Page 22 of Michael's Awakening
Chapter Nine
Gabriel
“Gabriel, will you go see if we have any more3D Fiberlash Mascarain the back?” Kaylee, my manager, asked me as I was organizing the new display of lipsticks.
“Sure thing, baby cakes.” I winked and walked from behind the counter I was stationed at to go check the stock room.
She laughed as I wiggled my ass at her and sauntered off.
Finding a new shipment of the popular mascara, I grabbed the box and brought it out and began restocking the shelf up front. I felt eyes on me as I stocked the shelf, but I didn’t react. A lot of people gawked at me, I was used to it.
“Are you a guy or a girl?” A male voice abruptly asked, causing me to turn my head and look at him. He looked like the typical asshole-macho man type and was with a very pretty woman who I assumed was his girlfriend. They both sneered at me.
“Are you blind or just stupid?” I snapped back. It may have been a rude retort, but the way they were both staring at me– like I was a monkey in a circus– pissed me off.
Macho Man took a step forward as if he was going to attack me, but the woman beside him put her hand on his chest to stop him. “Come on, Scott. Let’s just go.”
“You better watch yourself, fag!” Scott spat at me before he turned around and barged off in the other direction. The woman trailed behind him.
My scalp prickled as I bit down my anger.
I despised intolerant assholes like that guy. Unfortunately, a lot of people around there were like that. There was actually a bill trying to be passed in the state that would basically allow legal discrimination of the LGBT community based on people’s religious beliefs. It was some bullshit religious freedom law that would allow business owners to refuse service to anyone they saw that ‘violated their religious beliefs.’
The whole situation was sickening. Why couldn’t people just mind their own damn business? If they didn’t want to live a gay lifestyle, they didn’t have to. No one was forcing them to do anything. Having gay people around them didn’t hurt them in any way. So, why force their beliefs on everyone else who didn’t believe the same as them?
The thing that really pissed me off was how the intolerant idiots of the world used their religion as an excuse to spread their hate of things they didn’t like or understand. Not all Christians behaved in that way, some of them chose to follow the more important gospels of their religion to live by– like love and non-judgment. But, those non-hypocritical Christians were difficult to come by.
If there was a God, I honestly didn’t think he’d want hate being spread in his name. Also, I didn’t see how he would’ve created people like me if he didn’t love us all equally.
“Gabe… honey, you okay?” Kaylee came up and stood in front of me.
She was in her late twenties and very beautiful. Her chin-length, dark brown hair was highlighted with blonde streaks and fell in soft curls around her face.
“I’m fabulous.” I placed a hand on my cocked hip and smiled at her.
She wasn’t fooled, though. “Alright, who did it? I’ll kick their ass out of my store right now. Point them out.” Kaylee turned her head as her hazel eyes scanned the customers for anyone who had an ‘I’m a Homophobe’ sign attached to their forehead.
“Oh, stop it.” I laughed. “I’m great. Really. It was just some asshole, but he’s gone now.”
She arched a thin eyebrow at me. “Okay…” She didn’t sound like she believed me. “Just know I’m here for you and won’t tolerate that shit in my store. You’re a great worker and you interact with everyone wonderfully, so who gives a flying fuck if you wear makeup and know how to dress yourself. This job requires knowledge like that. So what if you’re a guy? People can just go fuck themselves if they have an issue with you.” Did I mention that she had the mouth of a sailor? “Now, with all that being said, would you mind working the makeup station today until your hair appointments come in?” I opened my mouth to respond, but she continued, “Of course you don’t mind. It’s your favorite area to work. Now, go. Get your fabulous ass behind that counter and give all of us women a run for our money.”
Damn, I loved her.
“Right away, Captain.” I gave her a prissy salute and then walked over to the makeup station.
With it being a Monday, the foot traffic was a little slow which gave me too much time to think.
When I woke up Sunday morning, Michael had been gone. Even though I knew it had been a typical one-night stand, a part of me– a really big part– craved for it to have been more than that. The way Michael looked at me made me feel like he saw all the way through me, as if he could see into my soul.
I’ve experienced a lot of great sex in my life, but no one had ever affected me like Michael. I woke up alone that next morning, just like I always did. But it was the first time I had ever felt lonely when I did it. I remembered I had fallen asleep right after Michael and I finished having sex, so I knew for a fact I hadn’t cleaned myself up.
So, that meant he had stayed long enough afterward to clean me, take off my shoes, remove my collar and bracelets, and tuck me into bed.
Why? If he viewed me as just another screw, why had he taken the time to make sure I was taken care of before he left?
I wracked my brain trying to figure everything out. The sad fact of the entire situation was that I missed him. Even though he was confusing and mercurial, he was also funny and caring. I remembered how pissed he had gotten at me when he realized I hadn’t worn a jacket that chilly night. And then how he had wrapped his strong arms around me and tried to keep me warm until we reached his car.
Oh. My. God. I was already falling for him and I barely even knew him!
