Story Thirteen

Was I thinking about anyone while writing this? No.

Is this inspired from any real life events? No.

Do I wish this happened to me? No...Not exactly...

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They couldn’t take back the things they said, as they sat there at their computers.
Tears and swear words were exchanged before Sunday typed, “Go.”
Russell rubbed his face. Frustration and concern clearly colored his expression, but didn’t say anything back and logged off.
She paused for a really long time, then turned on the camcorder and confessed everything she felt for a good ten minutes.
After a sigh of exasperation, she found herself start to cry again and shut it off.
Eventually, the crying stopped and she uploaded it onto the blog, then turned off the computer and lied down for a nap.
Sunday curled into the fetal position and stared at the wall, before sleep came to her.

Some time passed and they didn’t talk this whole time.

Sunday woke up and made herself a cup of coffee before she changed into coveralls and went to the studio and continued with the 7 feet by 7 feet abstract painting that she started the night before. She shared the studio with another artist who had part of it partitioned off so she could work on her sculptures and not have pieces of wood and other materials fly across the room. The studio was two blocks away from her studio apartment and she didn’t know it was there until she found herself walking around the neighborhood, bored and restless, after having recently moved to this area.
She walked in and no one else was there. It was around 8 in the morning and she pulled her hair back into a bun before putting on a beret, then putting on disposable rubber gloves. She went over and opened the top drawer of her red storage cabinet and pulled out the palette.

A few hours passed before Callie showed up. Twelve pm had passed. She looked mildly hungover and wore a yellow dress with small white polka dots on it and white flats. Her hair hung in loose, disheveled braids. She went over to Sunday and stood by her.
Sunday turned her head and they smiled at each other, before Sunday stopped.
Callie said, “There was a party last night and people were asking about you, Miss Torrelli.”
“Oh, I was busy.”
“No, you weren’t.”
“No, I wasn’t. I was on the Internet all night researching silent movie stars from the beginning of the 20th century.”
“You’re really weird. So, hey, people wanted to know when you’ll be updating your blog.”
“Soon. Did anybody else want to know anything else?”
“Well, this one guy wanted your number. I gave it to him, because you need to go out more.”
“Okay,” Sunday said, then added,”But, was he cute, at least?”
“He looked like the singer from Chester French.”
“Who?”
“Some guy named D.A Wallach.”
“I don’t know who that band is.”
“He’s this really adorable looking ginger boy--Oh my god! That’s it. I’m dragging you out of your rathole more often.”
Sunday shrugged.
“It’s settled. I’m dragging your ass out tonight.”
Sunday shrugged again, before Callie walked over to the doorway to the little room. She opened the door then stood at the entrance and put on her apron and eye goggles, before closing the door behind her.
Sunday returned to the red and gold and black square.

Later on that night, Callie and Sunday got out of Callie’s car and walked into the bar and over to a small crowd by the side, which consisted of five girls, one boyfriend and another couple of guys.
Before introductions were made, almost immediately, one of them said,”We have been graced by the presence of the famous Internet girl?”
Sunday said, “I’m not famous.”
“You’re famous to us.”
Callie said, “Are you being a sarcastic ass, Brian?”
He shook his head, then said, “No. We’re actually honored she would want to hang out with us lameasses.”

A couple hours passed and Sunday’s cell phone rang in her purse. They sat around and talked and drank. The couple were up and dancing near the table. Someone was talking about some homeless person they kept randomly running into. She snuck a look at her phone. Gordon was calling. A smile came over her face.
She got up and everyone turned to her, before she motioned with her cell.
Callie said, “Who is it?”
“Gordie.”
“Oh, okay.”
Sunday moved away from the table.
“I thought she didn’t have a boyfriend,” one of the girls said.
Callie said, “She says they’re not....”
Sunday didn’t hear the rest of what was said, before she answered her phone.
“Hey, Gordie.”
“Hey, Sunday. I didn’t see you online. Are you busy right now? I wanted to go out and grab something to eat, and was wondering if you wanted to come along.”
“Actually, I’m out with Callie and her friends.”
“Oh,” he said, then paused. “Do you know what time you’re coming home?”
“No.”
There was a pause.
“Hey, well, call me when you get home, k?”
“Will do. Okay, bye.”
“Bye.”
They both hung up.

