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Direc… no… Nico is now my friend… how unbelievable, but I’m very happy. That’s the single thought that ran through my head over and over again that Friday night. I couldn’t believe how happy I was just because someone became my friend. I mean, I’ve never been that excited over friendship before. I was even happier because of the fact that Nico and I even exchanged contact numbers.
“Can you wipe that smile off your face? It’s creepy…” Perry teased as he sat on my sofa, watching a movie on TV while eating popcorn.
“This is my place, I can do whatever I want,” I retorted. “And stop stuffing popcorn on the sofa, or I would never allow you to sleep over again.” I added.
“Alright, grandpa,” Perry said sarcastically as he shook off popcorns lying on the sofa onto the floor. “Geez, Kyle, you still are an old man deep inside, aren’t you? Some things never change…” He sighed.
“And you’re still as messy as ever,” I replied.
“So, what did you talk about with Nico?” Perry asked all of a sudden.
I was a bit surprised by his question. “Nothing much. Mostly about work,” I lied.
“What a lousy lie…” Perry said. “Why do you have to lie? How suspicious…”
“What’s suspicious?” Brent asked as he walked towards the sofa and then leaned on the back of it.
“Kyle had been smiling a lot ever since he talked with the director of our new project,” Perry said and then grinned at me.
“Ehh? Why?” Brent asked as he walked towards me. “What did you talk to him about?” He asked.
There’s no way in hell that I would ever tell those two that Nico and I talked about the picture of us kissing spreading through the web. I can tell them that Nico and I became friends, though.
“Nothing really…” I said.
“Look here, Mr. Stevenson,” Brent said as he put his arm around my shoulders. “You’re a really lousy liar, so, you better start telling the truth now.”
“I told you, it’s nothing. Why are you both so interested in what Nico and I talked about?” I replied.
“Wait. Nico? Since when did you start calling him Nico? You always called him, Director,” Perry said and then looked seriously at me. “Something happened at your office, right?”
Brent was looking at me with quite a serious expression as well.
“Nothing,” I said and then freed myself from Brent. “I’m going to bed, I’m tired.”
“He’s escaping…” Brent said and then chuckled. “We’ll let you go, Kyle… for now,” Brent said as I retreated to my room.
“Those two…” I sighed and then jumped to my bed with a smile. I just can’t help but be happy about the fact that Nico and I are friends.
It’s not like I’m planning to hide my friendship from Nico, it’s just that it was all too sudden and both Perry and Brent are perceptive guys. And since it was just a week since Nico and I met, those two would surely suspect that something happened to trigger our fast friendship. Brent might even find out that I brought Nico to my room and let him sleep on my bed. I would surely get into trouble if that happens.
Perry and Brent drank the whole night, and I wasn’t surprised to see them both passed-out in front of the TV the next morning.
“Haa…” I sighed heavily. “Why am I surrounded by alcoholic people?” I asked myself in sarcastic tone.
I was cooking hangover soup when Brent approached me from behind. “Smells good,” He said as he leaned over my shoulder. I turned my head and he still looked a bit groggy.
“You don’t look so good,” I told him.
“I don’t feel so good,” he said as he rested his head on my shoulder.
“That’s what you get for drinking too much,” I said with a little chuckle. “Just wait a bit… The soup will be done soon.” I said as I patted him gently on the head. Brent stayed like that for a while, sometimes he just acts really childish. “You should go wait at the table, I’ll prepare the soup,” I said after giving him another pat on the head.
I finished cooking the soup and placed two bowls at the table. Then I woke Perry up. I knew their heads was aching so badly that moment, and watching them eat while furrowing their foreheads was really funny. I never understand what’s so great about drinking anyways, I mean, I don’t drink at all. Well, partly because I have a slight allergy to alcohol.
Brent and I practically spent the whole day watching movies. We stayed on the couch the whole time and even ate our lunch in front of the TV. It was after lunch when a package arrived.
“Hey, you get it. My shoulder hurts…” I said as I pushed Brent’s head away from my shoulder.
“Fine,” he said and then walked to the door. “It’s for you,” Brent said as he closed the door.
“Me? From whom?”
“Your Dad.”
“Which one?”
I heard Brent sigh. “Uncle Joseph,” he said and the handed me the box. The box was quite big.
“How heavy…” After inspection, I saw that the box was sent from China. “Wow, how far…” I opened the box and was surprised. “What the hell is this?” Inside the box was a small replica of a Terracotta Warrior.
“Wow…” Brent said as he sat down beside me. “Uncle Joseph really likes sending that kind of stuff to you,” he said.
