Sweet Rivalry : From Bitter Enemies To Sweet Lovers (BXB)

14- The terrible flashbacks

The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

Finally, Charles broke the stillness, his voice breaking through the tension as he asked Neo about the bucket and mop.

Charles: Uhm.. Can you give me Mop and bucket. I think it's time to clean the mess we made.

Neo: Oh right just a moment.

They both knew it was time to clean up the colorful chaos they had created with their paints.

Side by side, they worked tirelessly, their movements synchronized as they scrubbed the floor with determination.

But amidst the rhythmic sound of their cleaning, Charles abruptly shifted the atmosphere by posing a sensitive question about their relationship.

Charles: Well.. I wanted to ask you something.

Neo: (curiously) Yes sure. Go on.

Charles: What kind of relationship do we have? I mean what are we?

Neo's heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by the unexpected inquiry. Uncertain and still grappling with the wounds of a past relationship, Neo hesitated, searching for the right words. With a deep breath, Neo finally spoke, their voice tinged with caution,

Neo: I..We.. Ofcourse we are best friends.

Charles: Only friends? Nothing more than that.

Neo: (smiles nervously) Yes, What more do you think? Are you falling for me or something? Haha Nothing is going on between us.

Passing a towel to Charles, Neo urged him to clean himself up, his gaze avoiding any lingering eye contact.

Neo: Here, you should take a shower first. I'll take one after you.

Neo's footsteps echoed softly as he walked towards the balcony, seeking solace in the cool evening breeze.

Meanwhile, Charles, disappointment etched across his face, left the towel behind on the sofa, his heavy steps echoing his heavy heart.

As Charles prepared to leave Neo's house, he grabbed his shirt, his fingers trembling slightly.

He made a solemn declaration, his voice filled with a mix of resignation and unspoken longing,

Charles: I'll get going. I'll wash myself at my home. Thank you for having me.

With each step towards the door, the weight of unspoken emotions seemed to hang in the air.

Neo, on the other hand, fought against the rising tide of emotions, determined to guard his heart.

Memories of a painful past relationship still haunted him, leaving him hesitant to embark on a new romantic journey. He knew he had to protect himself, even if it meant resisting the growing feelings he had for Charles,

Neo: (To himself) I'm sorry. I just want you by my side forever but I'm afraid, I'm not ready to give our relationship a name. Let's just stay as friends forever. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship.

...........

The next bright and beautiful morning, Charles found himself tending to his plants near the window, lost in his thoughts.

As he unintentionally glanced outside, his heart sank at the sight of Neo engaged in a lively conversation with another guy, their laughter and smiles filling the air. They seemed so close, and it worried Charles deeply.

Unable to ignore the nagging questions in his mind, Charles abruptly stopped watering his plants and made his way towards Neo's Bakery.

His mind was racing with uncertainty. When he entered, Neo greeted him with a warm smile,

Neo: Oh heyy. Why are suddenly showing up here?

Charles couldn't help but notice the presence of the stranger. Curiosity and concern filled his eyes as he asked Neo about the identity of the guy.

Charles: Who is this person?

Neo calmly explained,

Neo: He is Adrien my best friend from University. Actually Rei, Adrien and I are University best friends. We have best trio in the university. He lives in H City. He came here to live for a week as he has an audition in Y city.

The boy exuded a vibrant energy, his wavy hair covering his forehead adding to his charm. He cheerfully greeted Charles,

Adrien: Nice to meet you, I'm Adrien Ray.

But Charles was in no mood for introductions. Instead, he asked Neo to follow him outside.

He mustered the courage to ask Neo the same question as yesterday,

Charles: Do you think we can ever be more than friends?

Neo: Can you please stop?

Charles: I want to know if I still have a chance.

Annoyance flickered across Neo's face at the question, and bitter words spilled from his lips as he turned Charles down.

Neo: You know what we are nothing to begin with. Our relationship was mess from the start. Why should we become a thing when we were nothing but enemies in the beginning? We came close just because of that competition. We have nothing but a spark that's just bullshit. It's nothing like that. I think we should start focusing on our business rather than this stupid love story. It's not gonna work Charles, move on.

The aggression in Charles' chuckle masked the knot forming in his heart,

Charles: Huh? Nothing but enemies? So we are back as enemies? I should've known this that I was just wasting my time. All that friendship act was selfish. Why would you need me as a friend. You already have A LOT! I'm such an asshole who was hoping for that bullshit. Thank you for opening my eyes. Rivalry, then let's stick to that.

With a mix of bittersweet emotions swirling within him. Disappointed and hurt, he turned away, struggling to digest Neo's harsh words.

Meanwhile, Neo, watching Charles walk away, felt a pang of regret.

He turned his back and looked in the way of the menu board outside of the bakery, trying to hide his expression and sadness.

He knew he had been at fault, but he had wanted to create a boundary between them, terrified of the vulnerability that came with a genuine relationship.

Neo bit his lips in as he mumbled the regret on his own while,

Neo: I'm such an asshole. But I don't want a serious relationship.

He looked at his shivering hands and continued,

Neo: I'm still scared. I'm afraid that it would turn like that again. Let's be enemies instead, it would be much better. Yes, that's right I can bear that heavy feeling but I'm not ready for another trauma.

Adrien, observing the scene unfold from inside, sensed that something had gone wrong. He came out to comfort his friend who was being haunted by his own past flashbacks.