It was nearly 2am and they all sat around Callie’s place drinking apple juice and playing Mystery Date.
Before Callie took Sunday home, she said to her roommate Craig, who was playing some game on the PlayStation with one of the guys from the group, “If you go through my underwear drawer while I’m gone again, I will kill you. Understand?”
Everyone looked at Craig, who calmly said, “Dude. It was dark and I walked into your bedroom by mistake. That was one time and I thought I was going through my things.”
“Excuses, excuses. Why was the door closed then, huh? Don’t do it again.”
Sunday and Callie walked out the door, with her friends laughing at him and him ignoring her.

Sunday walked into her apartment and she took off her shoes, before sitting on the couch.
After taking out the cell from her purse, she called Gordon, but he didn’t pick up.
She went over to the computer and turned it on, then logged into her instant messenger, hoping Gordon would be on.
He wasn’t.
She left it on and got up to change her clothes.
Half-dressed, her computer signaled to her someone had sent her a message.
She went to the computer half-naked and eventually typed back, “Hi.”, when she saw it was a good friend of hers.
She didn’t expect anything else to be said and about to turn away, before the words, “how are you?” appeared on screen.
“I’m all right.”
“:)” was the reply.
They talked for a bit longer before she got up and finished changing.

Before heading to the studio, Sunday and Callie sat outside a chain coffee shop. Callie was enjoying a cigarette and mid-puff when her cell started ringing.
“What up, bitch?”, she said.
Sunday overheard a high-pitched girl’s voice answer back, but she couldn’t hear what the other girl said.
“Yeah, I’m kinda busy, actually. I’m hanging with Sunday.”
Sunday tuned out after that and looked around, while Callie chatted and finished her cigarette.
At another table, this couple were making out to the point she thought the girl would throw the guy down on the table and do him right there.
She watched them a while before Callie noticed her absentmindedly staring.
Callie turned and saw the couple then quickly mumbled, “Hey, I got to go.” She got up and went to the couple, then stopped them and said, “There are young children here. Am I going to have to hose you off?”
The couple looked at each other and separated, obviously embarrassed.
Callie walked back and sat down.
“Some people have no damn decency,” Callie said, before looking at Sunday, who stared at her coffee cup.
“Are you okay, Torrelli?”
She looked up at her.
“Why do you always refer to me by my last name?”
“Because Sunday is not a name, it’s a day of week.”
“I can’t help what my parents named me.”
They both paused, before Sunday and Callie looked at their cups.
Callie said, “Well, I’m out. What about you?”
Sunday nodded.
“Let’s motor.”
They both got up, reaching for their purses.

*****

Hailey went to work, after Russell kissed her goodbye.
He had a cup of some juice and something quick to eat then turned on his computer and read Sunday’s blog. He stopped reading it for a while, before starting again. He had almost deleted the link to it, but didn’t want to lose knowing what she did day-in and day-out. He also knew she wasn’t aware he still read it. She never really made any mention of him, which made him sulk, because he wanted to still be in her thoughts, but, whenever she did, he didn’t liked what she said about him. He ignored how he felt either way.
This entry was her writing a lengthy diatribe on some silly topic, such as people with weird haircuts. It made him laugh then a little sad that they didn’t talk anymore. He read more entries and a few hours passed. She talked about meeting other men and was somewhat seeing this boy named Gordon. He found himself jealous, but his reaction was a plaintive sigh. He didn’t cry but sat there for a while and felt bad.
Hesitantly, he found himself writing her a quick email. It was only a couple sentences, “hi. how are you?”

