You All Over Me [BxB]

Twenty-Four

That Friday morning, Theodore's mother calls him nonstop.

He misses her first call because he's in the shower, and the second because his phone is on silent. She eventually leaves a text, inviting him to come home for dinner.

Theodore glances at the pile of work he has to do from home. The number of comments he has to write is overwhelming, and his head is pounding from all the beers he had last night.

He and Austin didn't talk much—mostly drank.

And even then, he couldn't exactly make up his mind on how to deal with his feelings. He'd been so convinced that he had everything under control, but now...

He's down bad.

So bad.

If he's being honest, he's been down for a while.

He has to speak to Jacob—that much is clear. He'll say sorry and go from there... hoping he hasn't given up on him. If he has, well, he has no one to blame but himself.

He presses a palm to one eye.

Let's not spiral.

There are still a few weeks left before the internship ends. He'll do it then. No more excuses.

Theodore looks again at the work waiting for him, clicking his tongue. The faster he gets this done, the faster time will fly.

He types a short message to his mother, apologizing for not being able to make it.

There's no immediate response.

By 4 p.m., Theodore manages to finish all his work, surprisingly earlier than he'd expected. His eyes and lower back feel strained, but he's deeply content with the help he's provided to the victims seeking assistance at their center. As he delves into their cases, he realizes just how desperate and in need of legal aid many people are. And he can help. So he will.

Theodore plops down on the bed, stretching his arms.

The silence is deafening.

Theodore becomes acutely aware of how small and empty the unit feels with just him in it. Austin, who's interning with a firm specializing in civil matters, is heading home this afternoon.

He hasn't heard from Jacob.

Theodore huffs. Austin's words hit him like a truck. Jacob had spoiled him, and now something huge is missing from his life.

He can almost imagine Jacob sitting on the couch, in the dining area, or just coming out of the bathroom—he's in every corner.

Theodore takes a deep breath. Staying in the unit will drive him crazy.

He changes into a pair of jeans and a blue polo shirt, grabs his car keys, and rushes out.

******

As soon as Jacob steps into the Aguilars' residence, his curiosity leads him to think about Theodore's room. It's intrusive, but he can't help but wonder if it's anything like his unit in Makati: neat, cozy, and probably smelling of lavender.

A corner of his lips curls upward. This is Theodore's childhood home, where he grew up, played games, watched cartoons, and shaped his dreams. There must be traces of his past here, a chance for Jacob to get to know him better.

"How was the drive here?" Theodore's mother asks, jolting him out of his haze.

"It was alright. Not a lot of traffic."

She leads him to the dining area, where Betty awaits.

"Hey," Betty says, beaming. She waves.

"Hi," he replies and then turns to Alfredo sitting adjacent to Betty. "Hello, Tito."