The Eternity that Follows

by Diane Marie

  Joey got up from his bar stool, and walked through the crowd of people mingling on the empty section of the floor. He wanted to get him and Tie another drink, but he had another motive in mind. The bar was so filled with people, he wasn’t sure how to get Gabriella to spot him. He was unstoppable though, pushing a man out of the way in his frustration as the area was just too packed to get up to the bar.

  “Oh just move it will ya.” Joey snapped.

  “Yo man what’s your problem.”

  “Nothing, just trying to buy a drink.”

  “Well try going through another path asshole.”

  “Yeah or you could just move.” Joey said, and then he pushed the man again.

  “Listen buddy that’s it I’ve had enough with you.”

  The man then punched Joey in the face. Joey wasn’t hit hard by the drunken man, with slurred words, but his temper got the best of him. Joey right hooked the man straight in the jaw. The man feel to the ground, and Joey feared he knocked him out.

  The girls had caught the commotion. Gabriella had gotten right up from her seat to a front row view of the fight. She was well known for jumping into fights at the bar, even ones between two guys. She felt she was a peacemaker, being as beautiful as she thought she was, a sight to see, a good enough reason to spot petty arguing. She was often pulled out of the fights she had tried to enter by different men who thought she was too pretty to risk herself getting hurt, usually receiving a compliment in the mist of it.

  This fight was different. The fight was already over. The man Joey had punched was out cold on the floor. The bouncers weren’t able to get over to the commotion right away. They had to pull and push through the crowd of people.

  Gabriella took one look at the man standing over the drunken fool on the floor, and her heart skipped four beats. She caught her breath in just enough time for Joey not to notice, as his eyes met hers. He smiled at her politely. His smile was so cute, she couldn’t help but blush and smile right back. Gabriella’s smile was innocent and sweet, and Joey’s smile hadn’t left his face when she smiled back. The sight of her smile made his eye’s light up. To that response, Gabriella smiled again, allowing her eyes to light up as well. She then turned and walked away, wanting to give him the impression he had no chance with her. Joey noticed the sparkle in her eyes as she turned though, she hadn't fooled him. He was then he hauled away by the bouncers.

  “What did you do that for?” One bouncer said, once they had him outside. Joey was pushed to the wall.

  “Watch it man. He punched me first.” Joey said.

  “Don’t come back to this bar again for a few months, you’re officially kicked out.”

  “Whatever.” Joey mumbled.

  “Man that just sucks.” Joey said, when they reached Tie’s jeep. Tie came running to Joey’s side when he saw he being hauled out by the bouncers.

  “Who cares? So what you’re kicked out for a few months you don’t even like going out in Mandala anyway.”

  “Yeah, but there was this hot girl in there. You don’t know how gorgeous she is.”

  “What? Wait, who?”

  “Oh, one of Jemma’s friends. Josh and I saw her out last night.” “Oh that’s why you wanted to come out to Mandala, now I get it.” “Yeah you got me.” Joey said.

  He was now calm at the mere mention of Gabriella's name. His thoughts were wondering off on how beautiful her smile was. He remembered the shimmer in her eyes, and felt he had completed his task. “She probably thinks I’m such a jerk for punching a guy in the face.” Joey said, worry himself. “I doubt that. Girls like tough guys. I’m sure she’s impressed.” . “I hope so”

  Joey and Tie decided to go over to Cascades. Joey thought it best in his mind to leave Mandala, and go back to Candlewood, to have a drink at one of his hometown bars, but instead he decided to go to Cascades because he wanted to see Gabriella again, badly. He hoped Cascades was the next spot for her and her friends.

  Back inside Mackenzie’s, Gabriella went back to her friends who were standing a few feet away from her. She was still stunned by Joey’s smile and his eyes. She couldn’t believe how handsome he was. She was disappointed though, she didn’t get the chance to meet him, like she had hoped, but she was content she at least got to see him.

  “Gabby come one lets go dance” Sara said, after the bar had settled back down. The girls had lost their table when they had all gone over to the fight.