He sat there for a while, after reading it. He was on his computer, trying to distract himself while alone. Looking through his porn collection, he came across one that he had named oddly. Not sure what it was, he opened it. He thought he had gotten rid of everything that was associated with her, except for the blog link, but this turned out to be a clip Sunday had sent him. She didn’t do anything at first, before she shyly undressed and started touched herself.
He couldn’t help himself and closed his eyes for a few seconds to focus on her breathing and the way she sounded.
He opened his eyes and watched a few seconds, then slowly pulled down his pants.

The clip finished playing and he sat there, his hands covered in secretions. He felt guilty and somewhat ashamed of himself. Russell wanted to continue but got up and cleaned himself off.

He came back to his bedroom and closed out the video, although he was heavily tempted to watch it again.
Still affected, he added to the email and sent it, before he went to go play more Left4Dead.

*****

Sunday got home then went to her computer and saw Russell’s message. She read the whole thing and didn’t know how to react.
She printed off the email, then got up and went to the window and looked out.
She turned off the computer then left the apartment and walked to the studio.

It was quiet and she was the only one there, while Callie met with a potential client. Sunday taped the email against the wall then sat on a chair, looking at it for a while, reading aloud the words on the page.
After a while, she found herself close her eyes and say the words that she remembered.

She opened her eyes and saw an piece of empty canvas lying about when she took it and found herself writing the words she wanted to say back to him. It became longer and longer, until the whole back and front was covered with scrawled letters. She ran out of space, then quickly got up and left the studio, locking the door behind her.

While walking back from the studio, her phone rang and it was Gordon asking to meet up.

Sunday and Gordon went to see a movie, then back to her place and tore at each other’s clothes. Her body was satisfied, but her mind wasn’t. She thought of bills and bad jokes and a million other things.
She didn’t normally share the incredibly intimate details of her life, only things that amused her or what she knew would amuse other people, but suddenly felt the need to share what happened with her and Gordon, not knowing who would read it. Afterwards, she showed Gordon who didn’t mind and asked her to change one detail.

Sunday and Gordon sat on the couch, watching the Red Sox versus the Twins, and she took him by the hand back to bed. Gordon saw the camcorder by the computer and looked at it, then looked at her.
“I’ve got an idea.”
“What?”
He pointed at the camcorder.
“We should do the obvious.”
She looked in the direction of his finger and a smile came over her face.
“We could do that.”
She got up and went over to the camera, then turned it on. She moved it so the whole bed was visible and Gordon sat there looking at her.
She stood in front of him and started undressing.

*****

Russell was by himself, in the middle of the day, when he read her blog again.

He watched one of the clips, and saw Sunday completely undressed and Gordon sitting in front of her, his hands on her waist and his lips brushing against her side. His eyes completely enveloped in desire.

It got more graphic than that.

His face dropped and he found himself start crying. There were several clips there and he couldn’t finish the first one.

He got up and went to his bed and turned on his XBox360. Not getting very far, his eyes casually went back to the computer. He didn’t want to watch more, but put the controller down and stood in front of the monitor and forced himself to watch the first segment.

He saw Sunday get down on her knees and undo Gordon’s pants before pleasuring him with her tongue and mouth.

His face was starting to dampen again as he stood there. He closed out the window so he wouldn’t watch anymore. He moved back to his bed then sat down. He didn’t pick up the controller but found himself lie down and just stare at the window.

He lied there for a long time, sickened.

When Hailey came over that night, he looked at his girlfriend while she lied in bed and occupied with watching TV, when he turned off the computer, after downloading some movie, and went over to her. She barely had time to say anything, when he leaned over and started kissing her.

That whole time, he thought about Sunday. He was still thinking about her when Hailey and him lied there and he eventually fell asleep.

