NOT MEANT TO BE

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Tee’s eyes never strayed far from the small raised podium at the dingy club. Every song captured his heart. At the moment the main vocals were done by P’Kim, P’Tae’s friend. He too had a great voice but Tee preferred P’Tae’s captivating tenor. It had a habit of capturing his heart and squeezing it painfully. It made Tee breathless, forgetting where he was and what he was doing.

Of course, P’Tae no longer looked at him.

Tee dropped his gaze to the empty glass in front of him when the song ended and the guitar duo stepped down.

Tee had no doubts when he first started crushing on the mechanic that the older man would even possess a slightest of interest in him. The guy acted that way – like Tee never existed. So he had no hope of getting his feelings returned and he was hundred percent okay with that.

Until that time Tee drove Tae to the club when the older man had a bike trouble and that same night older man so adamantly drove Tee back home because he was drunk.

That day Tee knew that Tae wasn’t as indifferent to him as he let on.

When their faces were close, when Tae’s breath brushed over Tee’s lips, when Tae’s eyes lingered on Tee’s trembling lips, he knew. He knew that Tae wanted him. He was afraid to do anything about it but he wasn’t oblivious as Tee first thought.

Instead of kissing, Tae pushed him away. Tee was okay with it. He was happy that he wasn’t as pathetic as he thought. It elated him to know that he could affect Tae that way. The older man was holding back because of their positions. Tae worked for Tee which allowed Tee to have lots of power over the mechanic. 

He thought that he’d just have to be honest with Tae. Confessing his feelings would be a great idea.

To his total befuddlement the older man began avoiding him like the plague next day.

Tee tried approaching him but Tae dismissed his every attempt at having a meaningful conversation by feigning ignorance. At the end of the day he got the message.

Tae didn’t want anything to do with Tee. It’s besides the point that he was possibly attracted to Tee. Or maybe it wasn’t exactly attraction. It could be a moment of weakness of the older man.

Tee sighed twirling the empty glass over the sticky bar top.

“Would you like a refill?”

A friendly voice asked.

Tee lifted his head. It was Michael, the bartender. Over the months Tee had been visiting here he’d gotten quite friendly with the young man. After learning that the guy was actually a third year engineering student from the same campus, Tee relaxed himself enough to be friendly with him. 

“Yes, please.” Tee slid the empty glass across the bar top with a smile.

“Which would it be this time?” Michael cocked his head with an amused gaze.