GREG:Rose’s birthday was terrific. It went beyond envisaged. Dignitaries all over the country came hopping and circulating the glamour.To some, it was a birthday party. To many, it was networking, and to all, it was connecting with Greg Waldeen.The media got the chance to loiter all they have always wanted, except I went on as James advised, leaving them no facial photograph of me.Being under cameras and captures has always been the ache. Needing clues on how I would handle all of it, I had to call James for suggestions.“Wear your mask, Greg. If you are not ready for direct exposure, don’t push it. Try not to please anyone and be at your comfort.”I didn’t bother to please anyone. I had my bronze mask glued to my face to the frustration of the media, who had believed to have my face in their grasp.Challenges from the media were the least of my encounters. I had faces coming over to introduce themselves. They kept seeking contact and friendship, which I found disturbing and intoxi
NICHOLAS:I drown in shame. I can’t believe I dimmed myself in such a nasty situation. I have ruined my uphold, my stance, my dignity. I have driven out my integrity.I check my phone at every beep, praying Greg wouldn’t call. I have done the unbelievable, I do not know how to splurge my words; I can't stand to face him.I seek no redemption. I have done wrong to the only person I shouldn’t. I mustn’t seek forgiveness. There is no excuse for my actions, not even when I have done it for someone I love dearly.The call from the clinic had me helpless for days. The required medication for Elena is one I have been anticipating but wasn’t expecting.I waited for her tumor development, surgery, and freedom, but for a while, I selflessly focused on my heart that I forgot to sort money for these.According to Dr. Saint, it is beyond his medical perspective. Elena has been on close observation that the sudden outgrown tumor gave him no explanation.“It is strange,” he said over the phone call.
NICHOLAS:I stood under the red maple tree outside the school gate, waiting for Greg.It is taunting of me to welcome him back to school after days of absence with my robbing face.I could hide in a hole and avoid him if I had slept since my intended flaw. I deserve the restlessness; I do not care how many days and nights I go without sleep, I only wish to get Greg to hear me out.I do not stand to ask for forgiveness, nor do I intend to check the fate of our relationship. I only want to beg his forgiveness and cry him an ocean to keep us.Yes, I said it.How could I not seek his forgiveness and know the status of a relationship when I am close to death at the thought of losing him?I would spend the rest of my days asking for redemption and proving myself again if I had to. I would rather die than give up on us.Along the school path, I saw an expensive car that had never driven a student into D’caprias, making its way towards the school gate.The luxury got the students open-mouthed
GREG: My heart came to a crash. “Please, no cops.” I pleaded nervously. Mum pronounced cops on Nicholas. It is the right thing to do to a thief, except I couldn’t bear the thought of sending him behind bars. The cops will not only escalate it, but for their bust, they will involve the media, and Nicholas will be labeled the nation's most famous thief. “Gregory, I know how you feel, but I can’t let it go. I can’t entertain a thief into this home.” “No, you have no slightest idea. If you do, you won’t keep calling Nicholas a thief.” “I didn’t make him a thief.” “Mum, please.” I shut my teary eyes, and when I reopened them, my cheeks soaked with liquid. “Let this go. For me. Can you do that?” “I am sorry, sweetheart. We are talking about my treasure, my symbol of commitment. I could consider your request if he had taken something else but that. He got good eyes for a thief, you know.” “Mum!” “Allow me to take him,” Granny intervened, tugging my arm. “Come, my boy, you need some
GREG: ~Hey~ (~~Pardon me. I couldn’t address you as I feel since I lost that right. I do not know of my right to write you either, but I want to believe by your kindness that you will read the honesty of a lowly thief you have refused to put behind bars. I wouldn’t brag on my belief of why you protected me except to thank you. Gregory, I do not want to apologize. Not because I am not sorry and ashamed of humiliating you. It is because I do not deserve your forgiveness. I do not deserve anything. I hate to say I do not deserve your love when it is all I need to survive. I want to live, Greg. I want to live knowing you let me admit to and rectify my wrongs. I want to live knowing you do not hate me. I want to stay alive, hoping you would come to me. Hence, I will remain in the garden until you come to hear me out ~~) Reading the last paragraph, I ran out of James' room like a pursued prey. (~~You may decide not to come, I won’t be expecting much. But I will be here still. I hav
NICHOLAS: The clinic holds a clear view. There was neither the couple doctors nor Ms. Reinta, the resident nurse, to see us ride through the gate or walk the long corridor. I need not be surprised about the scanty. It is so in Sanray, thanks to the absolute safe zone of the clinic. Believing Dr. Saint and his partner are either satisfying their urges on the effect of the weather and the nurse, perhaps, in a ward attending to a patient, I took Greg into Elena’s ward. “Meet Elena,” I said to the puzzled Greg. “My sister.” He didn’t react to the sudden news that I have a bedridden sister after assuming he knew me, nor asked questions about her or anything at all. Instead, he looked around the ward expressionlessly. I got sudden creeps on the possibility he feels skeptical about the clinic. But then, Dr. Saint and his partner take absolute care of their clinic. Notwithstanding the old construction and lack of a handful of patients, it won’t classified as shabby or unsuitable for pat
