STAR
Star groaned and covered his ears, trying to drown out the annoying chirping noise, but it was so insistent he couldn't ignore it. He clumsily reached for his cell phone. He fumbled as he answered the call without looking at the screen.
“Hello,” he mumbled drowsily.
“Why aren't you opening the damn door?”
Star's eyes snapped open, and he sat up, hearing Thornton's harsh growl. “Thor...Thornton?”
“Who else?” he snapped. “I want an explanation about what happened to you yesterday. Now open the door.”
“I'm…” He paused, clearing his throat. “I'm not home.”
“Star, you are fucking testing my patience,” he said in a harsh voice, as if trying to rein in his anger.
Star recalled Thornton used to do that in his past life until, one day, he stopped hiding and let out all his frustration.
Star heard Thornton take a deep breath before he spoke. “Where are you? I'll come to you.”
“Thornton, I'm not in California.”
“What?” he said, sounding shocked and angry. Star was startled when Thornton raised his tone. “Where the fuck are you? Did you go somewhere with that asshole from yesterday? Are you with him now?”
“Yes, I mean no,” Star stuttered. His mind was a chaotic mess because of Thornton.Get it together, Star. He is miles away from you and can't hurt you anymore.
“Thornton,” he said, closing his eyes and pulling on any courage he could muster. “I realized yesterday that you and I do not have a future together. Not as friends or anything else.” The last part, he whispered. “When I agreed to help you, it was because you promised we would be together, when you and I both know it was all talk. You don't feel the same way about me that I...” He stopped because he couldn't say he still loved Thornton.
“What are you saying?” Thornton said. “Are you saying you don't care about me anymore?” Thornton sighed.
“You don't care about me, Thornton. You will never love me. You know that we can’t be together.”
“How do you know that?” he shouted. “You can't predict the future.”
Yes, I can, because I lived it once and cannot repeat that mistake.“You're right, I can't see what will happen in the near future.” Tears pooled in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He had to regain his confidence. “But I can't let you play with my heart. You don't need me to get in with Equi-Noxx. You don't even need them. Just open your talent agency and find talented people to work for you. I just can't be one of them.”
“Where is all this coming from? Did that asshole say something to you? Did he promise you something?” Thornton asked.
Star could hear the confusion coming from Thornton, and he understood the man's dilemma because he still had questions. But no matter the reason, he could not stay connected to Thornton. He was a constant reminder of his past.
“Look, let's just cut our losses right here and now. Please don't contact me anymore. Good luck with the rest of your life.” Star hung up on Thornton with him still shouting his name. Seconds later, he called back, but Star ignored it and went even further and blocked his number. Throwing his phone down, he flopped back on the couch, waiting for the feeling of dread, but all he felt was an enormous relief since his life had changed yesterday.
“A stalker ex-boyfriend, I take it?”
Star turned his gaze toward the direction of Tanner's voice and saw his friend leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded over his chest.
“You heard all that?” he asked, sitting up and making room for his friend, who moved over to sit next to him on the couch.
“Some of it,” Tanner answered.
“He's not an ex of anything. Just someone I was hoping to have something meaningful with, but we're not compatible.”
“Then I guess it's good that you broke it off before anything got serious between you two.”
“Yeah,” Star agreed, then glanced at his friend, noticing that Tanner looked pale. “Are you okay? You don't look so good.”
Tanner smiled. “Yup, I'm good.” He touched his stomach. “I just get a little upset tummy in the mornings. Not like before, though.”
Star felt his friend was telling him something important, but he was utterly clueless about what it might be. So he brushed off the feeling. “Are you sure? Because if you need to rest some more, we can put our outing off until later.”
