Chapter Twenty Two

The week came when Owen had to dye his hair black for the devil suit. There was an internal competition in J-unique company for the designers to design a devil suit and Shades had aced it, giving Josh what he wanted and more. The other designers kept grumbling and started spreading rumors about Josh and Shades relationship refusing to accept that hers was better than theirs. Shades was just really talented and creative and she just kept blowing and climbing boundaries and Josh was proud to have employed her. He knew these rumors going around could break her energy and block her flow of inspiration. He cautioned the others and they gave her an apology. Designers should work where they are free comfortable and there are no prejudices but there should be a healthy competition so they challenge themselves to do better. The shoot had to start later than expected as this issue was being resolved.

The shoot began and Owen couldn't wait for it to end as it was getting late and the weather was turning really bad. Dark clouds were looming in the night sky of San Francisco city.

"Babe are you still at work?" Jake called noticing the weather from home.

"Yeah the shoots taking longer than expected" Owen replied.

"Okay the weathers turning really bad should I come pick you up ?"

"Nah...I'll leave with Davis because we are going the same way and he has a car and I don't wanna stress you babe...go to bed you have work in the morning "

"That Davis again ! call me if anything goes wrong "

"Okay bye...I gotta go...My boss is not in a good mood today"

The stressful shoot finally ended and Owen was about to leave when Josh called him back.

"The concept really looked good on you Owen" Josh complimented.

" Thanks boss...I really loved being a part of it !" Owen replied with a smile.

"Wait Owen ! There's something I've been meaning to ask you !" Josh stopped Owen as he was leaving.

"Okay go on"

"Owen are you joining me home ?" Davis asked joining them.

"Yeah just wait a bit I'll be out soon" Owen said to Davis.

"Okay...good night boss" Davis said and walked on.

"Is he your boyfriend ?" Josh curiously asked.

"Nope !"

"I get it that you're gay and Jake is hot ...you didn't have to go as far as editing a straight guy's picture into yours...that could be misleading ".

"Did he say that ?" Owen asked in disappointment.

"Yeah he did and I suggest you delete that cause Jake has a..."

"I've got to go now" Owen said and stormed out of the building. He didn't want to hear what Josh had to say. He got to the parking lot and it was already drizzling and Davis turned on his headlights, blinking them to signal Owen over but he ignored it and went out of the firm and stood on the main road with his head dropped down.

"Editor...editor...would Jake really say that...??? and shit he did it again !!".

Owen called Jakes line.

Davis drove over to Owen and wind his windows down.

"Owen come in or you'll get drenched" Davis said as the rain dropped heavier than a drizzle.

"Just go Davis"

"But you could catch a cold or get sick!"

"Please leave" Owen begged in a croaky voice...

"But...."

"Please"

"Okay" Davis said but he didn't leave. He parked right where Owen stood and watched him. He couldn't see the lone tears that occasionally steamed down Owens cheek as rain droplets streamed too.

"Hello babe are you..." Jake finally picked on the second ring.

"Is it true Jake...did you say I was just a friend, an editor and that you're straight"

"Uhm...who said that ?"

"Josh did...and he wouldn't lie about it"

"I'm sorry babe I was drunk and wasn't thinking straight when I spewed such out of my mouth...please forgive me...i will head to your house let's talk"

"Don't !...I didn't expect this from you Jake...I was willing to wait for you but I didn't expect you to deny me again and deny your sexuality as well"

"Are you in the rain...please find shelter somewhere...go home we'll talk when you're away from the rain"

"The rain has nothing to do with this! " Owen said and cut off the call.

Owen opened the car door and got in.

"Please drive "

"Are you okay ?" Davis asked and Owen ignored it, his thoughts were too crowded to hear, reply or understand Davis.

Davis turned on the heater surely the rain had made Owen cold. They drove off to Owen's house.

"Thank you" Owen said and got off then Davis drove off.

Owen felt heart broken, he hated it when his exes had denied him. One of them had referred to him as a guy he just met while trying to hit on another guy at a smoothie counter and Owen overheard that. The guys that accepted him were big cheats.

"Jake is different!....right??? At this point I don't know anymore"

He stood right at the spot he dropped from Davis's car and rain was pouring heavily in him. Amelia who had been worried about him seeing the downpour and the fact that he refused answering his phone call kept peering at the window in wait for his arrival. When the car stopped and she saw her brother get out, she dashed down with an umbrella knowing fully well that Owen had never been good with cold weather. She escorted him home but he held a blank expression, she urged him to tell her what happened but he just went into his room.

