Hey, readers (new and old). Episode six is here. First, I want to thank Darian for writing about the blog and sending us some traffic. It took me by surprise when our traffic more than doubled. I said, "What is going on?" Then I saw the referrals on my stat counter. So BIG thanks to Darian. The episodes are getting down to the nitty-gritty, so I am unable to indulge myself as much in the writing. This weekend, I will be working hard on the penultimate episode. Only two more episodes to go, so send your feedback my way. Thanks for reading. See you next Thursday.
Rumble in LA
“Shit!” Noah shouts into his hands. Jumping up from the sofa, he runs into Ricky’s bathroom and slams the door.
“Uh…what do you want?” Ricky says through the door.
“Is Noah here?”
“It’s 2:30 in the morning, Wade. Who let you in?”
Wade knocks again. “Are you gonna open the door?”
Ricky quickly zips up his jeans before opening the door. “Happy?”
Wade looks terrible with his red, swollen eyes. “I’m looking for Noah. Alex said he might be here,” he says, his voice hoarse and strained. Though his tone is calm, the look on his face says he better not be here. He glances over Ricky’s shoulder into the apartment and sees the tossed towel, Ricky’s shirt hanging off the arm of the sofa, and the dimmed lights. “Oh,” he says, taking a step back. “I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you were doing.”
“Thank you.” Ricky goes to close the door, but Wade stops him. “What?”
“Is that Noah’s bag?” Wade says, pushing his way into Ricky’s apartment. Ricky tries to stop him, but Wade pushes him against the door. He grabs the bag off Ricky’s coffee table and looks in it. He pulls out Noah’s laptop. “He’s here? NOAH!” He marches into Ricky’s kitchen; then into Ricky’s bedroom, jerking open closets and looking under the bed. Ricky meets him in the hallway and throws himself in front of the bathroom door.
“You need to go,” says Ricky.
“Get out of my way, Ricky.”
“Get out of my apartment, Wade.”
“NOAH!”
“I SAID LEAVE!” Ricky shouts in Wade’s face.
“Get out of my face, Ricky.” Wade reaches around Ricky and turns the bathroom’s doorknob. It’s locked. “NOAH!”
Ricky pushes Wade into the wall. “You’ve got one minute to get out of my apartment before your ass ends up in jail for trespassing.”
“Keep your fucking hands off me,” Wade says, grabbing Ricky by the shoulders and slamming him hard into the bathroom door.
“STOP!” Noah screams, yanking open the bathroom door, causing Ricky to fall in. He bends down to help him. The towel he's put on inside the bathroom unravels and falls to the floor.
“Why the fuck are you naked?” Wade throws off his jacket. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS SHIT!" He pulls Ricky up and tries to punch him in his jaw, but Ricky blocks him and lands a fist into his gut.
Noah throws himself in between them. “I SAID STOP!”
Wade recovers from the gut punch and stands up. “With Ricky, Noah? How could you do this to me?”
“You did this to yourself,” says Ricky, trying to get around Noah.
“How could I do this to you?” Noah asks. “What about what you’ve done to me?”
“I’m not sleeping with Dre. We were just talking.”
“Bullshit,” says Ricky.
“I swear, Noah.”
“GET OUT!” Ricky shouts.
“Leave, Wade. I can’t be around you right now.”
Wade looks in Noah’s eyes, his eyes welling up, his jaw clenched, his body trembling with anger. He raises his hand to hit Noah, but can’t bring himself to do it. He turns and leaves. On his way out, he knocks one of Ricky’s lamps to the floor, breaking it.
“And you’re gonna pay for that,” Ricky yells after him.
Chance, Je t'aime
Chance emerges from the bathroom, moisturizing his hands and elbows. “Eddie, I’m done,” he says, sitting on the bed. He grabs a bottle of wine and pours himself a glass.
Eddie comes from the closet. “Having another glass of wine, honey?” he says, sitting next to Chance.
“You know I like a glass before bed.” He raises the glass to his mouth, but Eddie stops him.
Eddie sets the glass on the nightstand, and grabs his husband’s hands. “I love you, okay?”
“I know, Eddie.”
Eddie clears his throat. “I think you drink too much.” Chance stiffens up. He looks at Eddie, speechless. “I’ve been noticing it lately.”
Chance smiles and shakes his head. “Eddie, me having a glass of wine before bed is not drinking too much. I mean, sure, I like my wine, but—“
“Chance, I’m not asking you to defend yourself. Just tell me if something is wrong.”
