Always A Step Behind: An EarnPete Fanfic

Extra: Second One

Pete

It was already 9.30, I was standing in front of our gate waiting for Phun and Noh to fetch me. I agreed to go out with them tonight only if they would do so.

Apparently, today wasn't my lucky day. After school finished earlier, I went to my mom to get the car, I backed down with my Chiang Mai plan but I still took the car for my plan tonight. On my way home, I got a flat tire. Both the front tires. How cool was that? I had no choice but to leave the car at the shop. I was told I could get it tomorrow.

I called my dad to borrow his car instead but I can't get a hold of him. See, not less than forty eight  hours away from Earn and my luck ran out just like that! My boyfriend was indeed my lucky charm. I'm definitely keeping him. He's stuck with me for good.

Speaking of my boyfriend, I hadn't had a single message from him eversince the text he sent me informing he was fine. I tried calling him more than a couple of times, but his phone was still out of service. I guessed I just have to get on with Phun's idea and celebrate Earn and I's  anniversary belatedly.

I was about to check on Phun when a car stopped in front of me. The passenger door of the passenger's seat opened instantly, at the same time Phun lowered his window.

"Sorry we're late, Noh took time with his beauty bath!" I rolled my eyes. Hitching with these two was a bad idea. I'll be dead by jealousy before we even hit the club.

"You don't have to inform me that you had a quickie with your boyfriend Phun." I snapped before closing the door.

I heard Phun chuckled. "It wasn't a quickie, though."

It earned him a smack from Noh who had gotten all red beside him.

"Don't listen to him, Pete, he blabbers nothing but nonesense." Noh glared at his boyfriend. I rolled my eyes with their antics.

We were not on the road for long, when the car stopped in front of Sun and Rain cafè.

I was confused. "I thought we're going clubbing?"

Phun turned to me with a placated smile.

"We are, but uhm, Noh said he's hungry so we're stopping for dinner, right Noh?"

Phun smiled sweetly at his boyfriend.

"Did.I. I. I said that?" Noh asked back. Something's definitely not right.

"Yes. You did! Oiiii, Pete, my boyfriend's really forgetful when hungry.Hehe. Come now, let's alleviate the situation." Phun said before getting off the car. Noh and I followed suit.

We were at the café's counter when I said.

"There's a restaurant near the bar we planned to visit, it would be better to have dinner there. They only have snacks here."

In truth, I didn't want to be here right now. It made me miss my boyfriend more.

"Well, Noh, here, is hungry for snacks. Right, Noh?"  Phun put an arm around his boyfriend a little too hard in my opinion.

"Haaaa. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Yes." Noh let out a  forced smile.

What was going on? These two definitely were creeping me out. Well, I guessed this was better than them all being lovey dovey. This way, I wouldn't feel much of my boyfriend's absence on our anniversary.

"Pete, why don't you grab us a table upstairs while we order food?"

I blinked at Phun. Seriously, being here was harder and this asshole requested to be at the spot where I and my boyfriend frequent. Should I just went home and cried? Well, I've tried crying earlier because of my frustration but nothing came out.

I sighed and looked around, looking for a way out of the situation. "There are enough tables here for us. No need to go upstairs."

Phun looked around. He scratched his temple. "Pete, just go up will you? Don't make it even harder for me!"

I looked at Phun confused. Was Phun drunk already?

"Hey, hey Pete." that was Noh getting between Phun and I. "I like it better upstairs so can we just stay there? Will you go first?"

Noh was smiling that friendly smile. Although confused, I followed suit and went upstairs.

"Are you kidding me?!" I blurted out loud when I could see nothing but darkness when I get to the café's second floor. The moon was nowhere to be found and there were no stars out tonight. The universe must have mirrored what I felt.

I was about to head downstairs when as if on cue, fairy lights just lit up all over. My eyes hurt from the sudden explosion of light. When my eyes finally adjusted to the surroundings, I got confused with the set up.

The second floor of the café was nowhere to be seen. Instead, in place of the tables and chairs, situated adjacent to where I was standing was a mini stage, with a
huge  LED screen in front. The whole floor was decorated by hundreds of flowers and fairy lights. I was second guessing if I should still be here. I could have ruined someone else's moment so I decided to head down when the LED screen, came to life and startled me.

A video was playing.  On screen were pictures after pictures. They were all pictures of toddlers on their school days and presumably play dates.

I cracked up when a picture of a toddler who was crying with cakes all over him and another laughing toddler was shown. Wait. Wasn't it me and Earn?

The next picture was that of two school boys on their PE uniform both holding ice cream smiling for the camera.

That was definitely Earn and I, I was seeing. I remembered the picture. It was taken on our third grade. On our sports fest. Earn stuff the ice cream at me after the shot was taken. In return, I beat him at the sack race. He was furious. I laughed at the memory. But wait, why was this shown here?

The next picture was from five months ago, it was taken at Phuket, when we had our first trip together as boyfriends. Earn was hugging my neck and kissing my temple while I smiled for the camera.

My eyes clouded. I didn't realize I was crying already. My heart was pounding like crazy. The pictures that followed were all of me, in stolen angles.

There was I sleeping, playing football, playing the guitar, eating noodles,cooking, laughing and all others I didn't clearly see because I was crying already. My boyfriend stealthily took all of them I presumed. I missed Earn. Even though he was not around, he still made sure to make me feel special. I felt ashamed for getting annoyed with him not contacting me earlier.

I was pinching the inner sides of my eyes when a melody started playing. I looked up and with  tear filled eyes, I saw my friends on the mini stage. Phun was holding the guitar, Noh on drums and Jeb on the keyboard. I was laughing and crying at the same time.They waved at me and they were smiling. What the hell was happening? Where did they come from?

My heart started to beat differently. The way it did everytime Earn was around. It can't be? I looked around. And out of nowhere, I saw Earn appeared. He was holding his guitar in all of his glory in a tuxedo.

I had to blink many times and rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Indeed, there in front of me at the center of the make shift stage stood my boyfriend.

He was smiling at me.

Did I die? Was this heaven? I didn't get an answer but I heard an angel started singing.