First Vows ~Chapter 11 Heart of a Lion~
Danny burst through Devon's bedroom door, waking him. James had asked Danny to come over and talk to Devon about what had occured last night, and then left to go get groceries.
"Danny? What are you doing?" Devon asked half awake.
"Devon are you a moron?" Danny asked. "Do you really think life is that simple?" Devon was confused.
"Huh?"
"I guess I'm not being very clear. Do you really think sexuality is a switch? And you just flip it on and off? Do you really think a gay guy can just decide he's straight, and it be true?" Danny asked Devon. Devon understood what was going on.
"Who says I'm not bi?" Devon asked, defending himself.
"Me, you, everyone who knows you. It's obvious you're not interested in girls." Danny replied. "If you were bi, you would probably still be living with your parents. You'd probably be pretending you're straight so you could live a normal life. You wouldn't give up your old life for half of your sexuality. I would, but not you, that's not who you are!" Danny yelled. Devon knew it was true, he would have hidden it from his parents, even after the events with Tyler.
"But no guy will ever love me!" Devon yelled. Danny put his paw on Devon's shoulder.
"Devon, you couldn't possibly know that. I used to think I knew that." Danny replied.
"And what? You still don't have a boyfriend."
"As a matter of fact, I do. Tyler." Danny replied. Devon was shocked, both Danny and Tyler had found their loves, not to mention Andrew and Dominique. "And I wouldn't have found Tyler if I hadn't accepted the fact that I'm gay, and he wouldn't have found me if he hadn't accepted the same fact." Danny explained. "You'll always have a chance to find a guy who loves you, unless you stop looking."
"Whatever."
"Don't 'whatever' me. You know it's true." Danny replied. Devon did know it was true. Devon also knew he had stopped looking intentionally. "Now you've got to get up and look for that guy!"
"How am I supposed to find 'him'?" Devon asked.
"Here's what you do. Think long and hard about who YOU love. The rest will come to you." Danny got up and headed to the door. "That's all I did, and I couldn't be happier. Don't forget about the wedding today." And with that Danny was gone. Devon had forgotten about the wedding though.
The wedding referred to Dominique and Andrew's wedding, which was February 25. Generally there aren't many winter weddings, but different circumstances call for different actions. Devon had been busy thinking of today as James' birthday, James' 25th birthday. Not to mention the day before Devon's 19th birthday. Devon still didn't have a gift, and he still didn't have money either. Devon had no idea what to get James, and was rather embarassed. Devon started getting dressed for the wedding. Devon was going to skip the ceremony, which was at noon, and go to the reception, but it was already 11:00 so Devon still had to start getting ready soon.
James knocked on Devon's door.
"Changing!" Devon replied.
"That's okay, I just wanted to talk." James replied. "Last night, when you came home...you smelled like..." James paused. "Did you have sex with Andrea last night?" Devon stopped pulling up a pair of pants and dropped them. Devon walked over to the door.
"Why?"
"Well...it's just..." James couldn't think of what to say. Devon didn't hear him.
"No. I got close to it, I had the condom out of the package. Then I realized...she didn't mean anything to me, not even physically. Last night I realized that there's no turning away from my sexuality, and there's also no turning away from who I really love."
"Who's that?" James asked, his heart in his throat.
"I don't know yet, I just know it wasn't her." Devon replied. Devon opened his door, now fully dressed. "Hey, I'm gonna give one of Danny's friends a ride to the reception, so if you get ready I'll take you to." James didn't need to be told twice. James' gas fund was running low, so carpooling was a great idea.
A few minutes later, Devon and James were in Devon's car. James had 'retrieved' some of Devon's stuff including his car from Devon's parents house while Devon was in the hospital. Devon's car was a 1994 white Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra SL. It got okay gas mileage, and had working A/C, radio and a new cd player. Devon pulled up at a club entitled 'The Jungle'.
"A club? Aren't they only open at night?" James asked.
"This one isn't, it's called 'The Jungle' it's a daytime club. This is where Danny's friend Dusk works. I'll just run in and get him." Devon left the car running as he ran inside the club looking for Dusk.
After several minutes of searching, Devon couldn't find Dusk anywhere. Devon walked into the bathroom, needing to relieve himself.