  “I have to go to the bathroom. Will you come to the bathroom with me?” Gabriella asked, while the blood running through vein’s had not yet cooled down from her encounter with Joey. “Of course. Girls you coming?” Sara asked Jemma and Josephine.

  “Yup.” The girls replied in unison.

  The girls went to the bathroom, and Gabriella went into one of the stalls while the other girls fixed their makeup. She didn’t really have to use the bathroom badly, she just wanted a few minutes to collect her thoughts. She was star struck by her mysterious dream man. She wanted to know deeply who he was. She recollected herself, and came out of the stall to check on her own makeup.

  “Did you guys see the guy that punched that man in the face?” Gabriella asked her girl friends, with excitement.

  “Who Joey?” Jemma said.

  Jemma didn’t want to keep from her friend she knew who Joey was. Owning up to knowing him would give her a chance to bad mouth him, and keep Gabriella from wanting him any more then she already did. “He’s such a tool bag. He’s a girl user, not a guy for you. Please don’t be interested in him. I’ve heard countless amount of stories about him. He’s dirty in bed, he only goes after girls with money, and all he cares about is his stupid car.”

  “Oh.” Was all Gabriella replied.

  Gabriella didn’t know if she could believe Jemma or not. She had a tendency of white lying to her friends, she was caught many times. Gabriella didn’t want to believe her for she was already in love with a man she didn’t even know. She spoke up, “how do you know so much about him?”

  “He’s a friend of Gavin’s.”

  “Oh, I never met Gavin.” Gabriella said, recalling she was with Mark when Jemma had been dating Gavin.

  “Your not still interested in him, are you?” Jemma asked. “Yeah a little.”

  “Oh no Gab, I’m telling you he’s bad news.” Jemma said, pretending to be looking out for her friend.

  “Who cares he was so fly.” Josephine said.

  “Yeah, he was pretty hot.” Sara added.

  Happy that she had a little approval from her other friends, and feeling better about what Jemma had just said, Gabriella walked out of the bathroom first.

  “Okay lets go dance but I need another drink first.”

  “Me too.” Sara said.

  The girls got acquired another drink and headed to the dance floor. They danced a few songs through, and then Gabriella wanted to leave.

  “Let’s go to Cascades now. We’re supposed to meet those boys in ten minutes.” Gabriella said to Jemma.

  “Oh the boys called me and said they couldn’t come out tonight. The kid’s dad is using the boat tonight, and they have no ride over to Cascades.” Jemma said, with a lie. “Let’s just stay here.”

  Jemma then walked away over to a group of people all the girls knew. ‘That was that,’ Gabriella thought, now stuck at Mackenzie’s. She knew better then to call one of the boys numbers she had gotten the night they went swimming. She wanted to check out her friend’s story, but she didn’t want to give an open invitation for the boys to start calling her.

  Joey and Tie spent the next hour and a half sitting at the bar at Cascades before Joey decided it was time to leave. The bar would be open for at least another hour, but he felt he had sat long enough. He didn’t want Gabriella to find him there after all that time, just sitting with his friend, watching a Yankee’s sport classic game. He wanted her to know he was interested, but he didn’t want to come off as desperate. Tie dropped him off at two fifteen in the morning, and Joey had troub
le falling asleep. He couldn’t shake the thought of Gabriella off his mind.

  The girls stayed at Mackenzie’s till close. Both Sara and Gabriella had tried to get Jemma and Josephine over to Cascades, like they had planned, but they both insisted on staying. They had a lot of acquaintances there, and they were having too much fun to leave. Gabriella didn’t think much of them not wanting to leave. She didn’t even lead onto her friends that she wanted to see if Joey was at Cascades. She hadn’t even had the chance to see what he was wearing. Gabriella concluded, Jemma’s wanting to stay at Mackenzie’s had nothing to do with trying to keep her and Joey apart.

