Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 06:13:44 -0700
From: ricky m <sliders23@zdnetonebox.com>
Subject: simple-things-2 (adult-friends)

*************
Simple Things 2
*************

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

	"You busy Friday night?" Sarah asked me while we were having
breakfast the next day.

	"I don't know," I said to her in a sleepy voice. "Why?"

	"Would you like to go clubbing with me and Ryan?" Sarah said to
me. "We could set you up on a blind date." I just stared at her in shock. I
felt my heart skipping a beat as the thought of me going out with Ryan. I
quickly shook the image away. Ryan's interested in my sister, not me.

	"I'll pass on that one," I shook my head at my sister. "I think
I'll just watch a movie or something."

	"Come on," Sarah gave me an incredulous look. "You'd have a much
better time with us than going out alone."

	"I'll think about it, okay?" I said that to get her off my
back. There was no way I would go with her and that jerk Ryan.

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

	I was walking home that afternoon, sipping a frappucino, when I
heard my name being called. I looked around and to my surprise, I saw Ryan
running up to me.

	"Hey, wait up!" Ryan called out loudly. I stopped and faced him.

	"What do you want?" I asked him with a little hostility.

	"How are you?" Ryan grinned at me.

	"What do you want?" I repeated my question impatiently.

	"I still owe you for that accident," Ryan looked kinda cute in his
suit. I cursed myself silently for thinking that way about this jerk. "How
about we grab a bite to eat at this Italian place around the block?"

	"How about no?" I said sarcastically as I started to walk
again. "Bye."

	"Come on Jason," Ryan followed me again. "I'm kinda hungry and I
could use the company." I gave him a dirty look but he just continued to
give me his disarming smile.

	"You're not going to stop badgering me, are you?" I sighed out
deeply.

	"Nope," Ryan shook his head.

	"Fine," I nodded my head. "If it will get you off my back."

	"Great," Ryan and me started to walk towards Italianni's. "I love
their lasagna."

	"I think the lasagna in Romagna is much better," I replied back to
him.

	"Oh my God!" Ryan stopped in his tracks and looked at me in
disbelief. "I love Romagna too. I'd much rather eat their but Italianni's
is much closer. Have you tried their Pizza? It's out of this world."

	I just grunted a yes as we walked to the restaurant. He continued
to talk about some other Italian restaurants but I barely paid attention to
him. We reached the restaurant in fifteen minutes. We both ordered a slice
of pizza. Ryan started to talk about his job and the clients he handled.

	"Do I have something on my face?" Ryan stopped talking and gave me
a curious look. I didn't realize that I had been staring at Ryan for a
while now. I couldn't help but blush a little as he caught me staring at
him.

	"Sarah said you two had a good time," I didn't bother to answer his
question as he started to wipe his mouth with a tissue.

	"Your sister's a fun date," Ryan answered me. "Did she tell you
already about Friday night?"

	"Yeah she did," I nodded my head. "But I can't come."

	"Why not?" Ryan sounded a little disappointed.

	"I just can't," I sounded a little indifferent.

	"Maybe some other times then," Ryan said slowly. We became quite
for a while as we ate our pizza. After a while he said in a soft voice,
"You're still angry at me, aren't you?"

	"Let's see," I looked at him dryly. "You ruined my shirt just
because you can't wait to see your blind date. Never mind the fact that
your date turned out to be my sister.

	"It's not my fault," Ryan said weakly.

	"Okay," I stood up and reached for my wallet. "I didn't know it was
my fault Ryan. Sorry if I was stupid enough to bump into you." I threw down
some money and quickly walked away from the table.


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

	"Jason, wait!" I watched Jason walk out of the restaurant. I
quickly called the waiter and paid the bill and followed Jason out in the
street. But he was no where to be seen. Fuck! Why is it so hard to be
friends with that guy? All I really want is for him to forgive me. Is that
too much to ask?

	"Hey," A sweet laugh reached my ears. I looked to my right and
Sarah was standing there and giving me an impish smile "Anybody died?"

	"I'm looking for your brother," I smiled at her nervously.

	"Jason? He's here?" Sarah looked up and down the street.

"We were talking when he suddenly got angry at me again and left," I sighed
out deeply. "I don't think he likes me that much Sarah."

	"Jason's like that lately," Sarah sounded a little concerned as we
started to walk towards their apartment. "He's been really depressed for
about six months now. I don't really know why. At first I thought it was
just his work but I think he has some problem."

	"What problem?" I asked her softly.

	"I don't really know," Sarah shook his head at me. "Jason doesn't
confide in me that much. He keeps a lot of things to himself. He's my twin
but I don't really know him that much. He's been a loner lately."

	"He doesn't have any friends?" I couldn't believe that Jason's that
kind of guy. The first time I saw him, I pictured him to be this really
nice and caring guy.

	"He's changed a lot after we graduated from college a year ago,"
Sarah told me. "All he cared about is work. He didn't even attend the
wedding of his best friend."

	"What do you think I should do to make him forgive me?" I asked for
her advice.

	"I don't really know," Sarah looked lost. I looked at her
pleadingly and she finally told me that one of the few things that Jason
loves was chocolates. Not just any chocolates but Swiss Chocolates.


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

	"Give Ryan some slack, okay?" Sarah gave me a dirty look while we
were having dinner that night. "I bumped into him earlier and he said that
you got angry at him again."

	"He said the accident was my fault, okay?" I said
sarcastically. "Besides, what does he care if I think he's an idiot?"

