LIMELIGHT

12.

Tul sat on the side of the bed as he opened his laptop. The sound of his fingers hitting the keyboard echoed. After a couple of minutes, he stopped and turned his face to look at the man sitting far behind him.

"You're starting to creep me out." He commented which Max just answered with a shrugged before taking Tul's phone from his side and throwing it back at the man.

Tul quickly caught it with his two hands.

"Mew called."

As if life had just suddenly returned on the man, Tul's hand fumbled while scrolling through his phone screen. Max saw the odd reaction on his friend's face.

"Aren't you acting weird?" Max paused as he stood up. "You're being weird whenever Mew's name is being mentioned..."

"You still haven't told me what happened and why Mew came to visit you in NY." He added, this time sounding so serious. He's his friend. Back then Tul shares almost everything with him but now it feels like his friend is starting to distance away from him. All the ruckus on the social media about Mew and Tul did not help his already worried mind.

Tul stopped from scrolling his phone, "He just went there to take a breather from all his work." Yeah, the most obvious reason. The reason he and Mew had used for like a thousand times already.

Max strode towards the front door and as his hand held the doorknob, he turned his face, "You're already old enough. I know you know what you are doing but just in case you forgot, I'm still a friend and not just a co-worker."

Tul remained staring at Max, at loss for words. And before he knew it, Max already left.

He fcked up big time. He plopped down the bed.

Max is prolly mad at him.

Mew is surely mad at him.

He stared at his phone screen. The reflection of his face on the dark glass felt unfamiliar to him. He opened his X account to check on Mew but immediately regretted it. He placed his phone down on his side as it continously vibrated with all the notifications coming in from all the social networking sites he's a part of.

He feels tired. Not the kind of tired physically. It was the kind of exhaustion that won't be solved by just eating or sleeping. He glanced outside his window and saw the late night sky. He knew that going on this kind of relationship is a risk. What Max said is true, he knew what he's doing.

He pressed his eyes shut for a second...

After almost half an hour, he dialed Mew's number.

A couple of ring passed but no one answered.

It took Tul more than 4 missed calls before Mew picked up the call. The first thing that greeted him from the other line is a loud beat sounds followed by different voices. He's in a bar.

"Mew." He called.

A static noise was heard from the other line followed by a woman's soft giggle. Tul's eyebrows furrowed

"Mew." He repeated, a little louder this time. After a couple of seconds Mew's low grunt from the other line was heard.

"Where are you?" Tul asked.

"Who... who's this? Wait. Wait. I can't hear you." Mew was completely out of it.

The loud music from the bar slowly faded.

"Okay... Speak." Mew's drunk husky voice stirred a warm turmoil inside Tul's system. As if he's also getting drunk by simply just his lover's voice.

"Where are you?" He repeated. This time he sat up and headed quickly to his wardrobe. On his way to change his clothes and fetch his boyfriend.

"Tul..." From drunk and husky, Mew's voice turned softer as if a little boy that is lost.

"Tell me where you are. I'll pick you up."

After having Mew's location, Tul quickly rode his car and drove off. As he reached his destination, he put his cap and facemask on before hopping out of his car and running towards the back of a closed establishment a block away from the bar.

It was dark. Only the dim light coming from the closed establishment illuminated the place. Luckily, it's already way past one and no one is outside.

"Mew." Tul said as he saw Mew slumped down the floor, still holding his phone on one hand and the other on his head. He pulled his mask down.

Mew slowly raised his head. His eyes bloodshot, sweat rolls down on his neck down to his chest that is peeking through his messed up polo: he looks pretty wasted yet still undeniably gorgeous.

"Teerak." He quickly stood up and wrapped his arms around Tul.

The blonde man quickly placed his hands between their chests as he tried to push Mew away, afraid that someone might catch them in such state. Mew quickly held Tul's wrists, stopping him and forcefully pushed the man against the wall. He pinned Tul's hand on top of the man's head.

"Stop. Not here. Stop." Tul said as he turned his face to the side. Trying to move away from Mew. The hold on his wrist became tighter, almost crushing it.

Mew started grinding his body slowly against Tul's. The heat between their bodies started to linger through the air. Mew let go of Tul's hand and immediately cupped his lover's face for an intense kiss that is full of emotions from the things that are left unsaid.

Tul pushed Mew. The latter was taken a back.

"Why?" Mew asked confused, lost and helpless. The tears on the side of his eyes threatening to fall down.

Tul was caught off-guard.

Mew turned his face to the side as if looking for the words he had lost before tilting his head up. He bit his lip before shifting his eyes back on Tul.

"Why?... Why do I have to keep on acting like everything's okay? Why do I have to act okay everytime you set me aside?" He paused and brushed his hand over his face, blubbering words that Tul no longer understands.

Tul felt his hear broke into pieces. The wind gently blew, swaying the strands of their hair to their faces.

"I laugh. I love. I get tired. I also get hurt..."  He stopped and stared intently at Tul's eyes.

Tul opened his mouth and then closed it again without uttering anything. He doesn't know what to say.

He grabbed Mew's arm and quickly pulled him into a hug. He needs him. He needs his best friend. They both need each other.

"I'm sorry." Again, all he could say is his apologies.