[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Chapter 41

Off ends up doing just that. He spends a few days at White's place, then packs up and leaves for Spain. He's not gonna quit university, he'll just continue with it in Spain. But that's not all. He asks someone to accompany him, and after a couple of days of thinking about it, New does the same as Off and goes with him.

New realize it's even harder to say goodbye this time. His mom isn't who cries the most. She hugs him tightly and whispers sweet things to him and makes him promise he'll visit a lot as soon as he settles in. His father and his sisters give him encouraging hugs and Sammy makes him promise to buy her something pretty.

Arm cries the most. Mek and New corner him into a hug, while he sobs, but still has enough quirkiness to shout: "Not the sandwich! Aw, come on." They all laugh through their tears. "Don't get all Spanish with me from now on, clear amigo?"

New laughs. "Si." 

And then he gets the best Weerayut hug ever. "I still can't believe I let you do this." Arm murmurs into his neck.

"I blackmailed you, remember?" New teases. "I promised to tell everyone how you and Alice..."

"Shhh!" Arm scolds and New laughs even harder. They stay pressed like that until Off practically drags New away so they don't miss their flight.

 When the plane takes off, he thinks he hopes that this was a good idea and that he's not going to regret it, but he already misses everything he left at home and it makes things so much harder for him. 

They're half an hour into their flight when Off tells him. "I spoke to Tay."

New tenses up immediately. "You think it's a good idea to talk about this while we're on the fucking plane?" Off just shrugs. "What did he say to you?"

And Off tells him everything, slowly and calmly. New can feel his chest about to burst at the end of the story.

"He said sorry." Off says. "And I forgave him. I owe him everything even the fact that I get to do this." New looks out the window. "He gave me a letter." He turns his eyes back on Off's. "For you." Off finishes softly.

New's just sitting there, wide eyed and surprised. Tay wrote a letter. For him.

"What does it say?" He asks slowly.

Off shakes his head. "I don't know, I haven't read it. When I asked him, though," He pauses. "He said 'Everything.'"

He bends over his legs to retrieve one of the smaller bags he brought with him on the plane. He carefully opens it, eyes on New's and then takes out an envelope out of it. It's white and there's his name written on it in curvy letters.

Off hands him the envelope slowly and New eyes it suspiciously. That letter contains every single thing they lived through together, every moment he's trying to forget. There's probably an apology, too.

New grits his teeth. He doesn't want to that. He needs to be angry with Tay. He needs to hate every single part of what he is and what he did, because it's easier to be away from him. They're not getting back together and if he reads that letter, it will make things much harder for him.

He shakes his head. "I don't want it." He tells Off.

"New..." Off says softly.

"No, Off. If I read it..." He gulps. "I'm not gonna be able to let go and that's exactly what I need to do." He looks at Off. "Please." He begs.

Off's uncertain for a moment, but then sighs and nods slowly. "Okay."

New watches his every move as he puts the envelope back into the little bag and puts it away, out of New's reach. It's a burden, knowing that it's right there along with all the words that Tay wrote down, but didn't have the balls to tell him while they were together.

He looks out the window again while Off sleeps through the rest of the flight with his head on New's shoulder.

*

"New, I'm leaving!" Off shouts from the hallway. New stirs in his sleep, but doesn't respond. "If you don't get up within the next half an hour, you're gonna be late for work, you idiot!"

New groans and sits up in his bed. The door to his room open and he finds his roommate grinning at him. "Oh you're up, that's good." He says brightly.

"Go away, you jerk." New groans again and Off laughs.

"Good morning to you, too." New just waves his hand dismissively at him. "I have to go. Get up so you don't get late."

"Fine, now leave." New says, annoyed.

"Bye dear." Off blows him a kiss and New smiles despite of himself.

He hates mornings, but Off always wakes him up with a smile and that's good enough for him.He slowly gets up, heading to the bathroom.

After he's freshly showered and had his clothes on, he goes to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. He can't survive the day without his coffee. Don't feed him or give him anything else to drink for the whole day, but don't take away his coffee. He takes small sips as he sits at the counter, looking around his apartment. It's been easy, getting used to live here.

Marbella is beautiful. He still can't believe that he gets to live and study here. It's been three and a half months since Off and he moved into this condo. It's nice, cozy and not really expensive. They both have their own rooms, a big kitchen and a cozy living room. They have a spare room, too. New thought about getting another roommate, but Off convinced him into making a little art studio for himself because of the beautiful view it has on the sea. It's easy for them, for once. Both of them work in the same company.

The job is basically the same, too. Off's working as an assistant to the secretary, while New works outside of the office, going on meetings with the boss while she gets new job deals with the foreigners.

Off got the job because he's more than capable of doing it. New got his spot because he's multilingual. His mom always told him that his interest in languages and his knowledge would pay off some day. She was right.

The pay is more than good. He doesn't work all day long and has time for his classes as well. Off's schedule is a bit tighter, but they manage.

Off's phone suddenly goes off. New groans. He forgot it again. New get up and goes to Off's room, but as soon as he gets in, it's stopped ringing. He shakes his head and goes to exit the room.

An open drawer beside Off's bed catches his attention. He knows it's rude to intrude into someone's privacy, but there's something peaking from it. And envelope that's very familiar.

When I asked him, though, he said 'Everything.' Off's words echo in his head. He should get out, close the damn door and go to work. He shouldn't do this. He storms do the bed in a blink of the eye and pulls out the envelope.

He sits on Off's bed, looking at it for a moment, but then rips it open, pulling out the paper. It's Tay's handwriting. It makes his heart beat ten times faster and louder as he starts reading.