Woken up by the toss and turns from the grizzly next to him, Xander begins pulling the covers back off of him. He leans up and stretches his worn out body and begins sitting up on the right side of the bed. The grizzly next to him continues to hibernate heavenly, and soon lets out a deep sigh of relaxation. Xander soon begins to adjust himself so carefully trying not to wake the bear from his time of sleep.
Tip toeing throughout the bedroom trying to gather all of his possessions carefully, Xander opens the bedroom door and heads to the kitchen. The apartment is looking like a college dorm with a wide open floor plan with a kitchen flowing into the living room. Xander voyages to the living room and opens up the blinds to a panoramic view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline. The sky is heavy with clouds and the trees are bare. The river stream ripples over boulder rocks flowing right underneath the historic Stone Arch Bridge. Xander loves this part of the morning because it brings him at peace with himself.
He heads over to the kitchen to wash a small set of dishes and silver wear that he used last night for cooking, and made some coffee. In the mix of all of that, he begins to grab his green faded hoodie, slip on a pair of black sweats that went over his black and gray basketball shorts, and wears a slightly dirty gray shirt he slept in last night. The coffee has finished brewing while he finishes putting on a pair of generic brands of clogs that he bought from Walmart a few years back.
He puts two teaspoons of brown sugar and a small portion of milk in his coffee, and sets it on the counter as he gets the two clothing baskets from the bedroom closet. Soon as he closes the entry door from behind him he starts walking down the hallway. The hallway is long and painted dirty yellow from all the dust and not being kept up properly. The carpet throughout the hallway is gray and looks almost black from the long black streaks that show that this carpet has had a hard knock life throughout its period.
Xander finally makes it to the wash room that has four washers and four dryers. He begins to put in a first load of laundry and then the next after. He begins the cycle of the first one and starts the next one right after. Xander begins to start thinking to himself about the festivities that took place with him last night at a local gay bar with his friend Jamie.
Last night's flash back...February 2024
Jamie is a thick build, caramel complex smooth skin, with hazel gray eyes, healthy jet black hair, and has a personality of a southern belle with that Chicago from the streets attitude. Jamie is a "Happy Hour" man who enjoys engaging with everyone that's around him. Jamie and Xander have been friends for only a couple of weeks but have proven to each other that their friendship has some really good moments. They kinda made a pack together that Thursdays will be their night to get together and do some catching up with each. And of course, share a couple of drinks and be accompanied with cigarettes.
Hey girl, said Jamie. I'm so glad you're here. I saw your text but I was out of it this morning from last night. Xander laughs and smiles with joy. Yeah, said Xander. I thought I was going to have to stay a little later from my job but then it started dying down a bit, said Jamie. But my manager said that I could leave after finishing up some emails. Xander locks eyes in with Jamie to see how relieved that Jamie was ready to leave work, and go to his happy place. I get it, said Xander. I'm so glad that I'm here too. And today is my last day of my three days off, said Xander. Yes child, said Jamie. This is my second drink and you know me. I'm about to get another one after this. Xander laughs at Jamie's comment as the two begin heading outside on the patio to have their first cigarette break.
So, did you enjoy your birthday? asked Xander. Yeah, said Jamie. I mean you know, I had a great time with all the regulars here at the bar. People just kept buying me drinks. Bartenders kept giving them to me, to the point to where I literally started giving them away, honey. Both Xander and Jamie laugh while taking a couple of puffs from their cigarettes. I'm so glad you had a fun birthday, said Xander. How are things with searching for that third boyfriend, asked Jamie. Well, it's been really difficult and so tiring, said Xander. We've had a couple of guys hitting us up on Scruff but nothing to say solid. I'm to the point to where I don't know if that might be the missing link of our relationship. Xander takes a sip of his shirley temple and takes a hit of his cigarette while trying to gather his thoughts on his last comment. Well honey, you know sometimes you have to take some time to yourself and see everything within the glass clear enough to see of what your sipping, said Jamie while saying hello to regulars from the bar passing him. Xander begins to take one last hit of his cigarette and says, I think I'm going through an identity crisis to be honest with myself. Jamie locks eyes with Xander feeling sad and worried about his friend. Well honey, you are a great human being and you are a catch in my eyes, said Jamie. You are gonna be alright, but in the mean time you better let these young men know who still hold the title in your relationship, as he snaps with an attitude and begins to put out his cigarette. Xander begins to laugh and slightly wipes the little droplet from the corner of his eyes, and begins to follow Jamie back inside the bar.
