If I Let You Go

Chapter 8 - I am not a car thief!

"Oh my God, did you rob a car show room? Are you this desperate to get your own car?" River exaggeratedly exclaimed as soon as Rain got off the car after parking in their car port. She noticed a white SUV also parked in front of their house.

Rain rolled his eyes at River. "A friend let me borrow it. I'll be driving it to Tagaytay tomorrow."

Taylor walked over to Rain and River and held out his hand to River. "Hi, I'm Taylor Mendoza. I own the car and no Rain did not blackmail me into letting him use it." He smilingly said as he shook River's hand.

"Oh right. Would you like to come inside?" An astonished River invited.

"No. I have to go actually. I just followed Rain home to make sure he's already used to driving the car." Taylor said.

Rain faced Taylor and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you for letting me use it. I promise not to leave any scratch on it."

"Don't worry about that. Just promise me you will not get distracted while driving. Focus and always be safe. Ask one of your friends to talk to you when you feel sleepy while driving. Enjoy the trip and call me if you need anything." Taylor instructed.

River wide-eyed looked and listened at Rain and Taylor's convo. She's confused and yet excited at what's happening. What happened next generated a squeak from her.

Taylor reached out his right hand and placed it on Rain's left cheek. Taylor then caressed Rain's cheek with his thumb and her twin held the hand on his cheek then closed his eyes to savor the touch.

Taylor nodded at the still bewildered River and turned to go. He opened the SUV rear door, closed it after him and slid the window down. He waved goodbye to Rain as Kuya Fred drives away.

River awakened from her trance and faced Rain. Rain chose to escape by walking quickly inside but River ran after him. She pulled Rain to sit on the living room sofa.

"Tell me!" River demanded.

"What? I have nothing to tell." Rain denied.

"Do we really have to drag this out? I'm your twin. I know exactly when you're not telling the truth." River said

Rain sighed and finally relented. "I met him when we were in Japan. Saw him at the summit café first and then at Asakusa. He sprained his ankle and I bound it for him. I thought I'll never see him again, but I saw him at the univ hospital when he had his sprained ankle checked out. Since then, we've met for lunch regularly. I know he knows that I have a thing for him. I've never hidden it. Then about two weeks ago, he brought me to his workplace, and he sort of showed some interest. I teasingly said, I'm going to take that as him confessing to me. He never rejected the statement. Since then, we became closer and treated each other like we are in a relationship. I even called him my boyfriend earlier. He did not refute the title."

"Woah! You flirt! I never thought you had in you to go after someone." River lightly slapped Rain's arms as she teased him.

"I know right? But I'm glad I did. Look how hot my boyfriend is! Oh and speaking of boyfriends, Archer knows him. The jewelry brand they're collaborating with? That's Taylor's family business." Rain informed River.

"Really? What a coincidence. Imma ask Archer about him." River said.

"Please don't! What if he tells Taylor. Taylor might think you're investigating him." Rain pleaded.

"Fine! He is so fine though. How come you and Fallon have the hottest boyfriends? I mean I love Archer but let's be honest, even though my boyfriend's handsome in his own way, Archer's more of the funny kind. On the other hand, Taylor and Ash have this domineering dangerous hotness." River gushed.

"Ewe. You have this gross way of admiring your best friend's and twin's boyfriends." Rain complained.

"Anyway, I can't wait for Tatay* to see the car." River gleefully said.

***

"For the love of everything that's holy, I am not a car thief." Rain repeated when his father teasingly asked at the dinner table if he's sure that he did not steal the car.

The twins' parents were surprised when they got home and the maid informed them that they cannot park inside because there is an extra car there aside from the twins' car. They were even more surprised when they saw the expensive car in their garage.

The twins' father started as a software developer in an American company while their mother is a nurse at a city hospital. Both were very busy when the twins were young. Now that their father is a director at his company and their mother retired and opened a pharmacy with ex co-workers, they have more time to devote to their children.

His mother joined in, "Rain, sweetie, let's be honest. What kind of friend will just let you use such an expensive car?"

"Well, you were right in one thing. The guy is not JUST his friend." River commented.

"What??!!" both of their parents exclaimed.

Rain sent a murderous look at River. He then sighed and told his parents, "Well, I'm sort of dating him."

"What??!!" Another exclamation from the parents. They've been aware of Rain's sexual orientation since Junior high but Rain has never informed them about dating anybody. They sometimes ask Rain and he will divulge celebrity crushes or schoolmate crushes but that's it. River even confirmed that Rain has never entered into any relationship.

Rain had to re-tell the story including the information that Archer knows Taylor.

The parents seem pacified with this and did not question Rain again.

***

The next morning, Rain stopped at a Starbucks branch in C5 where he, Lucas and Reggie agreed to meet. They will be riding with him. The others will meet them at a Petron gas station rest stop on expressway. Rain beeped and waved at the two who's seated at an outdoor table.

Lucas and Reggie approached the car holding three coffees. Lucas rode shotgun and handed him a freshly made dark mocha frappe, knowing his preference for iced drinks whatever time of day it is. Reggie sat at the back. Reggie whistled as soon as he entered the car. "Wow. Did you wake up early to steal a car for our use?"

Rain thought, 'Here we go again. Do I really look like a car thief for people to joke about it constantly?' but instead of explaining, he said, "I will kick you out of the car if I hear one more joke about me stealing this car. A friend let me borrow it as a reward for a perfect score in our last exam. Mind you, be careful with those coffee. We cannot afford dirtying this car."

Lucas whistled while admiring the interior of the car. "I wish Viktor's here to see this car."

"Where is your shadow by the way? Surprised he let you go on this trip alone." Reggie asked from the back.

Lucas seem to ponder for a few second before saying, "Um, he has a previous engagement."

Rain then drove out of the Starbucks grounds. He thoroughly enjoyed the drive to the expressway entrance, the Petron rest stop and all the way to Tagaytay.

*Tatay – A Filipino term that means father. Nanay is the counterpart that means mother.