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
GREG:The atmosphere drifted fresh and windy. The stars dominated the dark clouds. We sat on the terrazzo floor, enjoying the glorious view from the sky through the opened windows.“Why are you not curious?”Watching the sparkling stars in silence is the only romantic thing we have done tonight, and there, Nicholas ended the moment with a sip of his wine and query.“Do I ought to be?”Not a thing about watching the stars ignites my curiosity except, perhaps, he means the names of the stars: Orion, Altair, Polaris. Well, I am not interested.“I have been waiting to hear you ask. I may not be willing to tell, but I wouldn’t have any option.”“Save your strength. I am not craving to know.”“I was hoping you would be.” Nicholas shifted and adjusted.“No. I won’t remember it by tomorrow. Spare me the burden.”On a swift move, Nicholas stood to his feet. He walked to the kitchen, emptied his wine in the sink, and rinsed his glass cup.Something about his action was strange. I looked and wond
NICHOLAS: “Are you hurt?” It was the first thing I should have asked when I heard the pot crash and saw its broken pieces below his feet, but I was foolish to care about a mere pot and perishable flower than Greg. “You hurt me, yes.” “I am sorry. And the broken pot, were you cut?” “Now you care.” “I am sorry.” “Sorry? Your sorry can’t fix me back!” “Yeah, I know. I am a mess.” “Nick, I was joking.” I don’t need his explanation to understand what he was playing at. Nevertheless, I am sorry. Apologising for my nonsensical actions didn’t last long; I was distracted. Greg’s beautiful face shone against the flames from the hearth, and his rough hair left him sexy and alluring. The sparkles from the hearth are fading and will soon be leaving the room on the dim light from the lantern. Yet I saw each blink of his eyelashes flickering and lips parting outwardly with every word as clear as under the sunlight. Perhaps it is all in my head. But the moment he stretched his neck, expo
NICHOLAS:I woke up to a sneezing Greg. He is snuggled to me and wrapped in the blanket. The weather had gone colder in the middle of the night and left his trachea blocked and frozen.“Hey.” He opened his eyes to my call, coughed and hummed on my chest. “You caught a cold. I will make you some tea.”I rose from the sofa and fetched my clothes from the floor. I went into my track pants, hung the polo on my shoulder, and marched to the kitchen.Greg didn’t stop coughing. I feared he would become worse and require medical attention. So, I opted for ginger and garlic tea to save us any urgency.“Greg, can you sit up?”He sat up, secured his bare trunk in the blanket and took the teacup. He lifted it to his nose, smelt the liquid and frowned.“Take some sips.”Only a few young people enjoy herbal tea. But he needs it. It will aid his cold. “No.” He returned the cup to me, collected the tissue box I brought with the tea, took a few and sneezed.“You must.”“I…” He was interrupted by coughs
NICHOLAS: “Vain!” The wind didn’t wash my gusts and pains. I arrived at Vain’s district as tempered as I had left the house. “Vain!” I braked violently at the gate of his disguised warehouse, bringing his men to shock and confusion. Yeah, they may not be familiar with my insane personality, but they should wait until I finish with their Boss, they will know I originated insanity! “Vain! You bastard!” I raged into the building and no one dared to hold me off. Perhaps, they still title and award me as Vain’s boy. “Bastards!” I cursed at them. They shouldn’t treat me that special and pertinent. I am their Boss’ doom. They should be afraid of me. “Fools!” My anger rocketed at the thought of Vain instructing his men to treat me as his fuvking egg anytime! “Vain!” Good. He has riled me to the beam. I will fist on and enjoy watching him bleed to death. “Where is he?!” I yelled at the moronic men. “Where is your fuvking Boss?” “Master Nico, Boss Vain is…” I rushed the useless
GREG: ‘Relax…’ The word invaded the fragile part of my heart, pierced and shattered it to pieces. He aimed to serialise my tensed body. Nicholas urged me to relax to mellow my density. Except it worsened it. Hearing the word brought me fear. I wasn’t afraid of Nicholas. I wasn’t sure what ignited the fear. I was merely taken back to the day of my abduction — the stranger taking my innocence, his whispers and making me feel pleasured most painfully. “I can have my gift another time,” Nicholas said. He was thoughtful to consider my sudden withdrawal, but I wanted him. I wanted to have him in me. I was prepared and consented to what he craves. “I want this.” “Me too, Sweedy. But you must take a rest.” “There is no better pill.” “Right,” he smiled. He found it funny. “Don’t smile." “You are tired.” I was not! Driving that distance and roaming in the storm did not affect me. And please! That was not about strength. “Nick…” “Lie still, I will make the fire.” I couldn’t get hi
NICHOLAS:I’d assumed I wanted to stay away, shut my heart against them, believing nothing was left for us. But before me, as they stood, the wrongs of my decision surfaced in folds.Park and Wendy opened portals to emotions I spent days locking and avoiding. Their presence invoked the decision to quit roaming in self-deceit and restrain from becoming an island.I missed them.“Hi,” Wendy responded.I missed Wendy. I saw my unconscious self running to and hugging him, except my legs stood as rigid as always.“Do you guys want to come in?”I tried to be polite.“Do you expect we do?”But Park didn’t see it. I understand his bitterness and anger, and at the same time, his camouflaged interest to come in.I opened the door and walked into the house, leaving Wendy coming after me and Park on a spot, ruffling his black hair in retaliation.Wendy stopped halfway to the living room. He should. I left it overturned before riding to Vain. I thought smashing everything to the floor would lift m
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