Chance eyes the glass of wine. “No, Eddie. Nothing’s wrong.”
“Are you sure?” Eddie asks, turning Chance’s face towards him. “We can talk about it.”
Chance closes his eyes. “I.”
“Talk to me, Chance.”
“I want to go to Paris,” Chance blurts out.
Taken aback for a moment, Eddie says, “We can’t afford a vacation right now, Chance.”
“I-I’ve saved up enough money for me to go. I was going to tell you.”
It takes a few seconds before it dawns on Eddie. “Oh, I see.”
“Eddie, it’s just that I need a break.”
“A break from your husband and daughter? A break from your life?”
“Don’t say it like that.” Chance squeezes Eddie’s hand. “Something is changing in me, and I need to figure it out.”
“Chance, just tell me what you need. You don’t have to fly across the world.”
“It’s not forever, Eddie; a couple of weeks at most. I think—I think I have to do this. I need you tell me you understand.”
Do Overs are Out of Stock
“Look at all this room,” says Ricky, showing Noah the space he cleared in his bedroom closet. “You can stay here as long as you need.”
“Ricky, I-”
“You don’t have to say it. Last night is just that—last night.”
“Thank you,” says Noah, sitting on Ricky’s bed.
Ricky joins him. “I wouldn’t have gone through with it anyway.”
Noah smiles and nudges Ricky’s arm. “Yeah, right.”
“I was totally unaffected by it all.”
Noah tosses a pillow at Ricky. “Please. You were harder than a Rubik’s Cube.”
“Let’s not talk about it, okay?”
Noah's smile fades. “Yeah, let’s not.”
“Besides, it would have been the biggest mistake of our lives.”
“Would it?”
Ricky looks Noah in the eyes. “Wouldn’t it?”
Noah folds his legs underneath him. “My life!” he says, running his fingers through his hair. “I’ve never felt so out of control. I’ve never been so uncertain; so unsure.”
Ricky climbs behind Noah and begins massaging his shoulders. “Welcome to life,” he says.
“Do over?”
“Sorry. Out of stock.”
And?
Chance dashes down the stairs to open his front door. “I’m leaving Wade,” says Noah, walking past Chance. Ricky is behind him. “I’ve made up my mind.”
“Uh…” says Chance, rolling his eyes. He closes the door. “Noah? Ricky?”
Ricky flops down on Chance’s sofa and throws his feet on his coffee table. “What?”
“You two just barge in here talking about something I have no clue about. What exactly is going on?” Chance knocks Ricky’s feet to the floor. He snatches a squashed pillow from behind Ricky and fluffs it.
“Wow,” says Ricky, “Chance not knowing something?”
Noah, still standing, says, “I caught Wade cheating.”
Chance gasps. “What? When?”
“I caught him talking to Dre on his laptop the other night.”
“And?”
“And? He was talking to his ex-boyfriend,” says Ricky, grabbing a shiny red apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the coffee table.
“This,” says Chance, snatching the fruit from Ricky’s hands and putting it back in the bowl, “is not for consumption.” He takes a seat in his recliner. “And talking to your ex is not cheating, Noah.”
Noah sits down next to Ricky. “That’s who he was masturbating to on the laptop. There I was, feeling guilty about working all the time, and he was digitally cheating on me. Who knows what else has happened or what other sordid plans they had.”
“He’s been staying with me,” says Ricky.”
“That…is not wise,” says Chance, eyeing Ricky.
“It’s not like that, Chance. Ricky and I are over all that.”
“Yeah,” says Ricky, extending his arm behind Noah. “We’re over all that.” A smug smile spreads across his face.
Chance looks at them both, his eyes bouncing back and forth between them. “Oh. My. GOD!”
Careless Whispers
Noah chose Monday afternoon to return to Silver Lake to get some of his things. He knew Wade would be tutoring kids at the the community center. He had to beg Ricky not to accompany him; he assured him he was going to just grab a few things and be out before Wade even returned home. He wasn’t expecting Wade to be waiting for him on their stair case.
“What are you doing here?”
Wade stands up. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“I came here to get some of my things.”
“And then what?”
Noah tries to go around Wade, but Wade blocks him. “Let me by, Wade.”
“You fucked Ricky,” says Wade, his tone aggressive.
“What?” Noah says, trying to pass Wade again.
“I have given you everything. Everything, Noah.”
“Wade, I don’t want to have this conversation right now. I-“
“You always hurt me. Why?”
Noah turns to leave, but Wade yanks him around to face him. “What are you doing?” Noah says, trying to pull his arm free from Wade’s grip. “Let me go!”
