“I think you should go home, Angelo.” Marlowe’s mouth felt dry, he needed Angelo to just go and leave him. He needed to be alone. He didn’t want to have another meltdown with witnesses.
“Please Silver; can’t we just go back to the way things used to be? I miss having my friend around. I miss spending time with you.”
Marlowe nodded. Fine! If Angelo wanted to pretend like nothing had ever happened between them, then he could do the same. Who needed a damn heart anyway? Getting up he dressed and walked out the door, leaving Angelo sitting on the side of the bed. He put on his brightest smile as he walked into Gene’s and became the life of the party.
r r r
Angelo couldn’t work out what he had said wrong. He sat on the couch and watched Marlowe flirt with every single guy at the party whether they were gay or straight. This wasn’t what he wanted. This wasn’t the way things had been. He wanted Marlowe back in his life not ignoring him completely. His hands clenched into a fist as that friend of Clay’s kissed Marlowe on the cheek. How many damn Christmas kisses did the guy need?
His nails dug into his palm as the guy ran his hand over Marlowe’s arse and Marlowe did nothing to stop him. Deep down he knew it didn’t matter, well not to Marlowe at least, because as much as he smiled and laughed, it never reached his eyes. He had to think of some way to bring a sparkle back to those beautiful eyes. Marlowe deserved to shine.
“Dude, there are like some really creepy looking people at the front door and I can’t find Gene.” Angelo looked up at one of his uncle’s kitchen hands. “Gene has gone on a beer run.” He stood up. “I’ll go see what they want.”
Angelo froze as he opened the front door and came face to face with his parents. “Mum, Dad, what are you doing here?” Disgust showed clearly on their faces. “We have come to take you home. Mavis Redding informed us what kind of people live in this neighbourhood,” His mother exclaimed.
“It is time you forgot all this nonsense and came home and fulfilled your duty to our family.”
“What duty?” His father stared at him as if he was an idiot. “You need to come home and marry Rachel Harper. The plans have all been set. The wedding will take place next March on the twenty-second.”
Angelo shook his head defiantly. “I am not marrying Rachel Harper… I don’t even know Rachel Harper. You can’t force me to do this. I am an adult now.” Angelo turned and left them standing on the doorstep. He got half way through the lounge room when his father’s hand landed on his shoulder with enough force to knock him to his knees.
The music cut out and silence filled the room just as his father spoke. “Now you listen to me you little shit. I did not waste all my money on planning this wedding for you to back out at the last minute.”
“Back out,” Angelo shouted at his father. “You planned all of that without even asking me whether or not I wanted to marry her. I am not marrying a girl I do not know.”
Hunter grabbed Angelo’s father’s arm before he could throw the punch that everyone knew was coming. Angelo shook his head and walked over to Marlowe. This was just wrong…he didn’t need this. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? Closing his eyes he leaned towards Marlowe without actually touching him, he just need the warmth of his best friend. Being near Marlowe always made him feel better.
“Who is that?” His mother demanded icily.
“Hello, my name is Marlowe, I live next door,” Marlowe said calmly. “So you’re the fag then?” His father sneered and Angelo cringed. Fuck, he hated his parents. They were the cruellest, most insensitive bastards he knew.
Angelo turned and growled at his father. “Don’t you dare talk to him like that. You are not even good enough to wipe his boots on.”
“Sir, madam, I think you need to leave,” Hunter said as he pushed them towards the door.
“Who the hell do you think you are? That is my son and I am not leaving until he has come to his senses and returns home with us,” his father shouted. “I am home – your house is not my home. You lost the right to tell me what to do the day you threw me out.” Angelo felt drained. He didn’t need this in his life.
He felt a presence at his back and smiled when he heard Marlowe speak. “Are you okay?” The gentle touch of Marlowe’s hand against his lower back filled him with a strength to face his parents and win.
“So this is your choice then? You choose to stay here among these fags and let go of the good God fearing family that raised you? You are willing to never see your brother again, just so you can be with that monstrosity behind you?”
