CHAPTER TWO (Part 2)

“Lucio come on lets go find Juan,” Pedro said hastily to his driver beside him as they walk through the parking lot. Once situated inside his car, Pedro is agitated and his mind is flying along with the thoughts of where he can find Juan.

"There is a word tomorrow for this, and you can see Juan tomorrow so what’s this fuss for?" A thought from his mind stop him from tapping his shoe onto the floor of his car.

"Yeah, that’s right... And why should I care anyway? I feel like a stalker now." His hair rises upon mentioning the word "stalker". Hence, he stops his driver from driving. Once stop safely, the driver looks at his boss’s son to ask if everything’s alright, but his señiorito is currently having a deep talk with the air and he’s still in his right mind to not disturb him.

Later on, Pedro was back from his reverie when he saw a mini cafe across the road where he was looking at. He can already feel the urge to go to that cafe when he saw the man he was just thinking about a while ago.

Joseff, wearing his cute cafe uniform and white apron with the logo of the cafe. Pedro saw how sluggishly yet gracefully Joseff serve coffee and it added to his excitement to eat inside the cafe. So without further thinking, he went outside his car and enter the cafe.

Upon entering, Pedro already smelled the freshly brewed coffee and the smell of new baked bread and cakes with a little hint of cinnamon.

“God, this place smells like heaven.” He unconsciously whispered and smiled when he saw Joseff at the counter facing his back at him.

He gently tap Joseff’s shoulder and immediately waved his hand to greet the guy when he look at him.

“Hi!” he greeted happily but the latter just stared at him indifferently and asked,

“What are you doing here?”

“Uhm, I’m here to order and eat, I guess?” Pedro said while tilting his head, acting like he's trying to look at the menu behind Joseff but the truth is he's not.

“Okay, excuse me,” Joseff said and was about to go when Pedro pulled him. And Joseff’s expressionless eyes mirrored his jolly eyes, quietly questioning Pedro’s action.

“Uhm, can you sit with me?” Pedro uttered shamefully. He was not aware where he did get that idea, he just spitted out what was on the end of his tongue. He’s really getting weird and he surely knows it but he does not mind at all.

“No, I have work.” And without even a single blink, Joseff left Pedro’s sight but the latter only smiled foolishly. After all the attempts to befriend Joseff it would always end up with a rejection though it may be weird but he still wants to be his friend for an unknown reason.

"I wonder why," he thought to himself before taking his and his driver’s order.

JOSEFF COULD already feel his sore muscles after closing the cafe but he was already used to it that even sometimes he will just feel numb.

He was already on his way home when he saw a black Mercedes following his walk from its lane beside him. And before he could ignore it, the annoying guy he knows slips his head through the car’s window and ask, “Need a ride buddy?”

“No, thanks,” he said and continue his walk but Pedro is so persistent to the point that he went out of his car and followed Joseff. It annoyed Joseff a bit and was about to say something when a drop of rain touch his cheek. Joseff looks above only to see how gloomy the sky is, ready to pour anytime. And he was about to run when a firm hand grip his arm.

“Come on buddy! I’ll take you home!” Pedro shouted as rain pour quietly fast, leaving Joseff no choice but to let his body be dragged by Pedro towards its car.

Inside Pedro’s car, Joseff could feel the cold breeze coming from the car’s aircon, and weirdly he could also feel Pedro’s short and calm breathing from within his side.

On the other side of the car, Pedro is busy looking for a dry towel that he could lean to Joseff. Once found he immediately look at Joseff with a sly smile flustered within his face when he saw that Joseff’s gaze is fixed on the road.

“Here, take this. Wipe your shirt and hair, it’s a bit wet.” He said making Joseff look at him with parted lips yet still with an expressionless face.

“Thanks,” Joseff said as he used the towel for himself.

“Welcome! So where’s your home? I’ll take you. And no, you can’t reject my offer now ‘cause first, you’re inside my car, thus, my rules. Second, it’s raining and you can’t just go outside and make yourself home drenched, you’ll get sick buddy and last, I’m gonna befriend you here!” Pedro chirpily said while beaming widely.

“For a guy, you’re so loud,” Joseff commented but Pedro didn’t mind it. Probably because he knows that what Joseff said is one of the truths about his nature.

“I know that for a fact dear, so address please?” He asked again. Joseff defeatedly sigh and tell Pedro his address because as he observes, Pierro is one of a hell persistent guy—one of the attitudes he can’t stand but here he is, letting the guy talk and talk for so many random things he does not care about.

He doesn‘t know, but if this was another person he had probably lashed out and exploded because of too much annoyance.

A few minutes later, “Okay buddy, we’re here!” Pedro announces in glee making Joseff look at the roadway and sigh quietly as he finally sees his house as his ears will be finally at peace again.

“Thanks,” he uttered shortly and was about to go when again, Pedro grab his arm. “What?” he uttered already annoyed.

“Can we be friends now?” Pierro asks hopefully like a puppy asking for his master a bone to bite.

“No,” Joseff said again, but like the first time, instead of feeling bad, Pierro only smile and nod like he totally understands it but what didn't Joseff know is that Pierro is plotting another scheme to befriend him.

“Then that’s settled, now let go of my arm,” Joseff said and Pierro let his arm free and raise both hands like he did the most awful crime.

“Good night buddy! See you at school tomorrow!” Pierro bid his goodbye when he saw Joseff enter the gate.

“MOMMY! I AM HOME!” Pedro enthusiastically greeted his mom when he saw her baking cookies.

“Hello dear, wanna grab some cookies? Dig now, I’ll get you your milk,”

“Mom! Why milk? I’m adult now, what I need is coffee,” he said and pouted.

“Son, your body is adult but your mind? Tsk, still a child,” his mom said and giggled after. That makes him sigh because he already knows that winning an argument with his mom is next to impossible.

“Okay, whatever you say,” he said then eat a cookie from his plate.

“Hmm! This tastes so good mom, aww you’re really the best,” he said happily making her mom smile widely while handling him a warm glass of milk.

“You can have more dear, but don’t eat too much, we’ll be having our dinner later,” his mom said and he just put a nod because his mouth is full of cookies.

“Mom, I think I found someone,” he uttered softly to his mom when he remembered Joseff.

“Is it a girl? Your crush? OMG! Finally!” Eulla said while clapping her hands but Pierro only did an awkward laugh.

“Uhm, no mom. I just met this guy,” he started but,

“Oh, my holy cookies? Son, are you gay?!” Eulla asks exaggeratedly which makes Pierro choke from the cookie he just swallowed.

“What the hell mom, of course not!” he immediately said after coughing so hard.

“Oh okay, I just thought so. No need to react so over dear,” his mom said, “So what about him?”

“At school he saved me, and I don’t know... but I badly want to be his friend, weird right?” he shyly asks but his mom only smiles leaving him a confused look.

“What did you see to him?” She asks,

“Uhm,” Pierro was drowned in his thoughts about Joseff. There are so many things he saw to him but there is one certain thing that could not leave his mind.

“His eyes, it's the saddest pair I saw mom. And I had this urge to...”

“Help him? Then do it, son, it’ll be worth it.” his mom continues which makes him smile and nod.