-Chester-
“Oh, look at them. They’re so sweet!”
“Yeah, cute and adorable. They just can’t take it without seeing each other.”
“They really are meant together. What do you think?”
A short laugh followed. “I’ll have to bet my life on that.”
That short conversation awakened me. Morning light had already crept inside the room, and when I looked up, I saw Sam and Michael looking at us with wide grins spread on their faces.
“Hey, it’s time to get up. Today’s a brand new day.” she said. I lightly shook Naomi whose head was leaning on my shoulder. I touched the blanket draping on our bodies, which I failed to notice a while ago.
“Who put this?” I dumbly asked.
“I smiled just as Naomi lifted her head and greeted us a good morning. I stretched out my body, feeling the sudden pain inflicted on my shoulder. She stood up and worked her way to the kitchen.
“I guess we have nothing much to do today.” I said and leaned back on the couch.
“Oh yes you have. You two are going to work.” Sam answered after she took the seat beside me.
“Work?” I started to feel confused. Was this another part of their plan?
“We’re going to work?” Naomi called out, stopping whatever she was doing in the kitchen.
“Yeah, I have a friend in downtown. I asked him to take the two of you in his restaurant. He’s a good gut, and he’s you for about,” Michael looked at his wristwatch. “An hour.”
One hour was not enough for us to prepare. And again, I couldn’t help but thank him again. This was already beyond what we expected to receive. They’ve done us more than a pretty good favor.
“Here.” Sam tossed a towel on my lap. “You better take a bath. We’re also leaving today.”
I stood up and headed for the bathroom when Naomi called out again. “Hey, ladies first!”
I tossed the towel to her and shrugged to the two of them, while they shook their head with an emotion so unfamiliar to me.
After breakfast we walked down the restaurant Michael told us. It wasn’t more than a dozen blocks away from our place and it cost us a good exercise to burn our calories. The restaurant’s name was Jerry’s Delight, serving steak and other beef recipes. The place was full of customers clamoring for food, with a handful of waiters and waitresses speeding back and forth, taking those orders and sometimes demands from the customers.
I felt so hesitant to go inside. It all seemed to compress into one single, four-cornered space with no air to breathe. I might choke anytime, but when Naomi grabbed my arm, I was brought into reality.
We came in, and we met the owner who was busy computing his money on the counter. Michael leaned in and exchanged few words with him before turning to us.
“Oh, here they are.” he sprang from his seat and came to shake hands with us. He introduced himself as John Cartwright, and he showed us around the place. It’s our first job today, and he told us not to be nervous.
Michael and Sam bid their goodbyes to us. I looked at Naomi who was smiling so easily. I don’t know how she could do this in the midst of a super busy crowd.
Right then, we were given two different assignments. Naomi was serving the customers, and I’m left in the kitchen, washing those dishes with a girl beside me.
“Hi! You’re new here?” she asked, smiling at me while she carefully washed a plate in her hand.
She was beautiful with her blonde hair tucked in a ponytail and her dashing green eyes I turned to her and smiled back.
“Yeah.” I shortly said because I had nothing much to say.
“I’m Clarisse by the way. You are?”
“Chester.” Just as I held out my hand, she shook it right away. I was taken by surprise, but I didn’t show it. We were talking while washing the white plates. She told me the restaurant’s name was an honor of John’s father. A gut scooted beside her and whispered something into her ear. Clarisse smiled, and the guy went away.
“Who’s that?” I asked curiously.
“That’s Nick, my friend.”
When that certain Nick came back, she introduced me to him. “Hey.” Nick patted my arm and gave me a warm smile. When Clarisse asked if I had a girlfriend, Naomi’s voice came in earshot.
“No, he doesn’t have a girlfriend. He’s gay.” she said.
My eyes popped open. I could have let the plate slip out of my hand or worse bang it to her if it wasn’t that rude. She put me into shame by saying this. I admit that was before when I fell for Andrew, but now everything has changed.
“Oh...” Nick said and looked at me calculatingly. “Sorry, I didn’t know about it.”
“It’s okay.” I reluctantly answered. I rode on to her joke once again. Clarisse just gave me a smile and moved on with her work.
“What the hell was that?” I harshly asked her as we walked to our apartment. My voice was raised a bit out of irritation. She put me into a dangerous spot again out of her spontaneity.
She stopped walking and faced me. “Just think of it as a favor, Chester. I really did you a big favor.”
“By telling them I’m gay? Oh no, I’m done with that crap.” I rolled my eyes and walked past her.
“It’s the only way I can keep you.” My feet froze into making further steps. I bore my eyes on her and she countered it with a serious look.
“Did you see Clarisse? She’s been looking at you like you’re so available. Well, I feel sorry for her because you’re already mine. I won’t let you be grabbed by someone else.”
Okay, she’s being overprotective. But somehow after a round of shame I went through, I still felt a tang of sweetness in this mini dilemma. As she came near me and dragged me by the hand, an elating feeling shoots up to my heart. Now I would never find any proof to doubt her love for me. And with that settled, I willed myself to be gay again just to save our relationship.
YOU ARE READING
Blue Flower
Roman d'amourAs Chester Sulkin spends his freshman year in high school, his life is turned upside-down because of love- love for his best friend's cousin Andrew Richardson. It was unexpected, and he didn't mean to feel that way. Soon, he begins to feel tormented...
