Ready Set Go

My heart quit beating once Bill asked the question, and I felt like the air in my lungs had turned to cotton, suffocating me. His deep brown eyes gazed into mine, but I stood up and kicked at the mulch on the ground.

"Marie?"

"Es tut mir leid, aber ich kann da keine definitive Antwort noch nicht."

"That's fine. I guess we should go home now."

"Yeah."

I walked between the twins to the apartment, none of us speaking at all, but I could feel the silent conversation that they were holding. Once home, I watched their retreating backs as they went to their separate rooms. Georg kissed my forehead---a sign of his brotherly love---and claimed he was going to bed. I sighed, flipped on the laptop, and ensued in checking my MySpace. Gustav tossed me a few strawberries, and I smiled a thanks. It was how we conversed normally: almost like a twin bond, but not related. He was silent until I needed to talk, then he listened to my pitiful complaints and gave me advice. For eighteen-years-old, he sure was mature and insightful. And tonight, I needed that from him. He left the room before I could open my mouth, and I shrugged it off to continue replying to messages from Aimee, Marika, and Francine. Finally, I signed out and headed down the dark hallway. I pushed open the door and quietly crawled under the blankets on the bed.

"Gustav, ich muss zu Ihnen sprechen."

He stared at the ceiling as I poured the whole story out. Even though he wasn't speaking, I knew he was hearing and paying attention to every word.

"So Bill asked you out?"

"Yes."

"Are you scared? Of being in a relationship with him, I mean?"

"To death. But I also like Tom."

"Wow. You have a dilemma."

I glared at him although I knew he was unable to see me in the inky black, and punched his arm gently. "Yeah, well, you're no help."

"What do you want me to say-slash-do?"

"Just tell me what to do."

"Fine. Listen to what your gut---your heart---tells you to do. If you want to be with Bill, go for him. If you want to be with Tom, go for him. If neither, then stay single."

"Again, you're no help. But I guess cliché advice is better than nothing."

He smiled and gave me a brief, one-armed hug; I heard him sigh and felt him shift deeper into the blankets. Pretty soon, his breathing evened out, but I remained awake. I closed my eyes, curled against him, draped an arm over his abdomen, and slowly fell asleep.

_____________________________
Bill's Point Of View

Marie wasn't in her room when I went to see her before I went to bed. I opened Georg's door and saw a sight I never wanted to see again: him sleeping, sprawled out across the comforter, stark naked. I shuddered and continued to search formy girlfriend Marie. I found her in Gustav's bed, both lying close together, still in the land of dreaming. His arms were holding her tightly, and her head was buried in the crook of his neck. I couldn't help myself; I slammed the door behind me, and they jerked to attention.

"Was zur Hölle geht hier? Marie, ist das, warum Sie nicht beantworten, würde mich? Da Sie waren mit Gustav? Und Sie, Gustav, wissen Sie, wie fühle ich mich zu ihr. Doch Sie tun dies, um mich. Wie könnte euch tun? Jesus, Verdammt, Sie zwei, diese Scheiße ist pathetisch. Gehen Sie zur Hölle, Gustav. Marie, Sie sind nichts anderes als eine schmutzige Hure. Warum habe ich verbringen jede Aufmerksamkeit auf Sie? Fuck, ich hätte diese früher realisiert. Ich hoffe, Sie beide rot. Sie schmutzige Stück Scheiße."

Without another word, I left the room, closing the door on Gustav's confused face and---most of all---Marie's tear-filled eyes.