I think he could handle going to a concert with you.  Besides, it's
not like it would be a date or anything.  You wouldn't be trying to bed
him.  It would just be a concert."

    "Well, how do you know I wouldn't be trying to bed him," I asked
jokingly.

    "Because you know I'd kill you if you slept with him," Simon said
dryly.

    "You'd have to get in line after Shawn.  I'm sure he'd want to kill me
too."

    Simon laughed. "I'm sure he would.  Okay, I'll give Codie a call and if
he wants to go he'll call you back."

    "Sounds good.  I'll talk to you Sunday."

    "'Kay, you have a good night."

    I pressed the end button on the handset and took it with me to the
bathroom.  I fixed my hair, and shaved of the stubble that had grown in the
past week.  I didn't shave very often, but the stubble had grown to the
point where it was starting to itch.  I had just finished shaving when the
phone rang.  I grabbed it on the second ring, after I wiped the excess foam
from my face with a towel.

    "Hello."

    "Hi Brandon, it's Codie."

    "Hi Codie.  I take it Simon talked to you about the tickets?  Did you
want to go?"

    "I'd love to go.  I've been trying to get tickets to this concert since
they sold out.  How did you get them?"

    "Oh, I have my ways."

    "Who did you have to sleep with to get them?"  Codie asked jokingly.

    "That's a secret.  Do you want me to pick you up, and then we can go
straight to the concert?"

    "Sounds like a plan to me."

    "All right, I'll see you at eight o'clock then.

    "Eight o'clock it is.  See you then."

    I hung up the phone and finished getting ready for the concert.  When I
finished, I still had a couple of hours to kill before I had to get over to
Codie's house.  I could either sit in front of the idiot box for two hours,
or I could do my homework.  I sighed to myself.  There really was no
choice.  I grabbed my backpack and dumped my textbooks out on the dining
room table.  I had a couple of assignments that I could finish before I had
to leave.

    I managed to finish the assignments before I had to leave for Codie's
apartment.  I drove over to Codie's apartment and walked up to his door.
Before I even had a chance to ring the buzzer, Codie walked down the stairs
and out the security door.  He gave me a kiss on the cheek, and told me I
looked beautiful.  I blushed and ushered him over to my car.  I followed
close behind, admiring the view.  Codie had a cute butt.

    We arrived at the bar just before the opening act was set to go on, and
staked out a table fairly close to the stage and the dance floor.  Codie
ordered a round of drinks, which arrived just as the opening act started
their set.  They weren't too bad, and when their set was done, the capacity
crowd clapped loud enough and long enough to get a few encores.  The house
music came up as the opening act walked off the stage, and the crowd headed
to the bar to get some drinks.  Codie and I had just ordered a couple more
drinks, so we sat in our seats talking.  About fifteen minutes later, the
house music and lights went down as Our Lady Peace walked out on stage.

    The first set that Our Lady Peace did was fantastic.  Raine Meada put
his all into the songs, despite the small venue.  The crowd didn't take
long to get into the music, which was a bit unusual.  Crowds here have a
bad rap for being reserved until they get into the music.  Despite the
relatively high drink prices, I was on my way to one hell of a drunk.
Codie seemed to be having a good time, but he wasn't drinking nearly as
much as I was.

    When the first set ended, we talked about our boyfriends, and our
previous relationships.  Between Codie and I, we'd managed to have one bad
relationship after another.  I was luckier than Codie.  One of his ex's had
been a little possessive.  I had never had a boyfriend who beat me, and for
that I thanked my lucky stars.

    "So before you met Simon, did you have a crush on anyone?" I asked,
taking a sip of my margarita.

    "Yeah, I had a crush on this guy.  He's really smart, he's beautiful,
and he didn't want to have anything to do with me."

    "Why not?"  I asked curiously.

    "Well, he had a boyfriend at the time, but the guy was an asshole,
always treating him like shit.  But, he was madly in love with his
boyfriend and wouldn't consider even the possibility of a relationship with
me.  He also thought that I was a slut."

