Release

The wind rushed by, picking up leaves and other debris as it swept along its path; the sound of trees starting to crack and bend under its strength pierced through the night. Freezing droplets of rain incessantly poured down, flooding numerous driveways and lawns; the air turned frigid and damp with moisture. Flashes of lightning intermittently filled the sky, illuminating the surroundings briefly; the accompanying thunder reverberated off the houses. The streets lay deserted, stripped of the activities and clamors of humanity. Houses along the roads were pitch black, the result of an electric pole being torn asunder by the wind.
Gabriel Reor stood at the edge of his home’s yard, taking the storm in. He closed his eyes as he felt the wind blow the rain around him. He took a deep breath and the saturated air filled his lunges, dampening them slightly. The tumultuous tempest invigorated him, it livened every facet of his being. He felt so insignificant placed within its ferocity. His clothes stuck to his skin, and the water that cascaded down seeped cold into his pores. His extremities were beginning to numb, yet he could not tear himself away from the spectacle unfolding before him. If he could, he would have dissolved himself into the natural beauty, shed himself from his feeble body and become a part of something greater and primal; something that could whimsically create a force that was inexorable, even when faced with the staggering achievements of humanity. Alas, he could not leave his body behind. The flesh and bones that gave him life also trapped him. No matter how much he coveted to be free of his mortal bonds, he could not; only death would bring him what he desired. Although Gabriel did not fear death, seeing it as a fantastical enigma, he could never bring himself to be the bearer of his own liberty. Some fickle thought or amusing event always stopped him from committing the act that would lead him off this mortal world. Despite his inability to cause his own end, Gabriel knew he would savor the moment when death finally reached him, no matter what avenue it took.
He pushed aside the thoughts that perennially tormented him, and began to focus on the storm once more. All he wanted was to appreciate the beauty encompassing him, revel in the chaotic magnificence that the storm produced. With that thought the storm began to lose its vigor; the wind didn’t pound as furiously, the rain became only a slight drizzle, reduced to a shadow of its former self; the sound of thunder became more sporadic. The majestic, virile storm that had seconds ago vitalized every facet of Gabriel had become a remnant of itself. Gabriel stood in his yard, his clothes dripping wet. He heard the vague crash of thunder rumbling in the sky, the last act of impetuousness by the storm. He looked back at the door to his house; the coldness that had been inconsequential when the tempest had raged began to pierce Eli’s endurance. He thought of the house and the heat that permeated throughout it, and his muscles clenched in anticipation of relief from the cold. His legs began automatically to walk in the direction of the sanctuary, but before he could take his first step, the distinctive sound of tires squealing around a street corner reached his ears. A blood red car entered Gabriel’s line of vision and halted to a stop in front of him. The darkly tinted driver side window rolled down, and the face of Eric Upus smiled up at him.
Eric was the closest thing Gabriel had to a friend; he was a 20-year-old political science major who accompanied Gabriel to Vanderbilt University. Eric was slightly elitist, a heavy drug user, and was well on his way to becoming an overpriced, morally deficient lawyer. His future chosen vocation did not stem from an altruistic motivation, but purely from an economic standpoint. Eric wanted to be wealthy; he didn’t care about the indigent and the helpless, he focused all his concern on himself. Gabriel liked him. Eric didn’t live according to pretenses; he bared himself to the world as he was, and never apologized for it. Societal regulations were inconsequential to him; he was simply himself, and was happy being so. He never bothered himself with the metaphysical musings that constantly pervaded Gabriel’s thoughts. Eric concentrated on the practical, not the ideal, and because of that, Gabriel greatly envied him.
“What the hell are you doing out here, man?” The sound of Eric’s voice filled the empty street. “This storm is horrible, I’m pretty sure it’s a bad idea to be standing in it.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Gabriel’s voice was raspy, and the act of talking caused his teeth to rattle together. His body now felt the brunt of the cold weather. He realized that he was also shivering uncontrollably.
