Temperature Rising (A Novella) - 1. Chapter 1

Marcus realized he had been staring at his tall glass of ice tea for over an hour now. He looked at his watch and darted his eyes across the room. Nope, he could not see her. Perhaps she was not even coming at all. He hated being stood up, especially when he is at a place like this-alone.

He started spinning the glass on the table, which made the tea spill over.

"Oh shit," he whimpered and began licking off the tea from his fingers while trying to clean the table with a couple of napkins.

He looked up and saw a man smiling at him. Marcus smiled sourly and began rolling his eyes. He was not particularly into leading people on in public. But, he ended up being guilty in the end that he almost stood up and apologized to the poor fellow, who was probably just trying to be nice.

Suddenly Chloe slumped herself at the other side of the table where he was sitting, making him spring back, apparently startled at her unexpected entrance.

"I know-I know, sorry I'm late. And no, I don't have a lame excuse this time," Chloe said, panting. She raised her hand to holler over the server and ordered.

"Are you all right?" Chloe said, "You look all flustered," she added.

"I'm fine," Marcus, answered flatly.

"I know that look," she said, "I said I was sorry, jeez. Can't you give a girl a break?" she continued.

"I'm fine-anyway, it's not about that," Marcus said.

"Then what is it then," Chloe said, fishing out her lip gloss from her purse and began coating her pucker.

"Could you at least look at me while I'm talking to you?" Marcus said sternly.

"You were TALKING? I thought you were being a jerk," Chloe said, giving her lips a second coating, using the tin saltshaker as a mirror.

"You're an hour late. You know I hate that. I thought you stood me up, bitch." Marcus blurted, sounding serious.

"Hey, watch your mouth fag-ass! Do yourself a favour and get laid," Chloe said, pouting her lips even more. "Oh I forgot, you're gay," she added.

"And what's that supposed to mean? Why am I even...you know what? Don't even bother answering that. Anyway, I am going to do it. Will you please put that shit away and listen to me?" Marcus said, annoyed.

"Are we PMS-ing today Marcus? But do what-exactly babe?" Chloe said, putting her gloss back in her purse but still looking at herself through the saltshaker.

"Do the film," Marcus said, taking a sip at his ice tea.

"Wait a minute-the film? You mean the porn film?" Chloe said, almost in a shriek.

"Keep it down Chloe, damn it," Marcus said, toning down his voice.

"Hey, everyone listen up," Chloe said, raising her voice as if making an announcement.

Nobody gave a fuck. They just went on doing whatever business they were doing. Hell, anyone could shout FIRE and still nobody would give a fuck.

"My friend here is trying to get into the porn biz," Chloe continued, pausing, expecting a reaction from the public. "Do any of you have any objections?" Chloe said, laughing.

"Chloe-shit-quit it, will you?" Marcus said, reaching over the table and grabbing Chloe's arm, trying to get her back on her seat.

"You should've seen your face," Chloe said, still laughing. She only stopped when she saw Marcus' face turn red. "C'mon, Marcus-nobody cares," she said, sweetly.

"That was what I was afraid of," Marcus said, his face turning pink now.

"Listen, honey, I've been you're best friend since high school. That's quite a long time for me to know what's good and what's not for you," Chloe took Marcus' hand and gave it a warm squeeze.

"This isn't about me anymore, Chloe, this is about work. I'm way past my rent due and I can't keep sucking on the landlady's teats because I'm starting to get sour taste in my mouth," Marcus said, coming short of breath.

"Marcus, I can always give you the money, you know that," Chloe said.

"You've always given me the money, Chloe, and that's the problem. What happens tomorrow or the day after that?" Marcus said.

"I'm still going to give you the money tomorrow or the day after that," Chloe said, smiling.

"C'mon, I'm serious. You know what I mean," Marcus said.

"Why do this? I mean, there are a million jobs out there," Chloe said, leaning back as the server laid down her food on the table.

"You're right, there are. I could wait tables, work in a grocery store-I mean, these are noble jobs Chloe. But I can't waste 4 years of theatre in college," Marcus said, wondering about the stiffness of the point he was trying to reach across.

"Who said you were wasting," Chloe said, "Is this about that audition yesterday?" she asked.

"Maybe," Marcus said.

"I told you not to get into that. That was a lame production. You can't waste you talent on that," she said.

"Chloe- that was my chance of getting what I wanted and not to mention the money I was going to pay for my apartment," Marcus said, crossing his arms on the table.

"I know what this is all about. Marcus, how many times do I have to tell you-you are a great actor. Everybody knows that," Chloe said.

"Half of Los Angeles doesn't know that and that's enough to tell me that half of LA's finest doesn't even know I'm alive," Marcus said.

"Marcus..." Chloe began.

"No, that's okay Chloe. I am fine. I can manage. You go ahead and eat, you must be starving," Marcus said, trying to crack a smile.

Chloe stared at him, she sighed heavily.

"Really Chloe, I'm okay. Let's just talk about something else," Marcus concluded the subject temporarily.

Therefore, they did-talked about other things.

Marcus had his hands inside his pocket when they left-almost left. He stood at the entrance of the café waiting for Chloe, who had to visit the ladies' room.

When she finally came out, Chloe started talking about the job.

"It isn't even porn, Chloe," Marcus said. They were walking now down the sidewalk.

"Yeah right, talk about dry humps and really horny men," Chloe said.

"Well, that's art. What do you know of art, anyway?" Marcus said.

"Excuse me but I happen to take a couple of art classes way back in high school. I know exactly where to draw the line between a piece of art and something that's crass," Chloe said, taking things lightly.

"Do you find gay men crass, Chloe?" Marcus began.

"I'm with you, aren't I?" she said. "And besides, I feel much more comfortable with gay than with straight men," she added.

"I wonder why exactly. I guess some women are born fag hags at birth," Marcus laughed.

"I resent that. FYI-I'm not a hag," she said, laughing as well.

"Then why exactly," Marcus said.

"Well for one, gay men think like girls do," she said, expecting Marcus to laugh once again.

Instead, Marcus began striding a bit wider and faster that she literally had to run a few steps just to catch up with him.

"What?" she said. "What's wrong about being like a girl?" she asked.

"You do not tell a gay man that he behaves like a girl unless he wants you too," Marcus said, walking briskly.

"I didn't say BEHAVE, I said THINK," Chloe said.

"And you also said BEING like a girl, which is twisting it a bit actually but what's the difference," Marcus said, sounding serious this time.

"All right, I give up. I'm sorry, jeez. I didn't know you were so touchy," Chloe said.

"You know how many times you've actually said I'm sorry this afternoon?" Marcus said, being his cheery self once again.

"I'm sorry-I mean..." Chloe smiled, realizing what she had just said.

"That's all right, it's not your fault anyway," Marcus said, slowing his steps now.

They crossed a street first, and then talked about the weather-literally-before Chloe went back to the subject, which was the film.

"So tell me what the plan is?" she asked.

"They'd want to meet me tomorrow at 3," Marcus said.

"Do you have an address?" she asked.

Marcus took out a business card from his wallet and handed it to her.

"It's like an audition so I'm a bit uptight about it. But, I have been to dozens of auditions and it is not as if this is my first time. People get nervous when it comes to..." Marcus stopped talking and looked at Chloe.

"Chloe-what are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm writing the address down," she answered.

"What for, I don't want you there. You'd pressure me," Marcus said, taking the card from her.

"Would you stop?" she said, yanking the card back so she could finish putting it down on her palm. "I'm not going to be there Marcus. This is just in case you do not come back. Then I'll know where to send the police," she added.