Will's POV

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I am gay.  I've known that for over 17 years, and I've come to accept that.  The think I can't accept is Jack.  I love Jack.  Those are three of the hardest words for me to say.  But, alas, it's true.

It hurts to see him reject me time after time again.  I ache so much for him to hold me - to love me.  But he goes around, oblivious to anything except his face, how he looks, and how many times he can squeeze Karen's tits.

Oh, Jack!  Why can't you see this? I ask him.

"See what?" Grace asked. Damn!  She's sitting right next to me, and I just said that out loud.  "O-o-oh.  You're still in love with Jack," she said quietly.  I say nothing, but I answer her.  "Why don't you just ask him out?"

"Because, he'll say no," I say, pitifully.

"So, because you're afraid of being rejected by the love of your life, you're just going to sit around here like nothing is happening, pining away for him?"

"No.  I-I'm going to work around here like nothing is happening, pining away for him," I said.

"Tell him," she says.

"No, I can't," I said.

"Tell him, or I will."

"What?!?" I exclaimed and asked at the same time.

"Tell him you're in love with him, or I'm going to have to.  I don't like seeing you pining away for him, being hurt every time you see him."

"Bu-bu-but," I sputtered.

"Will, he'll either say yes or no.  It is a risk, but in the end it'll be worth it.  I don't like having to wade through a cloud of insecurity and, um, crap between my best friend and one of my really, really good friend."
           

"Ok," I said.  "I'll tell him tomorrow," I said as Jack came into my apartment.

"Tell whom what tomorrow?" he asked.

Damn!  I have to tell the truth.  I've never really been able to lie to Jack when it was something as serious as this. 

Bless Gracie, though.  "I, um, have to go feed my cat," she said, trying to make a quiet exit.

"But you don't have a cat," Jack pointed out.

"I, um, just got one," Grace said, making a, um, Graceful exit.

"So, what do you want to tell me?" Jack said, with a smug grin on his face.  I closed my eyes for a moment.  "Will, are you, like, alive, or what?  You've been acting very weird, which, in itself, is very weird."

"Jack, just shut up and let me say what I have to say," I snapped.

"Ok, buddy," he said, defensively.

"Jack, I-I, I-I l-l, well, you see, I-I."

"You what?" he asked.

What the hell!  Just do it, I told myself.  "Jack, Iloveyou," I said, rushed.

"You what?" he asked, concerned.

"Dammit, can't you hear what I'm saying?  I'm saying that I love you," I screamed out.  Oh, shit!  I can't believe I just said that.

Jack got up and backed away. "You, you, you, you, l-l-love m-me?" he said, taking a step backwards with each stammer.  He reached my door, exited, and bolted down the hall.

"Yes, Jack, I love you," I said, melancholy.  Damn!  I had screwed up the only chance I had to be with Jack.  I got the chocolate on chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup and sat back down on the couch to drown my sorrows away.