When I first believed in Angels, part four
Rating: Adult language,concepts
Pairing: Adam/Kris/David
Disclaimer: I don't know these people, the characters have personalities that are completely made up. I am not compensated for these ramblings.
I try to go back to bed but I cannot sleep. I lay there hitting the replay button in my mind. Projecting my “show” with Kris across the screen. It felt good last night, but then it didn’t.
As I reflect on the night we spent together I realize that it was me that felt backed into a corner. And I had backed myself into that corner.
I have read that you can tell a person’s real character by the way they react when they are backed into a corner or put on the spot. I don’t think it reflects well on my character that I could fuck my best friend.
I hear my phone go off, I grab it off the nightstand. It’s a text from Kris.
“Made it thinkg bout u” Tears are threatening my eyes as guilt creeps into my consciousness. I told him I would tell him what he wanted to hear, and I hadn’t.
“u 2 bb” Is what I type back in the real world.
I drag my ass out of bed. I’ll listen to music for a while. I am a simple person, living by simple desires. In the morning, I like to sleep. In the afternoon I like to kick back to music or make music, maybe shop. Get business taken care of. During the night I like to go out sometimes, party, be with people. And I want someone who wants to do these things with me, just me.
I hear my cell phone go off again and I wonder how long I have been sitting here watching this rerun to a score of sappy love ballads.
I answer it, deciding on Madia, “Hell lurrr”.
I hear a little laugh, “Hi Adam.”
I recognize the voice. Dang this kid has epic timing.
“Hey David, what’s up?”
He sounds so f’ing happy, “You recognized my voice!”
“Give me some time and I’ll be answering my phone in your voice.”
“You are so funny.”
“uuh huh.”
“You sound sad.”
“Yeah maybe. What can I do for you?”
“Enough chit chat, got it. You could give me your Mom’s number?”
“ Sorry kid. I’m a little sleep deprived. Hang on, I’ll get her number.’
“Why are you calling me kid? I don’t like that.”
“Sorry again. O.K, here is her number. I haven’t had a chance to tell her you will be calling. Would you hold off calling her for a bit so I can call her? Just give her a heads up.”
“O.K. Sure. Hey, thanks for everything and I really liked talking with you last night.”
“You too Ki..David. Good luck on that house hunting and welcome to L.A.”
“Umm, o.k. Thanks, ah, goodbye then.”
“Later.”
I call my Mom and explain most of how I came to give David her number. She knows who David Archuleta is, of course. Oh, she loves him, she would love to help him out. Oh, he seems so sweet. Voice of an Angel she tells me. She can’t wait for his Christmas CD to drop.
I put my sappy music back on and proceed to watch reruns until my phone once again sounds off. Life beckons me and I go on living.
In the midst of living I get a text from Kris. It has been just over three weeks since he left for home.
“Hey stud, wat r u doin?”
Kris has never called me “Stud” before and I cringe at the reason for it now.”
“Nutin, call me bb”
“Can’t, latr k”
“K”
He never calls but I get a lot of simple text messages.
After a three month summer tour I am back home and glad to be. My Mom has taken care of the place for me. She has sorted and stacked my mail into piles with little notes on top of them. I go to the “open now” pile. Sitting on top is a classy envelope, edged in a deep iridescent blue. It looks like an invitation of some kind. I look at the return. Huh, David Archuleta. It has no stamp on it. I find myself wondering if this is his handwriting. It is very neat and tidy, but a little elegant too. I open it up. It is for a house warming party. I see a note written on the flap.
“Hi Adam,
As you can see I am having a house warming party. I have been told that nothing livens up a party like a little comedy. I hope you can make it, I’d like my first party to be a roaring success.
Sincerely, David
I’m pretty sure the party has come and gone as I check the date. Nope. It is tomorrow night.
I knew my Mom had found him a house, she had told me during one of our calls. I wondered if she was going to the party. Maybe I could send a little house warming gift with her.
I talk to my Mom later that day. She tells me she cannot go to the party but wishes she could. She just loves David. He is the sweetest, bestest thing since I don’t know, ice cream I guess. She tells me I should go. I ask her why in the world I “should?” He is a nice ki..guy but we have nothing in common.
“Nothing in common?” She says with disbelief, “You have music in common. Besides, he seems to like you. You can never have too many good friends.”
After an exasperated sigh, “Uh Mom, please tell me you are not trying to fix me up with this kid.”
In her best motherly tone, “I am not trying to fix you up with anything other than another good friend, one that lives in the same city as you do. He is good friend material, that’s all I am saying.”
I have moved into a pleading tone, “Mom, you can’t tell me you don’t see that the two of us are as different as night and day. Come on.”
“I seem to recall two other guys that became close friends, despite their differences.” Motherly tone again, “ And frankly Adam I’m surprised at you. Judging a book by its cover, making assumptions based on media coverage?”
