Lunch Time

I'm starting to understand why someone tried to pop off The Highlander. If "There can only be one," I'd prefer to be the one left standing...

Partyboy stopped by my job the other day. I hadn't seen him in weeks. Not since I brought The Rocker home with me after our first date. I'm still not sure what made PB act so strange that night. I know it had only been two days since our fooling around "incident", but come on? A quick rub down hardly a relationship makes...

We had spoken briefly via Facebook. Not directly, more of the wall to wall type of exchanges. Hippie Chick had posted that we missed him at The Plex. I added that he should stop by my job sometime and hang out. I had switched jobs and now worked in Hollywood, just a few blocks south of Partyboys apartment.

Guess he decided to take me up on my offer and came waltzing in the other afternoon. He definitely surprised me. In a good way. It had taken us months to build our friendship. It would be silly for it all to be over because I now had a boyfriend.

Now that I think about it, I've felt resistance from most of the males in my Hipster crew. Everyone has had an opinion. Even The Street Artist threw in his surprisingly negative two cents.

"I don't know about that guy wifey," he said to me the other day. The Street Artist and I are married now, by the way. We posted the announcement via Facebook after his birthday. We got a few friends to join in on the gag and congratulate us on our "drunken" decision to drive to Vegas and get hitched. We even took a few pictures kissing at Cinespace the other day in the hopes that it looked like a Vegas night club. The ruse actually worked. He's received several congratulations online already.

I think the men in my crew are disappointed that I'm not single anymore. I mean, up to this point, I've been "that girl". The available yet unattainable one. They could flirt and protect me and hold me when its cold. They could call me to hang without worrying about me having to ask my mans permission. They could hope that perhaps one day they could hook up with me. I think they liked to think that the option was there. The fact that I have a boyfriend now? Well that slams the door on all their hopes and dreams. Or atleast that's what I think they believe.

Maybe that's why Partyboy acted so strangely that night. Even though he has a girlfriend, I think he still likes to pretend that he and I are more to each other. He likes to pretend that the option was still there for us. In a way, I guess it was. I did finally decide to cave. Not necessarily because I wanted to...or wanted him. I just wanted to see what would happen if I did. In the same way I had wanted to see what would happen if I saw The Creeper one last time. I wanted to call PB on his bluff and give him the option to be with me. I was curious what the end result would be. But the boy choked, and forced me to slam the door shut on his oversized ass.

"Hey dude, what's up!" I said to him excitedly, walking over to hug him.

"Hey you, " he says to me, using his classic greeting to me. "Thought I'd stop by and finally check out the place."

I give him a quick tour of the store and tell him to wait for me for a sec. I run to my back office to grab the companies Web girl. I work at the corporate store and have a whole team of workers in the back office at any given time. Web Girl read my blog, in its entirety, in one day. Needless to say she was an instant WCC fan.

I pop my head into her office and whisper to her, "You want to meet Partyboy?"

"Uh, hell yeah!" She replies excitedly, jumping up from her chair.

I drag her out front and make the introductions. I can see the dreamy look on her face. Good. Nice to know I describe my characters as they appear in real life. I could see her drooling as she looked up at him in all his 6"3 glory. I told her to keep PB company so that I could grab my lunch. Figured I'd give her a thrill and leave her alone with one of my favorite WCC boys.

After I grabbed my lunch I took PB out front to some tables out of the way from my co workers prying eyes. I may write everything that goes down in my life, but in reality, I prefer privacy.

We talked about nothing in particular. It was mellow. Just two friends shooting the shit on another sunny California afternoon. I think again how glad I was that the other night had happened. It was the last step we needed to solidify that we were just friends. I felt zero heat or connection to him outside of the normal friend zone. Thank god. I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with his unsolicited affections forever. I mean what had been the boys end game? How long did he think it would have been until his girlfriend and I met? The boy would have had a complete freak out/break down for sure. But now? We were cool again. Two peas in a pod.

He told me that The Hollywood Guru asked about me the other day.

"He liked you," he says to me. "He's interested in reading your blog. He text me that he wants to see if your work matches up to your rocket-like karma. He called you a rebel."

