Runaway Hunk

Five Years Later

Fast forward five years and everything is now healed but not "forgotten", I was able to move on with my life after waking up to an empty bed and a lot of unanswered questions burnt deep holes in my soul.

It took me a lot of courage and support from my loved ones to finally get over Connor. He took something from me that I would never get back; not only my virginity but my heart too. Ever since then, I tried to get that special someone but for some reason, we never got past a month and when we had sex, it was either not intimate enough or something else that didn't make sense. I'm scared to admit that I stooped so low as to fake moans and pleasure just to please my partners.

After my last break up with José six months ago, I decided to go celibate till I'm able to find my heart wherever it went. I was not going to keep on hurting innocent people, because most guys I'd met were so gentle and patient with me. I was not going to tie them down or me tying myself down to something that wouldn't work out.

Waking up early in the morning, I went on with my normal routine of brushing my teeth, eating my breakfast and, of course, reading my mail. As I sat down on the kitchen counter, sipping my pipping hot cup of tea, I noticed a very significant letter I'd been waiting for. It had the company's logo and the blue and gold crest stamp was neatly sitting at the very bottom left corner of the envelope. We had finally gotten it;

It was the approval of Ally's wedding by the board of directors. We had been asking them for time off and. It had come through just the way we'd hoped for.

It was finally happening! We had been preparing for her wedding for a year and she had gone back home( where the wedding was taking place) to make arrangements for I remained here,in the city, to finish work there. My heart fluttered as I went on to get my phone and hear the news from her.

"Hey sweetie, It's finally happening!!" I shouted rather than talk and Ally( my childhood best friend) at the other end of the line matched my high-pitched sound of excitement.

" Yes babe," she finally calmed down enough to speak, "and I need my man of honour right away" she finished.

Ally had picked me to be her maid of honour, or in this case, 'man of honour'. I was so humbled and really happy.

Saying our goodbyes, I decided to waste no time in packing or, yet again, I had already packed since I hoped it was going to happen. And in about an hour, I was on my way home.

Those five hours that I drove seemed to pass on rather quickly because of the anticipation that was drowning me.

Ally's wedding was something we used to talk about since we were kids. And when she met Gregory during our stay in those vacation cabins, it was a fateful encounter.

They immediately fell in love; she was happy, he made her happy. They were perfect for each other. Of course, they had those occasional wrangles, but he always came back to her. They were just the right mixture of salt and sugar, sweet and sour. 

Deep inside, I was envious of my friend, but I couldn't say it out loud. Why wouldn't I? She had a perfect life. I was a mess. Even after five years, I was still putting on a façade just to move on and stop Ally and everyone from worrying. I guess I was so good at it that I went on unnoticed. The tears I cried in order to sleep at night, the envy and jealous thoughts that kept on churning every time Gregory and Ally shared a kiss before me.

It was all a lot for me but I endured, for the sake of Ally's happiness, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

Just like that, I had reached Ally's house. I moved out of the car, back aching from the nonstop driving and my head hurting from the toxic thoughts.

" IS THAT MY MAN OF HONOUR?" A very high pitched voice I missed so much rang, followed by a huge hug. Ally was so excited to see me.

" I missed you so much Ally " I whispered to her as we hugged. I did miss her even though it had been two weeks.

I unloaded the boot and got my suitcase out. We entered the house and the familiar setting of her parent's house hit me. I missed it. Ally's parents were there and they each gave me a hug. They knew that Ally and I were practically siblings, so they treated me like a son. Ever since my auntie died, they'd been there for me.

The incident, when my aunt died and I was so lonely. It was after a few days that Connor had left me. I was still heart- broken when I received a call that my aunt had suffered a stroke and hadn't made it. I went numb.

Ally found me with a knife the next day. I wanted to cut my throat but she was quick to take it away from me. I was too weak to fight for it. Ally and her parents were there for me and I couldn't thank them enough.

I decided to sell the house and move to the city. Ally volunteered to come with me; worrying that I might do something to myself, I was really grateful to her and it was one of the reasons why I needed to be the perfect man of honour for her. I needed to be there for her just as she was for me.

That night we talked about everything I'd missed. I told her that I had sorted out everything at work and she was given a month off as a wedding gift from our bosses. I was expected to be at work in a week though. I asked about Gregory and she told me that he was staying at a hotel with his best man till the wedding. We had two days till the wedding and so much to do. I was too tired to think about anything and because I was too tired, I slept like a log.

