I Wish We Met Sooner (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 15

Daniel

FOR ONCE IN MY life, I'm bored. And alone. I've always been alone, but never have I felt lonely.

Is this what it's like to have 'friends'? Are Oliver and I even friends? We are definitely something because the kid has seen my actual face. If I weren't so hungry that day, I wouldn't have revealed my appearance at all. I can't forget the look on his face when I removed the Red Demon, astounded by the scar on my cheek, as though he's seen nothing like it.

It's been over a week since the day Oliver voluntarily came over. He mentioned how he'll be heading back to college this week, and therefore, we talked a little. He wanted to exchange info on our phones, but I refused. Apparently, I still don't trust him entirely. No one should trust anyone completely. It's just natural.

Grandpa and I rarely spent any time together since he began working on the Nonexistent. Day and night, he's always so focused on his task that I gave up trying to sit by him and simply have a coffee together. Now, I'm on my own.

The day didn't go as I expected, but it ended by having him return home during sunset. We've spent the entire day in the apartment, talking, or it was just him while I answered some of his questions. However, I shot a tracking device behind his ear before he left. It was hilarious that he thought the sting from it was a mosquito bite. Well, he's not entirely wrong, as the size of the tracking device matches a mosquito. Tiny and easily looked past.

If there was a God in this world, I would like him to tell me why I am who I am. Where did I go wrong, or why did I choose to be the Red Demon? And why I've been keeping tabs on his safety when I should've moved on by now. Not a day goes by when I do not think of him that I have to monitor the blinking red light on my phone.

I had nothing better to do more often than not, so I'd go out into the world as Daniel and spy on Ollie, carrying out his daily routine. Sometimes disguised as a bystander or an adult with a job. I noticed he spends most of his time in college, and he's got two friends he's always with. I don't know what I expected his friends to look like, but the African American girl who wears too much makeup isn't it.

They looked so... normal. And it baffles me because I do not know what it feels like to be normal or have a set of friends like him. My eyes always perceive a smile on their faces and laughter in my ears. Especially Ollie. For someone who's invisible in his home, he seemed happier outside. Or was he wearing a mask covering more than the Red Demon? Probably.

Their classes have an inconsistent timing to which on some days, one of them would return home earlier than the other and on other days, vice versa. Though, only on Fridays do their classes end simultaneously, which is after lunch hours. They would often drive to the Beverly Hills Mall and waste their time there. Especially in lame activities such as karaoke, movies, and drinking in cafes.

I followed them last week, which made me feel like a third wheel, but then I recalled that they're not supposed to know I'm there. Even when I'd go out without a disguise, Ollie wouldn't recognize me when I sat by a table next to him. Was it because I was wearing a surgical mask to hide my scar? Weren't my features from head to nose prominent enough?

Part of me is relieved that maybe he's forgotten about me and that I can return to my life as the Red Demon, while the other part feels rather strange. This hollow heart somehow started beating, and it was not a good feeling. It hurts, actually.

Today, a Saturday, they had no classes, and they're all hanging out by the mall once again. I trailed many steps behind them and occasionally waited for them to come out shall they enter a shop where I could quickly lose them, such as the supermarket and arcades. Instead, I would return home, but the weather is pouring, and I'd rather not walk in the rain while I'm out in the world as Daniel.

I'm sitting by a bench just a distance away from a frozen yoghurt shack where Ollie and his friends were lining up in a queue to get their share. They sure love sweet shit that every time they hang out, there has to be a moment of consuming something sugary treats.

Ollie wore an oversized red hoodie with ripped black jeans, where his knees poked out. Compared to his other male friend, who wore a collared t-shirt, shorts, and slippers, Ollie had a better sense of fashion. Whereas the girl, she looked intimidating with those spiked boots, fishnets, black miniskirt, and spaghetti straps. Her clothes stood out the most in their group, and it wasn't hard for my eyes to spot her.

After they purchased their own cup of yoghurt, they began walking away. While his friends were already eating their dessert, Ollie held two cups in his hands, which prevented him from eating his.

They were soon out of sight, to which I decided to officially stop spying on them and simply accept the fact that I was forgotten. I pulled out my phone and opened the tracking mode, aiming to shut it down. I nearly bounced out of my seat when I noticed the blinking red dot standing behind me. I shook it vigorously, thinking there was a malfunction in the system, but it didn't budge.

"I knew it," that familiar voice came from behind me. Ollie's voice.

I turned around to see him smirking at me as he walked over and took a seat next to me.

"Knew what?"

"That the red-haired boy I kept seeing everywhere is you," he held out one of the frozen yoghurts he had just bought. "Here, I got you one, too. They're quite good."

I hesitated to take the dessert from him, to which he then placed it on my lap.

"And also, the fact that you've placed a tracking device on me," he said after partaking a spoon full of yoghurt. He didn't lick the spoon clean as there were still half intact over it. "I didn't know you'd missed me."

"I-I don't," I looked away.

"Sure, you do," he laughs.

"If you knew about the tracking device, why didn't you remove it?"

He shrugged his shoulders before eating another spoonful. "Maybe I liked the idea of you keeping tabs on me," he gave a teasing face.

"You're unbelievable," I said sarcastically.

"I know."

"Where are your friends?" I recalled his friends, and I didn't intend to let them see my face.

"They went home," he responded calmly. "I told them I want to hang out with another friend today. You."

"And what makes you think I want to hang out with you?"

"The fact that you've been stalking me since the day I came over," he lifted an eyebrow while those ocean eyes drilled into mine. "Come on, dude, stop denying it already, and just admit you missed me because, well, same here."

"What?"

"What?" He repeated my question.

"You... missed me?" I find that very hard to say.

"Sure," he said so casually that I'm impressed he could do so. "It's not wrong to miss others, you know. It's what makes us human. We missed those who aren't around."

"It's okay to miss anyone, but not your fucking kidnapper," I stirred my yoghurt, which was half melted.

"I've forgotten about that," his voice seemed muffled by all that yoghurt. "You're no longer my kidnapper but my friend, whether or not you like it. Come, enough chatting. Let's hang out for a bit."