The Phase

The Phase Chapter 1

The Phase

Chapter 1

It started when no one expected it to. The Phase. That's what they call it. As though it was the waning of the moon or some shit. Juanita----the girl with the big tits that works as a waitress at the bar I work at-----says that it's the government. There are some lunatics at the Church Ma drags me to that says it's God's way of punishing us. There are some extreme left-wing Bernie Bros that my brother Juan Martin hangs out with that say it's Earth's way of responding to climate change. Maybe I just need to stop being around peoples who's names start with Juan. Honestly, though, the Bernie Bros make the most sense. I can see it, you know? We fucked with the Earth long enough and now it was trying to get rid of us in the only way it knew how. It was going to stop us by reproducing.

How do you ask? No, we can still bust a nut.

We were still fertile.

That wasn't it. That wasn't the Phase.

"The President has just come out as gay."

Dad throws popcorn at the TV and calls the president a maricòn. My dad is Cuban. One of those really dark kinds of Cubans. Sammy Sosa before the bleaching type of guy. He was a son-of-a-bitch too. Grew up really old school. Fuck the fact that we lived in America now and gay marriage was legal. Phoenix had a little gay scene I think but I wasn't gay so I clearly didn't know much about it.

"It's just a phase," Ma tries to calm him down, "It'll be over..."

"I don't know Ma, this sounds serious," I shrug, `Before you know it we're all gonna be faggots. It's in the air..."

"AY- Juan Diego, the language..."

"Dad just said the same thing but he said it in Spanish," I state.

"All I know is if I ever stop loving pussy you can just kill me," my brother Juan Martin comes walking into the kitchen with a wife beater on his pants sagging a bit low.

Juan Martin was my younger brother. My family may have been somewhat Homophobic if you listened to us but I didn't think we were that bad. At least I wasn't. I don't know about Juan Martin. He's just struggling at this point and has this swagger about him as though he doesn't think this will happen to him.

I mean what do you do when celebrities just start coming out of the closet. What do you do when marriages just start ending. You don't realize what's happening and you don't realize how to stop it. It's happening so fast. So fucking fast.

"We need to pray," my mother says.

"Join hands," another voice states.

It's my sister Sara Sofia. She's around my age. We're the best of friends honestly. My little brother is immature as hell so I've always been closer to Sara Sofia. Plus we share that one thing that we've always shared. The one thing that our mother has instilled with us since we were kids.

Religion.

"Do we have to?" Juan Martin asks, "It's so fuckin' hot."

It was hot. Summer in Phoenix. One of the hottest summers of the year. I slap him on the back of his head as hard as I can.

"Pray. Now."

As I'm sitting there in the living room praying with my family I'm reminded that this world wasn't perfect. Religion was everything to me and the idea of being gay freaked me out. I was raised in the church. When I was 6 years old my grandma said I had the calling. Sure I didn't go for it. Preachers didn't make a lot of money. Sure I cursed like a sailor and I beat my little brother's ass every time he got on my nerves. I wasn't the perfect Christian, but this thing that was going on...it was an abomination.

~

"Gato's outside!" Sara Sofia screams out to me.

I watch my mother roll her eyes. She's irritated by Gato. Thinks he's a bad influence on me. Hates the fact that he got her angel to go work at the local sinful bar. It's 2 o clock in the afternoon. 2 o'clock meaning time for work. That also meant that my best friend Gato was outside. I'm not surprised my sister is basically at the window with her tongue wagging in the wind. She was thirsty in more ways than one. Sara Sofia was a sweetheart but it was a long shot that she was going to get Gato. It wasn't that Gato wasn't nice or anything like that. It's just the fact that well they looked different. Meaning Sara Sofia was kind of basic and Gato was used to dating supermodels.

"Can I come to sit at the bar?" Juan Martin asks.

"I'm not going to keep bringing my 19-year-old brother to the goddam bar," I tell him.

He gives me a look but I don't give a shit. Besides, I knew Juan Martin. He was just trying to be around Gato so that he could get some of Gato's Juice. Those were Juan Martin's words, not mine. I guess he thought because girls dropped their drawers for Gato all the time that they would do the same for him. Truthfully I thought it was a long shot.

I walk out to the car before I hear him whine and see Gato sitting there in his car.

It's a nice car. Much nicer than what he should be able to afford. Brand new.

"We're late, hurry your ass up," he bugs me.