    "Well, he doesn't know what he missed."

    "Thanks, that's really sweet of you to say."

    "Well, I'm only telling you the truth."

    "How about you?  Did you have a crush on anybody?"

    "Yeah, I had a crush on this guy named Rob.  Only problem was he was
young and straight."

    "A deadly combination, if I ever heard one," Codie said.  He ordered
another round of drinks for the two of us when the waitress took away our
empties.

    "Yeah, it is.  My knees would turn to jelly every time he walked by my
and if he talked to me, well...I turned into a incoherent idiot."

    "You, Mr. Charm?  An incoherent idiot?"

    "I'm not that charming."

    "Simon certainly thought that you were very charming."

    "Well, Simon has great taste in men.  He's dated both of us."

    Codie laughed and was just about to say something when Our Lady Peace
came back onstage.  We didn't try to have a conversation over the music; we
just kept drinking and dancing.  No one really cared about two guys dancing
together on campus, like they would out in a regular bar.  When the second
set ended we headed back to a table and Codie called a waitress over.

    "Can I get a couple orgasms," Codie asked the waitress, "And a couple
of Pilsners?"

    The waitress nodded and took away the empties.  Codie pulled a pack of
cigarettes out of his pocket and popped one into his mouth.  He offered me
a smoke out of the open pack, but I just shook my head.  I watched as Codie
lit the cigarette, and then inwardly sighed as he took a big drag off the
white cancer stick.  He casually blew the smoke through his nose, towards
me.  I inhaled the smoke as it billowed around my head.  I smiled as the
smoke filled my lungs, filling me with feelings I hadn't felt since I quit.
Codie smiled at me and pushed the over half full pack to me.

    "You sure you don't want one?"

    I paused for a second and then pulled a cigarette out of the pack.  I
put it into my mouth and leaned forward so Codie could light it for me.  As
I inhaled the acrid smoke, I thought about all the times that I had refused
a cigarette in my efforts to quit.  Why would I take one now, when I had
finally quit?

    "So what's the story on Will?" Codie asked as he took a long swig of
his beer.

    "You know Will?"

    "Oh yeah, he and I knew each other."

    "I didn't know that," I said.

    "No reason that you would.  We stopped hanging around before you and he
started dating."

    "Did you date him?"

    "No, we were just friends."

    "Oh.  Well, Will had a great opportunity in California, and he asked me
to go with him.  To make a long story short, I wasn't sure I loved him
enough to make things work in California, so I broke up with him.  I think
I did the right thing."

    "Cool," Codie said.  He took another swig of his beer and signalled the
waitress to bring another round of drinks to the table.  "And now you are
madly in love with Shawn."

    "Yeah, everything feels so right with Shawn.  With Will, I always felt
that something was missing.  I mean, I loved him and I'm sure he loved me
but there wasn't any electricity between us.  I probably sound like such a
moron, giving up a great guy like Will, but it just didn't feel right."

    "What do you mean?" Simon asked as he paid the waitress for our next
round.

    "Well, okay.  Being with Will was like listening to the lead singer of
a great band without the band in the background.  He sounds fantastic, but
something is always missing."

    "The rest of the band."

    "Yeah, being with Shawn is like having the whole band.  Everything
feels right.  Does that make any sense?"

    "Yeah, it does.  I've been with a few guys, but none of them have ever
made me feel the way Simon makes me feel.  I love him so much.  What
happened between the two of you?"

    "Between Simon and I?  Well, Simon was a great guy, we just didn't make
a very good couple."

    "Ah, I know what you mean.  It's too bad though.  You would've made a
cute couple."

    "Not as cute as the two of you."  I took a sip of my drink and watched
as the band came back onstage.

    The final set of the night was a short one, as the band was getting a
little tired.  After they played their final encore, I called a cab and
went outside to wait with Codie.  There was no way I was going to drive
home in the condition I was in.  While we waited for the cab, Codie asked
if he could crash for the night at my place.  His roommate had invited his
girlfriend over for the night, and Codie wanted to give him some room to
get into her pants.

