bittersweet

chapter twenty six

"whisky?" David gave the blonde man a quick glance through the mirror as he sat on the couch in David's hotel.
"thanks" the man lit a cigarette on habit and let the smoke exit his mouth in one slow outtake, David secretly watched him intently. he looked rather comfortable in David's presence, he relaxed himself into the new surroundings without a dramatic fuss and David smiled inwardly as he couldn't deal with a manic fan bombarding him all night.

David placed the two whiskeys on the coffee table before them and sat himself on the couch, rubbing his hand in his eye tiredly. he still felt immensely sluggish due to the drugs peaking off.
"what's your name by the way?" David inspected the man beside him closely, taking in his masculine appearance and energy he looked rather appealing he secretly thought, "it's Daniel but you can call me Dan."
he shot David a cheeky smirk, David was slow to get his bubbly energy so he took a sip out of his whisky to avoid David's sudden intimate gaze.

"so where are you performing next bowie?" David felt at ease as Dan led the conversation with confidence, "Los Angles in two days. i have a day break between each show, obviously for travelling reasons" Dan looked a tad bit disappointed, knowing this interaction would naturally won't last forever or long at all.

"so how do you make a living?" David perked up, lighting a cigarette of his own, Dan grinned at the rockstar with his interest for him.
"i'm a pimp" Dans face remained serious, causing David to nearly choke on his own spit.

"ahh just kidding yeh, i work in medial recruitment" he chuckled as he lightly patted David's back in a joking manner, David just lightly grinned at his lighthearted humour, clearly not used to taking things not too seriously like he has been.
"do you enjoy it Dan?" David flicked his cigarette on the ashtray passing the comment lightly, but deep down he was intrigued with his response in the reflection of his own view.
"it's alright i guess, don't really have an opinion on it. i can't afford to have an opinion on it David, it pays the bills" Dan took quite a long drag out of his cigarette, clearly feeling quite bothered as he engaged in a conversation that surprisingly felt quite deep.

David felt quite somber towards the man, it was a hellish way to live your life; slave your job just to earn a low wage just so you can survive a mediocre life. David felt grateful he didn't live such a solid destroying life, he could indulge himself in creativity and project himself in different art forms to society. but people like Dan have no spiritual satisfaction.
"if you could, what would you do for a job?" David felt himself be immersed in the conversation, it felt almost nourishing to connect to a stranger on a verbal intimate level, simply to talk about life.
"i love painting, i've always wanted to open my own gallery where i present my own work but also new aspiring artists as well" Dan beamed at the thought of achieving such dream as he vocalised it to David.

it evoked a certain memory within David, he remembered Louisa vocalising the same passion.
she loved to paint also, David almost felt emotional as he watched Dan talk about it with the same spark of enthusiasm as Louisa. "why don't you go for it?" David wanted to channel the driving force energy within Dan, to motivate him to take charge of his life, his career choices and his dream. "i'm scared to be honest, i would rather live the easy life you know. it might fail and then i would be financially corrupt" Dan chuckled as he tried to braze of the deep reality of his situation. David stared at Dan in thought for a short while as he dragged at his cigarette, "life is about taking risks Daniel, you gotta take them before it's too late."

Dan just watched David as he placed his head in his hands still on his thought track, "i met a young women once. the most beautiful, talented, loving, nurturing soul i've ever met. i fell head over heels for her Daniel, i was in love with her as soon as she gave me my drink in a random bar in London. she captivated me, her energy touched my heart in ways you couldn't imagine. she helped me through really fucking hard times Daniel and i'm talking about drugs here, she really helped me through some shit. i wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her love and patience for me...yeah, we split apart for a few weeks, like any normal lovers do...but when we seen each other again it was like fate was on our side, it was so coincidental as we both met each other in a fancy hotel, we where both on separate dates...God it was so intense, the emotion i felt when i seen her for the first time in weeks was truly soul touching. but the thing i'm expressing here is she didn't take the risk with me. i thought she was gonna go on tour with me, we would go official as being a couple and not hide away no more to the public eye. but she declared to my wife, who i'm getting a divorce with, that she thinks i'm a danger to her lifestyle...she couldn't risk the drastic change i would bring to her if we got together... and now look at me, i'm a total fucking mess Daniel. i've lost myself completely, i'm a fucking drug addict for christ sake."

David let his damaged soul drown his emotions out verbally with no control, his eyes glossed with tears and he felt his heart wrench from the triggering mental retrieval from his past.
Dan was stunned, he knew the rockstar was feeling troubled but not this significantly. he felt immense sympathy for David, "do you still love her David?"
Dan felt his eyes also trickle with tears and David rubbed his eyes in frustration, "i never will stop loving her Daniel that's the hellish thing about it."
Dan rubbed his hand on David's back, he felt the tension of his muscles and he wanted to relive any pressure he was feeling. David didn't deserve such  loving abandonment.

Dan began to feel quite sorrowful, the rockstar who he once thought was a ball of energy who had the 'perfect life', was in-fact falling apart right in front of us all. "David i want to help you...what can i do?" David lifted his head up from his hands, revealing his raw, reddened cheeks and his tearful eyes. he just smiled weakly at Dan, "i want you to open up your own gallery with her Daniel."

Dan furrowed his brow in confusion, "how? i don't even no her? or where she lives David."
Dan watched as David searched for a pen and paper writing things he couldn't make out, "i'll sort everything out, i'll pay for you to fly to England so you can meet her. i'll give you all the finances you need to open up your own gallery in Paris Daniel, i know people who can support you in this process."
Dans eyes grew wide with utter astonishment, "David i can't let you do that, it's too outrageous. it will cost a bomb." David eyes streaked with determination, "do you want to take the risk or not Daniel?"

David looked at Daniel intensely, trying to spark the same energy within him, "i do but it doesn't make any sense. you have only just met me and you want me to open up a gallery in Paris with your ex-lover David..."
David knew it sounded rather bizarre when it was vocalised to him aloud but it didn't alter the passion he had within his gut, he felt as though he met Dan for a reason. "stop worrying, i said i would pay for everything and what i've seen of you so far your a decent, well respected man. Louisa loves to paint, like yourself, and when you see her work you will be fucking blown away" Dan felt a sudden electrical excitement course through his veins, "should i tell Louisa that you organised this all?"
David dropped his gaze in thought, he bit his lip trying to navigate an answer that's appropriate.
"no don't mention me at all, i obviously will phone you and come visit throughout the whole process but this stays between me and you Daniel", David placed his hand encouragingly on Dans shoulder.
"i can't believe this David, how are we gonna sort all of this out?" David wasn't used to such questioning, he wanted Dan to feel the spontaneity of it all, now wasn't the time for questions but rather celebration of creativity.
"we will sort it out tomorrow Daniel, i just want you to promise me you won't betray the idea and just run off with all of the money" Dan looked at David as his face grew with vulnerability he needed Daniels trust,

"David i promise my life i won't."