I was always a morning person, so it was my job to wake up Ally and get her to prepare for the dinner party we had that day. We had a dinner party between Gregory's dads ( he had two gay dads) and Ally's parents. Of course, the best man and man of honour were included. Ally decided to invite a few guests and have the hotel lobby booked for the dinner party. She was too fancy for me, but I can't say I didn't like it.

Time flew by and it was evening. I wore a dress shirt over my well pressed khaki pants. I wasn't going to wear a suit at this dinner party. I didn't like wearing suits so I decided to go chic and formal. My dress shirt was a deep navy blue to flatter my eyes and the khaki pants did slim me out a bit. I'm not the best fashionista, but Ally approved that I was okay.

By the time we arrived, most people had arrived and it was all mumurs and the clinking of glasses. People were mingling and going on with their idle chat. I needed a drink, so I decided to go look for non-alcoholic beverages. I found my favourite apple cider ( Ally remembered that I didn't drink alcohol, bless her) and poured myself in a champagne flute. I took a sip and the sweet goodness hit my eager tongue. It was cool and bubbly. It chilled my throat as it was pushed further down my gullet.

I was still feeling my sweet beverage when Ally took me by the hand and wanted me to meet Gregory, who apparently was also eager to see me once again. I didn't let my flute go, so I quickly followed Ally. 

And there he was,the guy at Gregory's right standing as tall as before, he had his hair in a close shave, he had grown even bulkier as his muscular frame tightly fitted the three-piece suit he had adorned. It was practically trying with all its might to accommodate his muscle frame. The guy to Gregory's right, was none other than CONNOR!

He was as shocked to see me as I was to see him. My heart wounds were torn anew and without thinking, I threw the last of my drink at him with burning anger when he was about to say something. Just like last time, I didn't get to hear what he was going to say as I turned on my heel and left hurriedly.

" Eli? What was that?" Ally's voice made me come to a sudden halt. It had a tinge of anger subtly embedded in their but the rest was shock. I couldn't blame her, I'd apparently embarrassed her in front of the many guests who saw this saga.

I could only afford one word, that one word that made Ally look at this saga from a whole different perspective.

"Connor" was more of a whisper than a word.

Ally didn't say anything else but just gave me a big hug. Tears I thought were lost came spilling down my face. Hot just like my anger and the painful wounds that had been reopened.

I don't know how long we stood there but what I know, it was long enough to hear foot steps of people approaching us.

" What was that Elias?" Gregory's deep bass voice demanded an answer that I couldn't give but lly helped out.

" Ask him!" Ally retorted, probably pointing at Connor, who had followed Gregory outside. She was always fast in defending me. She would call me a fragile thing to tease me, but she wasn't wrong there. Ally was tough as she was sweet and I was not. I was always a messy kid.

" Ask him?" a confused Gregory tried to understand until Ally continued

" Ask Connor!" It came out as a command. I didn't want the groom and bride to fight on their second last day as singles, so I wiped my tears. Turned to face the two men and calmly assured them that it was okay. Connor was still silent and when my eyes met his, they had many emotions and I was too hurt to decipher which was which.

Even though he tried to maintain a poker face, his eyes spoke to me. He had managed to wipe off the cider from his face but his suit didn't make it. It had blotches here and there.

I assured Ally that everything was fine. I told her that I just needed to rest and that she should go back inside and enjoy. I knew she wouldn't move since I had tried to commit suicide, but I was past that. As if on cue, both the parents of the bride and groom came out. They found us standing together and thought that we were talking. Luckily, they didn't notice what had happened earlier. They were at the far end of the lobby.They wanted to talk with the soon-to-be weds. Ally wanted to say something but I squeezed her hand and I thank God that she agreed and let go.

Leaving me and Connor standing outside alone, I needed to go back to Ally's house, so I turned to leave and, for the first time in ages, I heard that calm and steady voice that always made my heart skip a beat. The same voice that drove me insane

"Wait, Eli". I stopped but didn't turn back.

"Please" he pleaded, but I wouldn't make the same mistake.

" I waited for five years, I won't wait again" I replied through my teeth, without looking at him, and entered the car, leaving without turning back.

Seeing Connor after all those years might've opened up old wounds, but at the same time, I felt free for the first time. Even without knowing the reason as to why he left me. For some reason, seeing him again started healing my wounded soul. It was as though my heart stopped crying and bleeding because it had seen what it yearned to see for so long. 

I reached Ally's house and decided to go to bed since I had a very big day tomorrow.

I really don't know when Ally and her parents came back home, but I woke up to the sound of Ally in my bed, totally zonked and snoring a little. She smelled of fancy wine. Just like she always did when she knew I was hurting, her arm around me. Even when she was asleep, she really cared about me.

