Chapter 32:
Close Encounter
Brian threw the duffel bag
down onto the floor, stripping the sweat-soaked clothes off his body. He
glanced at the clock on the wall, noting he had three hours before showtime. Good,
he thought. I plan on spending it all in the shower. His shoulder and arm ached
as he reached for the shower handle, trying hard not to remember how many curls
Xavier had made him do with weights. He turned the water on full blast, steam
rising instantly as he slipped into the stall, savoring its warmth. He stood
there as the water cascaded over his face, neck and chest, letting the heat
soak into his tired muscles, relaxing his body as much as possible. After a
while he turned around in the shower to let the stream flow down the back of
his head and back, his forehead resting against the tile, willing his mind to
relax to the heat as much as his body now was. It didn’t work. His mind played
over and over the events of the last hours, the drilling of Xavier’s monotonous
voice, the jogging, the weightlifting, even boxing. Brian gazed down to look
impassively at the bruises forming on his body, wondering if he would ever look
normal, trying to figure out a way to explain if any of the guys saw them. He
stared at the fog-free mirror that was hanging on the tiled wall, hardly
recognizing the expression that stared back at him. He looked trapped, like a
caged animal. He shuddered for a moment, remembering the last hour. Exhausted
from a run in the local park, Brian begged for a moment’s rest. Xavier had frowned,
but motioned for him to sit on a bench. Noticing a refreshment stand nearby,
Xavier had jogged over to get them some juice. Brian watched him wearily, his
gaze turning towards a church nearby. Almost mesmerized, Brian got up and
crossed the street, yanking the heavy oak door open. His senses were assaulted
by the quiet coolness of the interior, the smell of burning candles, the soft
glow of the stained-glass hanging above. Noticing no one around, Brian quietly
sat in the last seat, closing his eyes and enjoying the solitude. He said a
small prayer then opened his eyes to see a well-worn Bible sitting next to him.
He tentatively touched it, running his finger over the cracked binding and the
faded gold-embossed name of the owner who had accidentally left it behind. A
small flow of calmness enveloped through him and he didn’t hear the creak of
the front door open but felt the oak pew groan as Xavier sat down next to him,
placing his hand carelessly on Brian’s inner thigh. Or was it careless? Brian
jumped up as if scalded, shocked and confused. Oh God, was Xavier gay? Was that
what this was all about? His disgust showed clearly on his face as he looked at
Xavier. "Stay the hell away from me," he hissed, incensed. Xavier
stood up, his eyes glittering with an almost mad-like gleam as he grabbed Brian
by the collar, hauling him close.
"I should beat the
shit out of you right now," Xavier whispered. "Don’t you ever, ever,
think that I’m queer." He shoved Brian roughly out the church door, past
the surprised look of two elderly women who were walking in.
The surreal scene floated
before him and Brian grabbed for the bar of soap, as if washing his body would
cleanse him of the sight. He finally shut off the water, toweling himself dry
and threw on a clean T-shirt and pants. He padded barefoot into the dressing
room, scanning the area for something to eat. It seemed like he had gone for
days without food, his stomach growling, his hunger pangs almost matching the
soreness of his stomach muscles. He found a couple of apples lying in a wooden
bowl and devoured them, relieved that for the moment it would suffice. He
rummaged around his duffel bag and brought out his ever-handy Advil, reaching
for a bottled water. He downed three in one swallow, wiping his mouth with the
back of his hand. Hearing a small knock on his door he sighed, not wanting to
see anyone just yet.
"Come in, it’s
open," he yelled, closing the cap back onto the bottle. The door slowly
swung open and, half-expecting Xavier to pop through, Brian held his breath. He
watched in amazement as a girl peeked her head through the door, then
hesitantly enter. Clearly she was trespassing and Brian shook his head,
wondering how a fan had managed to sneak pass security.
"Look, no one is
allowed back here..." he began, then stopped as he eyed her, thinking she
looked somewhat familiar. Brian noticed that she was almost as tall as him, her
curly auburn hair framing an incredible pair of green eyes. She wore a
muted-gray silk shirt with matching skirt, a soft black leather jacket
finishing the outfit.
She tossed her purse and
coat casually onto a chair and gave him a friendly smile. "Hi, Brian,
remember me?"
Brian gazed at her, at a
loss, until it struck him. "Claire?" he questioned, disbelieving.
She nodded her head yes.
"In person."
Brian smiled back, taking
her in. The last time he had seen her, her hair had been longer, the makeup
more pronounced, the clothes quite a bit more revealing. He recalled now where
he placed her and coughed. "Uh, if you’re looking for AJ, he’s not here at
the moment."
"That’s okay, I’m not
looking for him," she said lightly, her smile widening even further as she
gazed frankly at him.
Uncomfortable at being
scrutinized, Brian shifted uneasily, at a loss for words. "You look
great," he said finally.
Claire watched him
carefully for a moment then quickly closed the distance between them, slipping
into his embrace, bringing her arms around his neck and drawing his mouth down
to hers. She kissed him warmly, savoring the clean, fresh smell of him. Slowly
she pulled away from the kiss, still in his arms, frowning slightly. "You
look tired."
"I am."
"Want to talk about
it?"
"No." Brian
smiled tightly, gently easing himself from her hold. He stood a few feet from her,
his arms crossing his chest, puzzled by Claire’s sudden interest in his
well-being. He found it difficult making small talk with someone he barely knew
and struggled with something to say.
"Well, I’m sure AJ
will be glad to see you again."
"I guess."
Curious, Brian watched her
as she casually wandered about the room, taking everything in. She stopped when
she came next to him.
"Actually, I’m not
here to see AJ. I came to see you."
"Me?"
Claire nodded. She moved
in closer, her face and body mere inches away from Brian’s. She noticed that he
didn’t move away, his blue eyes clear and steady, watching her intently. She
held his gaze with her own, searching, waiting for a sign from him.
Brian felt his heart begin
to race, a rush of desire and desperation flooding his mind and body. They
stood apart, not touching, barely breathing. He broke his gaze, nervously
glancing over her shoulder towards the door and she traced his look. Breaking
into a grin, she walked over to the door, locked it, propping a chair against
it for extra security.
She came back, this time
wrapping her arms around his neck, her mouth next to his ear.
"There’s nothing
worse than being interrupted in the middle of something," she whispered
teasingly.
He tried to turn his head
only she wouldn’t let him, her hands gently framing his jaw.
"Claire," he pleaded gently, but she saw denial only in his eyes, his
body hungrily responding to hers. Claire found his mouth again and this time
kissed him in earnest, her kiss promising of untold pleasures to come. He
circled his arms around her waist, his hands sliding lower as he press her
closer to him. She could feel his growing need for her and she broke the kiss,
giving him a sly grin in which he returned. Grabbing his shirt, she yanked it
off him in one swift pull, tossing it to the ground. He did the same for her,
admiring her for a moment before capturing her in his arms again. Claire
laughed as he whispered something in her ear. AJ was right, she thought. He did
need this.
***