****

Jake couldn't sleep that night as his heart ached. Over the phone Owen had sounded so hurt, his voice cracking like he was about to sob. His heart yearned to fly over to where Owen was and comfort him.

Rain hailed heavily that night in San Francisco city as Jake stood at the terrace and watched it. Droplets hit him which he was too numb to mind. His heart was beating like crazy with anxiousness and fear. Anxiety that he had deeply hurt Owen and fear that Owen would want to break up with him. He fell asleep on the swing chair.

He woke abruptly the next day shocked that he had slept off on the swing chair. He began ringing Owen but he wouldn't respond. He called for a long time , flooded his message box with messages but still yet no reply. He drove off to Owens apartment and rung the doorbell and Amelia opened the door on the third ring.

"Jake!! Come on in" she said trying to fix her messy blonde pony tail.

"Amelia is Owen in ?"

"Yeah he is in..." He followed her into the parlor "...he came in very late last night drenched in rain and looking so sad"

"Oh...is he okay now ?"

"He's resting...he had a fever but it's gone down now...where you with him last night ?".

"No...we only talked on phone"

"Okay...I'll go check if he's awake or will you ?"

"No! It's better you did"

"I don't know how he'll react to seeing my face....how could Josh be so chatty....why did he tell him ?".

Amelia came back in.

"He's fast asleep...will you wait for him ?"

"Yeah...I will"

"Do you want anything"

"A glass of water please"

"Okay I'll get it"

She later brought a glass of water which Jake was too anxious to drink, he took only a sip and abandoned it. He kept cracking his hands in anxiety. Amelia turned on the music station and she and Jake watched together.

An hour and half later, Owens door was banged.

"Turn down the music!" Owen shouted appearing in the parlor.

"Yes sir..."she screamed back "...his fever must be down now...whenever he's sick he turns to a temperamental sissy" she said to Jake.

Owen was glaring at Jake from the room hallway. Jake noticed how dark circles had formed under his eyes and how pale he looked.

"What are you doing here Jake "

"I was worried about ...."

"Amelia can't you excuse yourself " Owen snapped at her as she kept staring at both of them.

"I told you" she whispered to Jake and left.

" why are you here Jake ?"

"Babe I'm sorry...I really am...I was drunk"

"What exactly are you sorry about....the fact that you were drunk or called me an editor or denied me"

"Everything....!"

" I get that you're not ready to come out I understand but don't drag me into your closet too..."

"I won't ...I promise...but can't we be a secret for a while"

"What...!"

"I'm not ready yet babe...I'm not"

"Well if you aren't we might as well take a break"

"Please try to understand me...it wasn't a great experience when my family found that about me ...I'm not ready yet for societal views on my sexuality"

"I am out Jake...definitely whoever knows me and knows that I'm out will see you as gay too...there'll be no point then. I don't think I can bear going through this...again..."

"Have you gone through stuff like this in the past ?"

"Yeah and I hate it so much...I hate it when people are willing to lie themselves as well as others...I could understand you and believe me I never hated you but Jake ... we've been going out for a while now... when will you ever be ready ?"

"It isn't fair babe...you knew this why are you pressuring me this way"

"I'm not...let's take a break so we both get time to breathe and process our thoughts"

"You don't have to do this"

"Really ?...I don't ?...I was calm when you did it the first time in the park but you fucking did it again"

"But you know I'm not ready yet...stuff like these takes time"

"I know it does"

"Since you do why can't we keep this secret...till I'm ready...what do you expect me to say when people ask who you are to me"

"I want to hear you proudly say I'm your boyfriend...why are you ashamed of yourself"

"I think we really need this space....to breathe...we'll talk later"

"Yeah..."

Jake felt suffocated being in Owens space right now. Owens word had stung a lot that.

"He said I'm ashamed...yeah I was but he'd only understand if he grew up with my family...he'd know why I am the way I am...I loved him very much but what about the promise to my mom..."

Jake rang Josh's line he needed someone to share a drink with.

"Hey Josh can you come drink with me ?"

"Uhm I'm not in town now am at New York...is anything up"

"Nah...have fun"

"You too"

"I can't even question about why he told Owen what I said!!"

Jake took a drive out of town till it was really dark. He was too tired to drive back home so he navigated a hotel where he lodged.

