| Beachside Propositions; CD prior to No World for Tomorrow | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 2 2018, 09:21 PM (73 Views) | |
| G. Amauri | Jun 2 2018, 09:21 PM Post #1 |
|
There’s no denying that I’ve been feeling as though I’m on top of the world as of late. Yeah, the trainers have caught me “cheesing” after a training session. Arkia can read me almost as well as my mother can. Being the current RISE Champion, I’ve stuck it out long enough to conquer the top prize. Many talented athletes had come and gone since I’ve started, leaving with disappointed expressions when they didn’t get the results they were looking for. It’s taken a lot for me to not break character and lash out when the overconfident trainees tried it with me. Cedric Chambers really did try it though, and look where that brought him? Some people don’t want to believe anything unless they see it for themselves; they want full disclosure, but nobody wants to read the fine print. Shit. Cocoa Beach, Florida. It had been months since Gio spent time in his home state of Florida. With the RISE Gym being closed pending an investigation and repairs, he decided to take a few days off to visit his friends and family. Out of his group of friends, he was one of the single ones without children or a significant other to account for. Even one of his youngest friends, Boaz recently tied the knot in what appeared to be a super secret ceremony as an invitation was never sent his way. But let’s blame the U.S. Postal Service for argument sake. Other than the occasional nagging from his parents, he was doing well for himself as a lone bachelor. He could flirt without guilt with the pretty young server that has been attentive since arriving at the Rikki Tiki Tavern on the Cocoa Beach Pier. Of course, he knew she was doing it for gratuities, so in his mind, he knew it wouldn’t go anywhere past a “thank you.” The USF alum finishes his meal, and in no rush to leave, he sits back on his chair facing the small waves crashing beneath him. While dining in the middle of the week during lunch hours, he dodged the crowds and was mostly around retired locals and a few individuals in his age group. He noticed one of the younger patrons doing a double-take as if maybe they had recognized him from somewhere. In no way does he get approached like the bigger names in the industry, but it was funny to see people attempt to figure it out from afar. You could tell they were doing their research through their mobile devices as opposed to asking him directly. He goes back to concentrating on the ocean water, knowing he wouldn’t have this refreshing view available when he returned to Michigan for “No World for Tomorrow.” “Giovanni?” says a woman approaching the RISE talent. He turns around in his seat and is immediately taken back when he sees the woman standing beside him in business attire - definitely out of place on a warm afternoon at the beach. She wasn’t one of the curious patrons from the nearby tables and considering that she called him by his government name, this wasn’t a random run-in between a fan and public figure. “How’d you know I was back?” were the first words to come out of his mouth. He was stunned to see his ex-girlfriend beside him; it had been over a year since he last had any contact with her. The last time he was with her, was one of those days he tries to forget, but her presence alone brought every memory back. The good and the bad. “Have a seat.” “You were tagged in Cesar’s Instagram story the other night at the Ray’s game. Looks like you guys had amazing seats?” she says this, sitting on the stool next to him. He nods, recalling the seats he had near the home team's dugout at the “Trop” on Sunday. “Yeah, they were. And I take it you did some female FBI investigative work to find me here?” he says, keeping the small talk going until he asks, “how’s everything? I wasn’t expecting to see you around here.” “I thought at one point you’d be here since this was your favorite spot. Doing well, though. I was promoted to branch manager three months ago… and um, I’m engaged, too!” she says, showing off a 10K white gold engagement ring with a quarter carat diamond ring in the center. Before he could follow up with more questions, the waitress interrupts the former lovers by asking Gio how they were doing and if there was anything he wanted for himself or for the young woman next to him. He motions for Mallory to check out the menu, however, she opts for an ice water with lemon. Gio looks at the waitress saying he’s OK for the time being. The waitress nods, walking away with the intention of returning with a water for Mallory. “Congratulations. Who’s the lucky gu -- lady?” He inquires unassumingly. “Shawna. You’ve met her that one time,” she says coyly. “I didn’t catch her name then. I may or may not have blacked out” he says, smirking. A sigh escapes her as she knew where he was getting at. She saw a side of Gio that day that brought out fear. “I’m so happy that you’re