Oh, Boy!

20

20

"Why do you love me?" Joshua's question after Ian's confession. There's no whiskey anymore, but the effect of the liquor starting to rush into his veins. He felt his face burning.

"Why not?" Ian countered.

"You don't know me."

Ian stared at him like he was the most beautiful star in the sky that night on the rooftop. "Then let's get to know each other..."

Ian touched his hand and he brought it to his lips. Joshua can't help but gasp.

"What are you doing?" Joshua asked confused.

"Just loving you."

"I thought you're straight."

"I thought too, before you kiss me." And then he winked.

"You really know how to catch me, huh?" Without further ado, Joshua removed his white shirt then he pinned Ian to the cold pavement. Maybe through him, he can forget about Dwight.

The next thing that happened was mind-blowing, earth-shattering, soul-shaping sex.

*****

Notes are swirling around in his head. Even though he's not able to use his eyes anymore, he will never forget the scales and chords of the first song he learned to play on the piano.

Em (minor) 7 , A7 , D7 , Am7 , G , Em , G7 , C ...

Each chord produces a fire that burns his soul, each note running through his system like a virus infecting the bloodstream.

He's playing a Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

"Sir.." It's the second call from the maid. Dwight didn't hear her because he was mesmerized, when he was on his grand piano, he felt like in the other world. So the maid didn't have a choice but to tap his shoulder to get his attention.

Dwight stopped but he didn't turn his head to look who was at his back.

"Your dad says to get ready in an hour. He will accompany you to your doctor's visit today."

"What for-" Dwight didn't finish his sentence because of his father's interruption.

"I met a doctor in Dubai, who is an eye specialist. He can operate your eyes. But we have to get your eyes on check-up to see if you can go to surgery; if you are a match to your eye donor."

Dwight slowly took a breath.

"I don't want-"

A hand like an iron suddenly grabbed his arm. "-And I don't need your opinion. As long as you are here in my house, you have to follow me. I already give you time to reflect on yourself. Remember that I paid your and your 'boyfriend's hospital bill. I think that's enough. I'm expecting that you learned your lesson."

Dwight remained stoic, but inside he was screaming. He doesn't want to go back to the hospital. He was afraid that Joshua might see him there. He doesn't want Joshua to see him in his condition.

But his Dad was right at this point. He has to follow him, without his help, Joshua might not survive.

"I will get ready." A hand slowly let him go. The maid followed suit but he raised his hand to stop her. "No need, I can handle myself."

One of the good things about being blind is that you are not able to see their facial reaction anymore. But still, he can feel it. He can always feel eyes following him like waiting for him to stumble.

But he made it-to successfully close the door of his room and let himself breathe freely. Tears flow immediately as he remember that day.

*thugs*

The sound of impact makes his ears go deaf temporarily. He can't feel his body but there's something hot flowing from his eyes. He forces his eyes to open. It was blurry at first, but he managed to adjust his sight. He gropes his eyes just to find out that there's blood coming from his eyes. Perhaps his eyes got wounded from shattered glasses.

He looked back at Joshua. "J-josh.." He extended his hand to touch him. "J-josh...please w-wake up, we gotta out of here.."

Blood dripping from Joshua's head.

Fear of losing him was written all over his face.

This can't be happening ...

The next thing he knew, he was lying on the stretcher, there was an oxygen mask on his face, and they were rushing him to the emergency room.

"J-Joshua.." he mumbled.

"Don't speak," said the nurse.

He saw the nurse inject him with something. He's body relaxed. Until it became blurry, and from that night he wasn't able to see again.

He overheard from the nurse that Joshua was 50/50, that he might not survive the next day if he didn't have surgery right away, and for the operation to be successful, he needed at least 12 bags of blood.

He knows the one and only person who can help them.

He kneeled in front of his father and cried out loud.

"P-please...D-dad...Save him for me. I can't lose him, Dad. I will never forgive myself if he dies. I'm begging you...Let Joshua have his surgery tonight. Save him please..."

"In one condition," his Dad stated. "Never meet him again. Forget about him. And you have to follow my commands."

Using his Dad's money. Joshua had a successful surgery that night. But he never wakes up until he gets discharged to the hospital.

His dad keeps paying the bill while Joshua is still in the hospital.

******

Joshua didn't hear what Ian said. His full attention was on Dwight. Until Dwight came out of his sight. What is he supposed to do? What is he supposed to say? Why he acted like he didn't know him at all? What the fuck is happening?!

He was about to follow the direction where Dwight went through, but a hand on his shoulder made him stop.

"Don't," a deep and authoritative voice.

"Who are you?" He didn't know him, who was he to prevent him from approaching Dwight? The man he guessed was age 40 and above, but he still sees the resemblance of his frames to Dwight.

"I'm his dad," he confirmed Joshua's questions in his mind.

"S-sir!" He bowed his body to give him an honor. "Please, let me see him. I'm his friend."

"Bullshit..." Joshua's eyes widened. He didn't expect that coming. "I know the interceding between you and my son. Don't make me stupid, I wasn't born yesterday."

"B-but sir, please... I just wanna see him."

"Why? You ruined my son's life and future! Because of you, he's now blind. So, I warned you, if you approach him again, I'll put you in jail."

Then he walked passed by him, he bumped his shoulder into his shoulder as a warning that he was not joking.

"Are you okay?" Ian asked him, concerned.

But his mind went far away full of questions.

*****

A few rings and Tanya immediately answers the call from his son.

"Joshua. My son, I miss you! How was the CT scan? Are there any results now? Are you coming home?"

But none of her questions got answered.

"Why did you lie to me?"

She knew the day would come when her son would find out the truth. But she didn't expect that it's today.

"W-what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, 'Ma. You. know. What. I. Mean."

Then it's silence...

And it's enough for Joshua to understand that his mother lied to him.

So he ends the call.