“Damn Gabriel, get in the car.” Eric leaned over the middle console in his car and opened the passenger side door from the inside. Gabriel eagerly got in, closing the door as he slid into the leather seat that Eric had offered him. The car’s vents blasted heat, and Gabriel gave a noticeable sigh of relief. He put his hands up to the source of the heat, rubbing them together quickly. “So was there a peculiar reason why you were standing outside in this storm, or were you being your usually eccentric self?” Eric’s voice sound exasperated, but not worried. The two had been friends for several years, and Eric had long since become inured to Gabriel’s quirks.
“Just being my usual self,” Gabriel’s teeth still chattered when he talked, but it was better than the few minutes before. He was still rubbing his hands next to the air vent, when he noticed that his damp clothes were dripping water all over Eric’s leather seats. He shifted uncomfortably, trying his best to limit the amount of water he got in his friend’s car.
“Jesus, man, we’ve got to get you out of those clothes; they’re completely soaking my seat.” Eric looked at the sodden clothes clinging to Gabriel with disdain. He popped the trunk of his car, and opened his door to head outside. “I’ve got something that you can wear. Wait a second.”
Eric launched himself out of his seat and jogged to the back of the car. He seemed oddly rushed as he quickly pulled something out of the trunk. Gabriel couldn’t discern what it was, but he didn’t have to wait long to find out, as Eric was briskly walking back to the car’s driver side door. As he ducked back into the car, Eric simultaneously pushed the mystery item into Gabriel’s hands. Gabriel looked at what Eric had given him, and turned to look at his friend in disbelief.
“Is this what I think it is?”Gabriel tossed a scrutinized glance at the garment bag he was holding, that had the word Armani stitched across the front of it.
“If you think it is a custom made Armani suit than yes, it is what you think it is.” Eric looked slyly at Gabriel, and turned the key in the ignition; the car’s engine roared to life in response.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just walk the ten feet to my house and put on something that’s a little less ostentatious.” Gabriel turned to open the passenger door, but stopped as the car started to move. He looked at Eric curiously.
“Sorry man, but that can’t happen. Regine just invited us to her party. Apparently, that place has enough drugs to rival Heath Ledger’s apartment, so we have to go. You can change on the way.” Eric stomped on the accelerator, the back tires spun out for a few seconds, trying to find traction. When they did, the momentum of the car shooting forward pushed Gabriel back into his seat. Eric smiled at him as they rounded the corner.
Eric’s car sped down the vacant street; water sprayed onto the windshield sporadically whenever Eric drove through a puddle. Gabriel unbuckled himself from the passenger seat and climbed into the back seat to change. Gabriel found the task of putting the suit on while attempting to keep it from touching his original wet clothes to be more difficult than he expected. The car’s backseat was somewhat small, and he was far from limber. Furthermore, the plastic bag Eric had given him to put his damp clothes in was beginning to rip.
“You’re lucky that we’re the same size, and that I don’t mind you going commando in my 4,000 dollar suit,” Eric said bemusedly, his eyes fixated on the tortuous street.
Gabriel finished putting his saturated clothes in the bag, and started to put on the suit’s pants. “Luck isn’t what I would call it. I feel douchey, like I’m the president of the Massingill Company. We’re twenty; we are not supposed to wear expensive suits for a casual event. It’s pretentious,”
“Hey, speak for yourself. Wearing a suit is classy. Trust me, wearing that at this party will get you a lot of ass. Plus these girls have the requisite state of mind to try something with you: they’re inebriated.” Eric’s tone of voice was amused, and although Gabriel couldn’t see him, he knew Eric was grinning.
“Very funny,” Gabriel said, hitting the back of Eric’s seat. As he started to button up the black undershirt, he began to ruminate over the suit. Maybe Eric was right, maybe the outfit could bring fortuitous results. He could hide behind it at the party; use it as a mask so that no one could get to know the real him. It could be his proverbial armor, shielding him from the judgments and criticisms of individuals who barely knew him. That was something he desperately needed, as he could barely hold back the onslaught of apprehension and fear that his mind was urging him to brood over. Gabriel knew that Regine, his unrequited crush, had only invited Eric, although his friend would never admit it. This was hardly surprising; everyone loved Eric; he was the personification of mirth and pleasure. Gabriel, however, exuded nothing but macabre and melancholy contemplation. He doubted anyone at the party had spoken more than a handful of words to him in the past two years. It wasn’t their fault; he was portentously introverted and socially awkward. Hell, the only person he regularly talked to was Eric, and that was simply because Eric was always there. He was perpetually trying to goad Gabriel out of his self-imposed isolation.
