The Emancipation of a Fuckboy [BxB] √

Chapter Twenty-Two

Vincent

It's been days since the last time that I saw Lance, and I've been thinking about his recent episode of lashing out on me. We were all under the influence of alcohol, but he was drunk as fuck. I guess he has a low tolerance for alcohol that he got drunk almost immediately after initially having two cups when Yhannie and I already had gone warm and tipsy. I almost thought that he mistakenly lashed out on me thinking that I was someone he used to know, but then it came down to my own realization that I was that person he used to know. I took a quick trip down to memory lane with the sole purpose of trying to understand what had happened. It was so long ago back when I was still shivering inside my own closet, but I don't know why I can still remember everything, maybe because it's the first time that I felt truly free when I was around him. Maybe because being around him was the only time that I can breathe perfectly fine without anyone judging me. I was the one who taught Lance how to love, and unfortunately, I was also the one who coldheartedly cut his throat and then left. I was scared as a teenager, which caused me to get blinded and not see how Lance truly loved me unconditionally. I didn't know how much damage I dealt with him. And now, I'm starting to ponder that maybe this is the reason why Keiran is doing this to me. Is Karma out there to get me?

Keiran had found someone better, almost better than me. How does someone be better than me when I gave everything I've got to him? I loved Keiran as much as Pooh loved honey. I loved Keiran that I had to come out to my dad just to prove that our relationship is valid. I loved him so much that I was ready to create a future with him. Keiran's brutal reign was usurped from my head when Yhannie and I went home to have some fun, but ever since I got back to my apartment, he came back and reclaimed his throne. I found myself walking aimlessly around my unit, not knowing what exactly I wanted to do. I can't even sit in one corner and breathe properly. Every corner has its very own memory that I don't to think of right now. This room is pretty much empty in all corners without the presence of Keiran. I went downstairs to Yhannie's unit, hoping that I could at least get distracted by her just to find out that she wasn't home. I came back to my unit and finally decided to lamely distract myself with reading my lessons in constitution only to get halted in the middle by another thought that had been keeping me utterly queasy. Lance did really unleash his stagnant anger on me that night. I would've loved to clear things up with him. The following morning when I tried to talk things out with him, he wouldn't let me have a decent conversation.

I ended up driving all the way back home to comb the local acoustic bars where I might find Lance. I went to the one where we had found him earlier, but the manager said it wasn't his schedule. Thankfully someone from the next acoustic bar that I went knows where I can find him. As soon as my eyes laid to Forever22, my heart started to pump faster. By the time I got myself inside the bar, I someone's currently performing, and I quickly recognized Lance's voice reverberating. I just had to apologize to him and let him know that it wasn't in my intention to complete him just to shatter him afterward.

Our thing progresses, I call and you come through

Blow all my friendships to sit in hell with you

But we're the greatest, they'll hang us in the Louvre

Down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre

I felt a rush of relief as soon as my eyes caught sight of him standing at the stage, the microphone pressed in his face. His bandmates perfectly backed up his soothing vocals that set the tone for the bar.

Our thing progresses, I call and you come through
Blow all my friendships to sit in hell with you
But we're the greatest, they'll hang us in the Louvre
Down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre

"What the..." I was so caught up in my head that walking past through the aisle that I accidentally hit an arm.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, man!" I exclaimed as he wiped his chin wet from the beer.

"Vincent?" He shot at me, utterly shocked.

"Dominic?" I got a closer look at him, and I immediately recognized his face. It's my brother's ex-boyfriend. I thought Yhannie said he's in Singapore? What is he doing here? If I'm right, the last time I saw this guy is when I came out to my dad, and since then, I immediately observed that nothing drastic has changed about him. That's most definitely the reason why I was able to distinguish him even in this dim lighting. "What are you doing here?"

"Uhm, drowning my loneliness," Dominic replied. "How about you? What are you doing here?" He threw back.

"I guess, I'm about to drown my loneliness just like you do," I replied, aligning with Dominic's apparent rueful humor. I thought since Lance is still up performing, maybe I could have a bottle of beer or two before pulling Lance for a serious conversation. I could use some courage to confront him.

"Hey, can I have a bottle of beer" I sat right next to Dominic and instantly asked the bartender for a bottle of beer. "Actually, you know what? Give me two. One for this guy over here."

"You don't have to," He said.

"It's okay. It's on me," I said, gaining the upper hand to buy this guy a beer. "So, how are you? I thought you were in Singapore?" I asked. Behind my head, I knew that this guy broke Valentine's heart. I don't know the whole story behind it, but the awareness is more than enough for me. I would've activated the loathsome Vincent sequestered inside me and roast this guy to filth, but this is Yhannie's former best friend, plus I know he's a good person.

"I just got back home last week." He uttered. "Wait, how'd you know I went to Singapore?"

"Oh, yeah. Yhannie told me that."

"Yhannie? You know Yhannie?" Dominic seemed stormed that I knew Yhannie. Of course, he's stormed. There's no way he could've known that Yhannie and I are hanging out nowadays. He's been gone for too long.

"Oh yeah, we live in the same building."

"Oh, really?" He trailed. "You know, I've missed that woman. We were like best friends ever since and now a lot of things happened" He seemed like he went for a quick trip down to memory lane.

"If you want to, you can visit her sometime."

"I would love to," Dominic said and proceeded to fish his phone from his pocket. "Do you have her number?"

"I do" I nodded and fished my phone.

Dominic and I had a decent conversation while Lance continued onto his gig, it's not like he's going anywhere anyway. Dominic tried to avoid opening the threshold of conversation about my brother, but I look at him, and I'm sure he'd already moved on from my brother since that was a very long time ago. I wanted to ask him for some advice that would probably help me to get over from Keiran.

"So, after you and Valentine?" I asked out of the blue. "How'd you exactly moved on from my brother?" I don't want to sound rude with my assumption, so I had to speak a little bit soft. I took a long gulp of beer after that.

"What?" Dominic asked, and I think I saw him flinch for a second. Was my question a sneak attack?

"Have you moved on from my brother?" I asked, rephrasing my question. What if he hasn't moved on from Valentine yet? What the actual fuck?

"Yeah, yeah. Of course, I have moved from him" Dominic said.

"So, how was it?"

"At first, it was definitely hard. I did everything to distract myself from thinking about him, and over time, I slowly got over him." Dominic uttered, avoiding an eye contact with me, and there's just something in the way those words lifted from his mouth that wouldn't let me believe if he's genuine or not.

"Thank you so much Forever22! See you again next week, same day, same time!" I heard Lance announce in the background, and I knew that's my cue to talk to him finally.

"Sorry, Dominic. Excuse me for a moment. I had to go to the bathroom," I lied.

"Sure," He nodded, and I got on my feet, leaving Dominic behind.

Lance was fixing his guitar when I finally got at the backstage.

"Hey,"

"Vincent!" He squealed. He doesn't seem surprised but rather frightened.