  When Gabriella got home, she couldn’t help but think of Joey. She had a feeling in her heart, but little did she know, he couldn’t stop thinking about her too. Joey knew what he saw in her smile, in her eyes. She was interested in him, he just knew it. He couldn’t wait to see her again, and continue on with his chase. He had a strong physical attraction for her, and was pleased with himself, he had it in her heart to wait for her. Gabriella had a warm feeling left from Joey and his smile, she too couldn’t wait to see him again. Before Gabriella fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, she wondered if a guy like Joey would be willing to wait around until she was ready for sex. She highly doubted he was the type. She decided instead, Joey was the type of man who could bring down her sexual guard. Gabriella began to desire to have him in bed, even if she could only have one night with him. Gabriella didn’t know what had overcome her as she had done such a good job of keeping her vow to herself till now, until she saw the ever handsome Joey.

  Chapter Four

  When Gabriella awoke, she couldn’t help but contemplate her thoughts before falling asleep. She surveyed if she really was willing to give up her vow of celibacy for Joey. She thought about how special her virginity was to her, and the night she lost it. Mark was patient, and she teased him to no end before giving her virginity to him, on their one year anniversary, she felt ready, and was sure he was the one she wanted to marry. He made the night special for her, giving her roses, and setting up candles, to ‘only make out,’ she recalled him saying. Something gave way in the passion she had for him as she allowed him to get her completely naked for the first time. She lost her will power suddenly, as he touched her private area for the first time. That made Gabriella want him to be inside of her. It all happened so quick as she admitted to him ‘I’m ready.’ He didn’t think twice or question her readiness before he entered inside of her.

  Gabriella then thought back to her tale of six men, and the feelings she had for one. His name was Vinny, and he was seven years older. He himself was tall, dark and handsome. He was her neighbor growing up, and all her friends use to talk about him constantly when she were little, and they were over at her house. When Gabriella saw him out at the bar, and had a chance to sleep with him, she couldn’t refuse. He was even better looking then Mark had been. Gabriella admitted to herself, she had caught feelings toward him. Feelings that weren’t washed away even after she heard Jemma slept with him the next night. Gabriella turned him down the night Jemma went home with him, hoping he wanted more then to just sleep with her. She wished he would ask her on a date, and though she wanted to leave with him again, she saw him for what he was, a womanizer. She thought about him most of the summer when she had her binge of sexual intercourse, and would always hope to see him out around the bars. When she did see him out, he was always surrounded by a flock of girls, and he made no advances toward her. He would just stare her down, expecting her to come over to him, but she wasn’t falling for his gorgeous good looks again. As much as she loved tall, dark and handsome, the reality was he was too old for her, and she had felt taken advantage of when she found out she was pregnant. Though she couldn’t conclude it was him who had gotten her pregnant, as she had used protection with all the men, she still felt like it was his fault. She knew how he was with women, how he used them for sex. She could only hope Joey wasn’t as bad as Vinny was when it came to the feelings of girls. Gabriella’s thoughts were catching up to her, thinking how ironic it was she always fell for the bad boys, even though she herself was so innocent. Vinny had changed Gabriella’s feelings on sex before marriage, and after him she was more open to sleeping with guys. The night Vinny went home with Jemma, she went home with a guy friend, thinking, ‘everyone’s doing it, I mind as well too‘. She continued on with that behavior for four more nights, going home different man, just like her friends had. The next week, when her and her friends went down to the Jersey Shore, Gabriella had a change of heart on sleeping with men she didn’t know, and stopped the behavior. When she found out she was pregnant, she vowed to herself never to sleep with a man again if she wasn’t in love with him. Though she felt she had fallen in love at first sight, she concluded, she wanted to get to know Joey before she slept with him.