I gently moved out of bed, covered her with the duvet, planted a kiss on her cheek and went on to plan the most important day of her life before the wedding. Her bridal shower.

I found her parents already up and going on about to make the final touches for tomorrow. It was a busy day indeed and by the time evening came, I had Ally sit in the car as I drove her to her bridal shower. I forgot all about the Connor incident by the time we had reached the destination. I was so excited about the things I'd prepared for Ally. I'd definitely thrown in a hunky stripper into the mix. I mean who wouldn't? Right?!

The other bridesmaids and some friends had arrived and the party began. We started off with some drinks. I didn't drink, which was for the best, since someone needed to take the bride home. Then there were the gifts. Ally got a lot of lingerie but I'd gotten her the perfect perfume with "pheromones" to spice up her sex life on the honey moon. The fun part came and there were screams. The stripper had arrived.

He was wearing a long trench coat, a fedora and some sunglasses. I told him to go with that detective look. ( Ally loved mysteries). He was smoking hot. He played music from his boom box and abandoned the trench coat to reveal that he only had on animal print G-string and its pouch was being suffocated by his huge package.

The pealing screams were driving me deaf now as the stripper twisted his hips to the rhythm of the music. A friend of mine had referred me to this particular stripper. I have to admit, I did get a semi boner. He was a pro. He turned around to show us his glutes. They were well rounded and globe-like. The bride went ahead and touched them. She was totally drunk by now. She then joined him as she started dancing to his own moves. It was both hilarious and sexy. I was glad she was having fun.

The party went on till past midnight and I had to take the bride home. Today was the big day. We'd entered the wedding day and she needed her beauty sleep.

" Ally? Sweetie..." I called out to the bride who had passed out after the strip show. The loud music hadn't stopped the other bridesmaids and friends from having their fun.

" Mmmm... I'm having fun..." she howled, which came out in syllables I couldn't write but understood.

" Okay, come on", I lifted her up by the hand and led her to the door.

" Danny, the rest is up to you" I told the bridesmaid who had helped me set this up as I walked out with Ally to the car.

She was mumbling about this being the best bridal shower ever and since promised to do the same for me. I was both glad and sad. I knew I'd never have this. Not now, not ever.

We reached home and everyone was quiet. Ally's parents had already gotten home and I tried to take Ally to bed as quietly as possible but she was making this so hard. She was hiccuping and talking gibberish. I tried to shoosh her and luckily we reached the bedroom on time.

The moment she fell on her bed, she passed out. I removed her stilletos and covered her with a spare bedsheet as she had laid on top.

Just then, my phone rang and I immediately picked it up so as not to wake up Ally. It was Gregory. I panicked, hoping nothing bad had happened to the groom.

" Hey, are you okay?" Was the first line I whispered out to him.

" Yeah, I'm fine but Connor's not". The last words made my heart skip a mile high, so I didn't notice that Gregory was speaking till I heard him say,

" Elias, are you there? Hello?"

" I'm here, I'm okay". I tried to sound calm as much as I could.

" What's wrong with him?" I tried to ask without saying what's his name.

Apparently he was drunk and he had been crying and asking for forgiveness. He was calling my name and asking me to forgive him.

" You should come out here, he said he won't leave his room until he talks to you", he ended and waited for my response. What was I supposed to say? I was the one hurting, not what's his name.

" I dunno, I don't want to talk to him" I stuttered, " I'm not ready yet". I tried to convince myself rather than him.

" Please Elias, I know what he did was not good but he's my bestman, I need him and you are the only one who can help me out here". Gregory pleaded with me.

I should say no but when I saw Ally lying peacefully in bed, eager for her big day tomorrow. She deserved this so I took a long sigh , enough for Gregory to hear, and I told him that I would be there in a jiffy.

I arrived at the hotel they were staying at and told the receptionist that I was to be expected. I took the elevator and found Gregory by the elevator door with a panicked look on his face.

" Elias, thank God" he attacked me with a hug and he was really worried. I wanted to know why he was worried about someone like Connor. Someone who would leave another without as much as a sane reason.

"Where is he?" I asked, wanting to get over this. He was in the room next to Gregory's.

" Connor, it's me Elias? " I knocked as I called him out, " open up the door!" The door was immediately opened and a pair of strong hands pulled me inside and immediately shut the door behind me.

I was still getting my head together when Connor's lips attacked mine with passion and vigor. I found myself pinned against the wall. 

