on a roll

"So what are you, really trying to tell me, Shan?" Lily sounded so secretive as usual. She was one of the first people Shan called when he got the phone. He'd sent her a picture of Henry, too. Now there was a little time to kill so he called her while waiting for the interview at the cinema.

"What are you getting at? I'm not you. Look, Henry's a better a friend, than you'll ever be." He informed her.

"Ouch." She was quiet then. "Look, why can't, you, admit it?"

"Admit what?" He drew a blank. Did she have to make drama, out of everything? He was always honest with her. He was loyal that way. Even with Henry.

"You're gay." There was laughter in her voice as if he had somehow out beat that like the plague.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Shan said a little out breath. Truth be told he might be a little out of shape. He was beginning to wonder if he could honestly be here on time, every day. He'd rode his bicycle out to the new cinema-plex where a new shopping area was developing. It was a long dusty ride, practical to the outskirts of town, but he hadn't relied on another ride from Henry.

"Oh, God, here were go again. You, just won't let yourself..be you." Lily told him.

"And nobody wants to know the real me." He was almost shouting into the phone, as he paced in front the cinema. He was sweaty and his dark hair a mess as it come undone from the ponytail. He wondered if he were presentable enough.

"Please, stop sounding like you'll turn into a werewolf or a vampire," Lily shot right back. "All you did was put someone in a coma. And that was an accident."

Shan stopped pacing. Flashes of someone hooked up to ventilators in a very white room over took him in grief. "Look, I gotta go."

He cut off the phone then, slid it in his back pocket. He was wearing dark slacks and a button down white shirt. Again, he'd raided Henry's wardrobe for the interview. Of course, he hadn't told Henry for what. He just wanted to tell him good news for once.

Shan nursed the inside of his cheek for a moment trying to stay calm.

He needed this job. He needed to pay Henry back, somehow. No one had ever been as giving as Henry. He had to give something back. He wanted too. Shan bit his bottom lip. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure he was doing any of this for him now. Just for Henry. Other wise, he'd be in his basement, doing nothing. Fading away. Numb. What was the joy in that? He couldn't let Lilly bring him down now.

He met with the manager then. They shook hands. Immediately, he knew this guy took notice of him. But Shan could see he was a lame ass.

"So are you seeing, anyone?" The manager asked afterwards as if he might have something special planned.

"Yeah, he's really sweet." Shan nodded as if he knew where this was going. It surprised him when the  manager told he got the job.