The Riveting Lives of Russell and Sal

Chapter 31

Sal couldn't vent to Russell. Not only was he unable to call him, but he'd only get a bunch of "I don't minds" out of him. Which very well could have been lies. No, there was one person better suited for this conversation. Sal dialed Savannah's number.

"Today was awful," he said, after they exchanged hellos. "I-"

"Hang on. I'll be right over."

Sal was met with the dial tone.

Exactly 15 minutes later, his bedroom door opened. He jumped and saw Savannah closing the door behind herself. "Can't you knock? What if I was changing?"

"You always lock the door when you change," she said.

"I used to," Sal said, holding his head high. "But maybe I don't anymore. Maybe I change with the door wide open now."

Savannah sat on his bed, pulling him into a hug. "What happened?"

Sal explained how he unknowingly went on a date, confessed his sexuality, and the things Ray had to say about asexuals dating. Savannah sat cross-legged, giving him her undivided attention. Her lip curled upon hearing the insults Ray had thrown at him, and by the time he finished, she seemed ready to track Ray down and smack him.

But instead of proposing they track down and smack Ray, Savannah gave him another hug. "He sounds like an ass."

Sal nodded. "But he's right, isn't he? Russell probably feels ugly because I don't want to do him. And I really don't want to do him. What should I do?"

"You're asking an aromantic asexual for relationship advice," Savannah reminded him. "You'd know better than me."

"You're right. I need a romantic sexual's advice." He furrowed his brow, trying to think of any romantic sexuals he knew who could give him advice. Sal refused to have such a conversation with parental figures, so Tyler, Brenda, and Michelle were out. As much as he and Terry got along, he didn't feel close enough to pour his heart out. Mouser was neutered. His mother was dead, and also a parental figure.

"What about Stewart?" Savannah asked.

"Stewart! Sav, you're a genius." Sal pulled out his phone and called Stewart.

"Hello?"

"Hey Stewart, it's me."

"Sal? Is it really you?"

"Yep."

"Gee, what do you want from me?"

Sal scoffed. "What makes you think I want something from you? Can't I call an old friend to catch up?"

"Well, yeah. It's just that, nobody ever calls me unless they want something. You really wanna catch up?" Stewart's voice picked up. He sounded thrilled.

"Sure," Sal said. "Let's start with-"

"Golly, things have been amazing. My pa got me a summer job at his company, so that I'll have money and accounting experience. And you'll never guess what happened."

Sal rubbed his forehead. "What happened?"

"I got a girlfriend!"

"What!" Sal nearly fell over, and held onto his dresser to steady himself. "A girlfriend? You?"

"She's real swell. Her name's Shirley."

"Surely not."

"Yeah, and I'm glad you called. I've never been in a relationship and I want to take things further, but I'm worried it's too soon. How long did it take you and Russell to go all the way?"