Love Hurts by Jonathon Waterman - HTML preview

CHAPTER 31 – Together Again

 

 

 

Feeling like his world had ended; Jose definitely wasn’t looking forward to coming home after the conclusion of his last class. All those years wasted, he thought as he shoved his brass key into the front door of his and his brother’s apartment. How could have I been so stupid? I should have known Josefina would find out.

 

 

“What’s up, bro? What are you doing home so early,” Chad asked, turning away from their T. V. where he had been watching a sitcom. “You normally have plans once your classes are over.”

 

“I know. Most days I do,” Jose retorted. “But with the way everything crashed and burned yesterday between me and Josefina, I felt like coming home this afternoon.”

 

“Oh?” Chad raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised. Don’t you realize that because of what happened, you now have time to spend with the other girls I’ve seen you with.”

 

Jose glared at him and then tossed the tan jacket he wore early that morning since it was cool onto a nearby kitchen chair. “True. But, I’m really not interested. In fact, I don’t think I even want to get into another guy-girl relationship again. At least, not at the moment.”

 

“What? What’s this all about? Is this my brother talking? That doesn’t sound like you at all,” Chad replied, looking shocked. “This couldn’t be the great Latin He-man lover I’ve been living with? I mean, you – of all people – losing your interest in women? Wow! What’s going to happen next? Is the sky is going to fall?”

 

“Ha-ha. Very funny, bro. It almost makes me want to laugh,” Jose replied before heading for the kitchen. “By the way. What’s happening in your world? I thought things were about to pick up with you and Alexander.”

 

“I thought so too,” Chad replied. “I had been thinking that since the two of us are now on campus together, we could pick up where things left off years ago in Denmark.”

 

“And? What’s the problem?”

 

Chad took a drink of cola from a nearby glass he had set on the coffee table. “Apparently, Alex recently found a new guy – some freshman he’s met.”

 

Jose frowned. “Wow. I know that must have been a big surprise.”

 

Chad nodded. “It was. It also hurt. I really used to love him. But that’s now in the past – and, that happening is probably not any worse than what happened between you and Josefina.”

 

Jose nodded his agreement. “Yeah. Love sucks – doesn’t it?”

 

“It seems so,” Chad replied, after a short chuckle. “I acted like a fool and ended up getting abused by Felipe, and from what both you and Alex have told me, you messed up and it cost you, Josefina.”

 

“I know,” Jose said, opening the freezer door of the refrigerator. “By the way, do we have any strawberry ice cream bars left?”

 

Chad shook his head. “No. I ate the last one yesterday – soon after I got home from class.”

 

Jose turned and gave him a dirty look. “Dang it. How could you, bro? I was saving it.”

 

“Oh?” Chad replied. “For what?”

 

“For today,” Jose stated, closing the fridge door. “I know we normally don’t get groceries until Saturday so I was trying to make them last.”

 

Chad shrugged his shoulders. “You should have told me.”

 

“I thought I did. But I guess it doesn’t really matter now,” Jose began, going back in the fridge and snatching a cold soda. “The big question is: Where do we go from here?”

 

“Well,” Chad said. “We can head to the store and buy some more. It’s really no big deal, Bro.”

 

“Buy some more?” Jose narrowed his eyes while entering the living room. “What in the heck are you talking about?”

 

“Strawberry flavored ice cream bars,” Chad said watching his slightly younger brother take a seat in the lounge chair. “You know, like the ones we normally get at the grocery store.”

 

Jose shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me? That’s not the topic anymore.”

 

“Oh?” Chad took a quick glance in his direction. “When did you change subjects and what are you talking about?”

 

Jose took a quick breath. “I’m talking about us. You know. Like you and me.”

 

“Us?” Chad repeated.

 

“Yeah, us,” Jose said. “Didn’t losing Felipe a few weeks ago and now Alexander hurt?”

 

“Well. Yes and no,” Chad said, straightening himself in his seat. “The loss of possibly resuming the relationship Alexander and I used to have did hurt. But, what happened between Felipe and me back in Chile was a real dagger to the heart. And to make things worse, it wasn’t until I was in the relationship with him for several months that I realized he was nothing but a self-centered butthole. I truly did love Felipe and it hurt when things turned sour.”

 

“I can imagine,” Jose replied sympathetically. “I was really in love with Josefina and it really hurts now that I lost her- especially since it was due to my own stupidity. My whole life feels empty, it’s like my world has ended.”

 

Chad nodded. “I know that feeling. ... So? Where do we go from here?”

 

Jose stopped and deeply looked at his brother – and instantly, started to recall how close the two of them used to be – before he and his brother got involved with others.

 

“You know, bro,” he began. “I believe what we both experienced these past few days, weeks, and months was the result of a situation where we were looking for love, but it was in all the wrong places.”

 

“Oh?” Chad replied while trying to figure out where his younger brother was going with this. “I’m not sure of what do you mean.”

 

Jose grinned. “Real love – the kind that doesn’t hurt - may be a lot closer than you think. Do you remember ...?”

 

 

 

THE END