[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Chapter 35

Things didn't magically switch into a fairytale after that night. New didn't even think they would. His life has always been too fucked up and it would be stupid of him to think that things would change. If anything, things got worse.

Tay's dad died the next day.

Off and Singto came barging into New's condo with the news that left Tay expressionless and stunned. He didn't cry and New didn't know what to do. He hugged Tay, trying to comfort him, but Tay didn't move a muscle. He didn't even blink. New was afraid that he may have gotten in a certain state of shock, but Tay shook his head in the end.

"We have to go and arrange everything." Tay said coldly and without any emotion, looking at the blank wall, instead at anyone in the room.

"Tay..." New tried, but Tay left in that moment and New was left alone in his condo after the guys followed him out.

They were both in tears, Off choking on them, but Tay... nothing. New didn't know how to act and what to do. He just sat there, staring at the TV that was turned off.

New didn't go to the funeral, Tay begged him not to attend it. Once again, he didn't give New an explanation and New didn't ask for one.

Off told him that Tay didn't want New there because of all the people who were going to attend it and those were mostly his dad's co-workers and his men, dangerous criminals and he didn't want him in that environment. Even Tay didn't want them there, but they had some fucked up tradition of practically being in war their whole lives, but paying their respects and attending the funeral once one of them passed away.

Tay came to New after whole thing was over, leading them to the bedroom and crawling wordlessly into the bed with him. New tried to get him to talk, but he just shook his head and held him tightly as they slept.

He saw him less and less after that. New had to go back to the university, because he couldn't just let it all go to waste and Tay had to take care of dad's businesses now that no one else was in charge. He didn't like the idea of Tay being a new drug lord after his father died and he had to take over.

It was just too much to handle. He believed that Tay didn't like it either and he hoped they would replace him with someone else soon. He sure hoped so.

One of the worst things about this whole thing was the fact that he still wasn't sure if they were even together. He wanted to talk to Tay, but obviously Tay was intent of avoiding him lately.

New was afraid that he'd get sick of trying to make it work again. New had the urge to throw his phone against the wall right now. Or bang his head on it.

"He did what?!" He asked furiously and Off sighed on the other end of the line.

"He quit this morning. He sent Krist over to fill out some papers for him, not even bothering to do it by himself." Off said angrily.

"I fucking don't believe it." New breathed, his eyes wide with fury. "I knew something was off..." He shook his head.

"Everything was off, actually. But I can't believe he actually did this." Off sighed on the other line. "He's stuffed with papers and meetings and stupid stuff with stupid people. He barely eats, drinks his weight in alcohol and listens to no one if they aren't talking about a new job deal, or something like that." Off snaps. "Not even me, New and I've really tried to fix this whole thing."

New can't believe the nerve of him. "I'd try, Off, but he hasn't been here for days and every time I knock on his door, nobody answers."

"Because he's not there." Off says. "He hasn't left his dad's home since he left your condo. He's been sleeping in the office, too." He grunts. "It's just pissing me off."