I laugh. The Rockers roommates said something very similar about me after the first time they met me. They called me "edgy". Strange statements considering both parties had known me for less than an hour. I'm not sure if it was my personality,blond hair, style of clothes I wear or all of the above that made them say it; but something about me makes people stop. Take note. Maybe I am the type of star HG told me about? Maybe I do give off that tangible energy that people like to watch? Maybe I have "The Darkness". One could only hope.

Our chit chat gets interrupted by a text. I look down at my phone and see an unfamiliar phone number. I had just switched phones and lost a hand full of my contacts so I had no idea who it could be.

All it read was, "How are you?"

I'm not sure why but my first thought was that the text had came from Nutty as a Fruitcake. He'd been on my mind a lot lately. Mainly because I had found a packet of his head shots in my moving boxes the other day. But the area code didn't match up so I thought, what the hell, might as well see who it is.

"Good. Sorry. Lost my numbers. Who is this?" I send.

"This is The Highlander. Remember me?? You abruptly stopped communicating with me!:( "

Oh. My. God. Seriously? I thought I had dodged a very scary stalker bullet and had all but forgotten about this needy freak. I mean what the hell was he doing texting me? I blew you off dude! What the hell do you want?

I quickly show the text to Partyboy.

"What a freak!," I say to him. "Dude, I don't know why I constantly attract stalkers? Or maybe I don't attract them but I turn dudes into them? What the hell should I do?!"

"Yeah, I had the same problem with a chick once," he tells me, ignoring my question and instead launching into a barely relatable story about a girl who's unwanted affections once bothered him.

I swear this guy has ADD. Here I was freaking out about another Highlander assault and there he was ignoring it because for some reason he never likes to discuss my dating life. I'm beginning to think it has nothing to do with PB liking me. I think it has more to do with jealousy. Jealousy about someone in our inner circle being as desirable as he is.

Partyboy is a hot guy. I'm a hot girl. Even now it was evident. Every guy had looked up from their food to watch me walk across the balcony and take a seat. I could see girls taking double takes of Partyboy as they walked by our table. I've caused 4 car accidents in my day. One time while out to dinner, Hippie Chick and I couldn't stop laughing at the Hostess who did everything but jump into Partyboys lap.

I think he's used to being the center of attention. That's probably why it took him so long to let me go. If I was still into him, than that meant he would win the hotness award. He would be crowned King hottie in our circle of Creative friends. Sorry buddy, no tiara for you today. For now I'm the one being stalked so lets freaking focus here...

Two minutes later The Highlander sends a second text, "No comment?"

Needy freak.

I decide to respond. "I'm here. Sorry how things went down. But they did. I have a boyfriend now, so communicating with you really isn't cool."

I figured if he called me, I would throw Partyboy on the phone and have him pretend he was my boyfriend. Maybe shame The Highlander into stopping his disgustingly annoying communications with me.

Ok, that's not 100% true. You see even though The Rocker and I were now sleeping together, I still refused to allow him or anyone else to call us boyfriend/girlfriend. I'm not sure why, but I've always had issues with those titles. In the past it's taken guys months to finally get me to commit to them.

It's not because I didn't want to be monogamous with The Rocker. I was already doing that. I think it's because without a title there can never be a break up. If one day we bored of each other we could just fade away without having to make some grand announcement that we no longer wantedt to call each other by these silly titles. No thanks. If a guy can't figure out that he's my man without having to label us than he's not the right one for me.

Buuut...I have to admit. The Rocker has me twisted. I wanted to hear it. I wanted to say it. I told Partyboy my lame excuse about wanting to possibly put him on my phone with The Highlander but the whole time I had The Rockers sexy face in my mind. Man I wanted that boy to be mine. Title and all.

The Highlander sends this response, "So much for you not wanting a relationship right now. I wish that you had just been honest with me after all the time we had spent getting to know each other. Even as friends. That's the least I deserved. Take care."

You have to be fucking kidding me dude?! So much for me not wanting a relationship right now? I didn't want one with you buddy. Take the freaking hint. And all of what time getting to know each other? We met one time!! Once! And had tea and Persian cookies. Why in the hell do you think you know me?! Why do you think you deserve anything from me?

I'm too irritated to respond at first. Two minutes later I get another text. "PS. Never said I was only interested in dating you! Just thought we had a good time together..."

