Can Door Ways Reopen?, chapter 1
“No can do, Jess. Going out with you would feel like incest or something. Besides, you know the rules. One: I don’t date people who could be a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz. Two: no dating until 3 months after the breakup.� Jesse blushed a deep crimson. He looked ready to say something, but paused. I went back to trimming my pot for ceramics, picking up the metal utensil I previously set down.
“Wait a second, what was that thing you just said?� I looked up, confused.
“That going out with you would be incest – �
“No no no, the other thing!�
“The no-dating-pygmies rule? *cough* Like you.*cough*� He playfully smacked my arm seeing the shit-eating grin plastered on my face.
“I’m serious about this, Ria – hey, that sorta rhymes. You know, seRI-ous, Ria…�
I gave him a flat look. “Remind me again: what’s the point to this?�
He rolled his eyes, returning my statement with an exasperated face. “The point is, I have this tall buddy – well, at least I think he’s tall – who’s – wait, is he taller than you? I’d have to get you guys to stand back to back or something to check, but anyways, his name’s Mike, and he’s a super good friend, and well, you’re a super good friend, and he’s kinda single, and you’re kinda single, and –�
“No.�
“ – you’d be totally perfect for each other and - �
“NO, Jesse.�
“ – I think he might be looking for a few tattoos…�
“Jesse, I said – tattoos?� My ears perked up at the word. “He wants tattoos? What kind does he want? A tribal, classic, maybe a portrait…� I started to rattle off the different types when I caught his smug expression. “That was a mean trick, Jess.�
“Well it worked, didn’t it?� He gave me the ‘try-and-deny-that’ look.
Damn him.
“That’s not the point," I said, trying to rationalize. "I’m not going out with some roomy of yours that you assume to be remotely tall. Keep in mind the last guy you set me up with was your cousin, who, I might add, at only two inches taller than you, was the missing link?!�
“Oh come on, Steve wasn’t THAT bad.� I glared up at him. “Ok, ok, so he had a little back hair, what’s the big deal? It’s not like he had three balls or something, jeez.� My hand slipped with the tool, sending a large gash into the bottom of the pot.
“GODDAMNIT, JESSE!�
“My bad. I forgot you had virgin ears – hey! Watch it will you?!� He ducked sharply as the tool whizzed by his head. Recovering, Jesse narrowed his eyes at me.
“Hm? Lil’ ol’ me? Do that to you? Never!�
“Your horns are showing.� He was rewarded with a loud *THUNK* as a wet sponge hit his stomach.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish, missy!�
“You did not just call me ‘missy’!�
“As a matter of fact, I think I did,� he said, grinning evilly. Jesse was pushing every one of my buttons, and he knew it. I opened my mouth for a retort, but he wasn’t looking at me anymore. Rather, behind me.
“Ahh, speak of the devil. Ria, I’d like you to meet my friend, Mike.�
I slowed down the wheel and turned around.
My jaw promptly dropped.
I whipped back to Jesse, and gave him a heated stare, which he returned with a lop-sided grin. I turned around once more to Mike, and put on a plastic smile.
“Hi. You’ll have to excuse us for a minute.� I quickly stood up from the wheel and grabbed Jesse’s arm, dragging him out the back door and into my courtyard. As soon as I let go, he began to stroll around.
“I like what you’ve done here,� he commented lightly.
“Ok, don’t even TRY and change the subject.�
“What, do you not like my friend?�
“When you said ‘Mike’, you failed to mention his last name, dipshit!� I spat. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were talking about Mike Dirnt?!�
“Oh, I figured it was only a little detail, you know?� He rubbed his fingernails against his chest and pretended to examine them.
“LITTLE? How the fuck does failing to tell me you wanted to set me up with a Green Day member qualify as little?!� At that moment, I heard one of the wheels being turned on, and a loud *THWACK*, followed by some slapping noises. I hurried inside, to find Mike centering a piece of clay. I watched as he tamed it quite easily, using very good technique. He slowly removed his hands from the wheel, and looked up. He blushed a little, then gave me a large grin.