Gabriel looked out the window of the car, streetlights whisked past with such celerity that the after images their lights left behind merged with the next post, creating the illusion that one continuous light connected the streetlights. This spectacle indicated that Eric was going much faster than what the speed limit decreed, but Gabriel didn’t care. The worse thing that could happen to them was dying, and Gabriel would have welcomed that. It would have stopped the endless nights of restlessness as he tried to peer beyond the veil of death; to try to learn its mysteries before nature wanted him to. Gabriel looked up at the sky from the back window, dark foreboding clouds moved swiftly one after another, seemingly never ending. The sound of thunder crashed nearby; Gabriel saw the lightning seething in the clouds, waiting to strike. Huge drops of rain started to pour down. The storm had regained its vitality, and as if it were a petulant child arising from a state of somnolence, the storm unleashed a tumult of pent-up fury. The wind howled as a torrent of rain came down upon the streets. Gabriel could feel the storm drawing him in, the passion of its ire beginning to intoxicate him.
“This is insane!” The sound of Eric’s voice snapped Gabriel back into reality. “I can barely see a thing.” There was a slight twinge of apprehension in Eric’s voice. Gabriel stared outside his window, trying to see through the screen of rain outside.
“I can’t see anything,” Gabriel muttered. No matter how hard he tried, his gaze could not penetrate the shroud of rain that the storm had brought.
“Wait!” Eric slammed on the brakes, and the car jerked to a stop. Gabriel hit the back of Eric’s seat. “I think that’s it.” Eric hunched over the dashboard, and pointed to something outside. Gabriel adjusted himself and followed the direction of Eric’s finger. Through the rain, he saw a huge, dark shadow that somewhat resembled a house.
“Are you sure? I can barely see it.” Gabriel squinted outside trying to force his eyes to show details of the house.
“I guess we’ll see.” Eric slung the car into the driveway of the house they had been staring out. The rain immediately stopped bouncing off the car; there was a long overhang encompassing the entire driveway. Several people had parked there already, and Gabriel could make out the shadows of more cars in the backyard. Eric wedged between two cars and parked. He turned around and looked at Gabriel. “You are one sharp looking son of a bitch.”
Gabriel laughed, and grabbed a comb from the pocket of his wet clothes. His hair was mostly dry thanks to Eric turning the heat up while they were driving here. He swiftly combed his hair and glanced at Eric. “Are you ready to do this?”
Eric started to grin, but a look of astonishment suddenly replaced it. “Almost forgot something,” Eric muttered. He opened up the glove box of the car, and pulled out a small prescription bottle, lightly shaking two oval pills out. He quickly tossed them in his mouth and swallowed, not using anything to wash them down. “Now I’m ready,” he said, clearly satisfied.
The two men both got out of the car at the same time. Gabriel grabbed the suit jacket, and slid into it. The charcoal black of the suit blended Gabriel into the background, where there were no lights. Eric led the way to the house; luckily, the hangover extended all the way to the door, which meant that the rain was unable to tarnish the suit Gabriel was wearing. He didn’t want anything to happen to the suit that would sully it. If he were going to use the suit as a mask then he needed it to be pristine, otherwise the illusion it cast would be deficient. As Gabriel and Eric got closer to the house they began to hear the distinctive sounds of a party; music thumped loudly, various screams of excitement echoed sporadically, and the slight sound of water bubbling from bongs floated through the night air. The occasional crash of lightning accentuated the various cadences coming from the house.
As Gabriel neared the home, he began to ruminate over who he wanted to be at the party. No one really knew him there, and he was embarrassed to admit; the suit gave him a sense of power. He felt as if his soul was malleable; that he could shape it into any form he wished. Gabriel had never felt such power, it was as if he had existence in his hands and could mold a new personality at his whim. The suit provided a source of order to the chaos he normally felt when going to social gatherings; he didn’t have to agonize over what type of mask he would show the public, because the suit exuded its own persona that Gabriel could easily imitate.