...after that whole one time we met, because I'm a freak and never see anybody so I've decided to latch onto you and give you shit for having the nerve to date someone else and not stay friends with me because I deserve first dibs on you because I was in an accident and you should feel sorry for me and want to be with me because I'm freaking insane!

Ok, he didn't text that last paragraph, but you get my drift...

My lunch break is over and it's time for me to head back into the store. Partyboy walks me back in and asks what time I get off.

"I should be done around 10pm," I tell him.

"Cool, well maybe I'll swing by later," he replies.

Boy please. Maybe? We all know you'll be back.

He gives me a hug goodbye and heads out. I see my staff follow him out with their eyes. I laugh to myself. Even though I'm aware that Partyboy is a good looking guy, he's so not my type. I need a little swagger to my man. I fell for the guy I met on New Years. That guy had balls. The man who just walked out the door on the other hand? That was just my buddy Partyboy. The guy who passes out on my bedroom floor on a regular basis and still gets nervous when I'm around and texts me constantly to see if he can come hang out and play with me and The Plex Force because deep down he an oversized puppy who just wants to be friends with well...everyone.

I head to the back office to send a reply to The Highlander. I'm done playing this game with this guy. If honesty is what he wants, than honesty is what he's going to get.

"You got more than a little strange dude," I start. "Kind of scared me to be honest. And not that this is any of your business, but I wasn't ready for a relationship when I met you. This guy is just patient and doesn't' ask or push me for anything. He gives us space to just be. And surprisingly we just clicked. That's how it goes."

I reread my text and satisfied with my response, I send it. I'm surprised by my words. I had intended on feeding him a semi lie but instead I ended up with a surprisingly accurate description of my current relationship. It was all true.

When I met The Highlander I wasn't ready to be in a relationship. I was still trying to figure out who I was and knew well enough that I didn't want to get sucked into The Highlanders world. I had told him that he needed more attention than I was willing to give. I was tired of the men in my life being the center of attention. With all that The Highlander was going through that's exactly what it would have been like. I mean he was doing it even now and we weren't even together!

Ten minutes pass without a response from him. I knew one of two things were happening. He was either so butt hurt about my text that he had decided to leave me alone. Fat chance for that theory...or the more likely of scenarios. He was now writing a 3 page response via text to me and I needed to be patient and wait for the onslaught.

The next text came in 9 pages long.

"That's fine. I'm not someone to be 'scared' of; so I kinda take offense at that." He starts.

You take offense of my fear of you? Uh, ok.

"But anyhow," he continues. "Like I had suggested to you when everything got 'strange'... "

God I wish he would stop inserting quotes from our past discussions. Freaking stalker.

"... between us, it was more a complication of discussing something serious via text..."

Yeah, it's the texting that makes you seem nuts.

"...I tend to be a rational and reasonable person and I'm sure we would've worked through the misunderstanding! "

I can't even comment on this line. I'm on sarcasm overload. It's quite possible my head might explode.

"...But you never afforded me the respect to do that because you just cut me off; which to be perfectly honest, I didn't expect of you."

Now he's pissing me off again. He wants to talk about respect? How about a little respect for my personal space dude? I have every right in the world to decide to not speak with you. I owe you nothing! You don't know me. How in the hell could you possibly know what you could or couldn't expect from me?

"...As you were well aware," oh yeah, he's still going, " because of the honesty and candor of our interactions, it was very hard for me to reach out to anyone after my accident. I did with you because I thought you were special and that we 'connected'; because I had spent so much time alone, it was difficult for me to taper my desire to interact with you. That's all!"

It was hard for you to reach out to anyone? We met on a dating website dude?! What did you think you were doing if not reaching out to meet people?

"...Anyhow I'd like us to be a part of eachothers life in some capacity; but clearly it takes 2 people to make that happen?!"

This guy can't be serious? Is he really still trying to be friends after all of this?

"...since we were just friends and had never dated and you do have male friends, I don't see why that wouldn't be possible?? Unless of course you don't want it to happen?"

Is that really a question? I stopped talking to you, and now I'm telling you that you're scaring me but this psycho still thinks there's a possibility that we could be friends? Am I on fucking candid camera right now?!

