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Monday, July 30, 2012

Story Orgy Road Trip: A Reminder Of His Shame #1

Good morning and happy Monday. I didn't post anything for a long time and I hope you will forgive me.
So here I am again, and this time it's for the famous Road Trip story. But before that, there are a few announcements I need to make...

Breathless Press has opened a new website. It's shinny and pretty and just in time for the celebration of their third year as a publisher. To celebrate BP's birthday and the new website, Havan and Lee have some short free reads available for download. They release on August 1, but you can pre-order them now. And did you get the fact that they are FREE? Click on the name of the books to find them: Lee's _Nothing To Forgive and Havan's  Lucky Night.

And this Friday, Lee's Naughty Nursery Rhyme, It's Simple, Simon releases exclusively from Breathless Press. You can pre-order your copy today HERE.

Finally … Though the Road Trip Serial Anthology starts today, your Story Orgy writers are ALWAYS planning ahead! We’re drafting something very special for the December holiday season- and we’d love to have your prompts. What we need from you is just a few words…a person (not a name), a place, and a thing…at least one item should be holiday related…for example…

person- Accountant
place- bank lobby
thing- gingerbread man


That’s it. Your prompts could be selected to inspire a story for Volume 2 of And The Prompt Is, The Holiday Edition.

Feel free to leave your suggestion in a comment here, or email it to storyorgy(at)ymail(dot)com.




Thanks to the amazing Startled Monkeys Media for the cover to our Road Trip edition ebook! How cool is that cover???


And now, here's my attempt to write a story....

The prompt for this story was provided by Cathy Brockman:
The crush that rejected you in highschool
A ski slope in Colorado
Avalanche.


A Reminder Of His Shame
Part 1
copyright © 2012 Jade F. Baiser


Prologue









He was running, blinded by his tears. The other students watched him pass, some sympathetic, others clearly mocking. He vaguely heard someone calling his name, but he was too angry and hurt to pay attention. Only one thing mattered: going home to try to forget it ever happened.
His parents watched him in stunned silence as he stormed into the little house they were renting and slammed the door of his room behind him. He threw himself on his bed and cried for what seemed hours. When the tears finally dried up, he rose and paced around his room, going over the scene in his head. How could he have been so stupid? He was always rushing head down, never taking the time to think about the risks.
He stopped in front of the full-length mirror that stood in a corner of his room and lifted his shirt's sleeve. Yep, it was still there, seeming to mock him. What on earth went through him to do something that insane? There was no coming back now, was there? He was stuck with it for his whole life, a reminder of his foolishness and his shame.
Chapter One










Four years later.

“Josh! Josh, wait! Damit!”

Josh stopped in his track and turned around as much as he could on his skis, wondering who would call him. He was new to Colorado and he didn't have time to make any friends yet, and that was fine with him. He wasn't a big fan of friendship. He was a loner, and had been for almost four years now.
The sun was high and the luminosity on the snow prevented him from seeing anything but a blurry form skiing to meet him. The slope was one of the hardest in the resort and whoever it was, he—yes, it was a man, that was all Josh was sure about—was pretty talented; not to mention the fact that he was a real hothead and taking unnecessary risks considering the instability of the snow. It was the first sunny day in a long time and it snowed all week long. Josh sighed. As a ski instructor, it was his duty to chastise the guy. That was one of the aspects of the job that he really didn't enjoy.
As the skier approached, Josh was able to distinguish his features more clearly. The first thing he was able to make out was the other man's hair; golden curls, which shone under the sun's rays. It reminded him of someone, someone very special who had hurt him badly in the past. Someone he was never able to totally erase from his mind, much to his despair. But it couldn't be him. He wouldn't want anything to do with Josh; he made that very clear the last time they'd seen each other. But the closer the skier came, the more he resembled the man he dreaded to see. No, it can't be! It all came back to him with a precision that left him breathless.
~~~~~~

"Josh, you should wait a little more. I'm not sure about it," Penelope said. You have no proof that's the truth."
Josh looked at his best friend. He knew she was trying to protect him, but he was pretty sure of himself. He'd heard them talking in the shower after the last football game. He wasn't hiding, but they hadn't seen him, and he stayed where he was, listening to a conversation that was about to change his life. They'd said it; Aidan was gay; or at least he was bi. Josh had almost fainted when he's heard it. He'd been in love with Aidan since they'd begun high school, almost four years ago. But he'd never approached the other boy because he was the captain of the football team and had dated every girl he could put his hands on.
Aidan was Josh's dream and every parent's idea of the perfect son-in-law. Tall, well-built, with curly golden hair, shinning blue eyes, and an unfailing self confidence. The opposite of Josh, who was African American, somewhat sickly, very shy, and openly gay. The revelation of Aidan's sexual inclination had been a shock to Josh, but also the sign he'd been waiting for so long. In a crazy moment, he's even gone to a tattoo parlor after he pleaded with his parents for almost three hours and had a small stylized "A" tattooed inside his left wrist. It was totally insane and the kind of thing he'd never thought he was capable of doing, and to be honest, he regretted it now. But it was done and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Josh," Penelope pressed him, "think of what you're about to do. Aidan never showed any inclination for men. He could be pissed if you just go and tell him you love him. Look at him... and look at you. I'm not saying that to hurt you, but if he decides to hit you, you're dead meat."
"Don't worry, Pen," said Josh with an indulgent smile. "You weren't there. I was. I heard them. I know what I heard. Nothing will happen to me. Besides, tomorrow is the last day of school. We'll all be in college next year. This could be my last chance to talk to him. I don't want to just do nothing and wonder all my life "what if..." I'll talk to him tomorrow. I made up my mind, and there's nothing you can say to change it." He leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the cheek.

