Another Opening

It was apropos that Harry Starr blew it in the basement. He was after all, a subterranean kind of guy. He liked it dark. He liked it dank. He liked it down below.

Unlike Stevie Dash who clip-clopped down the basement stairs in his spiffy new clogs; he never blew a thing. Time for his smoldering look : Stevie dipped an eyebrow and squinted. He huffed away at the deliberately misplaced shock of dippity-dooed hair that graced his noble brow.

"Pffffft..." The peaked tuft of hair danced in the humid basement air from his blustery puff.

Stevie Dash - cool, hard and gorgeous. Sculpted like a block of marble. Built with pride. Destined to win.

Harry gritted his teeth and smiled. He yearned for a mallet and a pick, a pile-driver would be even better. Reduce the block of vanity to a mound of rubble and plant a flag on top of it. A flag with a star.

There he stood tall, in full glory, a sun king, a demi-god, Stevie Dash. Always new and improved, always evolving. Shedding skins with the seasons, waging war on imperfection. A hooked nose?  Carved and whittled away into the centerpiece of a glorious equine profile. Nostrils petulantly aflare, exhaling steam, breathing  fire. A warrior. So cool, so hard, so gorgeous. Say it again: Stevie Dash.

Enough of him, too much of him before saying hello.

"Haaaarry! How long has it been, guy?"

"Steeeevie! Too long, dude!"

Harry hated Stevie Dash. Not really, but he did. Even when Stevie cracked Harry's Top 10 friends list back in eighth grade. Harry liked going over to the Little Emperor's palace where everything sparkled, where the fridge was always full, where there was peace.

So Stevie was crazy in love with himself? So was Harry. Not really, but it always seemed like a good idea.

"That long, Harry? I've been so busy, it's like I lost track of time."

Not Harry. Time ticks away slowly in the basement in Subterranea.

It was an effort, but Harry rose from his couch-nest, slapped Stevie on the back and gave him a bear-hug. He hated himself for doing it, but it was a good act.

"So how's film school, Stevie?"

"Amazing, I don't know what's better, making movies or the fringe benefits. Heh heh heh."

He wanted Harry to ask, "Fringe benefits?