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Devon had gone inside at 3:00 it was now 3:15. Not very long, but too long for Devon to keep his car running. James turned off the car, locked it and took the keys. James figured Devon got caught up talking to someone inside, and went in to retrieve him as well as Dusk.
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As he used the bathroom, Devon heard a noise from one of the stalls. Devon walked over to the stall and opened the door. Lying on the floor, tied up was Dusk.
"Dusk, who did this to you?" Devon pulled a gag out of his mouth.
"Oscar, he knew you were coming to pick me up, he said something about revenge." Dusk replied. Just then Devon heard the bathroom door close. Devon stood up and turned around. Standing in front of the door was Oscar. Oscar had been buff before, but now he looked like a body builder. Oscar was very angry, and appeared to be holding a bat or a pipe.
"I had to dig into my deepest savings to bail myself out of jail." Oscar began as he slowly walked towards Devon. "I was in there long enough. I was in there long enough to get stronger Devon. And now, I'm gonna finish what I started when I threw you off that balcony. Then I'm gonna go back to jail, and get stronger. Once I get out, I'm going after those friends of yours who beat me up." Devon stood there quivering. After his last ordeal with the gorrilla, Devon didn't have the courage to even talk in his prescence.
"Devon, run." Dusk urged him. Devon couldn't even do that, his feet felt rooted to the spot where he stood. "Devon, RUN!" Dusk yelled. Oscar swung his bat at Devon, hitting him across the shoulders with it. Devon hit the ground hard, the swing knocking him off his feet. Oscar kicked Devon as he lay on the ground. Just then the bathroom door opened.
"Get out!" Oscar yelled without turning around. The door swung closed. Devon couldn't see if anyone had come in, but he couldn't hear any footsteps. Devon looked up at Oscar. Oscar lifted his bat up again, this time aiming for Devon face. Devon heard a commotion outside the door, like the sound of someone running.
James burst through the door, and plowed into Oscar's back. Oscar crashed against one of the walls. Oscar turned around.
"Why you little!" Oscar charged at James with his weapon held high. James barely ducked out of the way. "You're gonna get your ass kicked without your bear friend here to help ya." Oscar laughed.
"He's right James, run, get help, you can't fight him on your own." Devon cried. James didn't listen. Oscar charged at James again, once more James barely ducked out of the way. This time, as James cleared Oscar's arm, he swung around, using the momentum of his body to bring both arms down across Oscar's back with the force of a sledgehammer.
Oscar was barely phased. He threw a punch at James, James unready for it got a fist in the face. James fell to the ground, laying on his back.
"Ha. Is that all you got?" Oscar asked, raising his bat again, this time to deal the finishing blow to James.
"No." James muttered quietly. James pushed himself back onto his paws, momentarily his entire body was in the air, parallel with the floor. Then James pushed off hard with his paws, sending his body hurtling towards Oscar's knees. Devon looked away as he heard bones crunch.
When Devon looked back, Oscar was laying on the ground, on his stomach, yelling about his knees. James had broken Oscar's knees. James was laying in front of Devon, panting. James got up and helped Devon up, together they untied Dusk.
The walk back to Devon's car was silent. When they got inside, James realized Devon was crying. Silently, they drove to the reception hall. They all got out and headed inside. Right before they entered, Devon stopped James.
"James?"
"Yeah?"
"Danny told me something this morning. He gave me some advice." Devon began. Devon seemed hesitant to continue.
"Well what is it?" James asked.
"Remember last year, on this night?" Devon asked.
"Yeah, you threw a surprise party for me."
"Remember after the party, after everyone else had left?" Devon asked, growing more and more uneasy.
"When you tried to kiss me?" James asked.
"Yeah, and you said: 'There's a time, a place, and a person to share your first kiss with Devon. And you'll find none of those here.'"
"Yeah, what about it?" James asked, showing no emotion.
"That wasn't the time, or the place. But you were the person. Not kissing you that night is the single largest regret I've ever had." Devon finally said. "I loved you...and I think I still do." And with that, Devon entered the reception hall. James just stood there dumbfounded. Tears came to James' eyes.
"I love you too." He replied even though no one was there.