me and tried to get us filmed together. I bet that gossip show is doing a story right now on how we’re getting back together.”
Pat ducked his head, indicating it was the truth. He’d probably already done an interview with one of those reporters. God damn him.
Tim pointed to the door. Through clenched teeth, he said, “Get the hell out of here. I never want to see you again. You hear me? I. Never. Want. To. See. You. Again. It’s over. I don’t know how I can be any more clear about it.”
“I did do the interview, but just because I thought it would be nice to make my intentions public. You always said you wanted to be honest with everyone about who you are, so I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“You never change.” Tim shook his head, anger and disbelief running through him. “Well, if you’re not leaving, I am. I’m done, Pat. Finished. Finito. Do not ever contact me again. Don’t show up at my meets. I’m going to give your picture to security at the Aquatics Center to make sure you’re denied entry. And while you’re at it, go fuck yourself.”
Tim stood, grabbed his gym bag, and stormed out of the bar. He speed-walked all the way back to the dorm building, because he was furious, and it pulsed in him like a living thing. All he wanted right now was to find Isaac, who was probably back from the interview by now, and sleep until he had to dive again.
Tim went to his own room first to drop off his gym bag. Jason was there, reading a book.
“Isaac came by looking for you,” Jason said. “He seemed a little anxious. Said you weren’t answering your texts.”
Tim hadn’t looked at his phone all day. He fished it out of his gym bag and saw he had a half-dozen texts and a voicemail from Isaac. He was overcome by a sinking feeling. “Oh no,” he whispered.
“You’re not back together with Pat, are you?”
“God, no. In fact, I just told him to go fuck himself. I never want to see that piece of crap ever again. Why would you think we were back together?”
“Uh, it’s all over the internet that you are.”
Oh no. An anxious Isaac had come by looking for Tim, meaning he’d likely seen the stories. And Pat had orchestrated for that camera guy to be there, to capture them together, so that it would be all over the web that they were back together and Pat could get his goddamn press.
What must Isaac have thought? But Isaac couldn’t really believe Tim would betray him like that, would he?
Fuck Pat. “I have to find Isaac.”
As he climbed the steps to Isaac’s floor, he looked at his texts. Isaac asking him to dinner… then asking where he was… then an I’m really worried now lol, but there wasn’t really anything funny about this. Tim pressed the voicemail button and listened.
“Hey, Tim, I just… I need to talk to you right now. Please give me a call when you get this.”
His tone reminded Tim of the night Isaac confessed that he wanted a drink more than usual. This was really bad. And Tim was not about to let Isaac throw away his hard work and sobriety on Pat’s account.
Tim pounded on Isaac’s door but was greeted with silence. There was no light under the door. No movement inside. He wasn’t here.
Tim called Isaac. It went straight to voicemail, so Tim said, “I’m trying to find you. Where are you?” and hung up.
Where was there alcohol? Well, everywhere, probably.
Tim checked every lounge in the building. He thought to check Luke’s room but didn’t know which one that was, and in a building with a few hundred rooms, he’d lose more time knocking on every one than it was worth.
He took the elevator down to the lobby and figured he’d head back to America House and see if Isaac was there. He’d check all the other international houses if he had to. He’d go to every bar in Madrid if that was what it took to keep Isaac from falling off the wagon.
The elevator doors opened and Luke was there in the lobby, standing beside Katie. Tim called his name.
“Oh, Tim, thank God.”
“What’s going on? Where’s Isaac?”
Luke glanced at Katie. “Well, I’m not sure exactly, but he was in a bad way. I’ve been trying to call him, but he’s not answering his phone. He’s…. You’re not back together with Pat, are