The Past Catches Up

Chapter 7

It was Friday morning and Anthony was busy getting ready to go to Ian's house to film Lunchtime. Kalel was in the dining room setting up her camera to film another one of her vlogs while Anthony was gathering everything he needed to spend the rest of the day at Ian's house editing and helping with some website issues. He adjusted his gray Volcom hat and grabbed his backpack making his way to the living room to find his keys when suddenly Kalel was standing in front of him.

"Oh, you're leaving already?" She asked innocently as she fiddled with her camera in hand. Anthony sighed and looked away feeling guilty. "Yeah, I gotta shoot today," he mumbled. The look of hurt on her face was painful enough without having to leave her alone in the house the rest of the day. "I'll be back before you know it, babe," he said giving her a quick peck on the lips and walking towards the door.

"W-wait, um," she called out. Anthony turned around and saw her looking worried. "You're shooting Lunchtime, right?" She asked sounding a little more than concerned.

"Yeah, and maybe Ian is Bored too." He saw her make a face when he mentioned Ian's name but she quickly covered her frown with a grin. "Well, have fun then! I'll be at home working on this video." She held up the camera in her hand awkwardly, keeping the strained smile on her face. "Alright. Just text me what you want me to bring home for dinner," Anthony replied as he grabbed his keys from the table and headed out the door.

Kalel stood there expressionlessly nodding in a zoned state as Anthony stepped out and drove away.

~

Ian's house was only ten minutes away but the drive there seemed eternal with all the heavy thoughts coursing through Anthony's mind. Kalel had never made him feel this guilty for going to Ian's house in the past. Then again she didn't know about his past with him either. Maybe she was beginning to lose trust in him. He couldn't believe that though. They've been dating for a little over a year and they just moved in together.

All the worrying thoughts continued to swim through his mind up until he pulled into Ian's garage and walked through the door. He didn't see Ian in the living room or the kitchen so he figured he was in his room.  Anthony walked down the hallway and quietly knocked on the door.

"Ian?" he asked. He heard silence. He knocked a little louder. "Ian? Can I come in?" Anthony slowly turned the knob and began pushing the door open. He felt a sudden chill travel down his spine as an image of Ian injured or half dead entered his mind but quickly brushed it off and peered into the room.

Ian wasn't there. He did a mental sigh of relief that his previous vision was nothing more than that but then he began to grow concerned.

"Where the hell is he?" He uttered quietly as he turned back to the hallway. The bathroom door was open and he flicked on the light looking inside.

Oh my god, he better not be…

He tore open the shower curtain to reveal… nothing.

He sighed in relief and walked out. "Ian?" he called out loudly. "Are you here? Where are you?" He took a few steps out into the living room again just to make sure he didn't miss him by chance. Still, he found no sign of his blue eyed bowl haired friend. His car is still in the garage, Anthony thought back. Maybe he went for a run. Convinced that that had to have been the case, Anthony decided to wait in his own room for Ian's return.

He made his way back down the hall and casually opened his door and walked in.

"What the hell…?" he mumbled in confusion.

His room was exactly as he had left it except somehow his bed was missing its black and gray checkered comforter. He furrowed his brow in confusion and looked around again hoping to find some rational explanation but everything else was still as he had left it.

Why the hell is my blanket gone?

Anthony then checked the laundry room, the garage again and the backyard but there was still no sign of his blanket or Ian anywhere. When he checked Ian's room again he found his wallet and keys sitting on the desk. He was getting pretty frantic at this point but then he remembered there was one place he hadn't checked yet.

"Ian?"

He slowly pushed open the door and walked into the empty room. Ian was curled in the center of the floor wrapped in Anthony's blanket.

"Ian? Dude. What are you doing?" Anthony asked as he approached him. Ian didn't reply. Anthony took ahold of his shoulder and shook him awake. "Hey," Anthony said softly.

Ian groaned and turned over to see Anthony hovering above him.

"Why are you sleeping on Melanie's floor in my blanket?" Anthony asked as he crouched over him. Ian stretched and grunted, scratching the top of his head. "It's not her room anymore," Ian mumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. Anthony saw a box of tissues next to him on the ground and made a face.

"Ew dude! Where you-"

"No!" Ian shot back defensively. "I wasn't jacking off if that's what you were thinking."

"Okay, geeze!" Anthony said raising his hands. "I just saw you in a blanket -my blanket- with a box of tissues and thought…"

Ian turned away and frowned sharply. "I was… crying, okay?" He murmured bitterly. Ian stood up and walked out into the living room with his head hanging down. Anthony watched him leave with a sense of guilt and remorse. He picked himself off the floor and lifted the blanket up.

It smells like Ian He thought as he inhaled the scent. He carried it over to his room and tossed it on the bed. When Anthony walked back into the living room Ian was on the couch watching TV. He walked over and sat down beside him watching whatever program Ian was momentarily. Anthony looked over at Ian and saw an immense field of sadness around him. Ian propped his arm on the side of the couch and rested his head in his hand.

"What are you watching?" Anthony asked after a while.

"I dunno," Ian sighed. "I think it's some weird British version of The Office." He continued to stare blankly at the characters on the screen. "Oh," Anthony said. After another moment passed Anthony glanced over to Ian again. "Do you wanna do Lunchtime in a little bit?"

Ian stretched and sighed again. "Yeah. Okay," he said in a strained voice as he stretched out his arms and got up. Anthony figured he was sore from sleeping on the ground. Ian walked over to the fridge making a smacking noise with his lips. His hair was disheveled and he scratched his stomach through his dark blue shirt as he looked inside.

"Juice?" He offered Anthony holding up the jug. "No thanks, man." Ian poured himself a glass and put it back. Anthony watched the show while Ian walked back to the couch and sat down. "Um, sorry I borrowed your blanket," he said uneasily. "I vacuumed that room before I slept there so it shouldn't be really dirty. The blanket, I mean." Ian turned down and looked at his glass.

"Don't worry about it, man."

They sat in silence for the remainder of the show then Ian got back up. "Lemme go take a shower then we can go."

"Sure thing," Anthony answered back. He watched Ian set his empty glass in the sink and leave.

Hopefully now that they had more time together Ian would begin to open up about what was bothering him.