“Sorry. Couldn’t resist.� He turned back down and began to open the clay. Jesse had joined me sometime during our interaction, and I looked over at him.
“Not only does he have poor impulse control, HE USES MY CLAY?� I whispered sharply.
“Oh, come on. He’s not that bad. Watch,� he whispered back, nodding at Mike. I glanced over at Mike, who swiftly lost control of the clay, sending it splattering into the wall. I turned back to Jesse.
“You were saying?� I said quietly, giving him a flat look.
“Hehehe……I’m screwed, aren’t I?� He cringed.
“Yeah, you could say that. You owe me big time.� I turned to Mike, who was sitting there like a little kid who knew he was in trouble. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you. I assume you’re here to pick up Jesse, seeing as how he has no car.� I shot Jesse a look. “Unfortunately, I need to ask you both to leave. I’m closing up, and I’m going to need to…� I gestured to the clay splatter on the wall. “…ehh, tidy up the studio.�
“Yeah, sorry about that one,� said Mike looking a bit sheepish. “I haven’t thrown in a while, and-�
“It’s no trouble,� I waved him off.
“You sure? I mean, I could help you clean it up, or make it up to you-�
“Don’t worry about it, really-�
“-or take you out for food or something-�
“No.� I said it a little sharper than I intended to, and the room went quiet. Jesse looked back and forth between us and coughed uncomfortably.
“Well, if you don’t need any help,� said Jesse, breaking the silence, “I guess we’ll be off. Later, Ri.�
“Bye, Jess,� I sighed heavily. “You still coming by for the game?�
“Probably. I’ll call you, okay?�
“Yeah…sure,� I started, but they were already out the door. I slumped against the wall, running my hands through my hair. This was way too much, way too soon. I stared at the doorway to the studio, almost expecting Jesse to come in with a wisecrack comment. I glanced over at the piece of clay, still on the wall. “At least there wasn’t a fan there,� I mumbled to no one in particular. As if to voice its opinion on the matter, the clay fell off, hitting the floor with a *splat*. “Yea, I know how you feel,� I said, and began to close up the shop.
“Wait a second, what was that thing you just said?� I looked up, confused.
“That going out with you would be incest – �
“No no no, the other thing!�
“The no-dating-pygmies rule? *cough* Like you.*cough*� He playfully smacked my arm seeing the shit-eating grin plastered on my face.
“I’m serious about this, Ria – hey, that sorta rhymes. You know, seRI-ous, Ria…�
I gave him a flat look. “Remind me again: what’s the point to this?�
He rolled his eyes, returning my statement with an exasperated face. “The point is, I have this tall buddy – well, at least I think he’s tall – who’s – wait, is he taller than you? I’d have to get you guys to stand back to back or something to check, but anyways, his name’s Mike, and he’s a super good friend, and well, you’re a super good friend, and he’s kinda single, and you’re kinda single, and –�
“No.�
“ – you’d be totally perfect for each other and - �
“NO, Jesse.�
“ – I think he might be looking for a few tattoos…�
“Jesse, I said – tattoos?� My ears perked up at the word. “He wants tattoos? What kind does he want? A tribal, classic, maybe a portrait…� I started to rattle off the different types when I caught his smug expression. “That was a mean trick, Jess.�
“Well it worked, didn’t it?� He gave me the ‘try-and-deny-that’ look.
Damn him.
“That’s not the point," I said, trying to rationalize. "I’m not going out with some roomy of yours that you assume to be remotely tall. Keep in mind the last guy you set me up with was your cousin, who, I might add, at only two inches taller than you, was the missing link?!�
“Oh come on, Steve wasn’t THAT bad.� I glared up at him. “Ok, ok, so he had a little back hair, what’s the big deal? It’s not like he had three balls or something, jeez.� My hand slipped with the tool, sending a large gash into the bottom of the pot.
