Carry On

6: "In Denial"

Summary: Sal is still pretending that everything's okay; it doesn't work.

July 15th

Sal and Joe were seen walking on the sidewalk in silence. Ever since the "Water Soaked" punishment, Sal began coming to work a bit early than everyone could imagine; which was odd, considering the fact he usually be the one to show up to work late; but at the same time, Brian, Murr, Joe, and the IJ crew weren't that surprised at all by Sal's unusual early arrivals. They'd know the reason why Sal show up to work so early was because he would have minimal or no contact with everyone. He usually secluded and locked himself in his own office for periods of time; the times he would come out of his office were only when he had to use the bathroom or one of the IJ crew members knocked on his door and informed him that they were getting ready to film a challenge. Normally, Joe didn't like going for a walk, but today, he decided to join Sal on the way to Washington Square park. Sal made no protest and simply started walking with Joe following close behind.

Joe knew Sal was purposefully avoiding him, Brian, and Murr like the plague because of that infamous impromptu punishment. He didn't blame Sal after all the pain they'd cause on him in his punishments, especially the "Water Soaked" punishment. That vivid yet painful memory of him laughing and gloating in Sal's face, spraying him with water guns continued to play over and over in his head. How he could be so damn stupid? How he could not know Sal would react so badly to that punishment? How he could not know their actions would inadvertently drove Sal away to where he went missing for 2 days straight until he resurfaced again but with a deadpan expression and disheveled appearance? How he could not know the excruciating emotional pain they'd cause on him from their own words and actions throughout Impractical Jokers? How he could not know? Joe would mentally asked himself those same daunting questions every single day since that impromptu punishment until he mentally come up with the answer to his questions: maybe he did know; maybe he did know how Sal would react so badly to that punishment, but he was too damn selfish and inconsiderate to care about how Sal was feeling.

"Sal is so fun to mess with because of his reactions are much bigger than you anticipate, I just can't help but to mess with him. It's not my fault he's so damn fun to mess with," Joe commented dryly with a wry smirk.

Joe solemnly shook his head, vividly yet remorsefully remembering that stupid remark he made years ago during Sal's intro on a segment of "Meeting the Guys" before their show was officially aired on television.

"I'm so sorry, Sal. I'm sorry for everything I'd done to you on Impractical Jokers. It wasn't my intention to hurt you like that, bud," he thought sadly, "You're my best friend and I love and care about you dearly. I wish I know how to make you believe that."

As they entered through the front entrance of the park and strolled through it before taking a seat on the bench, the awkward silence was slowly becoming unbearable to Joe as he timidly watched Sal writing in his journal; so he decided to try to break the ice. Key word being "try".

Joe cleared his throat and twiddled his index fingers before asking suddenly, trying not to sound so nervous, "So..., um, Sal?... Uhh..., have you... been on Twitter lately?"

"Nope," Sal answered bluntly as he sharply flipped a page and continued writing, not even looking at Joe. Sal had been very inactive on social media for over a month; like he had anything to post and tweet about what he was doing on a daily basis with the exception of his stand-ups.

"Ohh...," Joe stammered, slightly flinched at Sal's blunt answer which went unnoticed by Sal as he continued with a sheepish smile, "...Wellll..., Q recently posted a cute photo of his cats in a basket. Benjamin and Chessie were wearing black suits while Brooklyn was wearing a pink floral dress."