Baby Boy from Beyonce is playing in the background, and everyone inside is having a good time chatting over things about anything and everything. Jamie and Xander found two empty seats in the bar and takes place to sit. May I get you two another round, said the bartender. Want another drink honey, asked Jamie. Sure, replied Xander. May I get another gin and grapefruit with a lime wedge, and my friend another what he is having please, said Jamie. Last night the boyfriend and I had made a breakthrough, said Xander. WE HAD SEX! Xander said with full of excitement like a school girl who had a secret that couldn't be held in much longer. YES HONEY, said Jamie as he pays for the drinks and tossed with Xander. Like I said, you better let these young men know phoneix. They laugh so hard to Xander almost waisted his drink. A regular visitor from the bar walks up to Jamie and they begin talking. Xander navigates the bar's atmosphere with his eyes and notices a man making his way in the bar. He walks in wearing a teal green colored hoodie, with white sweatpants, sneakers, dark colored glassed, shaved head, and a smile that is so genuinely sweet. And his scent is very clean like he just stepped out of the shower, and the cologne blends perfectly with his pheromones as he walks past him. Xander is intrigued but yet remembers the guy from last week. The gentleman takes his seat at the same spot as he did before last week. The gentleman soon looks over at Xander's way and smiles at him.
Xander turns around quickly to where his back is shown to the gentleman sitting across from him and Jamie. Child, what's wrong, asked Jamie as he's concerned. Um, nothing said Xander. Hey Allen, said Jamie as he looks up to seeing the guy across from them sitting. Jamie gets up from off his stool and walks over to him as Xander's eyes follow him from behind. They hugged like they know to each other all their life. Xander begins to wonder what that hug felt like. Let me introduce you to my friend, said Jamie as he brings the guy over to him. Xander, this is Allen. Allen this is Xander. Xander stares at the floor measuring the guy from his toes to his head. Nice to meet you Allen, said Xander nervously. Nice to meet you too, said Allen. This man had the total package in Xander's mind already. He is white cute white guy with a sense of humor, and has that intellectual mind thought that could possibly be on the same level as his. Allen lean his hand out to Xander and Xander kindly accepted his hand shake. His shake was firm but gentle, and his skin felt soft like a cotton ball in his hand. Xander suddenly let go of his hand and smiled with confusion because he didn't know what might be taking over him. Allen continues to smile at him and says...I'm not hitting on you but you have a really nice smile. Jamie looks at Xander and begins to chuckle on the side. Thank you but I really can't stand my smile with my two gigantic teeth dominating my mouth structure, says Xander as he is trying to say something clever. He does have a pretty smile, says Jamie as he takes a sip from his glass. I'm gonna go ahead and order me a drink, but I'll come back around to see you again here soon, said Allen. Sure honey, go get that drink and I'll be right behind you, said Jamie as he laughs.
Xander continues to follow Allen from behind with his eyes as he orders his drink. Girl, you alright asked Jamie. I'm good, but how long have you two known each other. Who? Allen? We been knowing each other for some time. Why you ask, asked Jamie. No reasons, said Xander as he takes a gulp of his drink. I'm going to the bathroom, said Jamie as he continues to say his hellos to new comers coming into the bar trying to get to the bathroom. So, how long have you been knowing Jamie, asked Allen. Well, for about a couple of weeks now, said Xander as he begins to take another big gulp of his drink. He's a fun guy to be around, said Allen as he smiles at Xander. Whoa! Child I had to go, said Jamie as he started to loosen up. Hey you want to go outside for another cigarette, asked Jamie. Sure. Yeah, said Xander as he is trying to get himself to prepare himself to battle against the wind outside. I'll see you guys when you get back, said Allen as he tries making his way back to his stoop. While Allen was walking away from Xander, Xander began having a revelation that he didn't expect to experience. At that moment he felt like he just encountered his celebrity crush Daniel Radcliffe.
Daniel Radcliffe has always been Xander's celebrity crush ever since Harry Potter. He may not have looked like anything to him then, but Xander always was a sucker for guys in glasses. Allen have given Xander that impression. But what Allen doesn't know is that Xander also has a huge crush on Daniel Radcliffe as well. Daniel Radcliffe comes off as the guy that doesn't take himself too seriously. A guy who likes to stay to himself when has the luxury of having that. To Xander, Daniel Radcliffe is just your regular guy who is just like any other guy, but has that sudden charm that makes you want to be around him all the time. Whenever Allen came walking through the front door of the bar, Xander instantly felt a connection that is unexplainable.
Present time
Ding! The laundry washers have finished washing and Xander begins transporting the wet clothes from the washers over to the dryers. He begins the cycles and starts back down the murky hallway to his apartment. His grizzly bear boyfriend is still sleeping in the bedroom. He takes a seat at the kitchen table with is coffee and begins wondering about Mr. Daniel Radcliffe. In other words, thinking about Allen.