Gato can sound really rude but I know he's just playing. He's just really direct. Every time he says some rude thing he hits with you with one of his smiles. Most girls think Gato's attractive. At work, they literally just have given up and started calling him PAPI CHULO. That's usually the name of the guy you want to fuck. Of course, he didn't always look that way. Back when we were kids, I was the attractive one who got most of the attention. Somewhere around 11th grade that somehow switched. All of a sudden Papi Chulo was born and panties were dropped in accordance with the scriptures of Gato.

He's surprisingly quiet when we get in the car. He has this thing where he leans over before he talks. He does it with everyone. Girls. Guys. Old. Young. He invades your personal space. And he gets away with it because he smells like fuckin cologne. Don't know how the guy does it. I swear I ask. Never seen the guy wear cologne but he always smells really good.

Sara Sofia says it's pheromones. Says it's his mating call. She's also a fucking horny hoe if I haven't mentioned that before.

"You hear about the president?"

"Yeah."

"What do you think?" he asks.

I shrug. Everyone's talking about. I mean literally Marvel just came out with one of those Blockbuster Bullshit Box Office Booms and no one cared.

The #1 thing trending: The Phase.

"Think it's kind of scary. You know. What if it spreads?"

He sighs, "I just can't imagine myself being a gay man. I love pussy WAY too much."

He grunts. Grabbing his dick and adjusting it as though somehow securing his own sexuality through his jeans. That's another thing about Gato. He can be real fuckin crude but he does it in his deep voice and somehow comes off like one of those male leads in a Telenovela.

"I'm kind of nervous man."

He turns over towards me. I've always been able to tell Gato things, "Oh come on...stop..."

"Serious, Gato. You know how I am about my religion."

"What's the worse that can happen. You suck a little dick. If you don't like it. Boom. Guess the Phase didn't mean anything in the first place."

He's joking. I punch him in the arm. It doesn't hurt him. It wouldn't. Gato has annoyingly spent a lot of time in the gym. I guess the striking face, jet black hair and tanned skin that glistened like copper wasn't good enough. He had to complete his physical domination.

"This isn't funny."

"Don't worry about it," he states, "When we're kids do you remember when we met? I was this fat kid and you were the popular one. Everyone wanted to be your friend. Everyone still does. I remember how young I was and just so intimidated by everything. You didn't understand why I was so scared.

You came and sat next to me. Asked me if I wanted to talk."

I laugh, "You told me to fuck off. I hadn't even heard a curse worse before. I was so confused."

I start laughing.

He laughs too. The same deep voice laughs that I tease him about. He smiles when I do it and leans over like he does whenever he has a point, "I remember you found out why. I came into school with a black eye. Said I fell to the teacher but you knew better. My stepbrother Elias was hitting me. He beat my ass every day because he was pissed that my mother married his rich father. And you remember what you told me?"

I actually don't remember. I remember Elias. The rich asshole that he was already in a rivalry with. The same Elias who just so happened to be our boss.

"What?"

"You told me that you can't choose your family. But you can choose your friends. You told me since Elias wasn't a good brother to me that you'd be my brother."

I pause. I remember that day. I remember now. I see his face. His big swollen cheeks. His tears welling up. Elias wasn't that much older but Gato wasn't that strong back then. Even now he struggled with his relationship with Elias. But back then he just didn't think he was worth it. I remember feeling like he needed that person. I remember thinking: I could be that person. It's so simple how kids think. Ever since then we've been friends.

No, we've been more than friends.

"I meant it. You're my brother," I state.

"Speaking of friendship---bro----"

"Oh god, this is what you say before you get me in trouble."

"I want to throw a party at the bar tonight without Elias knowing."

"Are you crazy?"

"He's going out of town today. He trusts you. I need you to get the code for the alarm."

"Gato----"

"Nina is birthday is today. I told her that I own a bar. Told her I would throw a party for her birthday..."

I'm irritated. Nina was the girl that Gato was seeing. This was a big thing for him. Gato didn't like girls. He has sex with them and he left them.

Simple as that. The fact that he actually was interested in getting to know this girl meant a lot.

"If we get caught---"

"We won't. Besides. You're the one telling me that I should try to find a connection with someone. Well, I have a connection with this girl."

I roll my eyes, "Gato... I know you. You love girls and leave them. How many hours before you get bored with her."

He shrugs, "You don't know that."

"I've known you since you were a kid. You never take these girls serious. You have a problem."

