Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

17| Pesky pests

"Battyman! Stop fucking call mi!" I blast Steven off the phone and then hang up, irritated by his pestering.

He can go stick his dick in a beehive for all I care. My belief is that people shouldn't be judged based on their sexual preferences, subjected to homophobic slurs, or chastised for their personal choices.

So, I have nothing against Steven wanting to have sex with men. What irks me is that he's a barefaced hypocrite! He spoke out against homosexuality knowing damn well he was fucking a man.

I instantly block calls and messages from his new number. My mind was at peace and I would have soon dozed off had he not called. Too frustrated to sleep now, I grab the TV remote and select a movie that I believe will settle my aggravated thoughts.

What the hell did Steven think he would achieve by calling me? There literally is nothing for us to talk about. I have no interest in hearing what explanation he has concocted for his deception. That's between him and God.

When the movie doesn't work, I download a mystery novel that I have been putting off reading for months now. With work and life in general, I no longer get the chance to read as many novels as I used to. By the fourth chapter, I start nodding off, and thankfully so, because it's already 10:00 pm, which is still early enough to get a whole night's rest.

I release the pent-up anger before work in the morning with some hard hits on the beat-up punching bag in the home gym. The workout powers me through the uneventful day and before I know it, I'm back at home trying to cram in a few more chapters of the new book before bed.

The story is so captivating that I don't even notice that my phone is still in silent mode. When I go to check the time, I notice a few unopened messages. The only one worth responding to is one from Chaunard.

Chaunard: Hey...made up your mind yet?

Me: Hey... about what?

Chaunard: The charity function on Saturday night

I was so busy with work and being pissed off at my ex that I forgot about his invitation. There's no use telling him no since he's such good company. If anyone can take my mind off Steven's shenanigans, it's definitely Chaunard.

Me: Yea I'll be your plus one 😉

Chaunard: Awesome. I'll pick you up at 6:30

Me: Great!

Chaunard: So how was your day? Did you do anything interesting?

Me: It was blah...did nothing out of the ordinary. How was yours?

Chaunard: Not too bad. Did some work, finalized plans for a work trip and now I'm relaxing

Me: What do you do for work?

Chaunard: I'm a software engineer. I work for a tech company in the US

Me: Interesting! So how does that work with you living here?

Chaunard: The job is remote. I only go in when required. That is usually once or twice a year.

Me: Must be nice collecting your pay in US dollars.

Chaunard: Yeah and the work isn't too hectic for me either.

Before I finish typing my response, he calls, saying he prefers to talk than text if we're gonna have a conversation. He answers my questions about his work and tells me that he has been with the company for over five years. I also learn that his income exceeds US$150,000 annually. And that does not include benefits.

We spend over an hour talking, moving from work to recreational activities and aspirations. I've already accepted that my initial assessment of him was inaccurate. However, the more I learn about him the more I come to realize that his thuggish appearance the first time I saw him and his true character are polar opposites.