Carry On

8: "Bleeding Love"

Summary: GiGi and Stephanie are secretly staging an intervention for Sal to open up; and unfortunately, they end up getting more than they had bargain.

"So are you two finally gonna tell me why you're bringing me here?" Sal asked curiously as he, GiGi, and Stephanie were walking towards the entrance of the City Hall Park.

GiGi and Stephanie tried to look anywhere but at Sunset, who was eyeing at them with a half curious and half suspicious look on his face with his arms crossed. "I beginning to have second thoughts on this idea," GiGi thought with a doubted look, but instead she answered with a convinced look, "We told you, I needed some help with our Bad Girls Club flier."

"Which is why we're at a park and not the library; and you, specifically GiGi, is asking me of all people to help you instead of one of your BGC girlfriends," Sal retorted pointedly as the three Hispanics strolled through the park before sitting down on a bench.

"Wellll..., if you wanna put it that way, ...then yeah," Stephanie stammered, trying not to look nervous.

"And the fact that neither of you bring any supplies with you for your BGC flier," Sal pointed out.

"We brought a copy paper and a pen," GiGi said weakly which really didn't convince Sal even the slightest. He definitely wasn't buying their story.

"Look GiGi. Even though we may have not seen or spoken to each other for over a year, I can tell you're lying to my face right now," Sal argued calmly then insisted, "So either you and Steph are gonna tell me the real reason why you drag me here or I'm leaving."

"Well, it's not like we force you to come here, y'know," GiGi retorted rudely and bluntly with a bitter scowl.

"GiGi!" Stephanie chastised GiGi for her rude, bluntly comment in which Sal was completely unfazed by.

Sal nonchalantly shrugged in agreement with GiGi's retort and remarked matter-of-factly, "It's okay, Stephanie. She makes a good point. Bye."

Just when Sal began to stand up, GiGi stopped him by pleading with an apologetic look, "No wait, please! ...Don't go." This caught Sal by surprise, yet he decided to casually sit back down with a raised eyebrow and GiGi continued, "Sorry for saying that. It just–. I wanna borrow your phone just a but since mine is dead and Stephanie lost hers."

Sal rolled his eyes in unamusement and thought flatly, "Of course her phone fuckin' dead, as usual. Things just never change." He reached into his left pocket, pulled out his phone, stretched his right arm out to hand his phone to GiGi and remarked sardonically, "All you have to do is ask."

GiGi's eyes lit up as she took the phone and replied nicely, "Thanks. I'd appreciate it."

Sal nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders with his arms once again crossed and returned, "Don't mention it."

Sal stared idly a the afternoon sky for a while until he realized he hadn't heard a single type noise from the keyboard once he gave GiGi his phone. He looked over and saw GiGi and Stephanie scrolling through his phone with these quizzical looks on their faces which made him naturally suspicious as he inquired with a raised eyebrow, "What're you two doing on my phone?"

Still looking at Sal's phone, GiGi answered truthfully, "Nothing. We couldn't help but to notice you have several unanswered calls and unread text messages from your best friend/former Tenderloins member, Mike."

Unbeknownst to GiGi and Stephanie, Sal's eyes widened and he froze in shock as he felt a chill went up and down his spine at GiGi's response.

"Yeah. It looks like he trying to get in touch with you for a month now," Stephanie added before she and GiGi simultaneously looked up at Sal with curious looks while asking, "How come you still haven't respond to him yet?"