“YOU FUCKED RICKY!”
Noah’s eyes open widely. “Wade, let me go.”
“TELL ME WHY!”
“I didn’t fuck Ricky.” Noah pulls his arm free. “Don’t ever manhandle me like that again.” He pushes Wade into the banister. “I just came here to get some of my things. I don’t wanna talk TO YOU!” he says, running up the stairs.
Wade follows behind him. “Is that the truth?”
Noah grabs clothes, cologne, shoes, and scarves and stuffs them into a luggage bag. “I told you I am not having a conversation with you right now.” He grabs manuscripts off his desk and puts them into his messenger bag. He goes into the closet and snaps clothes from hangers and tosses them onto the bed.
Wade leans against the bedroom wall, his arms folded across his chest, calmly watching. “You have nerve.”
Noah stops ransacking a dresser drawer. “I have nerve?”
Wade chuckles. “The things you’ve done to me. I make one mistake and just look at you.”
“You know what, Wade?”
“What? Tell me, Noah.”
“You’re pathetic. It’s so you to turn this around and make me the bad guy. Just admit it: you’re still in love with Dre.”
Wade rises up from the wall and stands behind Noah. “You think you know everything. You don’t know shit.”
Noah goes back to combing the dresser drawer. “I know I need to get away from you.”
“If you slept with Ricky, I’ll—“
“You’ll do what? You think violence solves everything, don’t you?”
“This is what Ricky’s been waiting on. He’s got you right where he wants you. He’s waited years for this.”
“RICKY IS MY FRIEND! He was my friend before you and he’ll be my friend af…”
“Say it, Noah. After me, right? RIGHT?”
Wade goes over to the drawer and grabs a handful of Noah’s things. “Here,” he says, tossing them on the bed, “let me help you leave me.” Item after item he throws onto the bed. He pulls open the bottom drawer and starts pulling from it. “And here,” he cries, dashing over to the armoire, “don’t forget to drop these in the garbage on your way out.” He grabs their wedding album and DVD and throws then on the floor. The album flies open. He falls to the floor and takes the album in his hands. His tears fall on the two smiling faces looking back at him.
“Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is the whole you’ll find
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me
Please stay”
Noah can’t watch Wade breaking down, so he leaves, not taking anything with him; not even the bag he came with. He drives and drives until he is outside a hotel. He checks in, turns off his cell phone, and makes a beeline for the minibar.
***
It’s midnight, and Ricky is driving the streets of LA, looking for Noah. He had called Alex, Chance, even Mrs. Nicholson. He even found himself outside the Silver Lake house. No one had heard from him. “I’ll drive all night,” he had told Alex. I’ll drive all night.
***
“Now that you're gone
Was what I did so wrong?
So wrong that you had to leave me alone?”
In the dark bedroom, Wade lies on top of Noah’s clothes, sobbing. He’s been this way since Noah left him on his knees in their bedroom crying over their wedding album. I asked you to marry me, because marriage is a deed. I asked you to marry me here, in my family’s home, to prove to you I have no shame to place our names together in front of the whole world--so that the world can bend for us and for our love.
“I won’t let him,” he says, sitting up and wiping his eyes. “I’ll fight. I’ll do whatever. But Noah is Wade’s.” He turns on the light and starts picking up Noah’s clothes. He laughs through his tears at the Batty Boy wife beater. He goes over to the bed and grabs Noah's things and starts putting them back where they belong.
Lyrics used in this work belong to George Michael. A small portion of the writing is taken from Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom.
21 comments:
I;m a new reader and i've been waiting all day for this.
NoDe could use some marriage consueling. I hope Wade gets Noah back.
This is so sad. I am hoping that Noah and Wade can find a way to stay together. I am really not liking Ricky right now. I know he thinks he is being a friend but he cleary has other things on his agenda. I am glad that Noah decided to go to a hotel instead of running back to Ricky. I think Wade is right he gives and Noah takes, it's time for Noah to start giving back.
I also feel bad for Chance. What does he need that he is not finding in his marriage with Eddie? Could it be that the night he spent with Brandon has him messed up?
Nice touch, incorporating part of the wedding vouws from the movie.
Keep it comming.
I really enjoy these episodes. kudos.
Any meaning to that "red" apple that Ricky wanted to take a bite out of.... ;)!?
This is the first glimpse of the smug, confident, scarastic...Ricky...from season 1&2I'm really having a flashback...could being madly in love with Noah...change his TRUE personality..could Noah & Ricky ever REALLY be right for one another...??