back. I never got to say sorry properly. You didn’t deserve to learn about my feelings for Shawna in the way that you did. I wish I could take it all back.” The waitress returns with a tall glass of iced water with a slice of lemon on the rim. Mallory thanks the waitress before taking a sip. She excuses herself once again proceeding to the next table to check on. “I just don’t get why you had to lie and sneak around like that. You love who you love, and shit hurts regardless but it’s like everything before that meant nothing to you. That was cold and if you don’t realize that now, then something’s wrong up there,” he says, pointing to his temple. Although expressing his thoughts and feelings, he is mindful of his surroundings. He refrains from raising his voice or gesturing too much to avoid drawing attention. “Can we go somewhere else to talk?” she says, picking up on his cues. Gio nods in agreement and waves at the waitress to bring the check to him. She pulls a small leather check holder from the pocket of her apron, handing it over to him. Mallory gets up from her seat, while he takes out a few bills from his wallet to cover his meal and gratuity. He then catches up to Mallory, who has made it to the boardwalk. They walk towards an empty bench that’s facing the ocean deciding to continue their conversation then and there. Where time was his enemy in the ring, time was his friend in the healing process. Six months ago, the reunion between the two would’ve been a completely different scenario. There’s a brief moment of silence as they stare at the waves until Mallory turns to face Gio. He sits back on the bench, facing her as well. “I’m in a better place both mentally and emotionally. I have it all--well almost,” she puts her hand on his shoulder, caressing him before mustering the courage to tell him what she intended to share since finding him at the pier. “I want to start a family, and I want you involved in the process.” He lets out a light chuckle as he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There’s an awkward moment of silence until he shakes his head in disbelief. He moves her hand away, and while maintaining eye contact he says, “As happy as I am for your progress, I can’t have any part in your family planning. Did you actually think this through? This just sounds...wrong.” Nevermind his Catholic upbringing, where something like this is not acceptable, but the fact that she had the audacity to ask after they ended things? He had gone from being nearly speechless to feeling his blood boil within. “I want to know who fathered my child and that I’ve made a connection with them at some point. The outcome would be beautiful, he or she would have your looks, I’m sure. You said you wanted to be a father someday, and I thought this would be a win-win for us?” He looks away, astonished by her reasoning. Typically in these arrangements, the father was either an anonymous donor or a mutual friend of the same-sex couple. A former lover being thrown into the picture sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. Even though Gio has moved on, would Mallory’s current lover have an issue? Insecurity and the questions this child would have later on in life wasn’t something he’d want any part of. “You’re really delusional if you don’t believe that this will end badly. Don't you have any truck driver friends? I hear they’re good at spreading their seed around the country like nothing,” he says, bitterly. She gasps as she wasn’t expecting that response. Maybe it was his change of scenery that molded him into a new person. Locker room trash talk and always needing to be ready to “shoot” for RISE events, there’d be some changes. Maybe he didn’t care anymore. Gio is or was the nice guy; the guy who doesn’t realize he’s too attractive for own his good. “Fake as hell. What took so long for the real Gio to come out?” She raises her hands in a confrontational manner. Gio backs up a bit, beginning to stand on his feet. “Of all people to ask me that, your future kid’s gonna have one hell of a sense of humor. Good luck with whatever you decide to do,” he says, turning around to walk away. “Fuck you! You’ll never do better than me!” she says, getting up to catch up to him. Gio stops in his tracks, looks her dead in the eyes and says, “I know for a fact that I can’t do worse,” he says, winking. In true telenovela form, Mal smacks him across the face dropping her phone in the process. Gio squints his eyes at the impact, feeling slight pricking from her sharp acrylic nails. He’s taken much worse and nonchalantly turns around to walk away as his ex is left there looking at the cracked phone screen. |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
![]() Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today. Learn More · Register for Free |
|
| « Previous Topic · Solo Work · Next Topic » |
| Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
2:26 PM Jul 11
|
Hosted for free by ZetaBoards · Privacy Policy







2:26 PM Jul 11