Cecil just wanted to be alone for the rest of the day. He simply had enough of relationships for now. He sat in the living room, watching nothing but daytime TV without even enjoying it in the first place. He finally turned it off when he saw the opening credits to a famous talk show. He checked the time on his smartphone. It was only one minute after two o'clock. He wanted solitude, but he also needed something to do. He needed another way to forget his ex-girlfriend.
Cecil decided to plug in his earphones to his smartphone. He searched through his audio files for several seconds. He was in the mood for some classical music, so he chose the Harp Concerto, composed by Reinhold Gliere. He stepped out of his living room and onto the balcony. He lived on the third floor of an apartment building. He had a clear view of the coast on a calm and cool afternoon. He had lived in Huntington Beach for most of his life, and he had no intention of exiting Southern California altogether. His ex-girlfriend, however, almost made him want to leave. He never imagined a woman like her to betray his trust. Nevertheless, he accepted that he would no longer have the heart to see her again. Now, he stood on the balcony and kept his composure stable while keeping his gaze on the beach.
The apartment he lived in was right across the street from the shore itself. He could see dozens of beachgoers having a fun time on the sand. Men, women, children, and even pets would spend the rest of the day swimming in the water, surfing on the water, playing a game of volleyball, receiving a suntan, or just taking photos and uploading them on social media to gain more attention from their friends. With cool temperatures in the first week of May, citizens from across Southern California had a good reason to visit the beach, especially on a serene weekend such as this.
Cecil looked to the left to see the famous Huntington Beach Pier in the distance. The thirty-six-year-old man felt lucky to have such a gorgeous panoramic view right in his own home. He sighed as Gliere's Harp Concerto helped soothe his body and mind. The music did so much in keeping him sane after his inescapable heartbreak. He looked down at the street down below. He could see several pedestrians on the sidewalk. A young man looked down at his smartphone while making sure that he didn't bump into anything in front of him. Two old ladies laughed when presumably sharing a humorous story. A teenager rode on his skateboard and almost bumped into the man on his phone. The street was a rather tedious observation according to Cecil.
But as he looked to his right, he noticed someone familiar from yesterday standing just several feet away from the apartment building. Enrique, a twenty-year-old man from Ecuador, stood still as he had set his sights on the other man. Cecil could easily recognize him with his long black hair that reached his chest. The younger man wore blue jeans and a sleeveless white t-shirt. Cecil didn't know whether to smile or to just look away. But then, Enrique slowly raised his hand and waved at him. Cecil turned off his music. He knew that he couldn't blame Enrique for anything. He didn't know the truth for a long time as well. That is, until Cecil's girlfriend made her confession yesterday.
Cecil took off his earphones and kept staring at Enrique, who still didn't move. He did, however, give a look of concern. Cecil silently nodded. He understood. He used his hand as a signal for Enrique to come inside. The younger man nodded and stepped closer to the apartment. It took him only several seconds to disappear completely from the street as he entered the premises. Cecil put away his phone and stepped back into his apartment. He waited for the knock on the front door, which didn't happen until a full minute later.
Cecil opened the door and found him standing just a few feet away in front of him. The younger man showed no signs of fear or amusement. His neutral expression kept Cecil from adding poorer judgements.
"Hello, again."
Enrique replied with a sincere tone. "Listen, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I didn't know that she already had you as a boyfriend. She never told me about you. So, I'll have you know that I broke up with her yesterday. You won't be seeing me again, that's for sure."
Cecil admired his honesty. "Well, thanks. But don't think that you're the only one without a woman. I broke up with her, too."
"You did?"
"Yeah, we broke up last night, about an hour after I saw the two of you together. Consider the both of us being very lucky. We got out of a relationship that was doomed to fail."
Enrique chuckled in a calm manner. "I still hope you don't think of me as a piece of trash."
"Well, I can see that you're a good guy who was lied to. I can't really say that I hate you."
Enrique gave a smile, which made Cecil more accepting of this stranger. He could see that Enrique could have very well been someone who had women lusting for him all the time. His handsome features, his light brown skin, and his calm and confident demeanor made Cecil see a sort of intrigue that he had never discovered before.
Enrique took a step back. "Well, I guess it's time for me to go."
Cecil shook his head. "Why don't you come inside?"
"Are you sure?"
"It doesn't hurt to find a new friend at this time."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
Enrique stepped inside. Cecil closed the door and led him into his living room.
* * *
For the next hour, Cecil and Enrique sat on the sofa and began to form their own unexpected bond as a result of a woman's infidelity. They realized that they shared similar interests: both men always enjoyed watching action movies, both loved listening to rock music, and both had always rooted for the Los Angeles Lakers since their childhood years. At one point, when Enrique learned of Cecil's undying adoration for classical music, he replied that he would be willing to explore a different genre when he had the time.
That simple statement made Cecil feel even prouder that he met someone like Enrique. In fact, he couldn't deny that he made the right choice in letting him in after a tough day yesterday. He was intrigued by Enrique's honesty and awareness. And every time the young man gave a little smile, it made Cecil gain more appreciation for how the entire situation unfolded. He already forgot the disdain surrounding his ex-girlfriend's infidelity. She became more of an afterthought.
The fortunate timing became more obvious when Cecil continued to have a casual discussion with his new friend. He couldn't stop staring at Enrique. He was indeed a handsome young man, and his calm and clear-headed personality would have attracted the more sensible females available. At one point, Cecil quickly eyed him from top to bottom. He couldn't help but draw his own attention to some sort of attraction. It must have risen from his own mind for a good reason. Enrique had the proper qualities for an unbreakable friendship. And that was when Cecil looked beyond for a more sumptuous flavor.
He couldn't help it. In just a matter of minutes, he couldn't take his eyes off Enrique. He managed to view him in a completely different manner in a short amount of time. He adored everything about the young man. So much so that he began to imagine a scenario that consisted of naughty antics in the bedroom. When Enrique's smile grew bigger, Cecil wanted to see it again if he ever had the nerve to share a bed with each other.
Enrique suddenly remarked, "I seem to see a gleam in your eye. I'll take that as a sign that we're getting along just fine."
Cecil nodded. "I can't see that as a bad thing."
Enrique brushed away a few strands of his black hair away from his face. "You know, it was hard for me to break up with her, but it was worth it. I'm looking forward to moving on to the next one."
"I feel the same way."