"And I'm trying to stop my-----ways. You should be happy."

"I am, just----"

"Oh come to JD---"

"Fine. I'll talk to him."

~

The bar is pretty crowded for the night. It's called the Edges. The Edges was the hip place to be. Most of Elias's clientele were just those rich young crowd with way too much money to spend and way too many people to impress. Mom calls it the Sin Factory and I know why. I'm working behind the bar and look across to see the Gato as the host. Elias likes to keep him as the front of the house.

The house manager tonight was Olivia. Olivia and Elias were engaged to get married. She was a strict lady. A damn restaurant Nazi. Walked around like she had a stick up her ass all the time and by the fact that she only seemed to be nice to Elias, I assumed it was his stick that she had up there. Not too far from her is Devin. He's kind of shy. Doesn't really talk much. Then there was Juanita who was basically the hoe of our little work family. Think she had sex with everyone who worked here including me. I wasn't even attracted to her. I think at this point it's a right of passage at Edges to have sex with Juanita. Not too far from her is Liza who is giving Juanita a nasty look like she usually does whispering over to Devin how much of a hoe Juanita is, but Devin doesn't seem to really give a shit.

Then there's me and Brandon...aka Raisin Bran.

"Did you talk to him?" Bran asks.

"Jesus Christ, don't tell me Gato pulled you in on this too?" I ask.

Raisin Bran was trouble. I mean Gato had his womanizing ways but Raisin Bran was the kind of guy you wonder how he survived for 21 years. Even now his eyes are beet red from drugs, most likely. He's always late. He's behind the bar but doesn't even know how to make vodka water. Liza says the only reason that he hasn't been fired is that he's Olivia's 2nd cousin.

"Shouldn't you want a party. Maybe you can actually lose your virginity today."

"I'm not a virgin. I had sex with Juanita."

"You got head from Juanita," he states, "That doesn't count."

"NO TALKING!"

Oh great. It's Olivia. Raisin Bran and I roll my eyes in unison. Olivia has her hair in a tight bun. The kind of hair that tells you she means business.

She'll never let loose. A part of me wished that Elias would just fire her ass.

"What's next? No breathing?" Raisin Bran asks.

"What was that dumbass---"

I interrupt, "Before you guys get into this intriguing conversation, I was wondering Olivia----if I can take a break really quick. I need to talk to Elias about something."

"Make it quick," is her response.

~

I find Elias standing in his office which is upstairs in the bar. He's doing his usual thing, reading through numbers. He's a business-oriented guy. The kind of guy that was all about his money. And maybe that's why Gato sends me to talk to him. He knows that Elias respects me. I'm the best bartender Elias has. I get along with everyone and I actually took the time to learn all his specialties as opposed to Raisin Bran who spent the majority of his time trying to hit on the next girl.

"Hey, Elias..."

"Hey, Buddy."

He smiles. If you ask Gato, his step-brother is the devil incarnate but I've never experienced that. Elias has always been kind of nice. He has that boy next door sort of look. The kind of guy people felt safe with. I remember my mother telling me that the only reason she felt comfortable with me working at this place was that the Devil had an angel near him. She meant Elias was that angel. When I walk in he flashes me a smile. A bright smile. A welcoming smile. Not seductive like Gato gives. Not trying to steal your trust or anything like that. It's just kind. He has a nice body but unlike Gato, he doesn't flaunt his sexuality. He's just a basic guy.

"I'm sorry to bother you," I state.

"You're never bothering me," He states proving it by closing his computer and standing up. He walks towards me, hands in pocket and greets me with a smile, "You know that..."

"Well, in that case, can I have the code for the store."

"The code?" he raises an eyebrow.

"My sister Sara Sofia----you know Sara?"

"We grew up together. I've known you since we were kids. Yes. I know Sara Sofia..."

I rub my hands on my head and laugh a little, "Right. So Sara has a photo shoot she has to do for her photography class and we were wondering if we could do it tonight after we close up here."

"Is that before or after Gato's party?"

Shit.

My face flushes almost immediately, "You know about that."

"You've never been a good liar. Not like Gato," he states, "Besides Liza already spilled the beans. You know that girl can't keep her mouth shut for a second."

"Damn Elias ---- I'm sorry..."

"Here..."

He reaches over and gives me the keys.

"You're going to help Gato?"

"Gato didn't ask me for help," Elias states, "You did. And I trust you. Besides I kind of need a favor..."