Loved the And? chapter...that's what a true friend would say...you're married...so more interventions should happen...after the anger subsides...I agree with the previous comment...counseling...but done by ALEX:)
NAFF...please keep 'em coming!!!!
Like the other commenter...I am glad that Noah went to a hotel...but straight to the minibar-alcohol is NOT going to help his "out of control" life!
thought 1...the last time he was "flustered" with his life...he cheated on Wade with Malik!...
thought 2...some days have gone by since Wade was caught on the lap top with Dre...who wanted to buy a TICKET to LA...ANYWAY...I wonder if Dre is in town...to "pick up the pieces" again for Wade...& if so what factor could that play?
thought 3...& I'm glad someone mentioned Brandon...he was the "whistle blower" of Ricky's LOVE for Noah...such young wisdom...maybe he'll come back to the scene...to share his special knowledge...
This is GREAT stuff...I'll be back for the penultimate!!!
That red apple is straight symbolism. Ricky wants a bite but something keeps intervening and he just can't get a taste. We all knows what happens when the apple is bitten.
I think Noah would ultimately regret it...if Ricky FINALLY gets a "bite"...Noah does LOVE Ricky...and I believe he IS attracted...but it's lust...not the IN-love that Ricky has for him...when Noah & Wade were working on their marriage...he didn't think about crossing the line with Ricky...not until...his doubts about Wade seemed to be realized...did he begin looking Rickys way...
& speaking of IN-love...I really cried when I read this week's episode...Careless Whisper...my FAVORITE moment of Noah's ARC was the last frame of the movie...the love story fulfilled...they MADE it...so to have Wade break down over their wedding album...& MY favorite picture...WOE!
How do you think Noah & Wade could find there way back to each other?
I always knew Careless Whishper was a deeply beautiful song...but my goodness..NAFF u took it 2 a new level! George Michael really need 2 read ur blog...hhhmm I am sure he could relate in SOME way? :) ps please let Noah & Wade reunite!
Naff
Two Thumbs up for what you are doing, all the episdoes are great, keep them coming.
I love the music, and I'm really glad that Noah went to a hotel instead of back at ricky's place. Noah's should have sat down and talk to his husband, but that dorn carma.. when the shoes was on the other foot Wade didn't exactly talk to Noah's, he just said I love you and walk away.
Well they are married and Noah is crazy if he leaves Wade, haven't he notice by now, every time he says jump Wade jumps. Do you wanna kiss a guy, are you gonna hurt me, when can I meet your friends, he sold his car and guess who got it back, accept me for me, let collaborate on this script and guess who script it was in the first place, etc.......
Yeah Wade you really need to read your wedding vows over and remember till death do us part, fore saking all others, other wise Noah and his friend will always have a reason to constantly doubt you.
Your marriage need to be fought for.
Chance is probably having a hard time getting over Brandon, thats why he want to go to paris but who go to paris for a couple of weeks alone. We can see right threw that chance.
Can Ricky really commit, does he really want Noah or does he want Wade.
p.s. I just wanna send out some love to you... LOL
HEY NAFF
This episodes is good, I love it
Noah you got the man, so fight for your marriage. Never let anyone come and take away what you work hard for. If he can't handle this situations how will he be able to handle other situations that might be worst.
Wade is truly wrong for what he did, haven't he learn his lesson yet, the last time he cheated, he almost lost his life and now he's about to lose his marriage. Dre moved away for a reason, so let it go, leave in cleave. Wade, If you didn't want anyone to ruining your wedding day then why are you willing to let someone ruining your marriage.
Noah goes to a hotel, great idea. Trial and Tribulations. It's like Alex always say, you have to say in tune with you man because they hoe be line up around the block waiting for you to slip up.
Chance and Eddie made a vow to always rebuild the temple, but we all know what channel Chance's dial is stuck on.
Poor Ricky's, I'll be praying for him. If he sleeps with Noah, it would be a total mistake. Having great friend is priceless and he's willing to throw that away over some butty. Then he's really be alone.
Naff I like the showdown you're setting up with Ricky and Wade.
I agree w the showdown...but I still believe there is still sexual tension between wade & ricky that we saw in jumping the broom...the competion 4 noah's love IS on like rumble in the jungle...BUT ...there is something between those 2!
I also agree with the showdoen. But who will win? I agree with you Renee.
This is beyond war...Wade is speaking in third person...uh oh...it is ON!