Angelo saw the hatred on his parent’s faces and then let it go. “Yes, I choose to stay here among these good and kind people, saying goodbye to my narrow minded family. Dimmy will be old enough one day to come find me on his own, and I will greet him with open arms.” Angelo walked up and stood face to face with his father. “And I told you not to speak about Silver that way.” He shoved his father towards the front door. “Go home, this is a party and we don’t want your bigoted arses ruining the mood.” He slammed the door with such force after shoving them out onto the porch that he would swear that they heard it three blocks away. As he walked back into the lounge room a massive cheer went up.
Angelo walked over and pulled Marlowe into the backyard where it was a little quieter. “Are you okay? I am sorry that they spoke to you that way.” His fingertips traced along Marlowe’s jaw, he hated feeling Marlowe pull away from him. “Talk to me, Sliver.”
“What are you doing, Angelo?”
Angelo closed his eyes and rested their foreheads together. “I’m…I just need to know that you are okay.” “I’m fine.” Marlowe stepped away from him.
“Silver,” Angelo called and smiled when Marlowe stopped. “What?”
Angelo walked over to him and pointed above their heads. Before Marlowe could protest, Angelo swooped in and claimed his lips. It wasn’t a deep kiss or a long kiss, but for that moment in time it made Angelo’s heart beat stop.
Marlowe shoved hard against his chest and stepped back. “You had no right to do that.” Tears flooded Marlowe’s eyes as he turned and fled through the house. How fucking stupid could he be?
Chapter Seven
It had been one week, one day, fourteen hours, twelve minutes and the seconds just keep on ticking by since he had last spoken to Angelo. His heart and his head were playing tug-of-war with his feelings about that. Part of him was glad that Angelo had kept his distance, but another part of him just wanted to throw himself into Angelo’s arms and promise that things could just go back to normal.
Shaking his head he went to the kitchen to make a coffee and found Clay there wrapping presents. “Don’t you have your own home somewhere that is not here?” He teased.
Clay poked his tongue at him and kept on wrapping the present before him. “My flatmate has asked me to move out. Apparently, his girlfriend doesn’t like me very much.”
“Damn, that’s cold.” Marlowe sipped his coffee. “So were you and Hunter ever going to tell me that you are moving in?” Clay dropped the sticky-tape and it rolled across the floor. “I’m not, Hunter doesn’t know about my problems nor does he need to know.” Clay’s voice trembled. “Please don’t tell him.”
“I don’t mind if you move in Clay, it’s already like you guys are joined at the hip. What does it matter if you live here?” Marlowe watched as so many emotions rushed over Clay’s face. “I really like Hunter, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardise that. If I ask to move in then he might feel trapped. I can’t do that to him, I just can’t.”
“You know honesty is the best policy, right?” Marlowe said. “Maybe you should take your own advice,” Clay replied.
“What do you mean?” he asked it though he had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly what Clay meant.
“Angelo! When are you going to tell him that you are in love with him?” Marlowe sighed deeply. “I’m not. He doesn’t know whether he is straight, gay, bi or just bi-curious. All I know is that my
heart couldn’t handle another rejection from him. It is safer this way.”
“I thought you said honesty is the best policy.” “I did, you’re right. One day when it doesn’t hurt too much I will tell him. At the moment he is confused about what he wants, and my putting myself in front of him all the time doesn’t help. He needs to work this out on his own.”
Clay smiled. “He does love you, I just don’t think he even realises it. The moment your name is mentioned he stills, as if your name is the magic word. He never says anything, but he listens.”
Marlowe shook his head. “Have you ever thought that he might just be making sure that I am not coming over? That he might be listening in case he needs to make a quick get away?”
“There is such a great sadness in his eyes when we talk about you.”
“Why are you even talking about me?” “Well we weren’t exactly talking about you. Tondra came over and was telling Dex about the double date you went on with her. She said she really thought you and that guy hit it off.”