    I shrugged and said sure.  I didn't have any problems with Codie
staying at my place.  I had lots of empty bedrooms.  We got into the cab
and I gave the cabbie directions to my place.  It didn't take long for us
to get across town, and when we arrived I gave the driver a healthy tip in
addition to the fare.

    Codie followed me into the house and took me up on my offer of a
nightcap.  I went to the liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of scotch,
while he sat down on the couch.  I put the bottle down in front of Codie,
and then went to the kitchen to grab some ice.  I always preferred my
scotch on the rocks.

    When I came back into the living room, Codie pressed play on the CD
player and smiled at me.  The opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
flowed out of the speakers. I placed the small container of ice down on the
table.  As Beethoven played in the background, I poured three fingers of
scotch into each glass and added a cube of ice.  I sat back against the
couch and let the music take me.  Codie turned down the music, so it could
just be heard in the background and sat down beside me.  We each had a few
drinks while we listened to the music and talked.  I can't remember what we
talked about.  It's amazing the inane things that suddenly become
interesting when you are drunk.  The music ended as I poured the last of
the scotch into our glasses.  We clinked our glasses and toasted our absent
boyfriends.  As I finished my glass of scotch, Codie pointed to the grand
piano that sat in the corner of the living room.

    "Do you play?" Codie asked after draining his glass of scotch.

    "I haven't in a long time.  Well, actually that's not true.  I haven't
played seriously in a long time.  It reminds me of my family.  I only seem
to play when I'm depressed or drunk and then it doesn't sound very good." I
laughed.

    "Well, I'd say you're drunk.  Why don't you play me a song?"

    I shook my head. "You don't want to hear me play.  I'm really not all
that good."

    "Come on.  Please?"

    "All right, all right.  Just no laughing, all right?"

    I walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench.  I rested my
hands on the faux ivory keys and slowly began playing a song I had learned
over four years ago.  My mother had spent hours with me, perfecting the
timing, the phrasing.  She never got to hear me perform the piece in
public.  It was a slow piece by Mozart, moving, and emotional.  Codie got
up and walked up behind me.  He watched as my fingers caressed the ivories.
I closed my eyes and let my body flow with the music.  I didn't even
realize that Codie had wrapped his arms around me until he tightened his
grip.  Codie began kissing the nape of my neck while I played.  It was
driving me nuts.  Will had loved kissing my neck, as it aroused me and made
me hot.  I moaned softly and continued playing the piano.  When I finished
the song, Codie turned me around.  He kissed me passionately on the lips,
bringing my blood to a rolling boil.  I stood up and pulled Codie close to
me.  I wanted to grind my body against Shawn, I wanted to show him how much
I loved him.  But Shawn wasn't here, Codie was.  And he was willing.

    Gently, I pushed Codie away and sat back down on the piano bench.
"Codie, we can't do this.  You're dating my best friend, and I have a
boyfriend."

    "We don't have to tell them.  Tell me you don't want this as much as I
want it."

    "It doesn't matter if I want this or not.  We aren't going to do it.  I
had a great night, but I think it's time for us to say good night and go to
bed.  You can sleep in the first bedroom on the left."

    "Are you sure you don't want company?"  Codie asked as he brushed the
side of my face.

    "I'm sure.  We'd both regret it tomorrow."

    "You're probably right," Codie said.  He dug both of his hands into his
pockets. "Well, goodnight."

    "Goodnight."  I watched as Codie walked out of the living room and into
my old room.  I hadn't slept there in a long time, preferring the comforts
of my parent's old bedroom.  Slowly, I stood up and staggered off to my
room.

    When I awoke the next afternoon, Codie was already gone.  I felt like
shit.  Too much alcohol, not enough water.  I dumped three extra strength
Tylenol into my mouth and swallowed them dry.  I rubbed my shoulders, and
decided a cold shower was in order.  It would wake me up, and would settle
my queasy stomach.

