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Chapter Sixteen: Reis's Test

Reis sat on top of one of the plastic tables. The party had died down quite a bit; even Karma and Massak had left, and Joji was nowhere to be found. All that was left were the park attendants who began cleaning out the tent, as well as a few couples on the dance floor near the stage, where the band was playing its last rounds.

Where is he? Reis thought to himself. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone taking a seat next to him. It was Salina.

"Hey, I haven't seen Joji around," said Reis.

"Who says I'm looking for Joji," said Salina with a teasing smile.

"What I meant was have you seen him?"

Salina shook her head, "Not since last week. I've been out of town and just got back."

Reis sighed, "Well sorry you missed him."

Salina slide closer to Reis, "Weren't you listening," she said starting to lean against Reis's left arm, "I'm not looking for him."

Reis jerked his body away and stood up, "What are you doing?"

Salina grinned. "I'm sorry, sometimes I can get a little too friendly when I'm with canine's. I've always preferred the company canines. They're more fun. Especially wolfs."

Reis frowned and turned around to walk away. Salina only got up and darted in front of him, "Wait, Reis."

"Just leave me alone," said Reis with a sigh.

"No, not until you answer a few questions of mine."

"What could you possibly have to ask me?"

Salina placed her hands on the sides of Reis's arms, "Just walk with me for a little."

Reis exhaled though his nose and gave an annoyed look, but nevertheless agreed. Salina wrapped her right arm around Reis's left, which made Reis very uncomfortable, and the two walked out of the tent and down a path into the dark park, which was illuminated by the moonlight.

"So what do you have to tell me?"

"Ask you, Reis, there are a few things I need to ask you?"

Reis rolled his eyes, "Okay fine, what do you have to ask me?"

Salina grinned, her yellow eyes glowed through the darkness, "The pond looks nice tonight, doesn't it? Let's take a closer look." Salina playfully pulled at Reis arm.

"What's all this about, Salina?"

"Let's talk by the pond. No one can hear us there. It's kinda private."

"What?" Reis demanded. Salina only pulled at Reis harder, saying nothing. Reis gave another sigh and complied, following her over to the pond that sparkled with the reflections of the moon. The two walked underneath the draping breaches of the weeping willows.

"Okay, we're here. Now what do you need to ask me?"

"There's so much I need to say. So much I need to know. Things that I can only ask you."

"Why would that be? I barely know you. And you're like ten years older ten me."

Salina grinned as she locked her glowing yellow eyes with Reis's blues that glistened in the moonlight. "If I had a choice, I'd keep you here all night to ask you a thousand questions. About your life, about your likes, dislikes, and...passions." Salina placed her right hand on Reis's chest and Reis angrily pulled away, "Well you got fifteen minutes," he snapped.

Salina, still smiling, shook her head, "Alright...alright...easy, I only want to talk. I guess I'll start by asking you this. Are you really gay?"

Reis almost tripped backward, as if stunned with a bolt of lightning.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? DO YOU HAVE EYES IN YOUR HEAD?"

Salina was a little stunned, but she stood her ground, calmly maintaining her smile. Reis felt a little bad for shouting at her, but he didn't let his feeling of offense leave over his face.

"I'm sorry, Reis, but it was only a matter of time before you would have to face that question from someone, so you might as well face it now. And you gave me fifteen minutes, so I expect you to give me that time. Then, you never have to talk to me again."

Reis turned his back to Salina, fists clutched, eyes locked to the moonlight's reflection on the pond; not looking at it, only locked in its direction. "Of course I am. I know you must know that. You've seen me and Marcus together."

Salina slowly approached the large wolf, "Okay, and has Marcus been your only boyfriend?"

"Yea..."

"Has he been the only lover you've ever had?"

Reis turned his head to the side, "Yea, he has." Salina moved slightly closer.

"So the only person you've ever kissed, ever held in your arms, ever slept with is Marcus."

"Why do you think that's any over your business?" snapped Reis, shooting his head back to the pond.

"I only want to know, Reis, why I never got one gay vibe from you. Not when I met you a few months ago. Not during the time in between. And especially not now."

Reis turned a complete one-eighty, his glistening blue eyes giving a deathly star to the black cat. But Reis was silent, and Salina gladly took the opportunity to continue.

"I've always prided myself in my...radar. And don't get me wrong, there are plenty of gays that I know that would be hard to do so because they defy almost every stereotype, but still... their vibe gives them away. But you, I never would have guessed until I saw you and Marcus dancing with each other that night we went with Joji to the Hole. And you know what? I'm still not convinced."

Reis shook his head, "Why?"

"At first I just thought I was mistaken, which I don't often like to admit. But...well...I think you know a thing or two about what's making me really confused."

"No, I really don't," said Reis sternly.