"What favor?"

"I overheard Olivia on a call yesterday. She was talking about going to Gato's party. Meeting up with...someone..."

"Huh?"

I'm a little confused. Olivia wasn't the kind of girl to go to a party. What the hell was Elias getting at here? The way he drops his head and starts pacing makes me feel like something heavy on his mind. Something that I shouldn't be getting myself involved in.

"It's just that----" he pauses, "This is embarrassing."

"Elias, what are you trying to ask me?"

"Can you just let me know if she shows up at the party and if she's...you know? With anyone? I know how Gato's parties go down."

"Sure..."

I take the keys and start walking out but I'm stopped. Elias grabs me by my wrist.

"You're a good guy man. I know you don't see it but be careful with Gato. He's not the guy you think he is. He treats women like SHIT. Plays with their hearts and fucks them over. You're not like him."

This isn't the first time I get a warning from Elias about Gato. Their relationship has always been strained and right now a slim thread was holding this complicated relationship together.

"Luckily I'm not a girl..."

"Gato's at it again," Liza whispers to me.

"Stop he's not AT anything," I bark at her.

Liza was probably the most annoying girl in the world. Always gossiping.

Always in someone else's business.

"You always defend him..." she responds.

When does she say that I'm reminded about my conversation earlier? Was I enabling Gato?

Elias words hit me over and over when I'm at the party that night.

Gato has cast his spell on Nina. Nina was the IT girl in town. She was some model/movie star/Instagram influencer/singer/everything-else-pretty-girls-do-for-money-nowadays. I mean they looked like the perfect couple. The kind of couple they probably would have a Tinder commercial. The kind of couple you know will bless the world with gorgeous little brown skinned babies. And the thing about it is that he seems happy with her.

Maybe Elias was wrong. Maybe my friend was FINALLY finding someone worth his time and maybe he was finally doing right by someone and letting go of his womanizing ways.

"What the hell you doing over here talking to Liza," Gato asks.

"Fuck you," Liza tells Gato walking off.

Gato laughs and pulls me close, "She's just mad because I broke up with her ass and she still wants the dick..."

I had forgotten Gato had dated Liza. One of the many girls in a sea of many girls.

That's when something clicks.

"You actually didn't break up with her," I state, "You told me to. I literally got SLAPPED because of you when I told her you didn't have a reason."

"You should have told you what I told you to say----"

"That your dick upgraded and her pussy no longer fit the system requirements?" I ask, rolling my eyes, "No. Liza has brothers. I'd rather not get my ass beat for you----again..."

"What are best friends for..." he states, "You know I love you right."

"Yeah, yeah. How's Nina going?"

He shrugs, "She's cool..."

I didn't like how he said it.

"Gato----"

"She's COOL. I like her. She's just you know. I don't know. Easy. You know?" he sighs, "Nothing challenging as I thought."

"So we are throwing this party for nothing?"

"We're still having a good time. Right? Besides I didn't honestly think you would get Elias to give you the code that easy. I swear that guy would do anything for you."

"He just respects my work ethic."

"Oh please, whatever. He's always trying to impress you," Gato rolls his eyes, "You weren't a good worker in high school. You didn't work at all.

Every time you needed help who was the first person to show up? Elias. The guy literally bought you your first car. I'm his brother and he never gave me a penny."

"He gave you a job."

"The only reason he hired me was that you begged him to. And THAT is my point. He'd do anything for you. He hired me and he HATES me."

I want to argue Elias hating Gato mainly because I hate how Elias makes Gato feel but I can't even do that. Gato had a point. I had to admit that Elias was a nice guy when it came to me and he basically treated Gato like shit his whole entire life. It was fuckin weird.

"He's family."

"Fuck family. The only family I have is you. And I love you. Surprisingly though...I'm not the only one. There's someone else who loves you. In a different sort of way..."

I roll my eyes, "Oh come on."

"Elias is in love with you," Gato shrugs, "How do you not see that?"

"You think he's in the Phase?"

"Nah... I just think he's fuckin gay," he shrugs, "Don't be surprised if the next thing he's offering you is the dick."

Fuck.

Was Elias gay?

"Damn..."

"Ok, I didn't mean to scare you. I see that look on your face. Take your mind off of it. Michelle is looking this way. I should leave you guys alone."