    The shower felt good, but it didn't help relieve my hangover.  At least
it helped wash away the smoke smell.  I could still taste that single
cigarette I'd smoked the night before.  I swore to myself that I'd never
smoke again.  When I finished my shower, I dried myself off on the thick
bath sheet hanging on the towel rack.  It felt so good wrapped around me.

    I had just pulled on my robe when I heard the doorbell ring.  I tied
the robe around my waist and walked to the front door.  I peeked out the
window at the side of the door, and saw a clearly agitated Simon.  As soon
as I opened the door, Simon turned and punched me right in the mouth,
knocking me to the floor.

    "You fucking piece of shit," Simon yelled as he barged into the house.

    "What?" I asked as I picked myself off the floor.  Simon took another
swing at me, but I was ready this time and dodged it.

    "You knew how much Codie meant to me and you slept with him.  No,
that's not right, you fucked him.  You fucked him long and hard last
night!" Simon took another swing at me, knocking me hard into the wall. "He
kept telling you that he didn't want you, but you forced yourself on him!"
Simon threw a series of rights and lefts into my stomach causing me to
double over in pain.  "You're lucky he isn't going to charge you.  He could
have you up on rape charges!" Simon drove his right foot hard into my
groin, and I vomited all over the floor.  Simon kicked out again, this time
connecting with my ribs.  "I hope you rot in hell."

    As I lay on the floor bleeding, I tried to tell Simon that Codie was
lying. I tried to tell him that he had hit on me, and I had turned him
down.  But I couldn't seem to get the words out.  Simon stormed out of my
house and slammed the door shut behind him.  I couldn't understand why
Codie had done this to me.  I hadn't slept with him.  I was sure of it.  I
had gone to bed alone.

    I had just managed to pull myself off the carpet, when I realized that
if Codie had told Simon, he probably told Shawn as well.  I limped back to
my room and pulled on some clothes.  I had several large bruises beginning
to form, and it was difficult trying to dress while not touching them.  My
hangover was the least of my aches now.  After dressing, I walked into the
garage and dropped into the driver's seat.  I winced as I pinched my aching
balls between the seat and my thigh.  I didn't deserve this from my best
friend.

    The drive to Shawn's was a drive in silence.  The wailing of the radio
had made my ears want to bleed.  I pulled up to entrance of Shawn's
building and slowly got out of the car.  I didn't even have to buzz his
apartment.  Shawn met me just outside the security doors.  He was half in
the building, half out.  "Why are you here, Brandon?"

    "I came to talk to you, Shawn.  I came to tell you that I didn't sleep
with Codie."

    "Brandon, I..."

    "Shawn, please you have to believe me.  I love you.  Last night Codie
kissed me, but I pushed him away.  I don't love him, and I told him that if
we slept together it would be a mistake for both of us.  I went to bed
alone."

    "Brandon, your own best friend is convinced that you raped Codie.  He
didn't believe Codie at first, but the story Codie told was so detailed and
so accurate that he said he had no choice but to believe his boyfriend.
Codie told Simon how you moan, how you kiss...everything.  I've only known
you a month, Simon's known you for years.  Who would you believe?"

    I ignored Shawn's question and looked him right in the eyes.  "I didn't
do anything with or to Codie.  He's lying."

    "Brandon, don't, all right?  It's not going to make any difference."

    I bowed my head and looked at the gravel of the parking lot.  "I guess
this is it then.  This is good bye."

    "This is good bye." Shawn confirmed.  He paused and squinted at me.
"Are you all right?  Simon told me that he went over to your house and
confronted you."

    "I'll be fine," I said as I turned and walked back to my car, "No need
to worry about me."  I kept muttering to myself about how I was as I walked
to the car.  For the first time in over a month, I didn't want to be around
Shawn.  I couldn't be around him.  Slowly, I backed out of the parking spot
and waved at Shawn as he turned and walked back into his building.  He
didn't wave back.

To Be Continued