Effeminate Within

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter 18

WITH GREG'S BIKE that he left outside his apartment, I went to Asian Mart only to find out that it was closed, so instead I turned right and headed to Walter Mart.

And then I thought I saw someone familiar, so I looked back again.

I did not know if that was him.

I speeded my bike until I was near the car where a familiar man was standing next to its compartment and putting his groceries inside. His face was still blur from this distance so I drew close to him until I was only a feet away behind him.

"Sean?" I called out in an interrogative tone. "Sean, is that you?"

He looked startled, but he kept unmoving. My voice must be familiar to him. He took his sunglasses off and that was when I confirmed that it's him. "Dominic?"

"Yes, Sean!" I yelped, biking closer to him. "What's up?" I shook my head in disbelief of this funny circumstance. "What happened to you?"

"What? It's still the same me. Are you going shopping?"

"I am."

"Well, it'd be better if we have some coffee first."

We went to a coffee shop beside Walter Mart and Sean paid for the coffee though I insisted that I wanted to treat him.

"So where are you staying now?" I asked while he took photo of our order.

"I'm staying with some other Asians in an apartment near my new school. Hey, let's take a selfie." He extended his arm and I displayed a wide toothless smile.

"And what are you studying now?"

"I'm studying Hotel and Restaurant Management." He grinned, "And as you can see, that's the reason why I have this chubs." He pinched his belly and tapped his swollen face. Sean looked chubbier than before.

"I see." I said, taking a sip.

"How's Greg?" He asked and there was a noticeable change in his tone.

"He's good, I suppose. He is back at Clermont for the wake of his father.

"Oh, I'm sorry for his loss." Sean took another sip of coffee and waits for seconds before he speaks again. "Look, I'm sorry if I wasn't able to tell you I was leaving. It was so sudden and I'm an ass. I am—"

"No, forget about it." I cut him off, not wanting him to be dramatic about things on the past.

"I feel really bad about it, Dominic. I am so stubborn for choosing my tennis team over the wonderful friendship that you offer to me. I hope you understand." Sean's voice was sincere like he had thought about those words and regretted this too much. Losing Sean was like losing one of my girls. We'd been so closed to one another especially when we got to see each other in same class and the fact that he was also a neighbor. I was just sad that it didn't look like we could make it back to what it was before though I was hopeful that he could be friends with Gregory again. I wondered what on earth their misunderstanding was about. I wanted to ask Greg before but I thought it's for the sake of their privacy.

Sean's phone rang and he excused himself. When he got back he said that his girlfriend was waiting for him and he needed to go.

"Tell Greg that I'm so sorry and if he'd allow, I would want to talk to him personally as soon as he gets back. Take care, guys."

I nodded. Our meeting happened so quickly. "Watch after yourself too, Sean."

"Yeah, I will let you know when I am available. I wish to have dinners again with you." He gave my shoulder one harder tap before he walked away. I could feel Sean's brotherly concern for me and Greg. I didn't know how much I missed him and I never knew that my feeling that I had for my girl friends could be on the same form as how I felt for Sean. I was happy that I realized to myself that being gay didn't mean I had to like or have some intimate feeling for every boy around me.