Fragments Of Love Series Part 1 : Toxic Love [ SandRay - Only Friends ]

Friends

Whispering voices woke Ray up. It took him a moment to get his bearings; even though he hadn't been drinking, the memories of the night before were a little hazy. "Depression fog", Longtae always called this phenomenon. It happened when Ray felt too much or too little. His brain simply switched off to protect itself.
He rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. A laugh, Sand's laugh, could be heard from a little further away, followed by the clear laughter of a woman.
Ray stretched and yawned before standing up and walking hesitantly towards the voices that seemed to be coming from the kitchen.

"Oh Sand, your guest has woken up." Summer looked at Ray with a beaming smile. "Would you like breakfast? Sand has cooked for the three of us." The young woman pointed to the three plates standing next to the stove. The plates were already loaded with food and Ray only now realized how hungry he was. "Oh, I'm Summer." She held out her hand to Ray, who looked puzzled. "You must be Ray. We're finally meeting in person. I'm so happy.” Ray hesitantly took her hand and forced a smile onto his face.

"Nice to meet you." Mumbled Ray.

"You want something to eat?" Sand held out one of the plates to Ray. Ray took the plate. The whole situation felt incredibly wrong.

"Thanks...I don't want to inconvenience you." Summer waved it off.

"You're not inconveniencing us. Trust me. You're the last person who could do that." Summer smiled confidently at Ray. "Let's eat, shall we?" She took a plate and then sat down at the dining table. "Don't stand there like two statues, sit down.” The atmosphere at the dining table was tense, neither Ray nor Sand could get a word out of their mouth.

"Guys, why are you being so serious? You can talk to each other, you know that right?" Summer rolled her eyes and stood up. She went to a corner where a record player was placed on a small desk. She put a record in and turned it on.

"Micro?" Ray recognized the song immediately. A smile spread across Summer's face.

"My favorite song." She confirmed as she sat back down at the table with the two men.

"Sand, your girlfriend has good taste in music.” A smile formed on Ray's face, a genuine smile.

"Yes, she really does." Sand took Summer's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I think she's just as crazy about Micro as you are."

"For real now?" Ray's eyes widened in surprise. Sand nickte.

"And I guess we have the same taste in men too." Summer remarked and immediately slapped her hand over her mouth when she realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. "I'm so sorry." Summer bit her lips in shame.

"It's okay. You're right." Ray replied, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Ray, do you have anything else to do today?" Sand now turned to Ray.

"I have to pick up my medication at the pharmacy and then go back to the hostel."

"You're on medication?" Summer looked at Ray sympathetically. "Can I ask why? Sand told me a bit. Sometimes I felt like I know you so well through what he told me. Sorry if I crossed a line." Ray shook his head.

"It's okay. I think everyone knows how broken I was." Ray took a hair tie he wore around his wrist and tied a bun. "They're antidepressants. They help me cope.” Sand felt his throat tighten.

"Are the pills really helping?" Sand looked at Ray seriously. Ray shrugged his shoulders and bit off a piece of his sausage.

"I don't know. In any case, they're not doing me any harm."

"Good...that's good then." Sand muttered.

"What a depressing breakfast." Summer crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Could we maybe talk about something else? Ray, would you like a coffee?"

"He doesn't drink coffee."

"I don't like coffee." Summer laughed.

"You're just like twins.” She brushed her hair out of her face. "I can understand you Ray, though. I don't like coffee either."

"We seem to have a lot in common." Ray observed. She is a healthier version of me.

"Ray, you can take a shower if you like. The bathroom is free."

"Never mind, I'll shower at the hostel and then pick up my medication. Thank you both for your hospitality, but I really should be going." Ray got up and took his dishes to the kitchen and then put on his pants and jacket.

"I'll walk you downstairs." Sand and Summer stood at the front door.

"You don't have to." Ray waved off the offer.

"It's nice to have finally met you. Like Sand said, you're welcome here anytime, Ray." Summer gave Ray a friendly smile.

"The pleasure is all mine." Ray turned to leave.

"I'll walk with you, I insist." Sand gave Summer a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time, you've got a lot of catching up to do you two." She patted Sand on the back.

“Thanks for last night." Ray leaned against his car and smoked a cigarette.

"You're welcome. You didn't know what to do with yourself."

"I'm serious. It's not something I can just expect from you. I turn up after two years and barge into your life like nothing happened." Ray threw the cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out. "If you're uncomfortable or don't want any of this, please say so. I can disappear again.” It would eat me up but if that's what you want I'll do it for you, Sand. Sand's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously.

"No, Ray. That's absolutely not what I want. What I want is to be your friend." He put his hand on Ray's shoulder. "I really want to be your friend, Ray.” Friends, for the first time since we met.

“Okay, but I have one condition." Ray looked up and saw sand in his eyes.

"What is it?" Sand bent his head down slightly towards Ray, they were only a few centimeters apart, not too close, but too close for two people who hadn't seen each other for years and were actually not even close friends anymore.

"We're starting where we left off. Not our relationship, but our relationship with each other. I want us to forget what happened and get along as well as we did back then." Ray had to swallow, he was almost choking on tears. "I don't want us to act like strangers. We're not strangers. You know me better than anyone else. So if you want us to be friends, I don't want it to be awkward, no dancing on eggshells. Do you understand what I am saying?” Sand swallowed and bit his lip.

"Start where we left off?" He was still standing in front of Ray, one hand on his shoulder, slightly bent over so that he could look the other in the eye. "Can you trust me like you did back then? Can you really look past the pain I've caused you? I'm not saying you have to, I just want to know if you can, because if not, your condition is pointless.” Ray took a deep breath. Of course I can't, you fucking idiot. But I'd rather suffer with you in my life than have to live without you.

"Sure I can." He turned his gaze directly into Sand's eyes again and grinned. "Forgive and forget, Sand." He knew the other would see right through him with ease. But he also knew that Sand would let him decide, even if he knew Ray was lying to himself.

"Good then...friends?" Sand held out his left hand to Ray, his right still resting on Ray's shoulder.

"Friends.” Both of them were aware that they were making a deal with the devil. They knew that this could end either better and more perfect than they could've imagined or it could destroy everything they've ever had.