"...I'm really sorry that you felt 'pushed' by me because I'm generally very patient and that was more an unfortunate by-product of my circumstances."

You know since I am totally insane and all.

I'm done. So done. I don't want to know this person. I don't want him to contact me or know me. I want him to just go away. Now.

"Look Highlander," I text back. "I listened to my friends advice at the time and stopped answering you. Everything just got so over the top. Like I told you. I don't want to be anyones connection to the outside world. I don't need the reminders of what you went through. It comes across like you are trying to guilt me into staying friends with you. It's too much. We didn't know each other for that long nor did we know each other very well. You know so so little about me you have no idea. It's weird that you are still trying to contact me. I think its best that we just drop it. I'm not comfortable with you anymore."

"Wow, 'trying to guilt you into staying friends'," he responds. "Ok, enough said, I'm sorry to have bothered you. It was an honest mistake!"

In the middle of my cleansing sigh at what I thought was his final response, I get another text. I swear, he's like one of those psycho killers in the movies who you think is dead but the second the audience relaxes the psycho comes back ready to strike one final blow at the innocent teens until the leading heroine finally decapitates the bastard...

"I told you why I had contacted you and it was clearly NOT for anything you just rattled off! Take Care," he finally finishes.

I don't respond. I'm totally drained. I hope it's the last time I hear from him, but who knows? The audience loves them a sequel.

I head back out to the sales floor and Web Girl asks me what happened. She has the same excited grin that Pop a Squat gets whenever she is around my blogs in motion. I show her the text and tell her about my lunch with Partyboy.

" I swear, when I first read your blogs I thought there was no way all of these things could really be happening to you," she says. "I mean at first I thought, 'does she ever get any sleep?,' and than I thought that you must be making some of these events up."

"Nope," I tell her. " I don't sleep much and I never make any of it up. I mean I may stretch and pull my own personal opinions about situations, but the facts of the stories are all true. I couldn't make this shit up if I tried."

She heads back to her office happy and spent.

I'm exhausted. Man that guy is draining.

Luckily the rest of my day is text free. At closing time, Partyboy walks back into the store holding my favorite tea latte. Vanilla Robust with soy and two pumps of suger free vanilla syrup. Hippie Chick is right. This guy really can be charming when he wants to be.

I close up shop and we head out together sipping our warm Starbucks cups.
I offer him a ride home.

"You can just take me half way, I can walk the rest," he says to me.

"Don't be silly. Your super close dude," I say to him. "I pass your place all the time on my way to The Rockers house."

"So which one is The Rocker," he asks me. "Is he the guy that sings Sinatra songs?"

"No," I say laughing. "I call that guy Sinatra. I don't talk to him anymore. The Rocker is the guy you met the other night at The Plex."

"Oh thats right," he says nodding his head. "That was the day I was being all wierd and I left early..."

I look over at Partyboy in surprise. I swear, I may write Partyboy dumber than he is. I think his self awareness is alot more heightened than I give him credit for. A fact that worries me. I've given the boy excuses for his past behaviors because I figured he didn't know any better. But this little statement has me thinking twice about, well...everything.

"So things are good?" He asks me.

"Yeah," I respond. "I don't know how it happened but cupid came and bit me on the ass and out of no where, I'm in love."

I have no idea why I just said that to Partyboy, but I know immediately that I mean it. Like I said, some people just click. I'm pretty intuitive. I usually know immediately if someone is destined to be in my life. Friends or lovers. And I knew The Rocker was right for me.

"That's cool," Partyboy says. A simple statement I know, but he means it. Talking about all of this isn't strange. Partyboy is my friend. We're close. He's closer to me in many aspect than he even is with the Party Guys. It's sort of fitting that he's the first person to hear me out my feelings about The Rocker.

I pull up to Partyboys place and he turns and gives me a hug and kiss on my cheek.

"Thank you, see you later," he says. "Maybe I can stop by again and we can do coffee another time?"

"For sure," I tell him.

I let him off and head back home to The Plex.

What a strange day. I feel like I shut the door on two relationships and opened another to a new.

I love The Rocker. Not in the funny, 'I'm just being silly' sort of way. But the real head over heels, lasting, no matter what may come kind.

Oh shit. This can't be good.

WCC