I have a whole storage filled with odd souvenirs from him. Ranging from Daruma Dolls from Japan to fans from Spain. I display those gifts in the flat for a while, before carefully putting them into storage, since Perry and Brent almost destroyed a wooden sculpture Joseph bought from Thailand, when they were drunk.
“I’m jealous of him, he gets to travel around the world…” Brent said as he sat down beside me and borrowed the small warrior.
“It’s not like he’s going around the world for vacation, you know. He’s traveling for medical missions, ” I said.
“That’s even more exciting. He gets to travel and do something worthwhile at the same time,” Brent said and then gave me back the small warrior.
“I better keep this in my room, I’m afraid you and Perry would break into pieces,” I said as I stood up and walked to my room.
“Don’t forget to email Uncle Joseph!” Brent shouted.
“I know…” I said.
Having two Dads was really confusing and frustrating at first, but I got used to it as time passed. I couldn’t accept it at first, couldn’t accept Joseph Ashworth as my biological father, but I warmed up to him. It was difficult not to, since he’s a really warm and nice, like my Dad, Daniel. Now, Joseph, for me, is my second father.
I still like Dad a lot more than Joseph though, I am much closer to him. He’s a lot funnier, a lot warmer, and lot fatherly than Joseph. He’s the one who raised me and showered me with love for all of my life. Joseph is always traveling, so it’s Dad who’s always there for me as a father. I would be a broken man without Dad’s love and support.
Mom, Dad, and Joseph were all friends since highschool. Mom and Joseph were dating then, and when they reached college, those two even got engaged. Mom got pregnant with me and Joseph flew to Japan for research. They lost contact, fought, and then broke their engagement.
Dad took care of Mom the whole time, and they slowly fell in love. They married when I was two and Dad treated me as his own. I had never once felt like I wasn’t his own son. He treats me like his own flesh and blood, like I am a part of him. That’s why I would choose to have Dad as my father all over again, if I am given a chance.
I might sound very mean, but I am really glad that Mom and Joseph broke up, because I got to have Dad as my father. I always consider Mom and Dad as soulmates, that they are fated to meet and fall in love with each other, and that they are destined to have a wonderful son… me.
I emailed Joseph and thanked him for the gift. I also told him about the new project and that I got to be friends with Nico, but I left out the part about that kiss and scandal. I also didn’t tell him that I fainted on set. He’s already stressed enough with all the patients he’s seeing, I don’t want to worry him any further.
The sun had just set and Brent and I were planning to go out for dinner, but then I received a surprising phone call. My heart almost stopped when I saw Nico’s name on the screen of my phone.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Kyle…” Nico sounded very sad and I couldn’t help but worry. “Do you have time? Can you accompany me…?” His voice was breaking my heart. What could’ve happened to make him sound like that? His voice… it sounded that he just lost his will to live.
“Nico? What’s wrong? What happened?” I asked worriedly.
“I’ll tell you later… For now, I need someone… I really do…” I can tell by his voice, that he was trying to stop himself from crying.
“I understand, I’ll be with you,” I said.
“Thanks… It really means a lot to me. I really want to get drunk right now, Kyle, but I remembered what you said; that I should go easy on the alcohol and that you know another way to forget. Do you think you can teach me how, now?” He asked. I was glad that he listened to what I said, but at the same time I was really worried.
“Of course,” I told Nico. “Let’s meet up after an hour, I’ll send you details where… and Nico, hang in there, alright. I’ll be there, so wait for me,” I said.
It’s because of that Emily again, I’m sure. What could have she possibly done to make Nico that sad again? Why does she have to keep on hurting Nico? Deep inside, I know that Nico is warm, kind, and loving person, he doesn’t deserve to get repeatedly hurt. He deserves better.
I may not know the whole story, but I know that Emily and Stephen’s relationship was no more than a publicity stunt. If she really loves Nico, then make him feel loved. Seeing how Nico is constantly in sorrow, I’m pretty convinced that Emily fails in insuring Nico what she really felt for him, what he really is to her.
It’s not like me to get so over emotional over something that I wasn’t personally involved in. I don’t know why I was like that either.
Why do I feel pain over Nico’s sadness?
Why do I feel angry that someone is making him sad?
Why do I want to make him feel happy so badly?
Why?
Just why?
“Sorry, Brent, there’s an emergency, I need to go,” I told Brent before I left.
Brent was understanding as always, he told me to take care, and I felt really guilty for not telling him that I was meeting Nico. I’ll tell him some other time.