At the lobby he saw his ex Henry walking with locked hands with another man. He turned his face away so Henry wouldn't see him. He was jealous...he'd never held hands with Owen openly before...he'd just been too scared of people looking at him with disgust like his dad or treating him as insignificant like his brother. He couldn't bear that, his father and brother had scarred him made him feel his sexuality was the biggest wrong in the world and his mothers wish was the icing on the cake. Why couldn't Owen just understand that he loved him...he thought about his fiancée Kiki and wondered how he'd manage this double life if it could even survive these trying moments. These thoughts clouded his mind as he walked to his room and tdozed off.

******

Josh left for New York earlier that day. He prepped himself up, trimmed his hair as well. He called Phoebe and told her about the trip.

"Why are you leaving for New York all of a sudden " She questioned.

"I've got something to do with someone special "

"Are you going to see Lisa's parents ?"

"Why would I see her parents ?"

"Maybe you've gotten her pregnant !"

"You think she'd be stupid enough to let that happen "

"Yeah...shit happens...so is she ?"

"No she isn't" Josh affirmed.

"Okay what are you going to do in New York ?"

"Work ! Phoebe work !...I don't know when I'll be back so drop by the house once in a while"

"As your what ???"

"The nosiest sweetest sister"

"You said someone special who's that"

"Don't bother yourself you won't know them"

"Whatever...Just go and don't have too much fun "

" Bye"

When he got to New York booked an Hotel and arranged his stuff. In the evening, he rushed over to Monneteni's and had to wait a while for him as he was busy. He waited in the waiting room with his heart beating anticipation, he felt hot being here.

Monneteni had asked that they have dinner together. Eventually, Monneteni came out with a man with flushed cheeks and Josh wondered who he was.

"Josh I'm sorry I forgot you were waiting " Monneteni apologized.

"It's fine I didn't wait that long" ' well 4hours is nothing as long as it's for love'

"Let's have dinner...oh this is Vegas my lover" Monneteni informed "...babe this is Josh a good designer friend of mine"

Josh's smile dropped.

"Nice to meet you" Vegas said intently staring at him.

'Why won't the floor just open up and swallow me right now...I never expected to meet this scenario or hear news about him dating....all my expectations crushed"

"Nice..to ...meet..you...too" Josh stuttered.

"Let's have dinner" Monneteni reminded.

"I'm sorry I'll forfeit...I've got somewhere to be at" Josh said knowing fully well the dinner would be super awkward and he wouldn't be able to eat.

"Okay then have a good night we'll meet tomorrow " Monneteni said.

"He doesn't even care enough to insist I join them...ouch...my poor heart"

"Can't believe you just invited him to a romantic dinner meant for two of us " Josh heard Vegas say as he walked away.

"We have lots of time to have romantic dinners together and he's just here for a while "

"Let's go" Vegas said.

"I'm heading back to the office go on without me...I just got an idea for where I was stuck" Monneteni kissed him and went back into his office ordering food on his way.

Josh was waiting outside for a taxi. He felt cold and he hadn't worn thick clothes just a shirt and trousers. He tried to dress as sexy as possible.

Vegas came out too and had lit a cigarette.

"Do you smoke ? " Vegas asked Josh

"Uhm no.." Josh replied startled.

"How do you know Monty?"

"Who's that"

"My boyfriend "

"I'm a designer back in San Francisco so we met a couple of times at events ".

"And you began developing feelings from there" Vegas said drawing in his cigar and blowing it out.

"Uhm I do like him as a person not romantically cause am not gay "

"who am I kidding...I've been having gay feels for a while now and had to have countless cold showers'

"You aren't ?"

"Yeah...I have a girlfriend "

Vegas crushed his cigar with his shoe and promptly kissed Josh right there on the street. Josh was startled but didn't push him away at first but later did.

"Having a girlfriend doesn't make you straight bro...you could go two ways"

"I'm straight "

"But you didn't push me away "

"Well I was shocked at first "

"Should I try again now that you're calm"

"No ! " Josh stated. "Why can't a taxi just come already "

"Don't like Monty"

"Is it because you're dating him"

"No we have an open relationship I'd rather term fuck buddies"

"Uhm and he called you babe ?"

"We have a relationship of convenience, we meet when we want something from each other and for the babe...that's how he is...he could call you babe now but that doesn't mean he loves you "

"So why can't I like him ?"

"You look naive...like those people who give their all for love ...you'd want more that Monty would never be willing to give"

"I'm not naive" a taxi came by and he was entering when Vegas held his hand.

"Stay with me...I'll make your night worthwhile "

"Bye"

Zoom!zoom!!

"Phew!"