Summer In Barcelona

T H R E E

"You really kissed him" Noen exclaimed as Jorge switched his plants, setting them on his dresser.

"Sólo estaba en la mejilla"(It was just on the cheek) he shrugged, although someone was doing gymnastic routines in his stomach.

"On the cheek my ass! You could feel the tension" he exclaimed, throwing himself backwards on Jorge's daybed.

"Tension? We met this morning" he rolled his eyes, pulling his shorts off. Noen leaned back on his hands, watching him critically.

"That means you definitely have something! The tension was that strong, it felt like he was married, and you were his mistress and you ran into him on an outing with his wife after he promised to leave her for you" Noen described. Jorge scoffed, an amused smile on his face. He had no clue what he was on about, but the dopey smile on his face was enough to make him laugh.

"You are to into this" Jorge accused, pulling on a plain sweater and jeans, tugging on his Keds. "Are we going to dinner or not?" Jorge asked, earning a nod from Noen. He jumped up, running his finger through his hair.

"I am not! It's just nothing ever happens around here, and a good love story might spice things up" he decided, following Jorge out the door.

"You really need to get your head out of the dark room, Noen" Jorge suggested, looking to Benji's apartment, seeing that there was a light on. He kind of wished he was outside again so that he could tag along but was kind of glad he wasn't.

"I asked if he wanted to go, he said he already ate" Noen informed, even though Jorge had been right there. Jorge nodded, and looked away.

"So, where are we eating?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. Noen stood on the top of the steps, thinking. This was always Jorge's least favourite part.

"We could go to La Lola?" Noen asked, shrugging. Jorge nodded.

"Sure, I mean, it's close" he agreed. The streetlamps began powering on, bathing the sidewalk in warm yellow light.

"What time is it?" Noen asked, checking his watch.

"Almost eight, when's the diner close?" Jorge asked looking at the sky as the last of the dying sun ducked behind the horizon.

"Eleven I think, so we're good, but we should get going now" Noen nodded, joining Jorge at the foot of the stairs. They set down the sidewalk, neither talking very much. The diner wasn't very far only a few blocks from Jorge's flat. The street was practically empty, a car passing every few minutes. There was a certain quiet that fell over the city at night. Jorge wasn't sure why, not even when, it started, but there seemed to be an unspoken rule at night not to go out. Sometimes, it made Jorge guilty for leaving his house after dark, then he'd scold himself about it. It really was peaceful.

"What do you think Benji's doing?" Noen spoke up, enlisting a groan from Jorge.

"Lets stop talking about him, okay?" he practically begged. Benji already took up too much space in his mind for having only met him that morning, he really didn't need to talk about him. Noen raised his palms in surrender as the neon sign advertising the diners name.

"He's probably asleep anyway" Jorge offered, smiling at Noen softly. Noen laughed, holding the door open for him.

The diner was pretty empty for a weekday, since it was normally bustling this time of day. They easily found seats, when usually you had to wait ten or fifteen minutes to get a table. Noen began talking as soon as they sat down, his voice a hushed whisper.

"Okay, so you know how I was talking to you the other day about that man who came up to me in the street?" Noen asked, his eyes dancing. Jorge nodded, even though he didn't. this sounded interesting.

"Well, he rang me the other day, and you'll never believe what he wants" he announced. Multiple things, multiple bad things, ran through Jorge's mind.
"I don't want to know, it's probably bad, like sex or something" Jorge frowned.

"Sex isn't bad Jorge, as long as you do it with the right person" he said, winking suggestively. Meaning he knew someone right. Meaning Benji. Jorge kicked him beneath the table. Noen's eyes widened and he kicked back, missing his leg and hitting the table instead, causing it to jerk.

"He wanted me to come work for his magazine, apparently his developer quit recently, and he needs one, he said he reads Moda de Barcelona, and wants me to come work for him" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Vas a dejarme!" (You're going to leave me!) he frowned.

"I haven't even gotten to the best part! I convinced him to take you with me, he has an opening for a photographer, nothing big mainly small projects like good places to stay in the city and shit, but it could be good!" Noen hit his arm. Jorge looked caught.

"I don't know Noen, why did you just tell me this instead of when I spoke to you earlier?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, it completely slipped my mind" he defended himself, looking hopeful.

"We've been hanging out since we got off" Jorge pointed out.

"Okay fine, if you don't want the pay raise, that's up to you" Noen shrugged. A strike of curiosity shot through Jorge's eyes.

"How high is said raise?" he asked, leaning forward again.

"He was talking 16,000 a year" Noen announced. "And that's only the beginning, as we work there, we'll get raises and bonuses and who knows what else" Noen smiled.

"I still don't know , I mean come on, I can't just quit. Jonathan needs me" Jorge said.

"Oh fuck Jonathan! He runs you like a dog, and he doesn't even call you by your name, he calls you George" Noen frowned.

"He's teaching me" Jorge said.

"He's teaching you to be a pacifist errand boy, Jey-Jey come on! Stop getting in your own way" Noen scolded as their waitress walked over.

"Buenas noches, soy Jasmine, seré tu sirviente hoy, ¿puedo empezar con un trago?" (Good evening, I'm Jasmine, I'll be your server today, can I start you off with a drink?)she asked, blowing a bubble with her bright pink gum.

"Tomaré coca, por favor." (I'll have coke please) Noen smiled.

"Tomaré un té dulce" (I'll take a sweet tea) Jorge said, turning back to Noen.

"Come on!" Noen begged, his hands clasped in front of his chest. "Their switching buildings, so everyone will be trying to get to know the place if that's what your worried about" Noen reassured.

"That's not what I'm worried about" Jorge rolled his eyes. It wasn't Noen's fault, it was a good opportunity, Jorge knew that. He just had a problem of getting in his own way, making up reasons why he shouldn't do things, coming up with cons when there were only pros. Jasmine came back with there drinks and took their food orders, only seeming slightly annoyed when Noen asked for her to put the toppings for his burger on the side.

"So, you in?" he asked, leaning against the table.

"I'll think about it" he promised, but all he could think about was Benji. He wanted to go at least a few hours without thinking about anything. This new job opportunity as well as his cute neighbour would have to wait. Right now, he just wanted to spend time talking about nothing with Noen. He told Noen just as much. He seemed disappointed, but it disappeared when their food arrived.

*

Jorge got home late that night, having left the diner at half past ten and taking a walk-through Parc de Montjuic for a while. Luckily, Noen did bring up the magazine or Benji for the rest of the evening, only referencing relationships once when he joked about how they looked like a couple. They spent the rest of the walk holding hands and saying cheesy things couples always said. They ended the night laughing until they cried, parting ways on the corner of Jorge's street. It was nearly midnight when he got into bed, running the events of the day over in his mind, only cringing at some parts. He had a relatively good day, but the weight on his chest was back. The weight that blocked the sun in the sky bathing his world in a dark grey overcast, threatening rain any moment.