This was awfully familiar. 

I found myself longing for those same lips, soft, plump and moist. The same tongue was licking at my lips, begging for entrance.

He was pleading for me to open up.

But I didn't give him the chance as I pushed him off of me as hard as I could. That earned me a few steps back. His hard body was not easy to push away. 

" What is wrong with you?" I was furious at him for kissing me and at myself for loving it.

" I want you Eli, you". That's all he could manage to say. His eyes were bloodshot from crying. His shirt was unbuttoned, leaving his chest outside, he had grown more buff. He had the hugest pecs and his abs ever so prominent.

" So now you want me? " I retorted with bitterness as he took a step back. Tall as he may stand, I was so angry I felt like I was an unstoppable mountain. He felt the anger waft off of me.

" You should've thought of that before you left without a word", taking a step towards him,

" You should've thought of that before you let me wake up to an empty bed after giving myself to you", another step as he took a step back. With every step I took, he took a step back. I let loose, all the pain and hurt for five years was now pouring out like that ruptured dam had finally broken down, inside of me.

By the time I stopped, my finger was pointing to his chest, he had his back against the wall and I was on my toes trying to face him directly.

" So choose your next words carefully", I growled, but I was shocked by the next words that came out of his mouth.

" I was afraid of the love I felt for you " with fresh tears spilling down his eyes.

" I loved you a lot that I was scared I might hurt you! I was a play boy at heart and I knew at that moment when we made love, you were the one for me", he lamented, and I was confused. It was my turn to stay silent.

" I couldn't risk doing my Casanova ways to someone as sweet as you and if you really listened to the words I told you before I left that night" and I remembered that night he'd told me something but I couldn't quite get it. I was ready to ask him in the morning and we all know what happened next. Now I was really eager to know what he had told me that night.

" I told you that I need to be someone better, if you'd give me a year of seclusion and solitude". My heart practically melted, my anger deflated like a pierced balloon.

" But why didn't you call or say something?" I quickly asked, but I was further shocked,

" I lost all my contacts and stuff to bandits the day I entered those woods, I went to the wild to try and be a better person. I had to get over my addiction to sex, among others", he explained, " After a year, I came to the apartment and they told me you had gone. You'd changed your number and I had no way of looking for you " by now I was dumbfounded.

" Who talks to a sexually satisfied person about important things like that?" I was out of words to say but that earned me a smile from him,

" I guess me?!. When I saw you again two days ago, I was so happy but your eyes were full of hurt and anger", he whispered those last words and I stepped back. He didn't let me take another step as he held my hands with gentleness and brought them to his lips.

" What am I supposed to think now?" I pulled my hands back but he wouldn't let me. " I'm I supposed to believe you?" I was practically starting to cry myself. This was too much. I needed to get out of here but he wouldn't let me go. I tried to pull my hands back but I was fighting a lost battle.

" Look into my eyes and tell me what you see?" I raised my eyes to meet his and what I saw was pure love and remorse. His eyes spoke clearly to me. My heart whispered to me an answer I knew was true. He loved me but my head was thinking about hurt. It was an internal battle.

MY HEART WON!

At that moment, I was ready to open up the doors of my heart and start living in it. I was in the right place and I needed to accept it.

Tears, hot and full of joy, freely flowed down my face.

Connor bent down and licked them,

" Promise me that you won't leave again?" I whispered to him with my eyes closed, feeling his familiar tongue brush against the skin of my cheek.

" I PROMISE" he spoke those words with determination and love that I let out a breath of relief like I had been holding it for five years. I melted into his warm embrace as he put his head on my shoulders and his hands around my waist. My hands found themselves around his neck as we both stood there crying and very, very happy.

" Hello? Connor! Elias??" a sound muffled by the door between us. It was Gregory. I'd forgotten that he had been left outside.

We both let go, smiled at each other and held our hands as Connor opened the door.

" Hel_" Gregory stood there dumbfounded with his hand into a fist ready to knock again.

He saw us holding hands and I just told him that everything was fine. He hugged us both and I could feel him calming down.

I had to go back to Ally, so Connor wanted to drive me. He was sober after our encounter but I told him I'd be fine. He didn't want to let me go, but I assured him that I was going nowhere. He kissed me deeply as I entered the car.

In the morning, I told Ally everything. She was both angry and happy for me. She asked me many times if I was okay, but every time I assured her that this was the perfect guy for me.

The wedding was really great, everything was perfect. I caught Ally's bouquet but I suspect she did it on purpose ( typical Ally) and we all lived , happily ever after.