~~~~~~
The skier stopped close to Josh, sending him a lot of snow in his face. Josh was so deep in his memories that he forgot where he was and tried to step back. He remembered at the last moment that he was wearing his skis and fell miserably on his butt. In a matter of seconds, he once again became the clumsy and unsure boy he was after the 'Aidan incident', instead of the savvy ski instructor he grew into. Blinded by the snow that sprayed in his eyes, he couldn't see the other man, but the laughter he heard made him shudder. He knew that laughter. He heard it in his nightmares for a long time. He rubbed his eyes to remove the snow and looked up at the shape that was leaning over him, only to close them immediatly when he recognized the man who was still haunted most of his nights.
"It's you. It's really you," said the voice he'd come to love and hate at the same time. "I wasn't sure at first, because... well, look at you. You changed. Where did you get these muscles? Look how big you are now! Hey, Josh, do you hear me? Are you alright?"
Josh opened his eyes again and just stared at him, unable to say a word. Why? Why is this happening to me? He asked himself in despair. He'd just moved here after college, wanting a new life, a new start. He had found the job of his dreams: ski instructor. His life seemed rather beautiful if you forgot his loneliness, but he was used to it now and he kind of liked it. If he didn't get close to anybody, he wouldn't get hurt. That was his motto since he'd left high school. And now, seeing Aidan, here of all places... He thought he had finally forgotten about him. But it was a lie, wasn't it? Jesus, the boy had always been gorgeous, but now the man was stunning. And if the expression on his face was any indication, Aidan was beginning to really freak out.
"Josh? Can you hear me? Did you hurt yourself? Come on, man, answer me!" Aidan said in an almost pleading voice.
Josh came out of his stupor and repressed a wry chuckle. Of course! He'd never had any luck in his life, why would he have some now?
"I'm fine," he grumbled. "Don't just stand there, help me get up. It seems that I've lost my strength," he added sarcastically.

~~~~~~
Aidan was aware of Josh's anger. He knew he deserved it, but he had hoped that somehow Josh would have forgotten everything that happened four years ago. He wasn't proud of himself. He never could really forgive himself for what he'd done to the other man.
He leaned over and took Josh's hand. The grip was firm and strong; nothing like the boy he rememebered from high school. In fact, nothing at all was like he remembered from high school. josh was now taller than him, with broader shoulders and a mouth that didn't seem to smile a lot. Aidan felt his chest tighten at the knowledge that he might have had something to do with the sadness and the distrust he could see in Josh's eyes.  
Aidan pulled Josh's hand and they found themselves face to face, almost nose to mouth as Josh was a few inches taller and a little too close for Aidan's comfort. He had a lot to say to Josh, but he realized now that he wasn't going to be easy. He'd been looking for Josh for some times now.
Josh was one of his biggest regrets, and he wanted to make amends. He realized some time ago that if he didn't find the man and apologize for his past actions, he wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror without remembering Josh's face on that particular day. He needed to apologize for his actions like someone in AA. In that program, a person had to go to see all the people they'd hurt in the past and tell them they were sorry. Josh was his salvation. He had waited until college was over and then went to Josh's home. He found Josh's mother there and she'd told him where he could find Josh. So here he was, a little uncomfortable about what he had to do.  
~~~~~~
Why in hell does he look at me like that? Josh was puzzled by Aidan's attitude. He looked uncomfortable; which was perfectly incomprehensible. If anyone should feel uncomfortable, it should be Josh. He was the one who'd made a fool out of himself four years ago, after all. Hell, he was the one who made a fool out of himself dour minutes ago too...
Josh looked at Aidan without saying a word, waiting for the other man to give him a clue about his presence here. After what seemed an eternity, Aidan sighed and looked away.
"Is there a place where we could talk?" Aidan murmured. "I really need to talk to you."
Josh didn't want to talk to Aidan at all, but he realized it would be childish to say no.
"Can't we talk here?" he said with hope in his voice.
"I'd rather go some place where we could be alone. And comfortable."
Comfortable? What did Aidan mean by it? Josh knew that anywhere with Aidan would be uncomfortable for him. There was no way he could relax in the other man's presence. What was wrong with here and now? It was not like there were a lot of people on that slope.
"Please?" Aidan begged.
Josh sighed heavily and nodded.
"Okay. I know a cabin not far from here. There's a porch where we can sit and talk, if that's what you want."
Aidan seemed relieved, which made Josh more uncomfortable than before.
"Follow me, then," he said as he darted down the slope.




