Chances on Love

Don't Let Me Go

Ae punched the steering wheel non stop..
He had been driving for a while trying to find Pete.
The driver has not arrived yet and they don't have any idea where Pete is.

Ae parked himself near the post and tried to calm himself..

The truth about his father's reason for leaving them is still unbelievable and it hasn't registered yet fully into his system..

He remembered his Uncle Tan always staying at home, playing games with them, cooking food, doing the laundry..

He basically acted like a second mother to them when their mom was not around.. Of course, they were aware that their mother's bestfriend doesn't like girls.. but they didn't mind..

Their mom sometimes gets preoccupied at the restaurant and he is the one who always comes to their rescue whenever they needed someone to tend to them..

Until one day,
he disappeared and their mother never spoke of any word about him ever again..

They tried asking her but she just answers them that he is away on a business trip..

Then, after a few months, their father left them..

Their parents would always fight at night and they knew it was because of someone else.. their father said he fell out of love and asked their mother for a divorce but no one in their family knew who she was.. or he was... until now..

Ae sighed..
His father tried to support them in many ways he can even if he is not living with them anymore..

He sends food, money, toys and more..
He often attend any special occasions or sometimes even visits them though he and their mother were not on speaking terms.

Then after a few years, It stopped..
They heard he passed away but he was cremated..
So they just held a ritual to remember him..

He smiled bitterly remembering his mother's words earlier while crying hard,

"Your father died because of his weak immune system." "Those opportunistic infections brought by HIV/Aids killed him.. And where did he get that sickness from?!"

"None other than your Uncle Tan!"
"Just because of unprotected sex!".

Ae understands why his mothers is doing this.. but he and Pete.. It's not like they were doing it with several partners..

They are both mature enough to know what this relationship entails.

Ae sighed,
Awareness is really what's lacking in the community today and people regardless of any ages should open their minds about this sickness because it's really not the disease that everyone should be afraid of.. but it's the lack of education and precaution of everyone engaging in sex regardless of gender.

"Damn it.."
Ae muttered..
He is still angry with his mom and he is not sure when he can really speak to her without holding any grudges..

But, his main concern as of this moment is Pete,
he may be blaming himself again unnecessarily...

"Why do you always run Pete?"
"Where did you go this time?"
Ae dropped his face on the steering wheel..

He has spent his minutes thinking where his lover might have gone to and like a gush of intuition,
He immediately turned his car around and decided to go to the old soccer field..

Ae hopped out of his car and ran as fast as he can to the field.. but.. no one was there..

Pete was no where in sight..

Ae like a melting candle slowly fell on the grass, knee first, kneeling down..

Fireworks were sparkling but Ae was shouting non stop trying hard to release his tension, his fears and anger in the open field..

"Damn it!"
Ae cursed..
"So many years wasted, so many fucking years.."
Ae shouted again...
"aaaaarrfgggfgfhhhhhhhhhh"

"Fuckkk!",
He felt his head bursting...
"Pettttteeeeee, where are you????"
Ae kept on shouting...

His eyes stinging..
His tears kept on pouring..
Ae was feeling it all..
The years that passed by, the time they were not together.... The lies, the hurt, the chances lost..

Ae kept himself upside down..
The grass was moist and cold..
The lights slowly turning off.
His heart bursting in pain.
Tears uncontrolled, Ae sobbed and sobbed.

"How could you do this mom?.."
Ae was saying in between his tears and hiccups. "Where are you Pete?" Ae felt so exhausted.

"Ae",
Pete just arrived at the field after a long drive around to cool his head and he saw the love of his life in his most miserable state..

"Ae",
Pete witnessed him whole body shaking, shouting, crying his heart out..

Pete ran towards the wailing man and kneeled down beside him and wrapped him in his arms..

"Ae.. I'm so sorry,"
Pete said, tears started flowing joining his lover's misery..

"P.. ete"..
Ae whispered..

"Yes, it's me love"
Pete said lovingly.

"Pete.."
Ae touched the other's cheek..

"You're here and I'm not imagining things right?!"
Ae said smiling bitterly in between his tears.

Pete didn't answer but scooped his lover's cheeks and kissed him deep in the lips.

Ae's reciprocated Pete's kiss like it has been years since the last...

Pete gently separated their lips a few minutes after and stared at Ae's swollen eyes..

"I'm so sorry Ae.."
"I was unsure how to face you after what I learned.." Regret eminating in Pete's liquid brown eyes..

Ae looked at him with longing and touched his face..

"I'm sorry Pete for not trusting you.. for not trusting our love.."

Pete smiled and planted a soft kiss on his lips..

"Promise me one thing Ae.."
Pete asked in return.

The other nodded..

"Please.. don't ever let me go.."
Pete softly whispered as his eyes started to well up again.

Ae smiled and touched his lover's cold cheeks..

The two cried while pulling each other in a tight embrace..

They made silent promise to never separate.
A love that would be filled with bliss and serenity.

It was a cold night at the open field but their hearts were filled with eternal warmth, fueled by a fire that will never end.

They embraced each other tighter while darkness engulfed the whole field..