Hi gang! Sorry it took me so long to update this. I wasn't completely sure how I wanted to proceed, and I'm still not totally happy with this chapter the way it is. I already have most of the end worked out in my head, so maybe a few more chapters and that will be it. I've already got an itch for my next story, which is actually a rework of something I wrote a long time ago. Anywho, here is chapter three. Please make me a happy person and review. =^)
If you know it, I don't own it.
Darren stared at is contacts list, wondering who on earth he could call. The one person he always counted on was in the same mess he was, and he couldn't expect Chris to give him advice on his feelings. He looked out the window of the all night fast food place he had been sitting at since leaving Chris's place in such a hurry a few hours ago. He was pretty sure the employees knew who he was, but none of them approached him. Darren couldn't tell if it was because they were being nice and giving him some space, or just avoiding him because of the tabloids. Sighing he looked back down at his phone and spotted a name. He's got a good, level head. Maybe he can help me sort this shit out, Darren thought as he dialed the number.
"Hello?" a very groggy and barely awake Curt Mega mumbled. Darren rolled his eyes at his stupidity; he had forgotten that is was now well after midnight and that most normal people would be asleep.
"Curt, dude. I am so sorry," Darren apologized. "I forgot how late it is. I just needed someone to talk to."
"Dare, what's going on?" Curt could tell by the panic in Darren's tone that something wasn't right. He slid out of bed, being extra careful not to wake his sleeping wife. She wasn't a happy camper when someone woke her up in the middle of the night. Poor Curt had learned this lesson the hard way. Peeking over his shoulder, he watched as she shifted her position and sighed. He crept from the bedroom to the kitchen, where he flipped on the light and opened the fridge, rummaging for a snack.
"I just got fired," Darren said with a sigh, running a hand through his unruly hair. He locked eyes with one of the female employees for a split second, who blushed and quickly turned away. He chuckled to himself, thinking she must be one of the few in L.A. that doesn't read the tabloids.
"Whaf? Fwy?" Curt exclaimed with a mouthful of granola. He pulled out the chair at the table and swung one leg over the seat. It's late. Maybe I just heard him wrong?
"Ok, first off… was that English? Second…" Darren trailed off. He didn't even know what to say. A small sniffle escaped as a stray tear rolled down his cheek, which he quickly swatted away. Curt could tell this was something that more than likely couldn't be resolved over the phone so he told Darren to sit tight and he would be right there. Five minutes later, Curt was dressed and out the door, a note on the kitchen table for his wife in case she should wake up and miss him. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Somehow he had been suckered into the "big brother slash mentor" role, and he wasn't quite sure how. As he drove through the still bust streets of downtown Los Angeles, he heard his phone ring. Figuring it was Darren calling back, Curt wrinkled his nose when he saw the name on the caller ID.
"Hi Chris," Curt said, a little too cheerily for one o'clock in the morning. Curt spotted Darren's car and pulled in beside it, killing the engine.
"How did you know it was me? Oh, shit. Duh, Chris. Caller ID. Damn it. I'm sorry. Listen, have you talked to Darren? I have a problem and I need some help." Boy, this kid could go a mile a minute. The high pitched panicky tone to Chris's voice told him this was something rather huge, so Curt made the decision that he wasn't going to tell Chris he was meeting Darren, at least not until he got to the bottom of the situation. He figured he could better advise Darren if he knew the whole truth, and he knew Chris would hide facts from him if he knew he had talked to Darren. Curt noticed his head start spinning as he climbed from the car. These two will be the death of me, he thought as he leaned against the hood of the car, watching Darren through the window and listening to Chris ramble.
"Darren was fired." Chris sighed. "And I think I'm the reason why." Duh. I could have told you that, you big goof, Curt wanted to say. He had known for quite some time the two had feelings for each other, but that both were too scared to confess it to the other. Curt decided to play along, and see what information he could get from Chris before he talked to Darren.
"What do you mean?"
