Chapter Eighteen

Owen got home and his sister was at the terrace with Yj and they were both vibing to music they listened via shared ear piece. His mind was blank so he passed by them and though his sister called and Yj greeted he kept moving.

"I've gotta go see what's up with him...say hi to Wilbur for me" Amelia said and went into the apartment. Yj had told her about his encounter with Wilbur.

She entered and Owen had already gone into the room and locked the door

'I wonder what's up with him....should I call Jake? ....nah he'll be fine' Amelia thought.

Owen stared into blank space in the dark of his room, he didn't turn on the lights. He climbed his bed, sat and hugged his thighs.

"He didn't even hesitate to deny us...he just did like....it's a reflex for him....I know I should be considerate and wait but it's fucking hard seeing him next to me....wanting to hug or kiss him but can't...."

Ring!Ring!!

Owen checked the caller ID, it was Jake's.

"Hey babe are you home now ?" Jake asked.

"Yeah I just got in"

"Have you had dinner ?"

"No...I lost my appetite"

"Okay...please try and take something before bed and have a good night...can we meet tomorrow ?"

"I doubt"

"I'm really sorry babe...I impulsively did that"

"It hurts okay"

"I'm sorry with time it will be alright "

"Okay...Goodnight."

"I love you"

"I love you too"

Jake drank alcohol that night recalling the expression on Mrs Green face, she had no right to make him feel this way but she did. He had gotten so used to her being around and smiling at him whenever she came. Although they weren't close they smiled at each other and spoke at times.

"I'll miss her....but why ?....why miss someone who doesn't like you ?"

*****

"Did you cry ?" Jake asked when they met two days later.

"Of course not !...why would I do ?"

"I did !"

"Liar"

"My heart did...I don't wanna hurt you"

"It's fine...it okay now...my feelings just been running wild"

"Like mood swings of a pregnant lady" Jake joked.

Owen hit Jake's chest playfully and they laughed and hugged. Owen had reached the highest level of love to this guy...a level that would break him.

"My heart..." Jake exclaimed in a fit of giggles "...let's have a date"

"Where ?"

"The night amusement park...your sister can tag along "

"And you call that a date ?....these nights she's always at the neighbors"

"The new neighbors?"

"Yeah...they're from South Korea so she joins the mom in watching kdrama series together"

"That's cool"

"There's this boy..."

"What boy??" Owen anxiously asked.

"Chill babe...he's the neighbors son..."

"Oh...I knew that"

"Liar ! My sister likes him"

"Wow he's cute though...so she can't join then?"

"Call her and find out...you have her number"

Jake dialed Amelia.

"Hello Jake"

"Hi Amelia how are you ?"

"I'm fine Jake"

"Are you free this evening ?"

"Pretty much... what's up?"

"We are going to the night amusement park"

"Wow cool...I'd love to come"

"Okay...I'll come pick you up by five"

"I'll be waiting thanks for the invite"

"Yeah see you later"

Call ends.

"How was it?"

"She said yes"

"Okay"

'Owen I'm so sorry...I want your sister to come along so people wouldn't question how close we'll be...they'd think we were family....jeez it feels weird to think that....you can never be my brother!!!'

****

They had fun at the amusement and took lots of pictures. Jake was happy today as he could only recall faint memories of amusement parks when he was younger. Here he was happy and free, forgot all his problems and unconsciously held Owens hands from time to time.

They entered the paint ball shooting range. Luckily they were all on the same team. They had fun running around, shooting and getting shot at. They were unaware of how much time had gone by. Amelia was startled seeing the time on her wristwatch, it was 3am in the morning.

"Whoa bro its 3am" She exclaimed.

"Jeez I've got to be at the office by 7" Jake shared.

"Let's go now babe" Owen suggested.

They hurriedly left and got into Jake's car.

"This amusement park doesn't have a closing time ?" Amelia asked.

"I don't think so...maybe they have shifts and workers are able to rotate" Jake replied.

"Yeah"

Jake drove to their house seeing how late it was.

"Please stay the night" Owen said.

"I don't wanna be an inconvenience " Jake replied.

"Shut up and come in" Owen persuaded.

"Yeah come in Jake" Amelia said.

"Okay you guys got me"

He spent the night in their house setting an alarm for 6am in the morning.

At 6am he woke up untangling himself from Owens cuddle and Owen woke up too.

"Good morning " Owen greeted with a peck.

"Morning....I've got to leave now"

"Okay I'll see you out"

"No...get some more rest"

"I don't mind "

"Okay"

They got out to where Jake's car was parked and Jake got in. Owen was standing by Jake's car window when Davis jogged by, took some steps back and said hi to Jake.

"Hey Owen...good morning "

"Hi Davis...you're jogging this early ?"

"Hello..." Davis said to Jake and Jake waved.

"Okay Jake this is Davis...Davis Jake"

"Hi" Jake said"

"Do you wanna join ?" Davis asked Owen.

Jake coughed.

"Maybe another time...I need to go back to bed"

"Okay I'll leave now...see you later"

"Bye" Davis jogged on

"Who is he ? And why didn't you say who I was ?"

"He's the mentee I told you about...and it was unnecessary telling him who you are"

"But you're close to him"

"Aren't you gonna be late?"

"Bye...I'll see you later."