Marlowe snorted. “The guy wouldn’t know romance if it jumped up and bit him on the arse. He was all hands and dirty talk. He wouldn’t know what an intelligent conversation was. He spent the whole night telling me about some footy game he had watched on TV.”
“Sports…ewww gross.” Clay pulled a face as he reached for another present to wrap. “Exactly. The worst part is that he has called me every damn day since. Five days of some jerk telling me how much he is going to enjoy taking me on every flat surface he can find.”
“Oh God, that is even worse than sports. Was he good looking at least?” Clay snipped the tape to hold the paper in place. “He was good looking, I suppose. Blond hair, blue eyes...but he was a guy that knew he was good looking and played on that fact. I swear we never passed a mirror or a window that he didn’t like.”
“So are you going out again?” Marlowe giggled and nodded. “Yeah, Tondra is dragging me out again. She says it is good for my soul.”
“Just not good for your heart, huh?” Clay asked quietly.
“My heart wants the impossible.” Marlowe sighed. “Mind you, I wouldn’t mind getting laid, I’m just not sure that Mr. Loveme-do is the right candidate.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem getting a hook-up.” Clay grinned.
“Ha!” Marlowe snorted. “It has been so long since I last had sex that I think I am a virgin again.”
“What about what happened with Angelo?” Marlowe grimaced. “That doesn’t count as sex as there was no actual penetration.” He blushed at the small white lie. “Besides, whatever did happen meant absolutely nothing to him. You were there. You heard him yell out that he wasn’t gay.”
“It’s called denial, love.” “It’s called the truth.” Marlowe carded his fingers through his hair. “Look, can we stop talking about Angelo-bloody-Linford. He doesn’t want me, so I say we move on.”
“Well on that note, have I got the guy for you. Forget about Tondra’s love-me-do, and come out with me and Hunter tonight. I will give Lewis a call and we can make a night of it.”
Marlowe sighed appreciatively. “Lewis Bourke with the chocolate brown eyes and kissable lips?” “That would be the one.. So, will you come?”
“Okay.” Marlowe grinned. “I haven’t seen him in months.”
Getting up from the table, Clay went to get his phone. “I will just call him.”
Neither Clay nor Marlowe were aware that their private conversation was being overheard.
r r r
Angelo knew that eavesdropping was wrong and he knew that you never heard anything good about yourself when you did it, but what hurt worse was hearing Marlowe’s plans for moving on. He knew he should be happy for his ex-best friend, but some part of him hoped that tonight’s date was the worst one yet.
Angelo had actually come over because he had needed some advice on his parents. They had been calling him and threatening him. Not only him, but they had threatened Marlowe and Hunter as well. Even if they were no longer friends he needed to warn them.
Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door.
“Angelo.” Marlowe sounded surprised.
“Hi Silver, is Hunter home?” Angelo walked in and stood beside the table. “No, he is at work.” Angelo watched as Marlowe’s hands fluttered around his coffee cup. “He won’t be home for another couple of hours. I can tell him to come see you then if you want?”
Angelo pulled out a chair and sat down. “No, this involves you too.”
“Me? What have I done?” Angelo reached out and patted Marlowe’s hand. “You haven’t done anything.” He frowned when Marlowe pulled his hand away. “My parents have been making some threats against me.”
“What does that have to do with me and Hunter?” Marlowe asked, confusion written over his face. “You stood up for me. In their minds, that means that I am fucking either one or the both of you. My mum noticed that your bracelet and my necklace matched. So now she thinks you turned me gay.” Angelo felt so embarrassed that he had to explain this. He just wished that it would all just go away.
“But how can they know? I mean we have never even told…” Marlowe’s voice trailed off. “Silver.” Angelo grabbed his hand again and refused to let go. “It doesn’t matter if we told anyone anything or not. In their eyes we are guilty.”
They both jumped as Clay came back in. “Lewis said he will meet us at the… what the hell are you doing here?” “Talking to Silver,” Angelo growled when Marlowe yanked his hands free. Marlowe crossed his arms across his chest. “So what now? What are they threatening to do?”
