My badboy boyfriend [PabStell]

39

A backpack slung over Stell shoulder and a small suitcase at his feet as he stood outside there gate.

Our finals week was finally over, and the sweet relief of semester break had begun.

Today was the day – our long-awaited vacation was finally begin and Pablo supposed to pick me up any minute now.

Minutes ticked by. Then, a white van pulled up, causing Stell to furrow his brows. He'd expected a car, especially since there were only two of us going. 

He approached the vehicle cautiously and the passenger-side door opened, revealing Jaz.

"A-Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Stell stammered, confusion evident in his voice.

"Well, duh! Isn't it obvious? We're joining you," Jaz replied, patting the door.

We .. ? - He frowned at her

As if on cue, the van's rear door swung open, revealing the rest of our friends.

"Hi," Mikha greeted him, her voice lacking it's usual bright lilt. While Justin sat beside her, his face etched with a grimness that spoke volumes. 

Behind them, was Ken and Josh sat in stony silence, their faces had– several scrapes and bruises.

Disbelief warred with fury as Stell stared at Jaz, the initial shock giving way to anger. 

"Weren't you supposed to be going somewhere ?" he demanded. Jaz's innocent gesture towards the van and their friends was infuriating. "This," she said simply.

Stell let out a frustrated breath. "This was supposed to be our trip," he muttered, the words a hollow echo of his shattered dreams. Everything was ruined. 

He rubbed his face, the gesture a futile attempt to wipe away the crushing weight of his despair.

The thought of facing his boyfriend and explaining this disastrous turn of events, filled him with dread. 

Just as Stell was mentally composing how could he possibly explain this to Pau? a car pulled up beside the van, it's headlights cutting through the pre-dawn gloom.

The door opened, and out stepped the very person he was agonizing over: Pablo.

"Babe?" His boyfriend approached him, concern etched on his face. The worry lines around his eyes deepened as he took in Stell's slumped posture and the anxious expressions that flitted across his features.

The concern, however, quickly morphed into a look of bewilderment as he noticed their friends, crammed inside the van.

"Ano… Anong ginagawa niyo dito?" Pablo asked, his gaze darted from Stell to the scene within the van – When he felt a hand gently grasp his own.

"Excuse us," Stell said, his voice barely a whisper. Before pulling his boyfriend away from the van, towards a quieter corner.

Once they were a safe distance from the group, Stell shifted uncomfortably his weight shifting from one foot to the other.

The pre-dawn air, usually so refreshing, now felt thick and suffocating, mirroring the crushing weight on his chest. A barely audible, "I'm sorry," escaped his lips.

Pablo, caught off guard by the sudden shift in Stell’s demeanor, tilted his head in confusion. "Sorry? What do you mean?"

A deep sigh escaped Stell’s lips, and he began to explain, his voice trembling slightly.

He’d mentioned the vacation, the romantic getaway with Pablo – but he hadn’t intended for his casual remark to become an invitation, a beacon that led his friends here .