Eric reached the front door, and immediately opened it up. He didn’t bother to knock. Gabriel didn’t blame him, since judging from the noise that accompanied opening the door he seriously doubted anyone in the house would have been able to hear the doorbell. Barely pausing, Eric crossed over the threshold into the party. Gabriel, however, stood back for a minute. Anxiety was beginning to creep its way up his spine; he could feel it starting to inundate his mind. He took a few deep breaths and gave a visible shake, as if trying physically to remove the ailment that was beginning to overtake him. He caught a sight of the party through the doorway; he could just barely make out the vague outline of people floating by, their figures contrasted by the multi-color lights that intermittently flashed, everything else was obfuscated by a thick layer of smoke. For one brief moment, Gabriel blocked out everything, the noise of music and people, the smell of pot and sweat; all of his senses simply stopped for one succinct, titillating second. He felt like a motionless pivot resting on a constantly revolving universe. Gabriel slammed back into reality when he caught a glimpse of Regine. Not a bad stimulus to tether him back to this world, Gabriel thought.
Regine had long, dark hair that fell slightly past her shoulders. Her irises were a distinctive lustrous blue, and were considered esoteric because of the green flakes disseminated throughout. The crimson dress she wore hung in strategic places, nicely accenting her body. She looked at Gabriel, who was still standing at the threshold of the door, and gave a startled expression. Her azure eyes studied Gabriel, taking in the expensive suit.
“I haven’tmet you.” Regine’s words slurred slightly together, and the faint aroma of alcohol clung to her breath. She started to walk towards Gabriel, her hips swinging to the motion of the music. After a few near falls, she finally made it in front of Gabriel. The smell of alcohol was much stronger than before; Gabriel was quite certain that her breath could sterilize a wound. “What’s your name?” Regine slightly hung on to Gabriel’s suit as she asked the question.
“My name’s Gabriel. We actually have a couple of classes together.” Gabriel said this while Regine still hung on to his suit.
“Really? I haveno idea whoyouare.” Regine’s tone sounded both perplexed and drunk. “Well, I’mRegine. I likeyour suit! Why don’t you come withme totheparty?” The sound of Eric yelling joyously inside the house made it difficult for Gabriel to make out what Regine had said. Before he could decipher what she had said Regine had already grabbed Gabriel’s tie and began to lightly drag him across the door’s threshold, and into the heart of the party.
Gabriel stared at the hallway that led to the living room as he was walking; he could see the flash of strobe lights emitting from the room. He and Regine passed a group of people smoking from a bong; both deeply inhaled the smoke that clung to the air before continuing on to their destination. Gabriel couldn’t believe his fortune; he was smoking sublime weed with a girl that he had been admiring from afar for two years. His last thought before reaching the epicenter of the party with Regine was that he should never take this suit off again. It morphed him into something that he had never dreamed of; the cloth that clung to him was its own entity, transferring to Gabriel traits that the man has never possessed before. It was absolutely liberating.
People tightly packed the living room, creating enough heat to rival a furnace. There was hardly any room for people to stand, yet somehow Regine was able to forge a path for Gabriel and herself amidst the mayhem. The sound of the stereo became increasingly louder the deeper the two went into the room, and it reached a point where Gabriel was beginning to become concerned about the long-term effects on his hearing. Luckily Regine veered them off into another wing of the house. As she dragged Gabriel, she looked back at him wildly and almost seductively. He stared back at her, merely going along for the ride. It was exhilarating not allowing his persona to stir up the usual crippling anxiety that would have plagued him right now; the person who owned this type of suit wouldn’t be nervous simply because she was eyeing him suggestively. It would have been uncouth. Regine led Gabriel into a group of five or six people; he quickly noticed that Eric was in it.
“Gabriel! Where have you been, man?” Eric had on a momentous grin, and he stumbled to where Gabriel and Regine stood.
“I see you know Gabriel.” Regine was still slightly slurring her words, but she was better than she had been just a few seconds ago. Gabriel silently wondered why, and almost immediately got an answer. “Ah, I think that coke is beginning to kick in.” She titled back her head and gently snorted.
Eric took Regine’s hand and lightly brushed his lips against the top of her hand. “Regine, it is always such a delight,” Eric said softly, with a slight gleam in his eyes.