I just fell in love with noah & his ARC ...THIS year...so i am used to instant gratification...marathons on LOGO...netflix...instant play...I was so sad that everything was OVER:(...unitl I found NAFF!!! :)
HOWEVER...this waiting til Thursday...is killing ME...but thanks for the comments...all of them are TERRIFIC! :) ...& I am sure NAFF likes to know we are reading and appreciating:)
Brianna...you broke it down...Noah..SNAP out of it...you ARE Wade's FIRST & TRUE love...have a flashback already...this man HAS "given you everything"..."forsaking all others"...& we remember from their wedding day...even "almost" his own MAMA...was about to get told....turn around....if you don't support the love of my MAN & me!
Alex is 'bout to find some "herbal"...& set it off!!! I'm sure he's going to have some "touched" words for Chance (paris, alcohol...!!??), Noah (leaving his man over unsubsantiated webcam drama!!??), & Ricky (opportunistic home wrecker!!??)...
Something has GOT to get Noah & Wade back together...Maghony..."hey mister" style!:) Commenters...any predictions on HOW this can happen??!!! (ps cliffhanger accident- already done!:))
Renee...what dial IS chance stuck on? Is he SO rigid...he's about to snap!? Eddie REALLY is a good guy...what IS Chance searching for...? Don't get my wrong I LOVE Chance...he's dorothy from golden girls...& even more so julia from designing woman...he's the much needed steady voice of reason!!...but currently he's stuck on MUTE!?
NAFF...you ARE an angel- but I am going CRAZZEE waiting til Thursday...I am at your complete MERCY:)!
I say Kudos to you 2
I can't wait to see how things plays out with the characters.
I would like to see someone being their for Wade, to give him a little support/advice maybe a friend or family member.
Ok, can somebody please tell me what is the difference between web camming to porn/ ex. Noah gets really upset when he found out it was Dre, but It didn't seem to bug him that much when he tought it was porn.
Because he knew he was busy writing so he knew Wade had to have some type of sexual outlet. He was worried it was straight porn. They started having sex again.
any predictions on this week's episode soundtrack? i'm going down?...love shoulda brought u home last night?...endless love?...
i'ma bust the windows out ur car? LOL:))
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
KUDOS and Thank You, NAFF!
Episodes 4 & 5 were so brilliantly written. This is the first time I've read something, and I could actually see the characters, the scenario, and the emotions!
I'm still reading the other eps, but I am hopeful that Noah takes some time to think this through. I find it so deliciously ironic that our dear sweet Noah who's so in touch with his feminine side is very much so in touch with his masculine side when it comes to this relationship. Many times, men wouldn't dare think of forgiving for the first incidents of unfaithfulness, and that's exactly where Noah is with Wade and his webcam. Meanwhile, Wade (I remember him being described as a "man's man" in the Season 1 DVD) has been hurt by Noah many times, and he's forgiven his love like a woman would. LOVE. THIS.
The apple was great symbolism, too.
I'm so ready for Season 4! Thank you, NAFF!!!
sunshyne is absolutely right!! I hadn't even thought about that but Noah has been the "fem" in the relationship YET Wade has ALWAYS been the one to "submit" to Noah the way a woman would. Even in this manuscript, Wade swallowed Noah's sperm and didn't think twice about it BECAUSE, as he said in Season 2, "I LOVE YOU, BOY" and for him, Noah is HIS WORLD, HIS FIRST LOVE. Noah, in turn, said, "That's nasty" when Wade kissed him afterwards. Hello, your man was just showing you how much he LOVES you...even the bareback issue, though I know it's not SAFE, but still...in Wade's eyes as he stated, "they're married" and as far as he's concerned, Noah's it...(I think he turned to Dre for the websex because he obviously felt neglected by Noah; that again, shows Wade's NEEDY side).
I said from watching the film, at the end when Wade turns to Noah and says, "For better or for worse, right" in a VERY vulnerable voice and Noah simply shrugs but still smiles and says, "For better or worse", that Wade was SO MUCH IN LOVE WITH NOAH more than Noah was with him, to me. And after watching the movie, that's why I felt there needed to be a season 3 because TOO MUCH was left open from the movie; thank goodness NAFF has come in and saved the day with his MAGNIFICENT writing! I can truly see all of this happening based on Seasons 1&2, plus from Jumping the Broom. I feel so bad for Wade right now...Noah better get it together, in more ways than one, because Wade is TOO DAMN FINE, LOYAL, LOVING, PASSIONATE, AGGRESSIVE and ROMANTIC for Noah to keep "walking over", you dig???? Noah, WAKE UP!!!
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