First Russell, then his girlfriend woke up the next morning. They started kissing, while they spooned. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her front, then entered her from behind.
Amidst their whispers and moans, he softly sighed Sunday’s name.
Hailey opened her eyes and stopped, then took his arms off her and got up.
Russell looked at her and while she was searching for her shirt, she turned to him.
“You said her name.”
“Whose name?”
“You know.”
They were silent, while Russell lied there and Hailey rapidly got dressed.
Before she left the bedroom, she looked at Russell and asked, “You’re not over her, are you?”
Russell looked at her blankly and didn’t respond.
Hailey said,”I’m going to let myself out. I need to get home and change my clothes before work.”
Russell nodded, before she walked out.
He was there for a long time, frozen.

Russell and Hailey sat on his bed, talking, later that night.
“When we got together, you still wanted Sunday.”
“I know.”
“Do you still want her? I have to know.”
Pause.
She looked at him and he just sat there, staring at the wall. She took his face into her hands and kissed him.
“Look at me, Russ.”
He couldn’t look at her.
“I’m here. She’s not. Look at me.”
He shook his head.
“I love you, but she’s....,” he trailed off.
She slowly let go, then slowly got off the bed.
“This was a mistake coming here.”
A long pause.
“Tell me you want me to stay,” she added, standing there.
He remained silent, then looked at her.
“I love you.”
Pause.
“That isn’t good enough,” she said before turning around and walking out the door.
She shut the door behind herself, leaving him alone.
He thought he was going to start crying, but only let out a heavy sigh of relief before getting up and going to the computer.
He saw Sunday’s email and read it.
A smile suddenly brightened his face.
He returned her email with four paragraphs where he said nothing and everything was implied.
After quickly re-reading what he wrote, he sent it to her, then got up and went back to bed and turned on the XBox360.

*****

It was still dark when Sunday woke up and Gordon lying next to her, his arm around her waist. She looked at him and ran her hand through his hair and kissed his forehead, before getting up and out of bed.
She went over to the computer and turned it on.
A message from Russell was waiting for her, among other ones. She didn’t want to see it until she was alone.
Gordon was moving around, before he woke up and looked at her.
“Get off the computer and get back here.”
She saw him looking at her from the light of the computer, then smiled at him before getting up and crawling back into bed and climbing on top of him.
While they kissed, her computer signalled an instant message had been sent.
She ignored it.

Gordon left for work and she was finally alone.
She found out the instant message was from her good friend and he had figured she was busy and logged off.
She sent a reply back then closed out the message.
Seconds after she did that, she systematically went through her email, leaving Russell’s last.
She finally went to open it, but couldn’t get herself to read it and closed out the window.

Sunday and Callie were at Callie’s place with a couple of her friends and roommate there. They sat around playing boardgames while Craig sat on the couch playing Resistance2 on his PlayStation, when Sunday’s phone rang.
“Gordie.”
“Hi, Sunday. Are you doing anything right now?”
“I’m hanging out with Callie and her friends.”
Callie said, “Does he always call you late at night?”
Sunday looked at her and shook her head.
“Okay. Well, call me when you get home,” Gordon said.
“Will do. Bye for now.”
“Bye.”
They hung up.
“Tell me when I should take you home so you can have your booty call,” Callie said.
“It’s not a booty call.”
“Half an hour?”
“It’s not a booty call.”
“Whatever.”

Before they walked out, Callie said to Craig,”Craig, don’t--”
“Dude, I know. Do we have to go through this every time?”
“Fine, bitch. Be that way.”
“Are you in love with me or something?”
Everyone in the room went quiet, before Callie suddenly laughed uncomfortably then quickly moved and closed the door behind herself.
Sunday looked at her and Callie looked back at her.
“I don’t.”
“Okay, if you want to deny it.”
Callie didn’t say anything back.

After Sunday walked Callie around her apartment, Sunday offered her a drink, but Callie looked at her watch.
“I got to get going. See you in the morning.”
“You really want to be alone with Craig?”
They both laughed, before Callie went serious.
“I really got to go. Besides, you need to have your booty call.”
“Would you stop calling it a booty call?”
“Is Gordon your boyfriend?”
Sunday shakes her head.
“All right, then.”