“Threats? What?” Clay asked, clearly confused.
“Angelo’s parents are making threats against Angelo, Hunter, and me.” Marlowe frowned.
Angelo hung his head in shame. If he hadn’t have come here, then none of this would be happening now. “Either I go home and marry Rachel, or they will make me pay, us pay, for going against what is right.” He looked sadly at Marlowe. “This makes your stalker look like an angel now doesn’t it?”
“That’s bullshit! Your parents are seriously fucked in the head,” Clay said angrily as he took a seat at the table. “And considering that his stalker was Hunter, Dex, and Gene then I would say yes, they are angels compared to your family.”
“Wait? What?” Angelo was dumfounded. “Dex, Hunter, and Uncle Gene were your stalker? Why?”
Marlowe looked away from him but Clay had no problems answering him. “They got it into their heads that you are in love with Marlowe, so they thought by stalking him it would make you jump into bed together.” He burst out laughing. “I guess they succeeded, you really did end up in bed together.”
“Clay!” Marlowe growled as he got up from the table. Angelo watched the stiffness of his posture and couldn’t work out if he was upset, afraid, or just plain pissed off. “If your parents are seeking to punish you, us, then all they have to do is watch us and they will know how wrong they are.”
“Silver,” Angelo got up and walked over to him, his hands automatically going out to rest on Marlowe’s waist, “please, my parents can be pretty full on, and I have yet to see them not follow through on something when they said they would do it. I want you to promise me that you will be careful.”
Marlowe shook his head but didn’t turn around. “Angelo, please don’t touch me. I can’t think when you are this close to me.”
“Silver,” Angelo’s fingers clenched in Marlowe’s shirt, “can’t we just…”
“No.” Marlowe pulled away. “We want and need different things from this friendship.”
Angelo blinked away the tears that were forming in his eyes as Marlowe walked out of the room.
“You know things would be so much simpler if you just admitted to yourself and everyone else that you are in love with him,” Clay said from the table.
Angelo remained silent for the longest time before sighing in defeat. “Okay, what do I need to do?” “Really?” Clay looked at him with a
stunned expression. “Yes, really.”
“Well okay then.” Clay hurriedly cleaned up his present wrapping mess on the table and held out his hand to Angelo. “Come with me Angel boy, let’s start step one on seducing your man.”
Angelo took one last look towards Marlowe’s closed door as he allowed Clay to pull him out of the house. “First you need to buy him the most perfect Christmas present. If you get him the right thing, the man will be putty in your hands.”
“I already have his Christmas present.”
“Yes, but is it perfect? What did you get him?”
“I got him what he asked for,” Angelo said as they climbed into Angelo’s car. “Tell me what it is and I will tell you if it is perfect.” “It’s a secret.”
Clay shook his head as they pulled out onto the road and
headed towards the mall. “Look bub, do you want to get into his pants or not?” “If I tell you, you are sworn to secrecy.” Angelo’s thumbs tapped on the steering wheel in time to the music blaring from his speakers. “I mean it, Clay.”
“I swear to God you can trust me, Angelo.” He keyed his lips and mimed tossing the key out the window. “Now spill it.” “I got him a puppy.”
“You got him what?”
“A puppy, a little male black Labrador.”
“Oh my God, I can’t wait to see the look on Hunter’s face when Marlowe gets that present. Where is the dog now?” “It is still at the breeder’s. I pick him up on Christmas Eve.” Angelo pulled in and parked in the mall lot. “Hunter won’t be too mad will he?”
Clay chuckled. “Well every time Marlowe brings up getting a dog; Hunter shuts him down…big time.”
Angelo shrugged. “It’s not like he is allergic or something. Hunter will just have to get over it.”
“Good luck with that.” Angelo smiled. “I got what he wanted. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, as long as Silver likes him.” He shoved Clay playfully in the shoulder. “And we both know that Silver is going to love him.”
Angels on Top Page 6