	"Maybe he just wants you guys to be friends because we are dating,"
Sarah replied to me dryly.

	"He's dating you not me," I couldn't help but notice the slight
bitterness in my voice. "I could hate him all I want and it still wouldn't
be any business of yours."

	"Jason..." Sarah looked at me helplessly.

	"Let's not talk about Ryan again, okay?" I muttered out to her. We
ate our dinner silently. I couldn't very well tell Sarah that I'm finding
Ryan a bit attractive can I? Why do I always have to fall for straight
guys? I already swore to myself that I wouldn't let myself fall for another
straight guy after what happened between Mark and me.

	"I bumped into Amy today at the mall," Sarah said as we were
finishing eating. "She's three months pregnant already." Amy was Mark's
wife. My best friend's wife. The girl that stole my first love away from
me. Not that Mark ever knew what I felt about him.

	I just grunted an answer to her and picked up my plate and walked
to the sink. I didn't want to hear anything about Amy or Mark or how happy
they are. They could have dozens of kids and live happily ever after for
all I care.

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

	"Why the fuck are you grinning at me like that?" I looked at Kyle
in irritation while we were walking to my cubicle. Kyle was sipping a
coffee as he continued to look at me slyly. I delivered some reports to the
office upstairs and had been gone for half an hour.

	"Someone has a secret admirer," Kyle said teasingly.

	"What?" I looked at him like he was insane as we approached my
desk. He looked at me teasingly before nodding towards the basket of
chocolates on my desk.

	"These came for you ten minutes ago," Kyle said with a laugh as I
sat down on my chair. I stared at it in disbelief as I recognized some of
my favorite chocolates through the clear plastic wrap.  I reached for the
card and opened it. I was very surprised by what I read.

Jason,

	I'm really sorry for that accident last Friday. I should have been
watching where I was going. I'm really really really sorry.

Ryan

P.S. I'm sorry again.

	I stared at the card silently for a few seconds. Why did Ryan send
me this? What was he trying to achieve? This was a little too much just to
ask for my forgiveness.

	"Looks like this Ryan guy has the hots for you," Kyle said to me
teasingly. I looked up and glared at me which made him shut up.  I knew
there were rumors about me being gay in the office. It started when I
brushed off Candy's advances and told her I wasn't interested. Candy was
sort of the office tramp. I didn't really care what they think.

	"So, who's this Ryan?" Kyle pressed on as he leaned against my desk
and gave me a conspiratorial look.

	"Some jerk that bumped into me last Friday," I sighed out
deeply. "He ruined my shirt and it turned out he was my sister's new
boyfriend. He wants u to be friends for the sake of my sister."

	"If you're not interested in him, give me his number," Kyle giggled
out. He didn't hide his sexuality from anybody. "Is he cute?"

	"I've seen gorillas that look much better that him," I said to him
sarcastically. "Now, I need to get back to work, okay?"

	"Tell me if your sister's going to dump this guy," Kyle winked at
me. "I want to be there to console him." He left me then and in just
focused on my work until it was lunch break.  I was just about to finish
reading some memo when I felt someone standing behind me. I swiveled my
chair and saw Ryan standing behind me!

	"Hey," Ryan greeted me softly.

	"Hey yourself," I said to him as I tried to regain my
composure. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

	"I was in the neighborhood and I thought that I'd see if you'd like
to have lunch with me," Ryan flashed me his goofy smile again. That smile
that he first smiled at me the first time I saw him.

	"What?" I laughed out loud as I looked at him like he was joking.

	"I took the liberty of reserving a table at Romagna," Ryan grinned
at me. "What do you say?"

	"I...I don't know," I said slowly as realized he was dead serious.

	"Come on Jason, I---" Ryan stopped talking at Kyle came up to
us. Kyle looked at Ryan then at me quizzically.

	"Hey," Kyle said to me with a questioning look. "The guys wanted to
know if you'll join us for lunch. We're going to the deli at the corner."

	"I..umm.." I stood up and looked at my co-worker then at my
sister's boyfriend. "This is Ryan. Ryan, this is Kyle."

	"Ryan?" Kyle looked at him in surprise. "You're the one that sent
the chocolates to Jason?"

	"Kyle!" I hissed out at him a little angrily.

	"I'm sorry," Kyle said as he gave me a sly smile. "I'll leave you
two alone. Nice meeting you Ryan." I watched Kyle walk away before facing
Ryan again.

	"Look," I sighed out deeply. "I'm kinda busy right now. I can't go
out for lunch."

	"All your co-workers are going out for lunch," The smile slowly
disappeared at his face.

	"I'm working at this big account and I need to finish it by this
afternoon," I felt my heart breaking as his face showed the disappointment
he was probably feeling. He didn't say anything for a while and I thought
he'd leave but he looked around and didn't see anyone near us.

	"Do you hate me that much Jason?" He leaned a little closer and
whispered it to me in a hoarse voice.

	"I...I'm just really busy, okay?" I stared into his deep blue eyes
and I swear I felt myself almost drowning in them. "I..I'm sorry." I
thought Ryan would say something else but he just gave me one last look
before walking away.  I watched him walking away like a defeated man.  I
don't know what the big deal is if I couldn't have lunch with him. My
sister seems to like him very much so I figured that even if I hated him,
it wouldn't matter. Maybe he's just the type of guy who needs his
girlfriend's friends' approval. Yeah. That must be it. I pushed away that
small voice inside my head that was telling me that Ryan might just want my
company.

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

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Sliders23@zdnetonebox.com