"I think you do. How you are always checking me out whenever you and Joji come down to the office. Every time I looked at you, you cock your head away. Why is that? And those looks that we've exchanged a few times. What are those?"

"I don't know what you are talking about?"

"I'm sure," said Salina, her body now only an inch away from Reis's torso, "but if you can't handle the truth, then stop sending out the signals, Reis."

"WHAT TRUTH? WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT?"

Salina shrugged, "Final analysis: you're not really gay at all, you're only with Marcus because you hold him in such a high esteem since he's been your best friend all your life. He's the one that you lost your virginity to, and he's the only one you've ever been with since. "

"How dare you..."

"We'll is it true or is it not?"

"OF COURSE NOT!"

"So you're only sexually attracted to Marcus and no one else? You've never looked at another person with any sexual desire? Man or women?"

Reis stoked the golden band on his finger with his thumb, "Does love mean anything to you?"

Salina tugged at the sides of Reis's leather jacket, "Well if you ask me, what we call love is a label we apply to give meaning to innate sexual needs mixed with our longing for companionship. But I find nothing mystical about it."

Reis shook his head, "I'm surprised that someone smart like you can know so little."

"I could say the same for you, Reis. But..." Salina slid her hands down Reis jacket, "...even assuming that there is such a thing as love..." Salina moved her right hand over Reis's left and taking hold of his ring finger, "...I sincerely believe that no one should commit to anything before they know exactly what they are doing."

Reis pulled his hand away, "Know what?"

Salina rested her hands back on Reis's chest, "Think about it real good, Reis. What happens if the two of you can get married? You're heterosexual side will be a burden in the back of your head for the rest of your life. You'll have to live never knowing the feel of a woman against your body. Only wondering. And what if that overcomes you and you act... rashly?"

Salina pulled Reis closer, her body slightly resting on his, "No Reis, you must know everything about yourself before you make a commitment like that."

Reis stood frozen. No girl ever held him like this. Never talked to him like this. His face sank and his jaw hung on its hinges as she gently pulled him even closer; her jaws only inches away from the end of this muzzle.

"So what would you suggest I do?" asked Reis tremblingly.

"You can have me right now," she whispered.

Reis wanted nothing more than to shove her away and run. Just run...just run. But his body was numb, paralyzed. He felt that he was like a lifeless puppet, his body obedient to the whims of a possessor.

"I thought you were Marcus's friend... and Joji's girlfriend."

"Sure, I like Marcus. And I like Joji," Reis felt Salina's hand slid across the back of his neck, "But I like you more. A lot more, Reis."

Reis's eyes watered, his throat was sore and unable to blurt out anything...

"Besides," she continued, "neither of them has to know," her lips where only a couple inches away from Reis's mouth, "take me know, Reis... It may be the only time you can be sure. Go with your instincts..."

Salina's voice faded into silence as she closed her eyes, puckered lips, and leaned forward an inch...

then another inch...

and another inch...

and another inch...

A feeling of foolishness shot through her body as she sensed the absence of the wolf's cold, wet lips. She opened her eyes to find Reis leaning his head backward in awkward avoidance. But to her surprise, he did not look angry or scared at all. He face was so light and poised that, in an eerie and unsettling way, she could not tell if Reis was...smiling.

"Nice try."

Reis gently pushed Salina off of him. Salina parted her arms, letting go of Reis's neck, and let them fall to her sides and hang. Her face sank. Reis was smiling.

"You may be right about a few things, Salina. But if you don't believe in love, I can honestly say that I feel sorry for you. I am sorry that you have to go through live thinking that. But Marcus and I are in love, and you're right that marrying him would be a risk. But he's worth it. I've never been with anyone else 'cause I've never needed anyone else. And that includes you."

Reis took a step back, "You're time is up. Goodbye, Salina. I hope someday you can understand." Then Reis turned around and started to walk. Guided by the bluish cast of the moonlight on the ground, he made his way to the parking lot, which was not far from the pond. Then, for some subconscious reason, he started to run...charging toward the parking lot. He knew how dangerous it was to trod across the ground in the dark of the night, but he didn't care, he just kept running. He was not running to get away from Salina; rather, he felt that he was running toward something, something he could not quite ascertain. Still it felt good to run, feeling the summer night's breeze against his face, his blood racing, and his heart thumping.

Then, coming into the parking lot, appeared a set of head lights. As he got closer, he could see that they belonged to Marcus's van. Reis's heart filled with excitement. He increased his pace and stormed toward the incoming van. Then a feeling struck him deep within; strangely enough, it was a feeling he hadn't felt since...he was a pup. Reis remembered that it was the same explosion of happiness and relief, the kind that almost brought tears to his eyes, which he felt when his mother finally would arrive to pick him and Marcus up from long hours playing in the park all those years ago.

He's coming...He's finally coming to take me home.