NICHOLAS: I couldn’t believe it was his touch until I lifted my arm to feel it. ‘Don’t get ahead of yourself, idiot. It is just a sleeping cuddle from a sleeping person.’ I was near to believing my subconscious self and his warnings when I felt Greg move his palm, caressing my arm. ‘Don’t get excited, stupid. Greg sleeps so freely.’ Then I felt his movement and adjustment on my nape. ‘Don’t try it. Don’t react; you clot. Greg is sleep-moving.’ His soft kisses came on me, making me shiver and twitch. ‘Don’t make a fool of us. Hold it in.’ Greg tendered more kisses on my neck. “I miss you,” he breathed, and I shut my eyes and clenched my hands, trying to listen to my subconscious self, not to disappoint us. ‘Good. Hold it in. Greg is sleep kissing and talking.’ Greg kissed my ears and plastered kisses all over the parts of my body he could access, moaning as he went. ‘What now?’ I asked my subconscious self, who I know is as confused as me. Greg traced his hand all over my b
NICHOLAS: “Hmmm.” I perceived amidst sleep. The scent was comforting and alluring. I have no one beside me but Greg, and I wonder why he would exude freshness when I still smell of cum. “Nice!” I reached for his hand with closed eyes and brought it to my nose. “Did you use a perfume?” “I did,” he said. The voice came deeper than I knew. But since it was a morning call, who cares for a clear voice? “Hmmm,” I kept sniffing and kissing his hand as I went on. “How did you get one?” “From my closet.” Huh? Closet? I blinked open to see my Greg, only to be furnished with Dr. Ray squatting before me, grinning like the Joker. “Holy shit!” I dropped his arm in disgust and sprang to my feet to his laughter. “Why did you….?” “Good morning.” I watched his laughter turn into a snigger. His eyes remained steady and stuck below me despite my celerity. “Fuvk you, Ray!” I stumbled upon the discarded clothes on the floor to cover up, causing more amusement for the old-ass doctor. “What the fu
Nicholas spent the entire night pleasing Greg and trying not to say anything that had Rahul in it. Greg refused to stop talking about it anyway. He complained about how Nicholas couldn’t stop looking at and admiring Rahul. “You should have hugged and kissed him since you missed him so much,” he nagged. “Babe, I can’t kiss and hug your brother’s boyfriend.” “What if he wasn’t my brother’s boyfriend?” “Then he wouldn’t have appeared to make my fiance so jealous.” “I am not jealous. I am angry!” “Why?” Greg rolled his eyes and thought of the reason he was angry, and when he couldn’t confirm any, he shook funnily, went into the bathroom, and banged the door. "My love..." Nicholas knocked at the door. "Let me join you, okay?" "Go away, and prepare the couch! You will sleep there tonight!" "Sweedy..." "Two nights!" Nicholas couldn’t raise the topic of their tomorrow's supposed wedding. Instead, he waited for weeks until Greg came to terms that Rahul would only be his
GREG: “Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” Nicholas’ voice erupted through the speakers and everyone unleashed their attention to him. “Thank you." “What is he doing?” I asked Frederick. “I hope it is not what I am thinking.” “My name is Nicholas,” he echoed. “Ehh, I am not a public talker; stage fright is real, so please, reduce the attentiveness.” Everyone laughed at his silly humor. “It is happening,” Frederick blurted out. “Yeah, and it is going to be fun.” “Greg…" “Just listen.” Damn it! Frederick is disturbing. “First, I want to thank Mrs. Crown, Mrs. Freyet, Mr. Sam. Ms. Cecilia, Janie, and everyone for coming out today to celebrate the graduates. And congratulations to you all in that deserving gown; you did it!” The graduates cheered and clapped, including me. “Are you seriously clapping?” Frederick asked. “I am a graduate, Freddie.” I twisted to face him. “Okay, what is it?” “We should stop him.” “Why? he is doing fine.” “Wendy said something
GREG: Time flies. A two-week stay-in vacation came and ended in a day. I rolled on every day wishing it would last a lifetime, yet, it didn’t. Each day with Nicholas is an unforgettable experience, and it hurts to see it over. It is alright, I will ask him to marry me. I am graduating soon and will propose then; waiting a few more days to own him forever won’t hurt too much. Nicholas is everything but the one to ask me to marry him. I have insisted on not moving in with him until we are married in the guise of knotting and pushing up his actions, but nothing has happened. He thinks it doesn’t matter. I spend nearly every day with him; what difference does it make? But I want it official. I am dying to upgrade from the boyfriend title, and it is clear the manifestation is my call. I make huge proposals in our relationship anyway; I asked him to be my boyfriend, and since he is waiting I ask him to marry me as well; I will. And I will do it before everyone. Meanwhile, I need t