  When Joey woke up, his thoughts too ran to his sexual past. He had heard from his brother, Gabriella had an acting out period, but she was now celibate. He wondered if he would be good enough for her or if she would be turned off by his own sexual outburst. Joey had been a virgin till he was seventeen. He lost his virginity to a Mandala cheerleader, who’s name was Stephanie. They started dating at the beginning of the summer before his senior year. He was aware she had slept around with boys from the Candlewood football team that Joey played for, but that didn’t bother him much. She had pressured him into sex the first night they started going out. Seeing how Joey responded, she backed off from trying to sleep with him for a few months. She claimed, she had regretted her decision to sleep with the amount of boys she did, and Joey saw innocence in her, and he continued to date her. Joey himself wanted to be a virgin, and save himself for his wife, like his older brother had done. It was the night of his homecoming dance, him and Stephanie had only been been dating for four months. Joey was intoxicated at the time, and it all happened so suddenly for him as she undressed him, and then herself in an upstairs bedroom at the party after the dance. Joey’s sexual urge got the best of him, and he gave into her seduction. He wasn’t sure if what he felt for her was love or not. He also wasn’t sure if she was the girl he would want to spend the rest of his life with, but he enjoyed having sex with her. Joey soon broke up with her, realizing she wasn’t the right girl for him. They broke up the night after Joey and his football team played Mandala. A jealous player of the Mandala’s, a die hard rival, pushed Joey on the field after he scored a point from the flawless kick in the game wining touchdown. There were only minutes left in the forth quarter. Not wanting to start a fight about the push, Joey walked off instead. He dumped Stephanie that night, after dating for six months, and never looked back on the sport. He even stopped talking to all of his football buddies, and instead kept to Gavin and Josh. He became close to Tie in the few shorts weeks he stayed in school, before he dropped out to get his GED.

  When Joey broke up with Stephaine, he wasn’t at all interested in dating someone new. He had just started working for Ted, and he wanted to get himself settled in life before giving any of his attention to any girls. He felt he had his whole life ahead of him to have sex, plus he figured he was just too selfish to care for someone other then himself. He focused his attention on his work, and then he meet his next girlfriend was also from Mandala, Savannah, who was much different from the Mandala cheerleader. She wasn’t into the party scene or in with the popular crowd. In fact, she had been an eighteen-year-old virgin, Joey being nineteen himself. Joey and Savannah dated for a year and a half, six of those being months Joey spent in jail for assault. She had written him letters everyday, confessing her love, and visited him often. When Joey was released from Jail, he realized he had no feelings for her, but felt he couldn’t break up with her right away. They had sex the first night he got out, which he knew was to happen through the letters she wrote to him. In her letters she told him she was ready, and couldn’t wait for him to get out of jail. After making love to her, Joey realized he did have deep feelings for her. They made love for months, an
d Joey thought they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. He was forced to break up with her after she confessed to sleeping with someone new saying, ‘I just wanted to see what it would be like, to be with someone else.’ Joey was unforgiving and had his heart broken.

  That was a few months before he turned twenty-one. The night of his twenty first birthday, Gavin brought him out to Mandala, and his crew of old, high school football teammates were out at the bar they went to. They quickly accepted Joey back into the group, and claimed he was the one that stopped talking to them. Joey got extremely drunk that night, and wanted to simply take a girl home, this was after he had heard countless tales from his prior teammates about how easy the women in Mandala were, and how good casual sex felt. Just a one night stand with a lady that you didn’t care for. From the time Joey turned twenty-one till the time he got his DWI, he had random sexual encounters with more than twenty of girls he had meet, mostly in Mandala. Joey tried to shrug his sexual past from his mind, thinking about how he had goodness in his heart when it came to sleeping around, but the fear of how Gabriella would recact crept up on him.

  When Joey had first gotten out of jail from his DWI, he was done with the Mandala girls, and sleeping around. He thought long and hard in jail about how many girls’ hearts he had broken, and vowed never to be that way again. He sat there night after night remembering the night he had lost his virginity, and how he wished he could take his whole sexual past back. He stopped sleeping with women all together until he met, Diana and she broke down his guards. He was hooked after the first night of being with her, but as he was making love to her, he realized she wasn’t his vision of his dream girl. Joey gave up on finding his dream girl, and continued his relationship with Diana. When she broke up with him for another man, and confessed she had been sleeping with him for their whole relationship, Joey was crushed and heart broken, but he remembered back to his blueprints, that were beginning to be put to life, and realized she wasn’t his dream girl anyway. He vowed another vow of celibacy, but gave in time to time cause well, men had their needs.