"Nicholas!"I turned towards the voice. Mrs. Grater calling my name in her style and her arms spreading towards me. I don't know why she would call my name from afar and yet, walk up to me. She could've walked up and tap me into her presence and save her faint voice for emergency. It is equally laughable to think she expects I run like wildfire into her embrace. It is nice to see, but no, she isn't my mother and I am not her toddler to welcome her the way she envisaged.I stood without moving and she lowered her arms in return. I decided to move my cheeks up a little when she alternatively give her full smile to me. Getting tired of standing, I leaned on my bike and wait for the end of her slow walk to me. I didn't fail to notice the parcel in her hand. Cookies. This is the best part of having her home."Nicholas!"She called on a close reach. Oh! Mrs. Greater has tenderly aged. Her steps have gotten slower and her voice, fainter."Hi, Mrs. Grater.""It's been ages. Look at you, all g
NICHOLAS:There is nothing I think of going in there with except the flowered dish that was used on my behalf last evening. During our past eat-together with her family, Mr. John do come over with a bottle of wine and Theresa, with plates of her little baking experiments. It is my family's turn to go over for a meal, though I am the only representative, poorly, there is nothing to go with. I'd have a bottle of ketchup which doesn't make sense to go in with. I have nothing, so I will just go. I hope Mrs. Grater wouldn't mind.I do not know Mrs. Grater's exact time for breakfast. I should have asked. I do not want to be too early or late either. Gosh! It feels like a date.'it is just a meal', I keep telling myself. It will only be the old Grater and perhaps the person that drove that mighty car, who probably isn't far from Grater's age. The self-reminder isn't working, as I found myself nervously inclined.At seven, I went in for a shower. If after a cold shower, I still feel same, I w
GREG:I continued tossing on the bed despite many failures to get extra sleep. My body calls for a wake, yet I coiled under the duvet Granny had provided last night, chasing for more. With the chilly weather, anyone could wish nothing but to lay and snore in laziness. It is a relief that Granny had left me the night without supper. I'd thought she would nag and cry me out of bed to have some dinner with them.Having lunch with Granny and Mr. Ben yesterday was doable. It was the first time I ever use the same table with anyone who isn't blood-related. The familiarity was new to Mr Ben too, he awkwardly ate his food and kept his face lowered to his plate until I voiced against it. That exact reaction is one of the two I dislike seeing in anyone around me, but I have come to reasonable terms with it since most of the employees at home who happens to see my masked face act that way, while few suddenly become respectful and loyal. I could differentiate the two reactions and the latter is t
GREG:I took time in getting cleaned under the shower thinking for a hundred and more times the accident that occurred in my heart days ago. A glass of water did nothing to the rapid motion I experienced. I hope it isn't what I am thinking. How could it even be possible? Having this furious heartbeat at the sight of someone I just met days ago is unspeakable. He didn't help the matter, he ensures to frequent his dining in Granny's house like he is her real grandson. He'd come either in the morning or evening for these past days, I know because I saw it all.I have avoided him like a plague. I declined to eat with Granny and Mr. Ben since he started joining them. Granny claims she understands my plight and tried not to force me out of the room for a meal. She has no idea. When he isn't in Granny's house, I do not resist the urge to stand by the window and spy on the moment I feel he is outside, my instincts don't fail for I'd see him looking edible for my health and perfect for my ca
NICHOLAS:Despite the long night, my sleep was short and restless. I was plagued by unwelcome thoughts of Greg Waldeen, conjuring various images of him in my mind without settling on a single one. The curiosity to know him proved difficult to handle, and as I rose from bed at sunrise to have coffee, I resolved to pursue him relentlessly, undeterred by any obstacles in my path.The chilly morning sent shivers through my body, prompting me to bundle up. I adjusted the window blinds in an attempt to keep the cold air at bay, but it persisted, fueled by the nearby woods and river that turned the surroundings into a frosty zone with a mere gust of wind. Such conditions often tempted me to consider selling the woods to a timber factory; the trees could serve a more practical purpose than exacerbating the cold.Returning to my room, I changed into track pants and a cotton vest, tied back my hair and banded it round my skull, and ventured outside the building to gather firewood for the heart
NICHOLASThe unease I once felt going to Grater for meals has dissipated completely. In fact, I now eagerly anticipate each approaching mealtime. Tonight, I will finally catch a glimpse of Greg Waldeen, and the sight of him earlier today has inexplicably revitalized me.After a refreshing shower, I left my room to head over to Mrs. Grater's building. Just steps away from the door, my phone begins to ring.Annoyed, I hastily tuck my gadget into my back pocket and continue walking out of the house.For months now, Vain has been incessantly calling me. I have no desire to see him anymore. I want nothing to do with him. Vain is an obsessive voyeur, and I am well aware of that. It was the kind of relationship we had in the past, where he would invite men to engage in sexual acts with me and derive pleasure from watching me being subjected to such brutality.While it's true that he used to take care of me, I now feel that it's all wrong, and I have lost interest in his form of care. He clai
NICHOLAS:Walking away from Vain, I took in some deep breaths and quickly adjust to the reason I came."I am here for Brenda. Send me to her.""I missed you, Nico. Do you not miss me at all?"Ignoring my words, Vain began to show his softest feature again. Times in the past, I won't believe a tough figure like him will ever speak so weakly to anyone."And why should I miss you, Vain?"He walked up to me again and stood so I could feel him breathe, "and you didn't?"Vain kept staring at my lips. Something must have gotten into him. He is behaving differently and ok, this is not Vain."Is everything ok with you Vain?"I may be angry at him but I care. I love him. Yes, Vain is my first love. Vain walked past me to grab the dwarf glass which holds some liquid in it."What do you care?" He asked and sipped some of the liquid."I don't.""Hmmm.""Enough Vain, take me to Brenda.""There's no Brenda, not yet.""What the fuvk!?""How else would I have brought you here. You were being so unreaso
NICHOLAS:Under the thick soft duvet, I twisted and stretched out of sleep. I haven't slept deeply for some time now. I feel relaxed and equally famished. I took a sitting position and looked around the room I have never been in. Vain once gave me a room somewhere in the building, I woke up in it and not a place this settled. Vain supposedly brought me to this room after the steamy diet in his underground office yester evening.Browsing the room, it indicates Vain. Everything tells and smells of him, even my body. His scent has taken all over me. I didn't get to wash as Vain had me in his arm all evening on the couch. He didn't stop refilling his glass cup with alcohol until I fell asleep. Good thing he little bothered me into drinking with him and I liked it. I have curtailed my alcohol consumption for seven months in the count. And after our little evening fun, I would want to wake up the next morning absolutely sober.Sitting on the huge bed with a mini table distanced from its fo
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