Regine laughed and took away her hand. “I always thought the Victorian gentleman was just a decorative form of sexism.” Her voice didn’t sound caustic, but more amused.
Eric didn’t miss a beat. “Ah, and yet ironically the era itself is named after a woman.” He gave a smile to Regine, and then turned to Gabriel. “We were just going to partake in some drugs, would you like to join?” He moved aside to show that the half a dozen people created a semi circle around a small table that had various drug paraphernalia on its surface.
Regine looked at Gabriel expectantly. Normally he would decline and simply find a spot at the party where he could be by himself and just be still. This wasn’t him though, or at least not that version of himself. This version didn’t want to be still, he wanted to be in constant motion. Most importantly he wanted Regine, and the look in her eyes right now told Gabriel that if he wanted to get her he would have to go down the rabbit hole. “Well I don’t know about Regine, but I know I’m certainly craving a buzz,” Gabriel said casually, interjecting a touch of confidence into his tone. Eric gave him a momentary look of bewilderment, and then slightly shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m always down.” Regine gracefully smiled at Gabriel, and he did his best to respond in kind.
Eric handed them both a small cup of orange juice. “Drink this,” he said resolutely.
Gabriel stared curiously at the glass in his hand and the liquid swirling inside of it. He heard the sound of Regine draining what Eric had given her. Gabriel gave a silent sigh and tipped the contents of the glass into his mouth. He placed the now empty glass down on the table and looked at his friend.
“What’s supposed to happen?” Gabriel realized he should have asked that before he had ingested the drug, but he trusted Eric.
“Well, hallucination is going to be the paramount effect,” Eric gave a devious grin, “but don’t worry about that. You two both need to take this.” He slammed two pills on the table where the glasses were, Gabriel could discern that the pills had the Superman logo imprinted on them, but before he could make out anything else, Regine’s hand had already darted in his vision, quickly grabbing one and popping it in her mouth. She certainly wasn’t restful. Gabriel hesitated for only a moment, before grasping the remaining pill on the table, and shoving it in his mouth. Regine glanced at Gabriel with unbridled glee in her eyes, and he smiled mischievously.
Gabriel looked at Eric, and with joviality, asked, “So, what journey have you begun us on?”
Eric snickered and grabbed Gabriel’s shoulders, adopting a formal tone, saying, “the exquisite drug mixture I gave you will make you ‘slip the surly bonds of Earth and touch the face of God.’”
“I hate it when you quote Reagan. It’s tremendously tacky.” Gabriel looked exasperatedly at Eric.
“Hey! Reagan was a great president!” Eric’s voice was slightly indignant as he faced Gabriel.
“You’re drunk,” Gabriel retorted.
“Only greatly so.” Eric slumped back into the wall that was behind him. “Seriously, man. This drug is transcendent. I’ve already had some Charles Manson- wannabe ask if I could sell it to him exclusively. So you go and have a good time with Regine; this concoction is going to introduce you to a world that you didn’t know existed.” Eric pushed off the wall, and gave Gabriel a hug. “Revel in the debauchery,” he whispered in Gabriel’s ear, “it’s the only thing to do.” He then stumbled over to a group of girls nearby, and immediately settled himself in their company.
Gabriel turned back to Regine, who was now softly giggling, her eyes transfixed on the wall in front of her. He was about to ask her what she saw when a wave of euphoria rolled over him. It was as if someone had obliterated all the turmoil and discord in his life; complacency filled every facet of his being. He focused in on Regine and was stunned at what he saw. She was like the sun, only instead of emitting light, she emanated passionate fervor and amorous fidelity. It radiated from her skin, composed of brilliance and beauty. He filled the remaining distance between them; Regine stared at him for a second and brushed her fingers against his face.
“You look different than everyone else; blazing with virtue, but soaked in virulence.” Regine gazed at Gabriel with a crazed stare, her fingers still lightly touching his face. “Would you like to go through the looking glass?”