“GODDAMNIT, JESSE!�
“My bad. I forgot you had virgin ears – hey! Watch it will you?!� He ducked sharply as the tool whizzed by his head. Recovering, Jesse narrowed his eyes at me.
“Hm? Lil’ ol’ me? Do that to you? Never!�
“Your horns are showing.� He was rewarded with a loud *THUNK* as a wet sponge hit his stomach.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish, missy!�
“You did not just call me ‘missy’!�
“As a matter of fact, I think I did,� he said, grinning evilly. Jesse was pushing every one of my buttons, and he knew it. I opened my mouth for a retort, but he wasn’t looking at me anymore. Rather, behind me.
“Ahh, speak of the devil. Ria, I’d like you to meet my friend, Mike.�
I slowed down the wheel and turned around.
My jaw promptly dropped.
I whipped back to Jesse, and gave him a heated stare, which he returned with a lop-sided grin. I turned around once more to Mike, and put on a plastic smile.
“Hi. You’ll have to excuse us for a minute.� I quickly stood up from the wheel and grabbed Jesse’s arm, dragging him out the back door and into my courtyard. As soon as I let go, he began to stroll around.
“I like what you’ve done here,� he commented lightly.
“Ok, don’t even TRY and change the subject.�
“What, do you not like my friend?�
“When you said ‘Mike’, you failed to mention his last name, dipshit!� I spat. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were talking about Mike Dirnt?!�
“Oh, I figured it was only a little detail, you know?� He rubbed his fingernails against his chest and pretended to examine them.
“LITTLE? How the fuck does failing to tell me you wanted to set me up with a Green Day member qualify as little?!� At that moment, I heard one of the wheels being turned on, and a loud *THWACK*, followed by some slapping noises. I hurried inside, to find Mike centering a piece of clay. I watched as he tamed it quite easily, using very good technique. He slowly removed his hands from the wheel, and looked up. He blushed a little, then gave me a large grin.
“Sorry. Couldn’t resist.� He turned back down and began to open the clay. Jesse had joined me sometime during our interaction, and I looked over at him.
“Not only does he have poor impulse control, HE USES MY CLAY?� I whispered sharply.
“Oh, come on. He’s not that bad. Watch,� he whispered back, nodding at Mike. I glanced over at Mike, who swiftly lost control of the clay, sending it splattering into the wall. I turned back to Jesse.
“You were saying?� I said quietly, giving him a flat look.
“Hehehe……I’m screwed, aren’t I?� He cringed.
“Yeah, you could say that. You owe me big time.� I turned to Mike, who was sitting there like a little kid who knew he was in trouble. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you. I assume you’re here to pick up Jesse, seeing as how he has no car.� I shot Jesse a look. “Unfortunately, I need to ask you both to leave. I’m closing up, and I’m going to need to…� I gestured to the clay splatter on the wall. “…ehh, tidy up the studio.�
“Yeah, sorry about that one,� said Mike looking a bit sheepish. “I haven’t thrown in a while, and-�
“It’s no trouble,� I waved him off.
“You sure? I mean, I could help you clean it up, or make it up to you-�
“Don’t worry about it, really-�
“-or take you out for food or something-�
“No.� I said it a little sharper than I intended to, and the room went quiet. Jesse looked back and forth between us and coughed uncomfortably.
“Well, if you don’t need any help,� said Jesse, breaking the silence, “I guess we’ll be off. Later, Ri.�
“Bye, Jess,� I sighed heavily. “You still coming by for the game?�
“Probably. I’ll call you, okay?�
“Yeah…sure,� I started, but they were already out the door. I slumped against the wall, running my hands through my hair. This was way too much, way too soon. I stared at the doorway to the studio, almost expecting Jesse to come in with a wisecrack comment. I glanced over at the piece of clay, still on the wall. “At least there wasn’t a fan there,� I mumbled to no one in particular. As if to voice its opinion on the matter, the clay fell off, hitting the floor with a *splat*. “Yea, I know how you feel,� I said, and began to close up the shop.
