His Gummy Smile

Love and Trust

"Let's have fun, Beam. Wayo's father let us use his villa this weekend, that means tomorrow," Phana said that morning, before entering the classroom.

"That's right, Beam, you've been gloomy for two days and we hasn't heard anything yet from Forth. You better respond to his annoying behavior," said Kit, clenching his fists.

Beam smiled weakly. He felt tired and sleepy. Since Forth disappeared and there was a post about him with a woman in the campus media, he couldn't sleep. He waited for Forth to come back to provide an explanation.

Beam trusts Forth with all his heart. He knew that his lover would not do something without a reason.

Several people started whispering and making pitying comments to Beam, but he didn't care. He doesn't need anyone else. He only needed Forth to come to him and give an explanation why suddenly disappeared and who the woman was with him. He will accept any explanation given by Forth later.

"All right, let's go," agreed Beam. "Forth probably won't be back this weekend. I don't like spending time alone on weekends."

"Why are you so sure Forth won't be back this weekend?" Phana asked, tilting her head.

Beam sighed. "I don't know. Hunch. He's probably ... busy?"

"Busy with that woman?" asked Kit. "I'll hit him in the face when he shows up."

"You won't even be able to reach his face with your tiny body, Kitty," Phana joked. "Let me do it."

"Hey, no one can touch my man but me. Besides, I can do it myself," Beam said with a grimace.

"Wayo and Ming will join.  Engineering gank, too. We will have fun there," said Phana happily.

"Uh, I'm not sure," muttered Beam. "You are all in pairs while I will be like a monk, alone and lonely."

"Take it easy. I also invited my cousin, Phi Joong. He just opened a new restaurant in the area near the villa and he will join us."

Beam's eyes widened. "Phi Joong? Seriously?"

Phana and Kit chuckled at Beam's enthusiasm. Phi Joong is Beam's idol since childhood. He is Phana's maternal cousin and lived with Phana's family during his middle and high school days because his parents are in Brazil.

Beam and Kit, who have been friends with Phana since childhood, really like Phi Joong, especially Beam who really admires him, even arguably falling in love with him.

"Just behave, Beam. You still Forth's lover, till he said different," Phana said calmly. "Don't make mistake for revenge a mistake."

"I know, Pha."

*****

Beam stared at his little suitcase. He put in the old shirt that Forth used to sleep. Beam missed Forth terribly and the shirt comforted him.
The scent of Forth's body that was left on the shirt was enough to make Beam entertained.

Forth's phone still can't be reached and Forth hasn't shown up on campus either. Beam worries that he missed many of his classes during this week. Forth was the brightest engineering student, which made him even more attractive and charming, but leaving a week of classes without news might have affected his grades.

Beam also thinks of the woman who is with Forth in the photo. A beautiful woman who looks very closed with Forth. They are in a jewelry shop and one of the photos shows her pose with a ring on his finger, Forth gave her.

Beam's tears spilled. "Forth, where are you? I miss you," sobbed Beam as he sank his face into the pillow. He cried himself to sleep.

Beam woke up when he heard a banging on the door of his apartment. He woke up and looked at the clock on the nightstand.

"Beam, let's wake up. We'll be late," shouted someone at the door.

Beam quickly opened the door and saw Lam standing in front of him in a beach-patterned shirt and knee-length pants.

Lam's eyebrows rose at Beam. "Don't tell me you're not ready, Beam?" Lam asked as he broke into Beam's apartment.

"Give me twenty minutes to get ready and please close my suitcase," Beam said as he darted into the bathroom. Lam groaned at how messy Beam's bed was. He sighed at the water-stained pillow and Forth's shirt.

Lam opened Beam's wardrobe and took something out of it and tucked it into a suitcase under Beam's other clothes.

"What about Forth? Has he still missing?" asked Beam in the car.

Park waited in the parking lot and nearly yelled angrily at Beam. Lam's glare stopped his irritation.

"Not yet. We tried to find out if he was in his house, but he wasn't."

"I'm worried," Beam said quietly. "Did anyone try to kidnap and hold Forth somewhere?"

Park laughed. "I pity people who try to do things like that to Forth. After all, the photos in the campus media a few days ago prove that he is fine."

"Park!" scolded Lam. "Don't make it more cloudy."

Beam smiled weakly and shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Forth will come back and explain everything to me later." Lam and Park exchanged glances and nodded at Beam.

"Take it easy, Beam, we will cheer you up and make you forget Forth for a moment. After all, according to Phana, there is your idol on the beach," said Park with a smile.

"Phi Joong?" Beam laughed. "He's my idol since childhood, but that's all. Now, all my feelings are only for Forth."

"Very romantic," said Lam. "Aren't you worried about the photos, Beam?"

"Of course I'm worried, but as long as I haven't heard directly from Forth what's going on, then I'll keep waiting and believe him. I have nothing but love and trust in him." Lam almost hugged Beam right then and there, while Park smiled broadly and pointed his thumb at Beam.

In other place, a beautiful woman hugged Forth tighly.

*****