Not long after, Callie left and Sunday sat there on the couch, before she dialed Gordon’s number and he picked up.

*****

Russell sat on his bed after coming home from work and took off his shoes, then went over to his computer and turned it on. He turned on his instant messenger and checked his email. There was nothing beyond junk mail and messages from a couple friends.

He moved away from the monitor and started changing his clothes.

He kept looking at the monitor but finished changing then sat on his bed and turned on the XBox360, falling asleep while playing it.

He woke up the next day and got up and out of bed.

Russell was about to pass the monitor and noticed that no one has still sent any messages, before he stood in front of his computer and decided to send Sunday another message, even though she hadn’t answered the last one.

He typed half the message, but looked at it and deleted the whole thing, before walking away.

He showered, changed his clothes and had a quick breakfast, then brushed his teeth and had already walked out the door when Sunday returned his message.

Russell sat in his cubicle and checked his phone, even though no one called him. He went through the people in his phone and hesitantly removed Hailey’s number, because she would have called by then, but it was obvious she wouldn’t be calling him anymore. He also knew it had been over for some time and could no longer deny it.
He silently exhaled and was about to put his phone back in his pocket, but searched through-out for Sunday’s number, although he removed it a long time ago.

He wanted to hear her voice again.

*****

Sunday was still asleep, when her cell started ringing.
Gordon was already standing up and buttoning his shirt, when he got her cell phone and saw the text from Callie.
He read outloud, “Did the booty call leave for work already?”
Pause.
“Who’s a booty call?”
Pause.
Sunday woke up and saw Gordon near the bed, looking at her.
“What’s wrong?”
He asked, “Am I a booty call?”
She didn’t answer when he handed the phone to her and she looked at it.
He finally turned away, silently got dressed and let himself out, not saying a word to her.
She heard the front door slammed.
She shrugged it off, slowly got out of bed, undressed and went into the shower.

When she was having a cup of coffee, her cell rang again.
“Hey, Callie.”
“Hey. I’m sitting in the car right now. Ready?”
“Yeah. Did you see anyone looking pissed off while they were going to their car?”
“No. I just got here.”
“Okay.”

Callie took Sunday home after taking her to one of her friend’s art gallery openings where they drank wine and Callie made fun of her friend who wore a rented blue ruffled tuxedo all night. She almost burned a hole in the tux with her cigarette.

Sunday came home and turned on her computer. She walked away to get a cup of water and drinking when an instant message came on the screen.
She faced away from the computer, when she was about to reach for her cell phone when she set her glass down, but turned back and moved over to the computer, thinking it was Gordon.
It wasn’t and she stood staring at the message.
They haven’t talked in ages and it surprised her Russell wanted to talk.
The words “hi. how are you?” were on screen.
She typed back, “I’m all right. How are you?”
There was a pause.
“ok” was the response.
She paused then typed, “What do you want?”
“is it a crime 2 want 2 talk 2 u?”
“If you want to talk, call me.”
“i need your number”
She typed it and quickly told him “Bye”, then turned away from the computer and started to walk off, going back to the kitchen.
Her cell started ringing.
Sunday looked at her phone, at the number, then answered.
“Hello?”
“It’s me.”
A smile came over her face.

They talked for a really long time, before he asked, “Can I see you?”
“Do you want to come over now?”
“Uh...All right. It might take me a while, though.”

Sunday and Russell stood in front of each other, when he finally arrived.
“Come in.”
He walked in after her, looking around.
“Do you like it here?”
“I do. Want anything to drink?”
“No. I’m good.”
She closed the door behind him and he moved over to the couch.
He sat down and she moved to the couch, before sitting down near him.
Slowly, they moved against each other and he put his arm around her, kissing her cheek and gently twirling some of her hair in his hand.

They stayed like that for a while.