The Rebel

“You seriously need to get laid if that’s all you can think about. Just say the word and I’ll wingman for you.” As someone who had avidly played football throughout school, Justin could admit that watching football was boring compared to actually playing the sport. That and the million rules, the last thing he wanted to do was explain how the game worked. “All you need to know is that we always root for the Rams. We gotta support the home team.” He turns in Gio’s direction flashing him a mischievous smirk. “Are you finally gonna let me get my hands on the tattoo guns? And not just to clean them.”

“That is partly true, yes, I do need to get laid. But also, look at them!” Gio had never been that interested in sports, really, not that he felt particularly strongly about it either, but he surely didn’t mind the players. In a world that objectified women in 99% of all advertising, he felt like he was bringing some balance in doing the same with men playing around with a ball. “We’ll be Ram-ming!” He cheered on, frowning at the sound of it and just opting to sitting back down and keeping his mouth shut. “Wait, which are the rams? The white or the orange? Tell me it’s not the orange because that color is hideous.” Gio narrowed his eyes as he looked back at Justin, focusing again on the man rather than the screen. “I’ll let you get your hands in my guns if you prove to me you’re past your stick figures drawing stages, babe. You think you’re ready for that?”

Dennis: (SNIVEL) I'd really like that. (SNIVEL) No more secrets, promise. Thank you so much, Gio. (WHISPERS) Love you...

Dennis: I mean, the office manager just saw me in a mess, so I don't think she would mind if I left. I am feeling a little hungry. But wait -- anything good to share? So there is something to share?

Dennis: (deep-ass breaths) I'm sorry, Gio, this -- (words not from Dennis) oh, yeah, I'm (sniffle) I'm fine, sorry, no it's all good -- I shouldn't have told you any of this. But I'm glad to have you as my best friend. And I am happy. And confused. But happy. (deep breath) And you? Are doing okay? With... (sniffle) love? I never hear about you.

I whacked it against the wall because I thought my roommate was a home invader. It’s broken. Damn. And here I was hoping I could salvage something out of it.

I mean, if it’s broken, you might as well just... throw it away? If it won’t play right, it wouldn’t even be worth giving to someone. Take it to a recycling center or something, though. 

Yeah, that’s a pretty solid idea. Though I wouldn’t discount its uses as a giant mosquito swatter. Could also just keep it in your house and point at it and say you used to play, but it’s broken now so. You know.

Anyone who knows me would know that’s some big bullshit. I live in a tiny ass apartment, too. I can’t bring in more stuff. Is it not fixable like, at all? 

“Woah there, calm down with the melodrama,” she replied, grabbing another marker and resuming coloring. Well damn, apparently all social circles from high school were considered null and void. She was going to have to learn how to not assume anything. “I’m talking more on the side of this weird on and off again thing. Clearly you care for them, but like, it’s also the thing that keeps on fucking you over, so just… stop?” A weird expression crossed her face. “I’m real shitty at giving emotional advice.”

"Oh, babe, if I do that, I would be me.” Gio smirked, laughing quietly in spite of himself for a moment as he reconsidered her question now with Zig in mind. “I could.” He started. “I guess it’s just like a bad hangover. You know, you wake up feeling like death and swearing you’ll never going to do it again... but then a week passes, maybe two, and you think you’re doing alright until you see that shiny bottle there in front of you and you get so thirsty and nothing would satiate you but its content, and you start craving the taste, the burn, because it takes you somewhere only it can, and you know you shouldn’t but you’re already too intoxicated by the time it hits you, and you just end up dealing with the hangover all over again the next morning.” 

Online Starter

Sooo does someone want a slightly broken guitar? Or am I going to have to throw it in the trash? Because I really like this guitar. Rather it go to a home than the trash bin.

No, I wouldn’t know what to do with it other than use it as a huge mosquito swatter. You could always donate it to a toy drive or something for Christmas. 

Emilia paused in her coloring, tilting her head as she considered his words. She’d deemed talk of high school as dangerous, unsure if there were memories that she was missing that may have been key to the making of this friendship. But if Gio was about to take a short stalk down memory lane she was going to have to fake understanding. “Technically, you still don’t have to give a fuck,” she said. “What’s making you?”

Gio considered her words fro a second. He didn’t have to give a fuck. He wouldn’t, back in the days, not even give it a second thought. Now, however, everything was different. “Well, I guess, the fact that I’m... friends with half of the people I didn’t give a fuck about before? I mean, take Ryan Thomas for example, or Bennett Montgomery. You know I couldn’t stand their guts back then and now, well, I care for them. I don’t know. Maybe it’s age. Do we go pathetically caring as we grow old? This is some serious bullshit. I can’t deal with feelings. Take them away, Milia!”

Dennis: That's not what I'm talking about, Gio!!! (CHOKE) This isn't about how I changed your life or why people were mean to me. This isn't about anyone but me. This is about how deeply in love I was with you and let myself fall for you and felt so dumb for never doing anything. And unless I told you, you would have never seen me that way. (CRYING) I didn't want to be the person that helped you be a better person. I wanted to be your person. And now I have Ryan. I love him so much and everything we have. (BEAT) And I'm trying to get over you, I really am. But you can't say any of that stuff. You can't say you wish that you could have given everything to me when you never saw me the way I saw you. That every time we kissed, we held hands, shared lunch... it was more. Because I was nothing more than a best friend to you. It just reminds me that I never was enough to be someone who would be more. (CRYING) I'm sorry, you don't hate me, do you...

Dennis: Because... when you're gay, and Filipino, and fat, and ugly, and everything that everyone had ever made fun of me for... it's hard to think someone would ever love me back. ( SNIVEL ) That nobody would ever want me. I knew that you would always be there for me, because you stuck by me no matter what. But, I don't know. I was going to tell you. Tell you that every time we kissed, it felt so special, so right. But I thought that maybe, in the future, you would find someone better than me. Because all of my life, I was told that nobody would ever wanted me. And I was so stupid to believe them. ( SNIVEL ) And one day, I pushed those thoughts away and told myself Gio could want someone like me. That maybe he'd feel the same ( SNIVEL ) the same way that I was feeling. And I was going to tell you. And then you weren't there ( SNIVEL ) because you got expelled. And I remember ( SOB ) I remember feeling so alone. That I didn't deserve love. ( SOB ) They all made fun of me when you left that I would be alone forever. And I thought ( SOB ) maybe it was easier to go to college and start over. ( SOB ) So yeah. I'm sorry you had to find out like this. If only I had the courage back then.

FAMIGLIA GRECO 😎☀️