Gabriel barely listened to Regine; he was too absorbed in her eyes. Their blue hue had taken on a life of their own, as they moved with the sway of Regine’s breath, and Gabriel couldn’t help but think about the ocean. As he stared into her eyes, they became increasingly more transparent, until eventually Gabriel thought he could see Regine’s very essence. The sight captivated and entranced him. He couldn’t imagine anything ever comparing to the chaotic beauty that he saw. It seemed to draw Gabriel in and filled him with such adulation that he could barely contain it. Unadulterated love blazed out of her, and made him want to become closer to her; to somehow meld their beings so they were inseparable. With that thought, Gabriel kissed Regine voraciously, touching her wherever she permitted. Regine responded with similar ardor and slammed Gabriel against the wall she had previously been staring at when he had first walked up to her. Gabriel could hear the sound of Eric laughing fanatically in the background. He felt connected to everyone near him, as if their life force was somehow also vitalizing him. Regine didn’t seem like a separate person anymore, but just an appendage of himself. Her fingers seemed to disseminate tranquility throughout his entire body; her lips spread lust wherever they touched, and her eyes issued forth rapturous proclamations. He lost himself in her, submerged himself in her essence, and by doing so finally reached a state that reprieved him from the thoughts that normally tormented him.
Before Gabriel knew it a portion of the party, including him, Regine, and Eric, began slowly to make their way outside. The process took several minutes, and all the while Regine still clung next to Gabriel, her presence becoming more intoxicating with every second. As the trio stepped through the doorway that separated the house from the outside gelid air immediately began to sting their faces. Gabriel took a deep breath and savored the frigid wind. He found it purifying, as if the breeze could burn away all of his sins. With each breath he found himself more elated until all that remained was the biting pleasure of chilled air passing through his lungs. He relished the feeling for a few seconds, until the warmth of Regine’s body reminded him where he was.
Gabriel realized that he had been shutting his eyes and quickly opened them back up. He noticed that it was still raining, but the storm’s vigor seemed to be waning. The raindrops that fell from the sky seemed like small particles of pure white light, erupting into resplendence when they landed on the surface of an object. Gabriel looked up at the sky, and found it significantly less enthralling than before, it couldn’t compare to the sight of Regine. Standing there, her arms opened wide, the droplets of water bursting all over her body, Gabriel thought she looked like a deity, indulging in her own creation. He walked over to Regine and began kissing her again. Even with his eyes closed, he could still see the splendor the droplets left as they bounced off her face. Gabriel had never been so deliriously happy, had never felt this connected to anyone or anything; with that thought, Gabriel-blacked out. The last thing he felt was the unparalleled bliss of Regine’s lips on top of his.
The sound of thunder in the background woke Gabriel from his slumber. He lightly moaned as his senses began slowly to rise from their lethargy. He was lying on his back, and he could feel someone’s head resting on his chest. As he opened his eyes, the sun momentarily blinded him. When his eyes adjusted to the light Gabriel saw that the head resting on his chest belonged to Regine. They were still outside and Gabriel could make out the forms of other people sleeping a few feet away. He looked down at Regine and saw that mud covered her otherwise naked body. He looked to see if he was naked as well and discovered that he was still wearing the Armani suit from last night, at least what was left of it. The undershirt was the only thing that covered his chest; the jacket that he had been wearing was nowhere near his vicinity. The undershirt itself wasn’t in the best condition; several tears were noticeable, as were numerous dirt stains. The pants were crusted with dirt, which made them stiffer. Gabriel nimbly lifted Regine’s head off his chest and placed it on the ground; she didn’t even notice. Gabriel slowly rose to his feet, a groan escaping midway. He surveyed the scene around him; trash littered the wooded backyard, mainly consisting of beer bottles and cigarette butts, a now defunct bon fire lay a few feet away, people were scattered throughout the area, however only some had emulated Regine’s recent fashion trend. Gabriel looked at the house that showed the full brunt of the party, and noticed damage right away. It seemed that at least three windows were broken, the outside walls were smeared with graffiti, and Gabriel could just make out what seemed like burn marks on the roof. Close by, Gabriel saw Eric wedged between two girls. Even from here, Gabriel could see white powder on his friend’s nose. Gabriel loved Eric’s consistency.
