Until You [BL]

Chapter 7 - I'm the one

Christmas Eve and the 25th passed by with nothing much to offer in terms of excitement. Fallon's dad did encourage him to eat a lot because he thinks that Fallon lost a lot of weight since he last saw him.

Late morning of the 27th brought unexpected guests. Anthony Hidalgo and his wife Leslie came with their sons. The parents brought wine and said they wanted to relax and chat with Francis.

"Ate*, where is Fallon's Room?" Alexis asked the maid that welcomed them with Tito** Francis.

Ate Lisa pointed up the stairs and said, "Pag akyat po, banda kaliwa, yung pinto paglagpas ng tv area." (Upstairs, left side, first door after passing the entertainment area.)

"Alright! Thanks, Ate." Archer had already started climbing up when he thanked the maid. Taking the stairs two steps at a time with Alexis following him more slowly.

Fallon heard a couple of knocks before it his door opened and produced a smiling Archer.

"Dude, wanna go wakeboarding?"

"Duuude, wanna wait for me to tell you, 'You may enter' before actually coming in?" Fallon reprimanded.

"Excuse his rudeness, we recently acquired him and haven't trained him yet." Alexis inserted before he appeared.

"Yes yes, moving on...Wanna go wakeboarding?" Archer repeated.

"CWC? Possible, it's around 45 mins drive so we can just do day tour." Fallon replied

"Alright! Go wash up, while we play with your console." Archer seated himself at the foot of the bed and busied himself with Fallon's game console.

Alexis looked around Fallon's room while Fallon's getting ready. It was unusually neat. As if the owner intends to be here only temporarily. There is a game console on a rack under the TV and a study table that contains nothing but an iPad atop it. No knick knacks, framed pictures or anything that indicates someone is occupying this space. It's as if one day the owner decided to pack his life away. There is only this big black and white photo of a long rainy road on the wall at the head of the bed.

Fallon saw Alexis looking at the picture when he finished getting ready.

"It looks sad and depressing." Alexis said.

"Yes." He replied. "Funny I used to think it was beautiful when I took that picture."

"Well, there is a certain beauty in loneliness." Alexis commented.

Fallon silently looked at the picture for a few moments. When he felt his heart starting to shed tears, he blinked and faced Archer. "Duuuude, let's go."

Ash followed them thinking, 'Why did it feel like I was about to cry?'

***

They drove to CWC and registered for wakeboarding. Fallon decided to just watch since he's not really into the water version of the sport. He told Archer and Alexis that he may try skateboarding later as he heard that the complex has a half pipe on their skating area.

Only a few people were queueing on the lake, so it wasn't long before Ash and Archer were on their second round. After Archer finished, Fallon signaled that he's going to the restroom and Archer nodded.

After doing his business, Fallon's washing his hands when he heard the guy beside said, "Fallon, Peter's ex right? I heard you left him for Archer. I saw you with the Hidalgo brothers earlier. So it's true then?"

Fallon felt uncomfortable, he was about to turn and leave when he heard a cubicle open at the end. Ryan turned to the person who got out from the cube saying, "Pete, look who we have here." while smiling sarcastically.

Fallon felt numb and cold. He cannot say anything and just stood there looking scared.

"So it turned out to be true. When I accused you of replacing me with Archer, it was really true!" The evil ex said.

Peter started walking close to Fallon and was about to grab his jaw when they heard a menacing voice saying, "I wouldn't do that if I you want to keep your fingers in working order." Alexis coldly warned Peter. He walked beside Fallon and put his arms on Fallon's shoulder territorially.

"And it was me. I am the one he replaced you with, not Archer. Got a problem with that?" Alexis threateningly asked Peter while slightly moving forward.

"He's Alexis, Archer's kuya. Let it go, let's just leave." Ryan whispered to Peter.

The two left while Peter's throwing disgusted looks on Fallon.

Ash put both of his hand on Fallon's cheeks and asked, "Fallon, look at me. Are you ok?"

Fallon snapped out of his trance and calmed himself down.

Fallon evaded Alexis' eyes and said "I'm fine, it's nothing. Let's go eat, I'm hungry." He said flatly with his face devoid of any emotion.

While they were eating, Alexis watched Fallon play with his food while pretending to eat. He wanted to question Fallon on what the hell was the restroom episode about was, but it seems he will never get anything out of Fallon. He needs to know though.

***

Fallon was not in his best state after the CWC outing. He stayed in his room most of the time. Truth be told, he wanted to fly back immediately to Manila after that day, but he has no excuse. New Year hasn't passed, and the start of the new term will be two weeks into January. So, he endured and tried to stay calm the following days.

They were invited by Alexis' family to spend the 31st at their house. Alexis fetched him early saying Archer and him wanted to hang out with him earlier. His father will come later as he will be waiting for the baked salmon, Ate Lisa's specialty as requested by Alexis' mom. Said she fell in love with it when they had it for lunch the last time they visited.

As the household is busy preparing for the evening feast, the boys decided to get out of their way by lounging by the pool.

Alexis noticed Fallon's restlessness and decided to ask him when Archer went to get drinks for them.

"Are you ok? You look restless."

"I'm fine. Just want to get back to Manila as soon as possible."

Alexis didn't ask why he only said, "Ok. We can drive back tomorrow if you like."

"What? No Alexis, what I mean is me, just me. You don't have to accompany me." Fallon rejected the idea.

"Why not? I'm your friend, at least I think I am. Or am I wrong?"

"You are! My friend that is." Fallon quickly replied

"Then let me join you. And it's Ash, not Alexis." Ash corrected. For some reason, Ash felt like Fallon's drawing a line between them whenever he calls him Alexis instead of Ash.

Fallon silently considered Ash's offer. He feels uncomfortable being a burden to Ash but on the other hand he can quickly put distance between him and this place. So he nodded.

"That's settled then." Ash said

When Archer learned that they plan to drive back tomorrow, being the clingy brother that he is, he also said that he will join them. Arguing that he can be an additional substitute driver when they get tired.

Later that night, when the fireworks were at its peak and the noises threaten to render them deaf, Anthony Hidalgo proposed a toast, "May this new year be a start of wonderful beginnings, a fulfillment of maintaining genuine friendships and a realization of destined happiness. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Ash clinked glasses with everyone, turned to Fallon touch his juice glass with Fallon's coke glass and said, "To destined happiness."

Fallon strongly wished that it is true. That Destiny will indeed give him chance at happiness.

A/N

*Ate – Counterpart of Kuya. An address used to refer to an older sister in Filipino, same as Eonni/Noona in Korean, Jiejie in Chinese and Phi in Thai.

**Tito – Directly translated as uncle but Filipinos also used this to address their parent's friends and other older relatives. Tita is used for female counterpart.