Love, the Hardest Way
36
I didn’t know what the hell I was going to say. Hopefully he’d be happy that I was there. Even more hopefully this won’t have been all some huge game to him and I caught him with some random slut. He’s probably going to think I’m some giant stalker and never want to speak to me again. Probably get a restraining order.
Shut up brain!
It had been like this since the second I said goodbye to Bambi and Fish at the airport terminal. All the way to the gate, onto the plane, during takeoff and halfway through the flight. There was nothing I could do about it now. I was 30,000 feet in the air and midway over the Atlantic Ocean, there was no going back.
Before leaving England I had called Novak to make sure than Bam was going to be home around the time I arrived. I also needed picking up from the airport without Bam knowing, Novak promised he wouldn’t let it slip, but I’d believe that when I see it.
Several hours later I was being engulfed in a hug by none other than Brandon Novak.
“Woman, it’s been too fucking long! And thank fuck you’re here, I’ve never seen Bam so mopey, it’s getting really annoying.”
“Sorry, Novak. But I’m here now. And what do you mean he’s mopey?”
“You know, just doing nothing. Whenever he’s not texting or talking to you he’s just sits around; channel surfing, lying in bed, skating. He’s not been to Duffers with me in over a week!”
“Awww sweety, I’m sure you’ll survive.”
“But I need my wingman.”
“You don’t need a wingman.”
“Well, yeah. But I’d prefer to drink with my friend than on my own like a lonely fucker.” He said laughing.
“This is true.” I agreed.
We got into Novak’s car and headed off to Castle Bam. I had the worst case of butterflies I think I’d ever had.
“So, you didn’t tell him that I’m coming?” I asked, looking over at Novak.
“Nope, as much as I wanted to so that he would snap out of it, I promised you.”
At this I was a bit shocked, Novak actually kept his word.
“Thanks dude.” I smiled.
For some reason this just made me more nervous. I didn’t even notice the rest of the car journey. Next thing I knew was that I was standing outside Bam’s front door.
“Come on. I know he’ll be over the fucking moon to see you.” Novak beckoned.
“You go on ahead, I just need a minute.”
“OK then.” Novak answered as he wandered into the house, leaving the door open for me.
I stood there looking through the door, trying to gather my thoughts; I had no idea what to say.
“Hey Life Partner, where’ve you been?” I could hear Bam’s voice coming from what sounded like the Pirate Bar. It made my stomach to flips in anticipation.
“Just went out to pick up some stuff.” I laughed silently, Novak could lie quite well.
“Oh yeah? What stuff?” Bam asked.
“I left it outside.”
“Why the fuck would you do that?”
“Couldn’t be fucked to carry it any further.” By now I had to bite my knuckles to stop laughing, Novak was such a douche. But a loveable one.
“Well whose gunna bring it in?”
“I dunno. Why don’t you go get it?”
“Because you’re the one who bought it in the first place.”
“Oh well.”
“Go get it and bring it in.”
“Nah, I’ve already sat down and got a beer. I aint moving.”
“That’s the last fucking beer.”
“Well then go up and get another one.”
“From where?”
“Where I left everything.”
“Ugh, fine!” Of course Bam would give in if it meant alcohol.
I was still stood in the doorway. I could hear his footsteps ascending from the Pirate Bar. This was it; I’d finally be seeing him again. And that’s when all the nervousness went away. I felt calm and excited at the same time. I felt safe here, where Bam was. When he was near, it made me feel nothing but good happy things.
Then he turned the corner and our eyes met.
Shut up brain!
It had been like this since the second I said goodbye to Bambi and Fish at the airport terminal. All the way to the gate, onto the plane, during takeoff and halfway through the flight. There was nothing I could do about it now. I was 30,000 feet in the air and midway over the Atlantic Ocean, there was no going back.
Before leaving England I had called Novak to make sure than Bam was going to be home around the time I arrived. I also needed picking up from the airport without Bam knowing, Novak promised he wouldn’t let it slip, but I’d believe that when I see it.
Several hours later I was being engulfed in a hug by none other than Brandon Novak.
“Woman, it’s been too fucking long! And thank fuck you’re here, I’ve never seen Bam so mopey, it’s getting really annoying.”
“Sorry, Novak. But I’m here now. And what do you mean he’s mopey?”
“You know, just doing nothing. Whenever he’s not texting or talking to you he’s just sits around; channel surfing, lying in bed, skating. He’s not been to Duffers with me in over a week!”
“Awww sweety, I’m sure you’ll survive.”
“But I need my wingman.”
“You don’t need a wingman.”
“Well, yeah. But I’d prefer to drink with my friend than on my own like a lonely fucker.” He said laughing.
“This is true.” I agreed.
We got into Novak’s car and headed off to Castle Bam. I had the worst case of butterflies I think I’d ever had.
“So, you didn’t tell him that I’m coming?” I asked, looking over at Novak.
“Nope, as much as I wanted to so that he would snap out of it, I promised you.”
At this I was a bit shocked, Novak actually kept his word.
“Thanks dude.” I smiled.
For some reason this just made me more nervous. I didn’t even notice the rest of the car journey. Next thing I knew was that I was standing outside Bam’s front door.
“Come on. I know he’ll be over the fucking moon to see you.” Novak beckoned.
“You go on ahead, I just need a minute.”
“OK then.” Novak answered as he wandered into the house, leaving the door open for me.
I stood there looking through the door, trying to gather my thoughts; I had no idea what to say.
“Hey Life Partner, where’ve you been?” I could hear Bam’s voice coming from what sounded like the Pirate Bar. It made my stomach to flips in anticipation.
“Just went out to pick up some stuff.” I laughed silently, Novak could lie quite well.
“Oh yeah? What stuff?” Bam asked.
“I left it outside.”
“Why the fuck would you do that?”
“Couldn’t be fucked to carry it any further.” By now I had to bite my knuckles to stop laughing, Novak was such a douche. But a loveable one.
“Well whose gunna bring it in?”
“I dunno. Why don’t you go get it?”
“Because you’re the one who bought it in the first place.”
“Oh well.”
“Go get it and bring it in.”
“Nah, I’ve already sat down and got a beer. I aint moving.”
“That’s the last fucking beer.”
“Well then go up and get another one.”
“From where?”
“Where I left everything.”
“Ugh, fine!” Of course Bam would give in if it meant alcohol.
I was still stood in the doorway. I could hear his footsteps ascending from the Pirate Bar. This was it; I’d finally be seeing him again. And that’s when all the nervousness went away. I felt calm and excited at the same time. I felt safe here, where Bam was. When he was near, it made me feel nothing but good happy things.
Then he turned the corner and our eyes met.