“O.K., maybe he is a great guy.” I try out my forceful tone with her, “But I’m not going.”
She has switched to her softer motherly tone, “I remember once upon a time, say 8 years ago, when someone I know needed a friend, someone to talk to.”
“Getting all cryptic on me just makes me all the more suspicious of your motives.”
And now in her slightly annoyed tone, “And you’re playing obtuse. I’ll say no more. Now, I’ve got to run Kiddo, I love you.”
“I love you too Mom. And….I’ll think about it.”
“I know you will honey, I’ll talk to you soon”.
I thought about it, more than I care to admit. And I’m still not going. But I begin to rack my brain for something I can have sent over to him. I remember going to a party not long ago at a friend’s, he had this pantomime that went around the party. He was actually pretty funny. This friend was pretty high profile, which meant that whoever this pantomime was, he was trusted. I called my assistant and set him to arrange it, if he could at such short notice.
I called my Mom to ask her what kind of security David had around his house. She tells me he has gates, but planned to have them open with a guard for the night. If you are not on the list, you do not get in.
I tell her what I want to do. She thinks it is clever and I can tell by her questions that she finds it as peculiar as I do that I would go to such lengths for someone I am avoiding. When her efforts at getting me to attend fail, she admits that she knows David’s party planner. She makes a call and confirms that she can get my little comedy act on the guest list.
It turns out the pantomime is not available to attend the party. But my celebrity status is about to pay off. He knows who I am and wants me on his client list. He agrees to deliver a note, do a small little routine as he delivers it, maybe 10 minutes or so. But he cannot stay. I agree and set about coming up with a note to be delivered.
Hey Angel,
I’m sorry I won’t be attending your party tonight. I’m not sure your crowd would find my act as funny as you do so I have sent along this performance instead. I hope it and your party are a roaring success.
Adam.
I get the note sent off, everything is set in place.
I find myself thinking about Kris and wondering why he hasn’t called. I decide to call him.
He answers, “Hey”
“Hey back at you Baby. What have you been up too? You never called me.”
“I’m sorry. I have been so dang busy. I swear, everybody needs something from me.”
“We have had this discussion before Sweetie, you need to set boundaries. You need to insist that people talk to your people, not you personally.”
“I know. I know. You are right. So how have you been?”
“Uh, I’m o.k. Listen Kris I want to…”
“Stop Adam, don’t say it, don’t you dare say you’re sorry.”
“But I am Kris, so sorry that I was that way with you.”
“You were that way with me because you are the most unselfish person I know. You were that way because that is the way I needed you to be. So I could have my cake and eat it too. You and I both know that I am the selfish one. “
“Kris, you do love me don’t you.”
In our well worn ritual he replies, “Yes, yes I do.”
“I am selfish Kris, I want you to come back.”
“Don’t Adam, don’t do this. It is so hard already. We have to play with the cards we have been dealt. Play by the rules.”
“I’m sorry Kris. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
“No need to apologize. I miss you too. That isn’t against the rules”
“Right.”
“Hey, I’ll be in L.A. next month or the one after. I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I know, o.k? We can get together for lunch or something. Catch up. O.K?”
“That would be great”.
“I better get going. I have a million calls to make, questions to answer. And then I’m going to take my best friend’s advice and set some friggin boundaries.”
“All right baby, talk to you soon.”
“Soon. Bye.”
I no sooner get off my phone and it is going off again. When I look at the caller’s name I have to wonder what the hell the Universe is up to. The timing is thought provoking to say the least.
I answer with a straight, “Hello”
I hear him chuckle a little, “That didn’t sound like my voice.”
I chuckle back, “I haven’t gotten you down yet.”
“You need to hear my voice more.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“I hope you don’t mind I called?”
“No, not at all. How did your party go?”
“It was fun. That’s why I called, to thank you. That was such a great idea you had. It was a big hit. So thank you so much. It was very swee....nice of you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m happy to keep you amused.”
“Um, I was confused about your note. Why did you call me Angel?”
Without a thought I said, “It’s just a thing I do. I always nickname my friends.”
“So I am a friend then?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I can hear him smile, “Great”. But why Angel?”
“You are going to put me on the spot aren’t you? I don’t know, because you look like an Angel? You sound like one? I don’t know. It just came to me. I could call you kid if you would prefer?”
“No, I like Angel better, even if I am far from being one. I guess I just wondered if you were using it because my fans kinda use it. Because of the song I sang on AI.”
“I’m not familiar with the song. It just came to me.”
“O.K. I like it.”
“Well I’m glad that is settled.”
“Hey, would you like to come over sometime? I’ll show you around my new place. I have a piano, we could play around with some music? Or just talk?”
And there it was. Door number two.