As he stumbled over to where Eric was, Gabriel wondered about the details of his exploits last night. Judging from Regine’s selection of clothing, or lack thereof, and the empty condom wrapper that now persistently clung to his foot, Gabriel thought that it was safe to deduce that the two had had sex. That was certainly interesting. When Gabriel reached Eric, he realized the man was beginning to stir without prompting. While waiting for Eric to fully regain consciousness, Gabriel began to think about the depressing fact that his normal persona hadn’t even been able to talk to Regine in the last two years, but the one he adopted last night was able to go through with something he had only fantasized about, usually with tissues around. Of course maybe the persona he had last night was the real him, and it was an imposter that had inhabited him for the past 20 years. It didn’t matter, anyway, because Gabriel felt like he had just discovered something monumental. He didn’t have to be one person who was uniform in every situation he was in, he could be versatile, merely pick what personality would fit a given situation, and then don it. Individuality didn’t have to be rigid; it could be a fluid concept. Eric awakening completely interrupted Gabriel’s train of thought.
“Ah, Gabriel, you beautiful bastard, your face is like an espresso to me.” As if to put truth to his words, Eric sprightly jumped up from his supine position with no regard for the two women he had been supporting. They made mumbled objections, but quickly returned to their previous slumber. “You were absolutely wild last night. You on drugs is definitely a better thing.”
“Well, it was certainly elucidating.” Gabriel looked back at Regine for a split second, something that Eric didn’t seem to notice.
“I told you what I gave you would bring about some Lewis Carroll inspired shit,” Eric gave a quick smile, “which is why I’m going to give you clemency in regards to the suit.”
Gabriel looked down at the remnants of the Armani suit and gave a painful grin. “Well let’s get out of here before anything else terrible happens to it.”
“I honestly don’t see how that’s possible.” Eric shot Gabriel a gleeful look and pulled the keys out of his pocket. “But I don’t like to argue, so let’s go.” The two boys began to walk toward Eric’s car, their eyes positioned to take in the least amount of sunlight possible.
“So, I’m fairly positive I hooked up with Regine Insumo last night.” Gabriel conveyed nothing in his tone of voice, and it took a second for the words to register for Eric.
“You’re kidding me? That’s awesome, dude! I’m totally taking credit for this; I’m going to use it to market my drug. Think about it, the slogan could be: the drug that will unite star crossed lovers. I’m obviously embellishing, but hey, if I wasn't it wouldn't be advertising, right?” Gabriel started to laugh but Eric cut him off before he began. “Wait. If you hooked up with Regine, why in the hell are we leaving?”
Gabriel sighed. “It’s complicated.”
Eric gave a perplexed glance. “You’ve been crushing over this girl for two years, something which I have had to painfully endure, by the way. Then when you finally get her, you’re just going to literally leave her in the dirt?”
“Regine didn’t sleep with Gabriel, or at least she didn’t sleep with the Gabriel before you now. She fell for someone completely different, and that person would leave her laying there by herself. Trust me.” Gabriel sounded matter-of-fact, and he was. Regine hadn’t met the normal, timid Gabriel last night, and if she did today, then he wouldn’t have a chance with her ever again. All he has to do is maintain the masquerade and he and Regine might have a future, but at the moment he just wanted to crawl into his bed and not have to deal with the societal aspect of his life.
“I must still be high, because what you just said made absolutely no sense. Give me a couple of minutes before you talk to me again. Your absurdity and this hangover has almost crippled me.” As Eric finished his sentence, the two men reached the car.
Eric opened up the driver door, and got in, all the while having the same pained, slightly befuddled expression on his face. Gabriel looked up at the sky and saw dark clouds looming ahead, foreshadowing the revival of the storm that had raged sporadically last night. He sighed at the impending gloomy weather, while opening the passenger side door. He cast one last look at the house where the party was held, the house, he mused, belonging to the girl he had just slept with. Last night Gabriel had seen it as a majestic, enigmatic place where people made and fulfilled promises. Now, with the scattered rays of sunlight able to penetrate the sable clouds illuminating the house’s faults, Gabriel couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed. There was nothing special about the house. The prestige he had bestowed upon it was an illusion; it had never really existed. Gabriel gave another sigh and slid into the passenger’s seat. Before he had closed the door Eric shot off, the tires responding with their usual squeal. The vague sound of thunder loomed behind the two men as they sped away from the disaster-wrought house.