(FOUR YEARS LATER) NICHOLAS: “You ditched me.” Greg cried. “Is that even possible?” I missed his calls in an early queue for coffee. Getting back to the car, and seeing the notification, I decided to call him after dealing with the morning rush, but here I am, facing a trial of loving him less. “How do you explain missing my calls and still breathing fine?” “I didn’t survive. You are talking to my ghost.” “No jokes.” “Sweedy…” “You do care only about your clinic.” “Tell me to close down this fuvking clinic and I will. Just a word and it is over.” He chuckled at the other end of the phone. “No more fuvking word, Babe.” “I am fuvking trying.” “Fuvking try harder.” I laugh out loud, having a few nurses turn to me in admiration. I am a dentist, a successful one, in my magnificent clinic. I owe this achievement to the Waldeens and Lansey, who have in the past years, become a bosom friend. Despite returning to his country, we kept the communication nourished. My clinic didn’
GREG: Preparation for Granny's late husband’s memorial went on. Since I didn't intend to embark on the trip, Mr. Ben would drive her to the countryside and return to the city. “He should stay all through, Dad.” I pleaded. I couldn’t have her alone in her home. With Nicholas in the city, attending his therapy, and Elena living with the doctors, Granny will have her enormous yard lonely and deserted. “Ben will be needed.” The last trip kept Mr. Ben in the countryside, and whereby I decided to use this holiday for a personal plot, Dad saw no reason Mr. Ben should stay back. “It is a remote area, Dad. Please, she shouldn’t be alone.” “Jerome would be helpful.” “But…” “Assign more help to her.” “Thank you.” I let it be. I comprehend Dad’s choices. Mr. Ben remains his most trusted and cherished driver; sharing him was for me. Dad also knows Mr. Ben has been more than a driver, and for such development, he’d prefer he patrol within my reach rather than away. Jerome dro
NICHOLAS: My joy was evident. It had me doing extraordinary things. I wrote beyond the class lessons and every read textbook and marked my final paper as the best. Last night created that effect; having accessed Greg’s hole more than I hoped for was a grand experience — He was nothing like my past encounters. In addition to the news about Elena, my spirit elevated and circulated the air. Wendy and Park caught up on it and offered to join my visit to her. Greg climbed behind me, with Park and Frederick riding in Wendy’s car, we went to the hospital at the end of the examination. Everyone abandoned the students’ celebration to partake in my life. They chose to participate only in tomorrow’s graduation ceremony for the call to see Elena. We arrived at the hospital, eyes on us. Neatly uniformed D’caprias representatives alongside Greg Waldeen, is a topic and rouse. We got into the exclusive elevator together, against everyone’s curiosity, and ascended to the twelfth floor of the hospi
GREG: “Right now?!” “Hmmm." “We can stay here.” “Do you not want me in your room?” How do I explain his photos on my wall and every corner of my room? “I…” “We can stay here,” he said sadly. “Can I use the bathroom? Your father made me sweaty.” He tried to joke and appear cool, but I saw his disappointment. “I have a towel in my room. Would you like to use it?” “Yes, please.” That is it! Nothing beyond existence can happen. Finding out my obsession will only give me a moment of embarrassment. I turned to Nicholas and tried to warn him again. “Come on, Greg, open the door already.” “You must promise not to laugh or make a mock of me.” “What do you have in there? Nude postcards?” I opened the door to him and as Nicholas saw himself all over my life, he stood speechless. I knew it! He would see me as creepy and obsessive. He walked into the room, looking at the pictures with wide eyes and a mix of admiration. “Say something.” He ogled at me and went
NICHOLAS: My face bleached at the curt reflection of sunlight, and I put out an arm for a shade, yawned, and rose from the pillow. “Arise and Shrink!” Park came loud and disturbing. He lifted the curtains to my face. I didn’t see but could hear in his voice all he had done. “Damn it…” I groaned and held my head from collapsing as I tried to open my eyes but felt them heavy. “Do you need some water?” Park isn’t asking out of care. He is threatening. He is ready to assist my waking with a bowl of water, and if I do not kick out this dizziness, I will have myself drenched and dripping. “Are you alright?” Wendy resonated deeper and consoling yet I was unimpressed. His voice lifted my drowsiness; I opened my eyes to him, leaning against the wall with arms and legs crossed, doubling my incertitude. “What is happening?” I stretched for better sight. “What is this ambush all about?” “Do you feel better?” “Why? Is something wrong with me?” I remember nothing except getti
GREG: Nothing is more satisfying than having Nicholas with me. He has proven his repentance, and if I were to choose, I see no reason for any discussion. All I want is to get back with him. Bringing him to school is secondary; I am not ashamed to voice it. “Where are we going?” I asked as we left the elevator to the building's car park. I know where we should go. We should be in his apartment, making up for the days apart rather than doing a bulky head of talk. “Anywhere.” He said. “Are you sure I can choose?” We indeed needed to talk. But that doesn’t mean we can’t after what I had in mind. If only he agrees I decide, I will lead us to a perfect location. “Greg, please.” Too bad, Nicholas is having it grim and strict. “Okay, serious head, we can drive to D’caprias if all you want to be is focused and determined.” “Shit!” He exclaimed and turned to me in horror. “Stop the car!” “What?!” “Pull over.” “What now?” I pulled to a pathway and Nicholas loosened his seat belt. “W