The Text Message

            After showing Alex around his apartment, Anthony asks, “So what do we want to do now?”

“What are the options?” Alex asks in response.

“Well we could watch TV and cuddle,” Anthony replies walking up to him. “Or,” pausing he wraps an arm around Alex’s waist. Leaning in close he adds, “We could do this,” Kissing Alex, he slides his free hand into Anthony’s straight, shoulder-length black hair.

            Leaning into Anthony’s kiss, Alex slightly parts his lips; in response to his silent invitation Anthony slips his tongue into Alex’s sweet, warm mouth. Lifting Alex off his feet, Anthony carries him to the black leather couch; sitting him down on it he straddles him. Sighing Alex slides his hands up Anthony’s tight black t-shirt.

            Moaning Anthony nibbles on Alex’s bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth and sucking on it. Breaking the erotic kiss, Anthony pulls his and Alex’s shirt off. He sits back, marveling at Alex’s tan chest.
    Alex, a little self conscious puts one of his hands into Anthony’s hair, pulling his head down for a kiss. Being the aggressor he parts Anthony’s lips with his tongue, thrusting into his mouth, taking his time to explore, their tongues entwining.

            Standing Anthony pulls Alex to his feet; kissing they undo each-other's jeans. Breaking the kiss with a gasp, Anthony, unable to make his voice work mouths the word “bedroom”. Following Alex into the room, Anthony pauses to shut the door. Turning to face the bed, he strips out of his black skinny jeans. Walking to stand at the very bottom of the bed on which Alex lay in skull boxers. Making his way to the bottom of the bed, Alex reaches for Anthony’s hand, pulling him onto the bed.
            Holding himself up Anthony looks down at Alex lying beneath him. Reaching up Alex wraps his arms around Anthony's neck, pulling him down for a long deep kiss.

Breaking the steamy kiss, Anthony looks into Alex's eyes, “We should stop now,” He says softly.

            “We should,” Alex concludes, All the while trailing kisses long Anthony's jaw, down his neck and finally to his left shoulder.

            "I'm serious babe, I want our first time to be special..." trails Anthony, "Not just because we got carried away and let our hormones get the best of us."

            Shocked and truly touched by Anthony's words, Alex doesn't know what to say.  Taking Alex's silence as a bad sign Anthony rolls off Alex and onto his back. Starring at the whit ceiling above him Anthony sighs, "Alex, please don't be disappointed about this,"

            Confused Alex sits up to look at Anthony, "Why would I be disappointed?"

            "I don't know, because I don't want our first time to be spontaneous and UN romantic...You didn't say anything."

            "Babe, I didn't know what to say and I didn't want to say something stupid..." replies Alex laying his head on Anthony's bare chest.

            "Oh," says Anthony, putting an arm around Alex.

            "So, what do we do now?" asks Alex.

            "We could watch a movie." suggests Anthony.

            "Okay, what should we watch?"

            "How about Coffee Date, it’s about this guy who is set up on a blind date with a guy"

            "That sounds good."

            As the movie nears the end both Anthony and Alex fall asleep, having had a long day.

            The next morning Alex awakens to the smell of breakfast. Walking into the kitchen he finds Anthony in front of the stove cooking French toast, eggs and bacon.

            "Good morning sleepy head," says Anthony smiling at a still half-asleep Alex.

            "Morning," Alex half mumbles half yawns.

            "You must have been really tired last night, you fell asleep half-way through the movie."

            "Yeah, sorry, how did it end?"

            "To be honest I fell asleep before it was over too."

            "Huh I guess we'll have to watch it again," concludes Alex while helping Anthony put breakfast on the table.

            Time passes quickly for the couple, a month flying by before either of them even notice. Alex soon forgets about Chance and the love they once shared. Chance on the other hand has not forgotten.

            Hours after the movie he and Alex had been watching ends Anthony is awakened by an incessant beeping coming from somewhere in his room; following the sound he discovers it is Alex’s cell phone.

            Checking to see if the call was important he finds that the call was from Chance. He thinks about calling the guy and giving him a piece of his mind but hesitates. The phone vibrates in his hand; glancing at it he sees a new text message; it also is from Chance. Anthony opens it.

            Chance: I miss you Alex, please take me back.

            Anthony: No, don’t text me again…You put me through enough.

            Not waiting for a response, Anthony deletes Chance’s number before pulling a sleeping Alex into his arms and falling back to sleep.

            “Rise and shine sleepy head,” says Anthony waking Alex up.

            Yawning and opening his eyes Alex asks, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost twelve o’clock” replies Anthony.

“Twelve o’clock at night? Why’d you wake me up?” asks a sleepy Alex

“No silly it’s almost twelve in the afternoon,”

            Bolting out of bed Alex scrambles around the room looking for his boxers, “Oh my god! I’m going to be late for work!”

            Laughing Anthony grabs Alex around the waist wrapping him in his arms he tells him, “You have the day off.”

            Ceasing his struggle Alex asks “How do you know?”

            “Your boss called, he said that Jacob’s concert was canceled and that you didn’t have to come in today.”

            “Huh. That’s a relief,” sighs Alex leaning his back against Anthony’s chest.

            Tightening his arms around Alex, Anthony kisses him behind the ear and asks, “What do you want to do today?”

            Turning to face Anthony Alex replies, “Well since I have the day off we can spend it together. I do need to stop by my place and get a change of clothes.”

            “Why don’t you get some extra cloths to leave here? That way you can spend some nights here…that is if you want to.”

            “Are you asking me to?”

            “Maybe…it depends…do you want to?” asks Anthony tentatively

            “Yeah…I think I’d like that.”

            “Cool. While you get dressed I’ll feed Simone.”

            Twenty minutes later Anthony and Alex are driving to Alex’s apartment.

            On the way Alex checks his text messages.

4805556676: I still love you.

Alex: Who is this?

4805556676: Your ex.

Alex: Chance?

Chance: The one and only.

Alex: What do you want?

Chance: You back in my arms at night.

Alex: That’s not going to happen.

Chance: I love you Alex!

Alex: Should have thought of that before.

Chance: I’ve changed! I swear!

Alex: You said that before. Now please just leave me alone.

            Alex’s phone vibrates one last time but Alex doesn’t open the message he simply ignores it. Turning to Anthony he casually asks, “Did I get any text messages while I was asleep?”

            Anthony tightens his grip on the steering wheel turning his knuckles white. “Why do you ask?”

            “Because I just got a text from Chance; his name didn’t come up, only the number,” replies Alex keeping his voice calm.

            “Why does that matter?”

            “Why? Because it means somebody deleted his number from my phone; that someone had to be you.” Says Alex his voice slowly rising.

            “You’re right. It was me” admits Anthony

            “Why would you do that?!” exclaims Alex.

“Because I f*****g love you!” exclaims Anthony, slamming the brakes to keep from running a red light. Silence hangs around them for the rest of the ride to the apartment. Getting out of the car Alex tells Anthony “I need some time to think about some things.”

            Watching Alex walk away Anthony curses himself for voicing his feelings so soon. Looking down at the now empty seat next to him he sees Alex’s cell phone vibrating. Not caring anymore he opens it and sees a text from chance.

Chance: If I can’t have you no one can.