"Does he like this Davis guy ?....I'm cool with him letting his friends know who I am so why won't he tell him....I hate the way the silly guy looks at him and he had the guts to ask him to jog with him....that guy better respects himself and leave my boyfriend alone !" Jake thought as he drove off.

****

The semester had just begun and Kevin's Aunty had sent him lots of big books. She had put the books to be delivered in school rather than the house by mistake so Kevin had to take them from the security post that morning and would carry them back home when he was done with lectures. He was struggling in the hallway when a big pair of hands lifted the books that blocked his face as he navigated sideways. Kevin's eyes met Gilbert standing there and staring at him. He observed that Gilbert had trimmed his hair.

"Hey Kev...why the truckload of books ?"

"My aunt sent them so I've got to carry them with me till...Julian comes to pick me up" Julian and Kevin were still dating. He'd been thinking for a while if Gilbert genuinely liked him and seeing him here standing in front of him made his heart beat as erratically as it always did whenever they were this close. He wanted to kiss him but pushed such thoughts away.

"Oh...okay"

They walked to Kevin's class.

"This semester we have just one class together" Gilbert said.

"Yeah...and none with Stephen...thankfully Owen and I are in the same major "

"Yeah"

Kevin and Owen were Hotel management majors. Gilbert was in business management while Stephen, computer science.

******

"You'll be fine I promise" Amelia affirmed Yj. She, Yj, Tim and Tam were walking to school.

"I know but in my previous school I was bullied for being Asian...."

"That won't happen here" Tim said "the school management is against that...anyone who engages in any form of bullying is investigated and if proven guilty, expelled"

"Cool" Yj said.

"I love how soft your hair is " Tam said stroking his hair with her short hands.

"Thanks...My mom gave me a massage with some special oils this morning" Yj replied

"Tam stop being a pervert " Tim said .

"I'm complimenting the cute guy"

"You always do" Tim said.

"Yj what's your full name ?"

"Yeon jun...Kim Yeon jun "

"That's a beautiful name" Amelia complimented.

"Thanks...yours are great too"

"There's this guy that moved into our apartment...he's in the top floor" Tam announced.

"Who is he ?" Amelia asked.

"He's very cute and tall and dark"

"Okay" Amelia responded.

"Tim likes him" Tam said.

"No I don't...I'm appreciating his beauty" Tim blushed.

They all giggled.

"He must be exceptionally cute for Tim to like him"

"What do you mean Amelia...do I have bad taste in guys?"

"You like every guy you see Tam"

They all laughed.

*****

While Owen was in school, Davis came by to pick a him up as they had a shoot to do. He came by lunch time and the group were having lunch. These days Kevin joined them though he and Gilbert wasn't as close as before. They all had lunch together after which Davis drove Owen to J-unique in his small car.

"Do you attend school ?" Owen had once asked.

"No...I'm working I'm not ready for school yet " Davis had replied. He was a year younger than Owen.

The shoot lasted for a long time as they had to concentrate on preplanned poses, improvise and take lots of photos. They were done by evening time. Davis offered to drop Owen home as their house's weren't that far from each other.

"Thanks...I sure am lucky...I got a free ride here and I'm getting one back"

"I'm your Goodluck charm...you can call me anytime "

"Okay..."

"Can we have dinner together ?"

"I'd love to but my sister must have made dinner already...can't let her food go to waste else she won't cook for a while"

"Oh...okay...can I join you ?"

"Uhm...okay"

They got to Owens apartment and when the door opened they saw Amelia, Tim, Tam, Yj and Jake playing scrabbles. Owen was shocked..."what is Jake doing here this late ?"

They turned to see who was at the door and Jake instinctively smiled at the door but his smile dropped when he saw who was behind Owen.

"Hi guys "Owen awkwardly greeted.

"Hello " They chorused except Jake.

"Hi Jake" Davis said to which Jake nodded.

Owen introduced everyone to Davis without saying who Jake was.

"Isn't that our neighbor ?" Tam teased and Tim blushed. Jake was close to Tam so he could hear her. Jake was feeling uncomfortable being here he'd come by to see Amelia as he passed by that pastry shop. He'd met them playing and had joined the gang. He hadn't called Owen today.

"Amelia what did you make ? " Owen asked as he headed to his room and Davis sat on the sofa next to him.

"Pasta" she said following him into his room.

"I wanna change...why are you here ?"

"Isn't that guy the same person that posted that pic of you being cute and all"

"Yeah he's my mentee so what? "

"Won't Jake be mad at you for being this close with him"

"He's just a friend and why would Jake be mad ?"

"Well when you opened the door you looked shocked like you were doing something wrong"

"I didn't expect to see him here and he didn't even call to say he was coming...if he did I wouldn't have brought Davis and made the place feel awkward"

"Okay I'll go heat the food up"

"Yeah"

'I'm not doing anything wrong besides I have no feelings for Davis'

When he got out Jake, Tim, Tam and Yj had already left. His sister was in the kitchen and Davis sat in the parlor.

"Where is Jake ?" He asked no one in particular.

"He said he had to leave...who is he though"

"He's my boyfriend!"

"Really...you never told me...he's beautiful though"' well my crush has died now...I hope I didn't create a rift in their relationship though'

"Yeah"

Owen brought out his phone and dialed Jake. Jake didn't pick till the forth ring and Owen got into his room to talk privately.