Michelle. My crush. She was

My heart races when he says that. She was one of Liza's friends. I'd met her about 3 weeks ago at another one of Gato's parties. She definitely has my eyes on me and I adjust my clothing a little bit when she walks over. My heart is pacing heavy. She's fine. Long hair, curves that you didn't quit and a beautiful curvy ass.

"Hey, you..."

"Hey..."

"So you going to ask me to dance or not?" she asks.

Her lips are smooth, perfect bubbly lips that curve when she smiles. Damn,

I wanted this girl so bad. I'd been literally having dreams about this moment and it was finally here. I'm glad that I let Gato pick out my clothes for this party. One thing Gato knew how to do was look good. And by the way, she leans in and grabs my jacket, it's kind of clear he did a good job.

"What?"

"I've been watching you all night. I know you like me. But you're shy. I get it. So here is what you're going to do. You're going to take me on the dance floor. You're going to dance with me. And you're going to ask for my number so you can take me out on a date tomorrow."

Shit. This was really happening.

"Uh----"

"Say yes," Michelle states.

"Yes."

She grabs me and pulls me onto the dance floor. She was aggressive. Different from most other girls that I knew. The kind of girl that came and got exactly what she wanted. And maybe that's why she was one of the few girls around that Gato hadn't gotten to. She wanted someone a bit more passive. Someone like me. Someone who leaned back and just scoped the scene so that she could grind on in the middle of the bar.

And I was loving every single moment of it...

Until I see Olivia, Elias's fiancee, walk in.

"Hey, I'll be right back," I tell Michelle.

"Don't forget to get my number," She smiles biting down on her lip.

"Oh trust me, I won't," I lick my lips at her.

Damn the girl was fine. Damn near spilling out of her clothes with those big breasts. Her nipples hard from under her shirt almost calling for me to suck them. Maybe if I got lucky and played my cards right I'd be able to do that tomorrow after our date.

I look around. Olivia isn't there.

Where the hell was she?

~

I find myself going upstairs to Elias's office. I don't know why. Curiosity maybe. I just had a feeling she would be up there.

And I'm right.

What I don't expect however is the fact that she isn't alone.

Olivia is choking on a dick.

One that belonged to GATO!

Fuck GATO! What the hell was he thinking?

"Suck it..." he's saying, "You're doing fine. Just breathe through your nose."

I'd seen Gato's dick before but this was something different. I'd never seen it hard like this. I'd never seen it wet, dripping with spit, veins popping out throbbing into someone's mouth. It was big. Bigger than I'd ever seen the few times we'd peed together or anything. Olivia squeezed her eyes shut, dislodging twin tears. She wasn't crying; it was the gag reaction that made her tear up. Shuffling on her knees a little, she made a determined effort as he pushed her head down. This time she remembered to breathe through her nose, but it didn't make a difference.

And for some reason, my dick is hardening as I watch this thing I should be outraged against. Gato was having an affair with OLIVIA! Elias's wife.

"I can feel the tension in your neck—your whole body, in fact. It won't go away until you trust me not to suffocate you, Olivia," he tells her.

"Jesus I'm sorry. I just can't seem to stop it. If you'd let me give you head at my own pace...I'm really not that bad at it, you know."

"You're a good dicksucker, Olivia. But this isn't about a blowjob. I couldn't a fuck if I don't come. It's about trust. You don't trust me."

"I do. I love you."

Love?

She was in love with Gato? Idiot.

"Well, your body doesn't trust me."

He's irritated. Unsatisfied. She's trying harder now. Doing what best she can. What little she can.

I should walk away and confront him later. But I don't.

I pull my dick out from behind the door. I'm touching myself. I'm masturbating. And for some reason, I'm not looking at her. For some reason, she doesn't matter. For some reason, I'm wishing it was me on my knees.

I wished I was the one sucking my best friend's dick. I'd be able to do it. I wouldn't be struggling. I'd be able to...

What the fuck?

Oh god, what was wrong with me?

This wasn't happening.

I cum. I cum to the thoughts of my best friend and there's a startling sound that I don't expect that comes deep out of my throat. I slip and fall into the room, revealing that I'd been out there this whole time with my dick out.

Olivia and Gato are both looking down at me.

Gato is so confused, "JD?"

I'm laying there. I'm less concerned I was caught and more concerned about what I was thinking when I was caught. I was attracted. To Gato.

What the FUCK?

This couldn't be real.

No. It couldn't.

It's just a phase. It's just a phase...

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