If I Let You Go

Chapter 28 - This time

"I know you still love me." Taylor declared.

Rain sarcastically snorted, "Love is for those who wanted a weak excuse for the idiotic things they've done! Love my ass! I lovED you and look where it got me."

Rain looked at Taylor's disappointed face and thought, 'The nerve of this guy'

"What? Did you just think that I will jump excitedly when you finally decided you want me? You are delusional if you think I will come running like some pet dog whenever you call." Rain heatedly said.

Rain hopes these words will be enough to chase away Taylor. Truly, it is hard not to hope that maybe, Taylor really do want him this time. But thinking back on all the heartaches he has been through, he just wants Taylor to leave him be.

He expected anger or at least impatience from Taylor. Instead, a slight smile and an indulging look appeared on Taylor's face.

"Rain, baby, you don't have to do anything. You don't even have to move. Just stay where you are, and I will come to you." Taylor moved closer to Rain.

"This time, I will do the chasing. This time, I will show you what it means to be loved by Taylor." Taylor touched Rain's bangs and gently brushed it aside using two fingers, he then whispered gently, "I will love you so much that you will never ever doubt what you are to me."

Confusion and surprise appeared in Rain's eyes. Slight anger too as it looks like Taylor's not taking his words seriously. But he can't find the words to refute Taylor, so he said the only thing he can think of.

"I am not your baby!" Rain then walked away and annoyingly opened their gate and without so much as a glance at Taylor, pushed it closed it with a bang.

This made Taylor more amused. 'Wait for my pursuit Rain. I promise you, it will be spectacular', Taylor promised.

***

"Rain!"

Rain stopped walking when he heard Lucas call his name. He turned and waited for Lucas to catch up. While waiting, Rain had a chance to observe his friend and his friend's ever-present hulk of a shadow, Viktor. Lucas' average built look tiny beside Viktor's tall and muscular frame. While Lucas seems to brighten every room with his sweet smile, Viktor's serious demeanor seems to be the bringer of doom and gloom. Right now, Lucas' walking enthusiastically towards Rain while Viktor followed leisurely behind. The contrast between the two made Rain smile.

"Dude, what's the occasion? Why is your boyfriend treating everyone to milk tea?" Lucas asked Rain.

Rain frowned and asked in confusion, "What? What milk tea? And what boyfriend?"

"You don't know?" Rain shook his head as reply to Lucas. Lucas then searched his phone while saying, "There was a sign at the famous milk tea shop in Navarra Street." Lucas then showed a picture from his phone.

Rain's nostril flared when he saw the picture. There was a chalk board on a stand with a notice that says: 'If you're a med student from the neighboring univ, Rain Marcus' boyfriend is treating you to a milk tea. Just present student ID at the counter.'

"I'm so going to kick that airhead's ass!" He angrily exclaimed. "Luke, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rain walked-ran to his car. As soon as he's seated, he grabbed his phone tightly and sighed loudly.

"Great now I have to unblock that jerk's number." Rain placed his arms on the steering wheel, leaned his face on it and banged it lightly a couple of times. "Why? Why do I have to talk to him? I don't really want to!" He tiredly said while leaning on the steering wheel.

Rain straightened up, inhaled deeply and he then unblocked and dialed Taylor's number. When the call got through, he immediately screamed, "What the hell is your problem? I told you to keep away from me! And I mean it in every way possible. Is that too hard to understand?"

Taylor's assistant was a little startled when Taylor answered the call and Rain's voice blasted through the speaker. Taylor winced and slightly moved his phone a couple of inches away from his ear. Still, he could hear and feel Rain's anger from the speaker.

"Rain, please calm down baby. Take a deep breath and if you have water near you, please drink some." Taylor tried to pacify Rain. This gentle and coaxing attitude of Taylor further surprised his assistant. This is a new side she has not seen. Her boss is usually cold and serious. Nobody will have the guts to scream at him.

"I am calm. If I'm not, I would have found you and beat your sorry ass!" Rain yelled.

"OK, I guess you don't like me treating your friends to milk tea. I thought everyone likes milk tea?" Taylor asked, purposely missing the point.

Rain hangs up on Taylor. He then threw his phone on the passenger seat and frustratingly resumed banging his head lightly on the steering wheel. After a minute, he heard a new message notification, so he reached for his phone and read the message.

'I told you, this time, I will do the chasing, pursuing, courting, whatever you want to call it.'

Rain threw his phone again to the passenger seat and resumed banging his head on the steering wheel.

***

In the following weeks, Rain had to deal with Taylor's obsessive 'courting'. He will send ridiculous amounts of food to their house. One time he sent crates of fruits that their maid had to serve fruit shakes at every meal just to consume all of it before they get overripe. Another time, Taylor sent several styro boxes of seafood that their mother complained that she and the maid have a hard time organizing the freezer to fit all of that seafood inside.

Then there were the flowers. Archer visited them one afternoon with 3 large bouquets of flowers.

"River, Hon, please take the bunches of pink roses. My arm's about to fall off. Did not realize that 150 flowers will be so heavy." Archer dramatically said as soon as he entered the door.

Rain who's seating at the sofa looking at his phone, have a bad feeling about the flowers.

"Why do you have these? Was there a sale on the nearby flower shop?" River jokingly asked Archer.

"Of course not. I know you prefer food over flowers so I will not repeat the mistake I made the first Valentine's we're together." Archer said.

Archer then meaningfully glanced at Rain. But eventually faced River. "These are from Taylor. The two bunches of pink roses are for you and Nanay."

Archer then walked over to Rain and stood in front without saying anything until Rain was forced to look at him.

"Please don't kill me. I am just the messenger. These are for you." Archer handed a large bouquet of about 50 pieces of white tulips interspersed with blue statice.