A friend of Dad’s owns a hotel, and I asked if I could use their pool privately for the night. It was a short notice, but he agreed to it, since the pool wasn’t in use.
I brought my board shorts and bought one for Nico along the way. I would show him what I always do when I am stressed out, or if I want to clear my mind. The pool might not be as beautiful as the lake back in my hometown, but it would do.
Nico was yet to arrive, so I decided to start ahead of him. I dove on the pool and when I reached the middle, I floated on my back while I look at the dim lit ceiling. I cleared my head of all thoughts and let the water embraced me. I was submerged up to my ears, so I couldn’t hear anything. I stayed like that for quite a while.
I wanted to submerge my whole body in the water, but I was still waiting for Nico and I was afraid that he might not see me.
The water always calms me down. I’ve always loved swimming. My Mom always says that I learned to swim even before I learned how to run properly.
Time passed and I was starting to feel really relaxed. It was then that I decided to tilt my head a bit, and there was Nico, standing at the edge of the pool, looking at me, saying nothing. I dove down the water and swam towards him. “How long have you been here?” I asked him as I emerged just below his feet.
“Not that long…” Nico said meekly as he looked down on me.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked with a smile.
Nico was quiet for a while. He just looked at me. “I didn’t want to disturb you,” he said in quite a meek tone. For some reason, Nico looked really odd. He was quiet, he was meek, and he kept on looking at me with those confused eyes. Maybe because he was just really depressed, that’s why he asked to meet me in the first place. “While you were floating in the middle of the pool… you look really…” He said hesitantly.
“Really what?”
“Nothing…” He said with a small smile.
I chuckled at him. “I bought a change of clothes for you. Why don’t you get changed first?”
“So we’re really swimming? Is this the other way you’re telling me?” He asked confusedly.
“I’ll show you later, get changed first,” I said.
Nico walked out of the changing room and I instantly regretted not buying him a shirt. His body looked too damn good! The more I looked at his body, the weirder I was starting to feel. I couldn’t stop staring at him at all.
What should I do? I think I’m turning into a pervert.
“You must be spending a lot of time in the gym. You look good,” I said as Nico jumped into the water with me.
Darn it. What am I saying?
Nico looked flustered, and I was quite surprised by that. “Thanks. You look good yourself,” he said as he looked down on my body.
It made me shy, but it made me feel proud as well. “I swim a lot.” Nico seemed to be acting really different. I knew he was depressed, but there was something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. “Nico, are you ok…?” Nico bit his lip and shook his head. “Do you want to tell me?”
“Emily…” Nico said in a very sad tone. “She and her manager talked to me this morning. Her manager said that the news about Emily and I is already affecting Emily’s career, and they need to do something about that. So, they decided, together with Stephen, to announce that Emily and Stephen are engaged.”
“What?” I was pretty surprised by that. Sure it was just pretending, but still, an engagement is taking too far. It’s way too much. No wonder Nico was feeling that depressed.
“I wouldn’t mind…” Nico continued. “If only she told me about it before making any decision, if only she asked me before saying yes… but she didn’t… She agreed without even consulting me, it’s like my opinion doesn’t matter at all. I feel like the only one committing in the relationship and that she herself was beginning to believe the lie they created, that she’s dating that guy. I was angry, hurt… so I said that maybe we should break up. I was merely testing her, deep inside I wanted her to get angry at me for saying that, I wanted her to say no… but she said yes, she agreed to break up with me. It’s not the first time, Kyle, but this time, I really feel that it’s over. Me and her, we’re over.” Nico’s voice was shaky.
That’s when Nico lowered his head and I noticed tears fall into the pool. It breaks my heart to see him like that. His sadness was killing me.
Without thinking twice, I moved closer to Nico and then pulled his head down on my shoulder. He was taller than me, so he had to lean more. “I’ll lend you my shoulder… so let it all out…” I told him as I rubbed the back of his head.
Nico cried that night. And each time I would feel his tear fall on my shoulder, my heart would break. Each tear was knife stabbing me in the heart. Seeing him that hurt, I wanted to embrace him, but I thought that doing that would be going too far.
“Sorry…” Nico said as he slowly moved away with his head lowered. “How lame… a grown man crying…” He said and chuckled ironically. He refused to show me his face, he must be feeling really embarrassed at that moment.
“It’s not lame, Nico. I think, a man being able to cry for those who are important to him is a really brave man,” I told him. “Come on, I’ll teach you how to forget,” I told Nico as I moved towards the middle of the pool.