To be continued


As usual, let’s go to read the fantastic stories the other members of the SO have written for your pleasure. You’ll find the links below.


Sunday, July 22, 2012

I AM MAD!

I thought a lot before posting about that subject. I didn't feel the need to do it. Such an insignifiant little man didn't deserve any attention. He insulted me numerous time and I couldn't care less.
So what changed?
He made a post that I couldn't just ignore, even if he deleted it afterwards (too coward to keep it on his wall I suppose...)
But let me name him... Matthew Darringer. The so-called "professional psychologist". I'm scared when I think about his patients. He couldn't tell right from wrong if it bites him in the face.
So let me correct some of his assertions first.

On his blog, he accused me, and I quote: "She was in competition with Sharita Lira whom she saw as a predator and hated with a passion, and then boom! They had a mutual "I love you" session and it was all cozy between them."
Let me show you what he said to me about Sharita at that time, and know that I never answer this message:


Now correct me if I'm wrong, but HE was the one who saw her as a predator. So he just put words in my mouth....

Then, he said: "Jade, of course, wanted me to post nudes of myself to her group ostensibly because I am good looking and well endowed, but more likely as a way to blackmail." 
I would love to see the proof of that. I read all the conversations we had, and couldn't find it anywhere. I never asked to see him naked. Nope, nowhere. And what about him saying that he's good looking and well endowed... God, he's a real narcissic!!!

He also accused me of not being real... Let's remind him another one of our conversation, shall we??


Funny, isn't it????


And now, the reason why I wrote this post....
It's about what he said about a friend of mine. A dear friend, who was the most loving and caring person I've met on Facebook.
This friend passed away two days ago after a long illness. Me and some others were "with" him through Facebook on his last night on earth. He knew he was dying and we gathered to help him make the big jump.
When he died, all of us were devastated.
But to read the morning after what this... excuse of a human being wrote.... I just can't think of anything strong enough to explain how we all felt. But I'll let you be the judge...




Did he realized he went way too far with that post? Or was he too coward to assumed it? He deleted it. But not before a lot of persons saw it. And none "liked" his post, when usually he has a few fans who enjoyed his bashing. But not this time. Nobody was willing to engage in bashing a man that while not everyone knew personally, they knew of him and that he was most known for leaving smiles and respect where ever he went...

So here I am, doing what I swore I'd never do... giving him some attention. But I couldn't just sit and do nothing.

There Matthew Darringer! Enjoy your celebrity, it won't last!!