The Sugar Falls Off

Hi, my name is Billy.

JEREMY: You're okay with all this, right?
ME: Of course I am. I'm a mature adult.

I want to murder my boyfriend.

He cast my ex and his as his love interest in his production of 'Angels in America.'

JEREMY: Good, because it's all business.
ME: Absolutely. Totally business.

Just like it'll be business when I get rid of Ben.

No way was he making it to opening night.

I wasn't even counting on him getting to the second rehearsal.

JEREMY: Okay everybody! Let's get started!

We were in the rehearsal hall ready to start. Jeremy hired a local grad student to direct the production, and we were only doing table work this first week.

I was sitting right across from Ben, and he kept shooting me smiles.

It made me want to turn the table over and throttle him...in more ways than one.

I've accepted the fact that I'm a young guy who isn't going to stop being attracted to people just because I'm dating someone I really care about, but I also don't plan on letting my genitals do all my thinking for me.

So although I may be slightly intrigued by Ben's offer to help supplement his non-sexual relationship with Nathan by becoming a third party, I'm letting my mind shoot the idea down--and figure out a way to ship Ben out of this show.

When we take our first break, I get my chance.

Ben meets me in the men's room--tacky, I know.

BEN: So have you given any thought to my offer?
ME: Was stabbing you with my eyes not a clear enough 'No?'
BEN: Billy, I know your eyes, and they've never said 'No' to me.
ME: Why don't you take a look at them now? I think they've got new instructions for you.

He took a step towards me.

ME: I was joking.
BEN: I'm not, and we're on a fifteen.
ME: Wow, with you, that means we could go fourteen times.
BEN: And they'd all be amazing.
ME: I'm not kidding. Back off.
BEN: Make me.

Damn--he knows I like aggression.

But what he doesn't know--

VOICE: I believe the gentleman said 'Back off.'

The door to one of the stalls opened, and Jeremy popped out.

Apparently, somebody had informed my boyfriend that Ben was hitting on me, and asked him to please hide in one of the stalls so he could hear it for himself.

Hmm...who could that be?

JEREMY: Ben, I cannot believe you. This a new low.
BEN: Jeremy, it's--I mean--
JEREMY: Just leave.
BEN: Fine. I'll see you back in the rehearsal hall.
JEREMY: No, you won't. I want you to leave the production.
BEN: You can't do that.
ME: He's the producer. He can do whatever he wants.
JEREMY: And I want you out now.

Ben looked really broken up. Could it be that not getting to sleep with me had destroyed him?

It's pretty damn possible.

After he left the men's room, Jeremy gave me a hug.

JEREMY: Thank you so much for telling me.
ME: Hey, we're a team. We tell each other everything, right?
JEREMY: Right. God, I can't believe he thought you were actually turned on by the idea of sleeping with him again.
ME: I know! What an ego.

Jeremy gave me a kiss on the cheek, and left.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

You know it's funny...

Whenever I do that, I'm never quite sure who I'm going to see.