"Sonny, it is so good to see you!" Ryan said pulling him into a hug.
"Ryan. I don't know understand. What are you doing here?" Sonny asked confused pulling away from the hug.
"Well, I was traveling around the states, when I saw this little town on my GPS called Salem, and you came flooding back to my mind. I thought it must be fate telling me to come see you." He said walking over and taking a seat at the bar stool. "I've missed you Sonny. I know its been a long time but I never stopped loving you."
"I've missed you too, but your right it has been a long time, a lot has happened. I'm with someone who I love very much." Sonny said feeling bad.
"Are you sure? Are you sure your not trying to fill a a void in your heart for me. Is it the same kind of love and connection we shared?" Ryan asked
He got up and started walking over to Sonny who was still standing in the doorway. Before Sonny could respond, Will came walking in.
"Hey" Will said looking between Sonny and Ryan.
"Hey" Sonny said smiling at him. "This is Ryan, he's an old friend from school. Ryan, this is my boyfriend Will." Sonny put extra emphasis on the word boyfriend.
"Oh, wow, hi. Its nice to meet you" Will said extending his hand out to Ryan.
"You too." Ryan said shaking Wills hand.
"What brings you to Salem?"
"He's just passing through" Sonny said
"Actually I might be staying a while" Ryan said staring at Sonny.
"Well you two should catch up while your town" Will said trying to be friendly.
"What a great idea, Will." Ryan said turning his gaze to Will.
"Maybe, but we have plans tonight. We should get going Will. Ill see you around Ryan" Sonny said
"Ok, Ill stop in sometime. It was so good seeing you again" Ryan said hugging Sonny." He can't even compete with me" He whispered into Sonny's ear before pulling away and leaving the shop.
Sonny and Will returned home after their movie date. Will was concerned because Sonny was quiet all night and seemed distant. They stopped at Sonny favorite ice cream parlor and he barely touched the chocolate cup they shared.
"Sonny is everything ok?" Will asked his voice laced with concern.
Sonny could hear the concern and worry in Will's voice, and it killed him. He hated keeping things from Will, but he didn't want to worry him. He couldn't get Ryan out of his mind, the way he was saying things and looking at him had him worried. He and Will had been through so much and they were finally in a good place, he didn't want anyone coming in and ruining it.
"Yea I'm fine, just got some things on mind" Sonny said.
"You want to talk about it?" Will asked
"No I don't want to talk, or think about anything but you" Sonny said pulling Will into a kiss. He needed the comfort of being intimate with Will. So they went to the bedroom and after a few hours of love making, Sonny drifted off to sleep Ryan far from his thoughts.
The afternoon rush had finished at the coffee shop and Sonny decided to take a break for lunch and headed over to Pete's Pizza in the Horton Town Square. He grabbed a slice and a soda and took a seat. He spent most of the time texting Will, who was bored out of his mind in a mass media lecture, about what they were going to do later that night. Will replied that he was happy to repeat the events of last night. This caused a huge smile to take over Sonny's face at his memories of last night. Someone clearing their throat brought him out of his day dream and he looked up to see Ryan. Ryan didn't wait for Sonny to say anything before he slid into the booth across from Sonny.
"Hey gorgeous." Ryan said.
"Don't call me that. What are you doing here?" Sonny asked his smile long gone.
"I stopped in for something to eat and saw you sitting here" Ryan informed.
"Look, I don't know what you are doing. But like I said last night I have a boyfriend. I love-" Sonny started but was interrupted.
"Is it the same love you had with me? Is it as passionate and strong?" Ryan asked
"No, its not the same. Its so much more. I don't want to hurt you but what you and I had is nothing compared to what Will and I share."
"You don't mean that" Ryan said shaking his head.
"Yes, I do. Hopefully you can accept that, and move on. We were really good friends at one time, maybe one day we could get that friendship back" With that Sonny got up and left. He really hoped Ryan got the point now. Before they got together they were best friends, they could tell each other anything. Sonny would love to get that friendship back but just the friendship. He thought they were in love at one time, but looking back he realized it was always just a loving friendship. The love he had with Ryan was nothing, not even close, to the love he had with Will. He was never really in love with Ryan. In fact he didn't know what truly being in love was until Will.
Ryan waited a few minutes to make sure Sonny was definitely gone before he took out his phone and made a call. "Hey, it's me I need your help."
To be continued...