The days ticked by on the various calendars adorned in the office and computers of Green Thought Creative Web Designs. The visual interaction between Alonzo and ProfessionBryce83 gradually increased as the time tocked away, a few minutes feeling like centuries before Alonzo could receive or feel comfortable enough sending another message or question regarding the company. He was more interested in the personal of ProfessionalBryce83 than the formal jargon with occasional breaks of message protocol. The feelings of uneasiness or concern about ProfessionalBryce83 slowly dropping out of Alonzo’s mind like flower petals falling quietly to the ground.

The biggest event of the year, the San Diego Gay Pride Day, was quickly approaching, despite the rush of excitement Alonzo felt going into work with the hopes of IM’ing with ProfessionalBryce83. The magnetic pull Alonzo felt when talking to ProfessionalBryce83 was one he hadn’t felt before, even with his long term ex-boyfriend, Larz. The way ProfessionalBryce83 carried himself in conversations was no mistake, his vocabulary coming across as beautifully effortless with every sentence, his desire for knowledge and passion for the same web engineering and design Alonzo had ingrained in himself, and the overall mystery of this perfect man behind the keyboard brought the curiosity of meeting ProfessionalBryce83 in the flesh to the point of brimming over the cup of emotions.

Alonzo knew that would never happen, being the coward he is to express himself truthfully. Alonzo had indications that ProfessionalBryce83 shared the similar attractions over the screens as he had felt, given their increased communication, but not even Alonzo could be certain of this statement, making it near impossible for him to confess his attraction. He couldn’t be outed this way, not to ProfessionBryce83, not to his company, not to himself.

Friday, June 27, 2008, the day before the festivities of the weekend at the San Diego Gay Pride festival, Alonzo sat at his desk when the flash of a message came across his desktop with a message.

ProfessionalBryce83: I must be honest with you, Alonzo. Yes, I am thoroughly enthralled with learning every aspect of this company, but I have mostly been asking these questions and conducting my research so I could come to know you better. I cannot be certain of my indications and could be made a fool by assuming this delicate topic, but I cannot hold in my intentions any longer. Would you be willing to meet at The Gallery House on 27^th tomorrow before the Gay Pride festival begins?

Alonzo stared at the screen in disbelief of the message. For one, it was strongly forbidden for these sorts of discussion to take place, something that had been written off over the past two weeks due to not outwardly discussing the tension. The thrill zapped through Alonzo and he couldn’t contain his excitement.

ProfessionalAlonzo86: Eleven works perfect. I cannot wait to meet you, Bryce.

The next morning, at precisely 10:47 a.m., Alonzo strolled through the doors of The Gallery House and requested to be seated at the table he had arranged for two the evening before. He took his seat, sipped his water, and waited as the small bell above the door gently ringed every time someone walked through, while he imagined who the mysteriously captivating ProfessionalBryce83 could be.

A man slipped through the door, casually spoke to the hostess, and made his way towards Alonzo’s table. Alonzo had his back to the door as ProfessionalBryce83 came to the table and took his seat.

Alonzo perked up at the sight of ProfessionalBryce83, he was more than he could have dreamed of. Perfectly trimmed, wet-sand brown hair, manicured nails, and a build of a web technician warrior. The light gray suit with the lavender and sage tie, the same one Alonzo had, dangling from the precise knot at the base of ProfessionalBryce83’s Adams apple.

“Wow,” Alonzo stuttered.

ProfessionalBryce83 smiled back.

“I suppose I can call you Bryce now, unless you would prefer to be called ProfessionalBryce83?”

A slight chuckle came from ProfessionalBryce83’s lips.

“I would prefer if you called me Damarion,” ProfessionalBryce83 said.

“Excuse me?” Alonzo responded.

Damarion, formerly known as ProfessionalBryce83 to Alonzo, stuck out his hand.

“Damarion McCarron, Vice President of Thought Roar Web Designs Inc.”