I dove underwater and then swam until I reached the middle of the pool. Nico followed me slowly. As I came back to the surface, I saw the look on Nico’s face. He looked hesitant, a bit stiff. I dove back underwater and swam until I was behind Nico. I came back to the surface and then held him on the side of his arms. “Relax… You’re too tense,” I said as I shook him a bit.
“Just relax, clear your mind of any thoughts, and then closed your eyes. After that, fall on your back on the water and just let the water embrace you. When you sink in the water, relax your body even more,” I told him.
“That’s it? That’s your way to forget?” Nico asked doubtingly.
“Well, it works pretty fine for me. If it doesn’t work for you, then you can also try to swim until you’re too tired to even think,” I said. “It might be a lot more work than just getting drunk, but at least it’s much healthier,” I said with a smile and then closed my eyes and fell back on the water. I sank slowly in the water and before I was completely submerged, Nico did the same.
My mind was void of any thought at that time, then all of a sudden a vision came to my mind. It was like a dream, yet it felt so real. Like it was a vivid memory. A memory that I have no recollection of ever happening.
In that image; I was slowly sinking in the water, while looking up to the bright moon. Then a face of a boy blocked the moon. Slowly, he reached down for me and then wrapped his arms around my waist. Then he pulled me up.
Was I drowning?
What was that image?
My imagination? A day dream?
I’m sure it was not a memory, because that image was very new to me.
Who was that boy?
His face was very blurry so I had no idea what he looked like.
Despite all the confusion brought about that vision, I was really happy. That vision made me somehow really happy.
My concentration was disrupted and I opened my eyes and turned my head to the side. To my surprise, Nico’s eyes were opened, and he was looking at me with very gentle eyes. Nico was also seemingly reaching for me with his hand.
When Nico saw me, he became flustered. He looked away and then swam back up on the surface. I swam back to the surface, Nico was already swimming back to the edge of the pool.
“Didn’t it work?” I asked as I swam after him. It was just that, he still seemed a bit off. It seemed that something was still bothering him. He was still acting different.
“No. It worked,” Nico said and then smiled at me as he looked back at me. “Thanks, I’m feeling a lot better now. When I was underwater with you, I totally forgot why I was feeling down. It’s difficult to explain, but when I opened my eyes underwater and saw you, I…”
“You…?” I asked curiously.
“Nothing, forget about it,” he said in a nervous tone. “Thank you, Kyle. Because you’re with me, I was able to forget about Emily.” Nico added. “You being here with me right now, it’s enough to make me feel a lot happier.”
Those words pierced right into my heart. I couldn’t help but feel really happy. My cheeks started to feel hot, and I was afraid that he would see my blushing cheeks, so I lowered myself in the water until my cheeks were submerged.
Nico leaned on the wall of the pool while he stretched his arms and placed it on top of the edge. There’s something I want to ask him, but I was really afraid. I was afraid that he might get mad.
“There’s something you want to ask, right? Go on, ask me, I won’t get mad,” Nico said as he walked towards the edge of the pool. How did he know?
“Do you love her?” I asked as I followed him.
Nico hesitated for a while. “We’ve been together since we were seventeen. For eight years, we stayed with each other, and even though we stray we always find our way back,” he replied.
“You are not answering my question,” I smiled gently at him “The amount of time you two spent together doesn’t matter, it’s the feeling you have that only matters. You know, you should think about what you truly feel for her, before you think of anything else, because everything would be easier if your heart is sure of what it wants.”
“I don’t want to lose her…”
“Don’t want to or afraid to?” Nico hesitated again. “Why? Because you love her or because after those eight long years you spent together you became attached to her? Love and attachment are two very different things.”
Nico chuckled sadly. “I know that, but I find it hard to distinguish one from the other. I guess I just got used to being with her, and always getting back together with her. After what happened tonight, I don’t know what to do anymore.”
He looked really sad as he replied. Sad and confused. I wanted to comfort him, to help him feel better, but other than bringing him to the pool for a night swim, I don’t know any other way. I don’t know why, but seeing him that sad broke my heart. Why do I feel that way over someone I just met? Why do I seem to care for him that much? Why?
“Serendipity,” I muttered. “Just leave everything to fate. I believe if she’s truly the one fated for you, then fate would make a way for you to be together.”
“Fate huh…?” He sighed as he turned around. “I wonder if it’s also fate that made me pass-out next to you at that pub,” he said. “Do you think it’s also by fate that we’ve met?” He asked as he turned around with a smile.
I chuckled at him. So the so called Ice Prince can also joke around like that. “Who knows…?” I replied and then we both laughed.
I was truly happy to be with Nico that night.
I was really happy that I was able to make him smile.
Just what in the world is really happening to me?
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