NICHOLAS:“Are you alright?” He mouthed.I walked to a corner and stood perplexed, giving no ear to Greg’s concern.“Hi.”“Hi.” Dr. Waldeen responded to Ray with her gaze tight and rigid, pronouncing her not being happy to see me.“Please,” Ray guided her to his inner space, drawing the curtain against us.“Nicholas,” Greg came closer. “What is wrong?”“You!” Acting ignorant of his action put me off. “Nothing.” But I said. I am a thief. It is not wrong if I went in cuffs.“I am sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand.”I walked past him and out of the door. I entered Elena’s ward; if I am going into the cops' car, whose sirens I am hearing now, I will have to see Elena and warn her to stay alive.“Nicholas?”I tilted my neck to the voice of Greg behind me. I shut my eyes to endure his presence but couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stand his betrayal and caring attitude.“I want to be alone.”“What is wrong? You are being strange.”“Strange?” I burst against my intention, making him jump in fear.
NICHOLAS:Dr. Waldeen didn’t forget to complain about our absence from school and ordered our return to the city as soon as possible. But we had other plans.Greg suggested we spend more days in the countryside, and I saw it as a good decision and a perfect time to introduce him to my parents other than Ray.I will miss Ray. The inability to meet Dr. Saint before leaving the clinic made it sad, but I will have to bear it until I repay him a visit. Yes, I will come back to their shitty clinic to spend time with them, as always. I love and value them. I may not have said it, but they are the parents I lost years ago.“You can clear the wardrobe too,” Ray said in a disguised fear of the possibility I would take all my belongings.When he saw me folding D’caprias’ uniform into an old leather bag, he paraded the ward, sweating in worry. “Why should I?”“You know, since it is goodbye from here.”I knew he was scared of not seeing me again.“Do you at any chance miss me already?”“No!”I kn
GREG:“Good night,” Nicholas whispered and I clutched the jumper to suppress my desperation.I didn’t want it to be a good night. I wanted him to lie beside me, hold me, and maybe, do it with me. Yet I was too unsure to say it.I listened to his footsteps walking out of the greenhouse, and after a few minutes, I heard splashes from the lake.The movement of the water told me he was having a late swim. I could tell it wasn’t because of his prone to water and swims, but his little way of avoiding me, of wanting me to sleep ahead.I understand he needs time alone. His sister is the only meaningful thing to him in this clock frame. But I want him with me. I yearn for his touch.He may want the same, whereas it would be a freak denial to act blind to how important Elena is to him and his subtle to think of nothing else.He stole for her. He wanted nothing but to save her, and that is what I should do before heeding my desires.“Gregory!” Mum answered on the first beep.“Mum.”“What is going
GREG:I watched Nicholas enter a far-situated door with a gent’s sign crafted on the wall above it. It gave me some re-touch; maybe I was overthinking. But when I finished another glass of beer without seeing him walking back to me, I had a fresh reflex that I was neglecting the obviousness that Nicholas may have roaches in his jar.‘You are overthinking,’ the caution came again.To believe I gulped the previous glass way too fast, I signaled the waiter, and she brought another.I snailed on it. I sipped it on every hour, and when I emptied it, I knew it was time I faced my doubt and acted upon my suspicions.On a flexible walk-through, despite the alcohol intake, I found my steps to that door and before the puffy bouncers stationed on both sides.I noticed these men minutes after Nicholas went in. I didn’t think much of them. I know nothing about local bars and their principles. They might be there for security incline.Except they advanced to block me out, which turned out serious
NICHOLAS:“He couldn’t stop weeping, Nicholas. You broke him into a mess. He deserves so much more, you know.”I know about it. I do not need anyone to remind me of how unfairly I treated Rahul. I am conversant of every shit I caused him, and I am fuvking sorry about it.“He is such a darling.”“So you weren’t dumb and blind?” I bowed before the glass of water on the counter, the only approved liquid during working hours, exasperated and guilt-ridden, and Janie stood behind it, wiping bottles of wine off their dust.“I hope he is alright.”“What do you care?”“Don't make me the Lucifer.”“I could tag him better, yeah," She loosened her apron and dropped it on the counter in anger. "At least, I've got a pumping heart.""Whatever! It is your loss though. Big loss!”Janie’s condemnation is prominent, but if compared, I have gained something superior, so her bashes hole no place in me.As I thought, Rahul wasn’t in the country. “He’d temporarily moved to Columbia,” Janie confirmed.I may
NICHOLAS:His pouting remained until we got to my apartment. He transferred all aggression to the things I shared with Rahul. He packed them with mockery and defeat. He abandoned them in the donation boxes, contacted the charity agency, and laid them on the kitchen counter for pick up.Thankfully, he said nothing about the bracelet. I have, however, taken it off my wrist and placed it in the gift box it came with and kept in my wardrobe. When Greg saw the bracelet in its keep, he looked at it for minutes, weighing if he should discard it, but decided to let it be and took his remaining aggression on every piece of my underwear emblazoned with Rahul’s face and scoffed as he wrapped them up in a bag.“I will go incinerate them.” I offered to escape his furious face and leave him in the apartment for a while.“No, thanks. I want to watch them burn.”“Jesus, don’t be so scary.”“Are you asking to burn along?”“I will keep shut now.”Well, his mood has lightened up. It went better when the
GREG: Nicholas advanced to patch his flaws, and I, not deemed so perfect, endeavored to love him without thinking about his known and unknown ex-acquaintances. We incubated our love on a pillar of trust, and by so doing, we rolled daily on a happy swing. He rode me home from the countryside, and like a wave of tides, he was welcomed anew with broad smiles from the household, except Mr. Nazit, whose face tells of how Nicholas will forever be a suspect and never trusted. “Do not spite him," I rescued a troubled Nicholas. "You outsmarted his security tendencies. He won’t get over it.” “I can't help him then. He has to live with it.” Mum didn’t welcome us. She was out of the house to the hospital. She left Granny with a message about Elena’s condition and that Nicholas could visit the hospital at any hour of any day to see her. “I could go see her now.” “Visiting her, however, is permitted after a good report from D’Caprias,” Granny stated Mum’s instruction word by word. “You and
GREG: Elena’s surgery was successful, Mom announced, and she was transferred afterward to the recovery unit with Telly as her attendee. The overprotective brother has given up on countering the motion of having Telly around his sister. Like everyone else, he has settled in joy to wait for Elena’s waking call. It tells differently to watch a happy Nicholas. Elena’s development put him in a responsive mood, and each day since the surgery feels like a vacation. And today will add to the excitement. It is Nicholas’ eighteenth birthday, and the vibe saturates the air that I can’t measure the feeling. Although Nicholas told me nothing about it, I want to act upon it; celebrate him specially and perhaps hugely. Finding out about his birthday from Frederick came as a surprise but handy. “You didn’t know about it?” “I am a terrible partner.” “You are not. Nicholas is. How could he not share that with you?” “It must have skipped his thoughts.” “Go on! Defend him! You defend
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