Inverted

Alex's presentation isn't half bad. I actually enjoy it. He speaks about starting his own agency right of college with the backing of a silent partner and how he used his time in college to learn about the field, in addition to making some important contacts that would allow his business to be successful. So far his agency has won several ADDYs from the local Advertising Federation, and they've been nominated for a Clio award. They've had a lot of success in the past couple of years and right now they're expanding. He attributes his success to being young, and therefore, more willing to take more risks than most other advertisers in the field.

He talks right up until the end of the class period and almost everyone leaves, but he stays to answer a few questions and talk with the people that stayed behind which includes myself and two girls that are falling over themselves trying to impress him. If only they knew...

Alex is off of the stage and leaning against the front row of seats while the girls stand in front of him. I really don't have all day to hang around here so I walk up to them.

"Hey, he doesn't swing that way, so you can run along now." I can see Alex roll his eyes. The girls look from me to him and back again before turning an interesting shade of red and scampering out of the auditorium.

"That wasn't very nice, Brian."

"Neither is leading them on. And it's not like they had anything to say that was worth listening to."

"I guess you have a point there. So what can I do for you?"

"Well, I've been interested in business, particularly advertising, for awhile now. I've taken all the business classes this school has to offer, but the school has a co-op program where you can work in the field of your choosing in exchange for school credit. I was wondering if your agency accepted interns."

"Well, I don't see why not. We don't have an internship program in place, but we have been discussing it for awhile. We were planning on reserving it for college students though."

"With the classes I've taken and the research I've done outside of school, I'm just as qualified as any college freshman or sophomore. And you won't find anyone that's more willing to learn about the field."

"Why don't you come by the office Thursday after school. I can show you around and we can talk about what will be expected of you and all that boring introductory shit. I better get going, I have a meeting in half an hour."

"Alright, I'll see you Thursday." He's already heading out of the door. I go over to my seat to get all of my stuff together. As I'm walking to my locker I can't help but shake my head at my own stupidity. I just signed myself up to work for Justin's best friend. There will be no escaping him now, not that I really want to.

"Brian, Brian!" Mikey's running toward me with Ben doing a leisurely stroll behind him. "Where have you been?"

"I was at a presentation and I stayed after to talk with the speaker. I think I just landed myself a job." The confusion on Mikey's face is almost cute.

"What? You already have a job."

"I mean a real job. I'll be working at an ad agency." He still seems a little confused but congratulates me, nonetheless.

"That's great, Brian! You wouldn't believe what happened today."

"What happened today?"

"Well, I emailed JT last night about the comic book ideas we were talking about yesterday and he actually emailed me back today. He said he liked some of my ideas and he wanted to talk to me some more about them. We're having dinner at the diner today."

Okay, there is no reason for me to be jealous of my friend. They're just meeting to talk about geek shit. Mikey has a boyfriend. And, no offense to my friend, but there's no way Justin could be interested in Mikey. But dinner. That almost, kind of sounds like a date. I know its not. It's more of a meeting than a--

"Brian! Did you hear me?"

"Oh yeah, that's great Mikey. I'm happy for you."

We begin walking out of the school. Mikey continues to babble about whatever comic book thing he's doing while Ben and I pretend to listen. When we get outside, Ben and Mikey head off to Deb's and I go to the library. I figure I can do a little research before meeting up with Alex in two days, and it has the added benefit of keeping me from home for a few more hours.

XXXXXXXXXX

It's Thursday, and if I have to hear Mikey go off on his "JT is the greatest person ever" tangent again, I think I'll kill someone. Every time I see him, all I hear is "oh, me and JT had dinner again, we stayed up all night talking about our project, he's so nice and creative, he says he likes hearing my ideas." It just goes on and on. From the sound of him, you'd think JT is his new best friend. They've had dinner the past two days and they're having dinner again tonight. They've been having some "intense IM sessions." And last night, Mikey went back to Justin's place to work on "the project." Mikey didn't get home until 10pm. Apparently Justin is going to help Mikey bring his comic book idea to life. Whatever. It's not like I care or anything. I'm definitely not jealous. He can spend all the time he wants with JT. I don't care, I don't.

I see him walking toward me and I run away, catching up with Cyn, which isn't a huge improvement, but it's something.

"You should just call him, Bri." Yeah, definitely not an improvement.

"I already told you, I'm not chasing after him like some love-sick faggot."

"You are a love-sick faggot."

"I am not. We fucked. That was it, nothing more."

"You didn't fuck! You made love." I'm gagging. She's such a girl.

"I swear to god, if you ever tell me I made love again, I'll be forced to hurt you. There are so many alternatives to that euphemism. I know your pretty blond head can think of a few."

"Fine," now she's huffy, "you had a passionate sexual encounter that involved some kind of emotional connection. Better?"

"Much. However, what our sexual encounter involved is irrelevant. Neither of us wants to pursue a relationship. Justin doesn't do relationships and neither do I. I'm too young to be tied down. I should be off fucking and sucking a different person every night."

"Then why aren't you?" Good question.

"I simply don't have the time. I have to spend time doing school work and listening to my friends bitch and moan," I look pointedly at her, "and now I have this new internship." She rolls her eyes in response to the bullshit I'm spewing and she's about to say something but I cut her off. "My bus is coming in the next 5 minutes. I've gotta go, Cyn. As always, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. We'll have to do it again sometime."

I run down the school steps and around the corner to the bus stop, just in time to catch the bus.

XXXXXXXXXX

The offices are really nice. They're in what looks to be an old warehouse. The interior is done in modern design, with a few advertisements on the walls as artwork. It isn't large, there are probably 20 to 30 employees. Alex gives me a brief tour of the building before we go back to his office to talk about duties and responsibilities and all that "boring shit," as he likes to put it.

I'll be working roughly twenty hours a week and I'll be making a bit more than I make at the grocery store I also work at. Since the office officially closes at 5pm, to get in enough hours, Alex wants me to give up my lunches, which I really don't have a problem with. The building is close to the diner so it won't take me long to get to there from school, and he says that most likely the time will be used for a "working lunch" or meetings with clients. When I come in after school, I'll most likely be doing more of the basic office duties, paperwork, setting up rooms for meetings, that kind of thing.

After we finish filling in all the paper work for school and the agency payroll, Alex invites me for an early dinner at the diner. I haven't had lunch at the diner in the past couple of days in an attempt to avoid Justin. I just didn't want to go through the whole awkward encounter again, but I don't think he'll be there around this time. I know he and Mikey aren't having dinner at the diner again. Apparently Justin loves to cook so they're having dinner at his place. It's not a date or anything. It's not. It's just a--

"Brian! Dinner, diner?"

"Yeah, sure. That's fine."

XXXXXXXXXXX

We sit down and our orders are taken. Debbie isn't working tonight, in fact, I don't see anyone that I know, which is kind of a relief. I'll be able to make it through the night without hearing about Justin.

"So, Justin told me that you two spent the night together." I guess I was mistaken. I lift an eyebrow. "He said that you seemed interested--"

"Look, Justin is an attractive guy. I was interested. We had sex and that's it. I'm not looking for a relationship. You can tell him he doesn't have to worry about me following him around."

"So it was just sex."

"Alex, I'm only 17. That's all it could be." He sucks his lower lip into his mouth and nods as if he's thinking of something to say. "Actually, I'd prefer if we didn't discuss this any further." He nods slowly.

"Okay, consider the subject dropped."