A long pause filled the air, then Chris continued, his voice low and forlorn. "Darren has feeling for me. He was fired because of it. The tabloids accused us of sleeping together, and him being a big closet case, and Ryan caught wind and they fired Darren and ohmygawd Curt… what am I going to do? What the hell should I do?" Chris was now in full blown panic mode.
"By why would he be fired for that?" Curt's question was honest; he didn't see what the big deal was, or why the two men's personal lives would even matter to the success or failure of the show.
"Are you serious?" Chris squealed, his voice reaching an octave Curt had no idea it could hit. "Think about it. Darren has been spouting for a year or more now that he's straight, and that he's just someone who is comfortable in his own skin and sexuality and now all of a sudden he has feelings for me? Curt, there are people in this world who live to hate guys like me. They love to make up shit about how we've managed to "convert the straights" and how we're spreading our so called gay disease around. I've grown up with this shit and I know how to deal with it, but I can't put Darren through that. I just can't. I love him way too much."
"What did you just say?" Curt asked incredulously. Did he really hear that come from Colfer's mouth?
"I love him Curt." Yes, he did. By golly, it's about time someone fesses up! "I really do. I tried not to but damn it, I couldn't help myself." Chris was now sobbing into the phone. It was the first time he had ever admitted his feelings for Darren out loud, and the feeling was wonderful and painful at the same time. Curt wished he could go to Chris, but he also knew Darren was waiting for him. He sighed as he shook his head. His friends had managed to get themselves into quite a mess, and he wasn't sure how to help but he would do the best he could, so Curt made the decision to end the call and go get Darren's side of the story.
"Listen, I have something I need to take care of. I want you to just go to bed and get some sleep and we'll hook up tomorrow and figure something out. I'm not trying to blow you off, and I promise I will call you in the morning. Everything will be fine."
"Yeah, I know. Bye." Thankfully, Chris bought his lie and they ended the conversation.
Taking a deep breath, Curt went to face Darren. He was certainly not prepared for what he found. His normally bouncy and energetic friend was sitting in the corner, looking quite like a wounded puppy. Sliding into the booth across from Darren, Curt smiled. Darren looked up and Curt's heart broke in two at the look in Darren's eyes. The heartbreak was evident; the man was crushed.
"So what did you do to get fired?"
"I fell in love." Those were probably the most depressing words Curt have ever heard. A declaration like that should be happy and not something that sounded like your best friend had just ran over your cat.
"Explain?" Curt asked, feigning ignorance.
"Chris. I just couldn't help it, and I can't explain it. I've never felt this way about anyone, let alone another guy, nor did I ever imagine I would or could. It's just… he came into my life and all of a sudden I feel like I hadn't been living but just existing. He makes me feel so alive and special and like I really truly mattered. What if I screwed it all up? What if I've lost him forever? I know I can't face him now. Not after all this."
"Okay," Curt began. "First, you don't know that you've lost him or screwed anything up and second, you don't even know how Chris feels. I mean, have you tried talking to him and telling him everything? You know, how you feel?"
"What? No!" Darren exclaimed. "His life is stressful enough without having to deal with all this junk. I think it would be best for us both if I just disappeared. I'm going back to San Fran, Curt. I can't stay here. It's too painful. For me and him both. Maybe if I leave, all will just go back to normal and Chris will be happy again."
Curt inwardly screamed in frustration. He knew damn well that Chris was not happy with things the way they were, and he knew that if Darren left it would only get worse. He wanted to take Darren by the shoulders and shake him, and make him go see Chris but he knew he couldn't do that. He knew this was something they needed to work out on their own and do for themselves. Sighing Curt looked around the deserted restaurant to be sure no one was listening, and leaned across the table.
"Do me one favor before you go? Please? Go see him and tell him how you feel. You owe him at least that much, Dare. Especially after running out on him like you did. Hell, you owe it to yourself, man." Curt stood and looked down at Darren, who was staring at the pattern on the table. "Don't go without talking to him. You might be missing out on the best thing that's ever happened to you."