Alonzo sat stunned and confused at the man before him, until the man introduced as Damarion placed printed copies of the conversations he had been having with PorfessionalBryce83 for the past two weeks in front of his eyes.

“I don’t understand,” Alonzo said.

“You see, it was quite simple. Your company should consider an increase in security for the future, if there is a future. I broke into the company computer systems, created an identical username based on a prospective employee your company had for this past quarter, tracked the employee information to lead me to one of the most veteran employees, found you, tracked you, and did my job to make Thought Roar Web Designs Inc. a bigger and better company,” Damarion said.

“But, why?” Alonzo asked.

“Competition, my handsome friend,” Damarion responded.

A perplexed Alonzo sat at the table as the waitress came over.

“Hello, gentlemen. Here for the event today? Could I get you a water, sir?” She asked.

“No, ma’am, I believe we aren’t staying. My apologies,” Damarion said.

A smug look smeared over her face as she walked away, annoyed at the potential sale this early into her shift.

Unfilled silence settled between Damarion and Alonzo.

“I’m heading to today’s events. I’m assuming you will still be joining me at my invitation from the messages?” Damarion asked.

Rage tipped over the cup of emotions that had been teetering since the first few messages came across Alonzo’s screen. He stood quickly, allowing the black metal chair to fall back and clank on the ground. He said nothing as he forced the water from his glass on to the man formerly known as ProfessionalBryce83. After emptying the contents of the glass, Alonzo threw the glass to the ground, while walking over the shattered pieces as he stormed out of The Gallery House. Damarion stared at Alonzo un-phased as he stormed out as he slowly plucked napkins from the dispenser to dry his now wet face.

When the newspapers hit Monday morning, Alonzo was called into the CEO’s office of Green Thought Creative Web Designs. A press released had been broadcasted over every known technology outlet across the United States by Thought Roar Web Designs Inc. exposing their new technology approaches to become the best web design company amongst the ranks. With them, the public display of the various, personal messages between the Vice President of Thought Roar Creative Web Designs Inc., Damarion McCarron, who had hacked into Green Thought Creative Web Designs as ProfessionalBryce83, and the best veteran technician Green Thought Creative Web Designs had, Alonzo Mattel. Questions of customer security began to pour from the phone lines. The shrill ring of the complaints making their way from the hold button was all Alonzo heard as he packed his desk belongings and was dismissed from his job at Green Thought Creative Web Designs.

The months passed by like stray clouds as Alonzo struggled to find any technical job willing to hire him. When Fan Cutter Inc., a catalog company with a web domain formed from Thought Roar Web Designs Inc., finally hired Alonzo, he couldn’t turn down a steady job.

After a year of employment, it still did not surprise Alonzo when the abnormal email subject line came through, usually with the product of interest. The mundane task of filing through and answering each one. Most were junk from kids who thought it would be hilarious to inquire about an order that was never placed, but one, subject lined ProfessionalBryce83, caught Alonzo’s attention.

The email stated:

ProfessionalAlonzo86,

I am still uncertain if any time will be the right time to contact you regarding my inability to fight the attraction I had for you that day when we met at The Gallery House for an early lunch. Despite my regret of the way you had to discover my real identity, I hope you understand what I meant by business, that day and would enjoy your company to dinner at The Gallery House this upcoming Tuesday at 6 p.m. to make up for my foolish actions diminishing a relationship that could be worthwhile. The reservation is under Bryce, but you will find me sitting at the same table hopefully, less wet than the last time I sat there.

Wear your lilac and sage tie, please.

Best,

Damarion McCarron (ProfessionalBryce83)

Alonzo felt the same anger boil in his veins at the message, yet he couldn’t fight the urge to not reply. He clicked the reply button at the top, erased the subject line, and sent the following email:

Subject: Backlink

ProfessionallyBryce83,

I will see you at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Best,

Alonzo Mattel (ProfessionalAlonzo86)