As Ly and I did our best to settle into our rocky surroundings, I glanced around to check that there were no other river valley patrons near us. I packed and lit a bowl, took a few puffs, then passed it to Ly.

Though he never asked, I began to tell Ly about my relationship with Elio. And while I meant this to be a positive declaration, I found myself recounting a series of negative and doubt-filled comments. I began telling Ly about all the nights Elio and I spent snorting lines of coke. Then I began prattling on about how curious I was that a film student from the other side of the country could instantly have made so many drug connections.

And what about his sporadic work schedule? I mean, I understood that the filmmaking process demands bizarre scheduling, but it seemed that Elio was constantly being called to work at the most random times of both day and night. On one occasion he got called to work at three in the morning, and he just rushed away with no questions asked. Somehow, this all seemed suspicious to me. But then again, I may have just been acting paranoid.

I voiced all these concerns to Ly, but he said nothing. He simply puffed away at the weed and used the back of his lighter to knock the completed contents into the rushing river. He didn’t even offer me a final puff.

Was Ly jealous? Was he angry? Maybe. But he had made it perfectly clear that nothing was ever going to happen between us. So, how could he be jealous or angry at the fact that I pined for another person. Especially when that person expressed an obvious interest in me. I mean, did Ly really expect me to wait forever for him? Because if so, it wasn’t going to happen.

My phone began to buzz repeatedly. It was Elio. I had given him a spare key to my apartment, and he was taking full advantage of that privilege. He had presently invaded my kitchen in order to prepare a “super-healthy, ultra-nutritious meal that I will absolutely love!”

It was total bullshit and I’m certain Elio knew it. But I went along with the whole farce just to please him. And it seemed to be working, because he was currently calling me home.

“I guess we should go back,” I stated as I fired off a quick reply to Elio saying that I was on my way.

“Yeah, I guess,” Ly muttered as he let out a long, disappointed sigh and begrudgingly stood up to begin the journey back to my apartment.

My nose perspired from the variety of delicious aromas that wafted their way from the kitchen as Ly and I entered my apartment. Elio was standing in front of the stove, stirring the pot that was emitting the enticing smells in clouds of thick, flavourful steam.

“Welcome back!” Elio said as he looked at me with an immense smile of self-satisfaction spread across his face. “I made soup! It’s chock full of vitamins!”

I ignored Elio’s statement and began to examine his physical adornments. His usually spiked hair was now slicked back in a pompadour style that distinctly reminded me of James Dean. He was even wearing a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans. I looked him in the eye and shot him a knowing smile.

“I thought you had to work today?” I asked as I flirtatiously puffed out my chest.

“I did,” he replied with a quick chuckle. “But I don’t anymore!” He smiled suggestively and began stirring the soup in a slower, more deliberate manner, as though he were trying to tell me something. And I was understanding completely.

Apparently so was Ly, who broke his extended silence by awkwardly muttering, “Yeah, I’m gonna go. See ya, dude!”

“See ya!” I replied as I extended my finger to complete our customary goodbye ritual. Ly quickly exited the apartment and I turned to face Elio.

“You should try the soup. It’s delicious!” Elio said as he gathered a spoonful of broth and lifted it to my lips.

I quickly sipped it up and, ignoring the initial burning sensation, declared that it was indeed delicious.

“Good,” he exclaimed. “Because if you liked that, you’ll love what I have planned for the rest of the evening!” He reached into his pants’ pocket, cupped his hand around some unseen object, and proceeded to place said object into my expectant hand. I tilted my head to see two pills of Ecstasy resting in my palm. Beside me, Elio opened his left hand to reveal two more pills of Ecstasy. “For later,” he said with a wink.

“How about for now?” I asked as I gulped down the pills with a quick swig from a water bottle I had left sitting on the kitchen counter.

I shifted my body forward and placed my hands on Elio’s firm chest. I could feel the heat of his quickened breath as I leaned my forehead against his and the tips of our noses touched. He allowed my tongue to brush along his lips before enveloping my mouth with his own. Our arms encircled one another, and we squeezed our bodies so tightly our shirts were becoming soaked with each other’s sweat.   

“What about the food?” Elio asked in quick gasps as he began passionately adorning my neck with kisses.

“Fuck the food!” I replied as I dug my tongue deep into his mouth and wrapped my left leg around his waist.

Elio lifted me from the floor and carried me to my bedroom. He threw me on the double-stacked mattress and proceeded to rapidly strip off his tight-fitting clothes. I wiggled in place as I struggled to pull down my pants and boxers to reveal my full erection. He reached his hand down and began playing with me. I groaned with anticipation. He pulled his hand away and jumped face-first onto the bed so that he was laying flat on his stomach, his back and ass firmly on display. He twisted his head, smiled crookedly, and nodded his chin downwards.

I smiled broadly and leaned forward to embrace him from behind.