[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Chapter 47

He's leaning against the wall, glaring at his girlfriend's back while she changes. She's talking about some shit that he can't bring himself to listen, or he'll lose all of his hair. He has no idea why he's still with her.

She's only with him because of the money, of course. Plus, dating the owner of Pay-co is a privilege to her. To Tay, though, she was just a one night stand that he didn't say goodbye to when the time was right and she just stuck around. Soon enough, everyone thought of her as his girlfriend. Honestly, he doesn't give a shit.

She's making him crazy, by this point, talking about pointless things. He's gonna have to end it. He'll give her tonight, though.

It's a business dinner with a foreign company. The CEO and her husband, as well as her secretary and her boyfriend will accompany him. Tay's not really keen on going, but it's an important deal. Namtan turns around after he's finished. "Am I beautiful?" She asks happily and Tay wants to bang his head against the door.

"Are you done?" He answers with a question. He's not gonna answer her question, for her own good. The dress she's wearing is way too short and tight. He's not sure if she's planning on breathing tonight. She's wearing too much makeup as well. If she put some more on, she'd look like his mother.

She rolls his eyes as she grabs her purse, passing Tay and storming out of the condo in her heels.

Tay rolls his eyes as well as he follows her out. It's cold, but that's normal for December. Tay pulls up in front of the restaurant, getting out of the car.

Namtan doesn't wait for him to open the door. She knows it's not gonna happen. She takes his hand when they enter the place, though.

The place is nice, he has to admit. It's really cozy and not too loud. "Reservation for Perez?" Tay asks the waiter.

The waiter nods. "Come with me, please."

They follow him through the room leading to their table. Mrs. Perez's already there with her husband.

"Good evening." He says and shakes their hands and Namtan does the same.

"Good evening Mr. Tawan. Please have a seat." Mrs. Perez says. "My secretary will be joining us in a few minutes, he's gone out to take a call. This is his boyfriend, Luke." She gestures to another man, sitting at their table.

"Nice to meet you." He says as he shakes Tay's hand.

"You, too." Tay nods.

They all sit down and engage into a light conversation.

He comes back and sits down next to Luke, before he even pays attention to Tay, but Tay sees him and his heart drops to his stomach. He's so different, but it's him. His raven hair is longer.

He's not a boy anymore, Tay can see. Everything about him screams that he's a man now. He's dressed all in black, tight pants and a shirt with his sleeves rolled up.

"New, is everything okay?" His boss asks.

He nods at her. "Yes, sorry for leaving." His voice is deeper than Tay remembers.

"It's fine. Can we continue now?" She asks politely and New nods. "This is our potential partner, New." She gestures to Tay and Tay's stops breathing.

New turns his head with a smile. Then he lays his eyes on his.

"Meet Mr. Tawan." The woman says.

Everything comes crashing down.

*

Four years. Almost four fucking years have passed since the last time he saw him. He finally had the life that he wanted. All of his friends and family were safe and happy. He had an amazing job and a stable relationship.

The moment he laid his eyes on him, all of half of those things fell into the water. Tay was here, in front of him. He was looking back at him with wide eyes and New's sure he was surprised, as well. "Meet Mr. Tawan." Mrs. Perez said.

He didn't move and neither did Tay. They just kept waiting for another's reaction, not being able to react first.

"New? New." Luke shook him from his trance. "Are you okay?" New shook his head, looking back at Tay.

"I'm not feeling well, I need to air." He gasped and got up.

He stormed out of the restaurant. He heard Mrs. Perez tell his boyfriend to follow him out, but he needed to be alone. He doesn't know how to handle this. He ran behind the restaurant, letting chilly air bring him back to his senses.

Tay is here. Tay is back. Tay. Tay. Tay. Tay. It's the only thing echoing in his head.

"New? What the hell was that?" Luke shouts, coming up behind him.

"Tay." New gasp incoherently. "That was Tay."

"I've met Mr. Tawan." Luke says. "Do you know him?"

"Yes. He's Tay..." New paces around his head in his hands.

"I fucking heard you the..."

"He's my Tay, Luke!" New stops as he screams.

"Your ex boyfriend Tay?!" Luke's eyes widen comically. New nods. Luke grabs his hand roughly. "Are you telling me that you're risking your job and your whole career to have a panic attack over your ex fucking boyfriend? While I'm right in front of you?" He shouts.

New has never seen him like this. He's furious. "Luke..." He tries but Luke grabs his arms roughly. That will probably bruise and New is too stunned to move.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You are going to get your shit together and get inside so you don't get fired for being stupid." New is unmovable from his tone.

"I can't..." He croaks. "He..."

"I swear to God, New. If you don't get in there, I'll..."

"You'll what?" That's not Luke.

Luke is being dragged away from him and then Tay punches him so hard he flies back a few feet and then falls to the ground, yelping in pain.

"You peace of shit." Tay spits. "You have no right to touch him like that." He growls. "I'll put you in your place."

He starts toward Luke, but New catches his hand before he can do something stupid. He turns around to face him and New is stuck again.

Tay's eyes hold him in place once again and he can't move. There's a fire burning where his hand fits around Tay's wrist. It still feels the same under his fingertips. The shuffling in the back brings them back to the real world. Luke apparently got up and he's running down the street with his bloody nose in his hands.

Tay scoffs and tries to go after him, but New holds him in place. Tay doesn't fight him on it. He lifts his hand and traces the bruises that Luke's grip left on his arm, but New flinches after a second. He releases Tay's wrist and starts backing away.

"New..." Tay says softly, but New shakes his head and turns around to leave. And Tay lets him.

He runs, then, as fast as he can. Until his lungs hurt and he's on his last breath. Until the hard thump of his heart becomes louder than Tay's voice in his head.

*

Tay stares at the spot where New was standing a moment ago. He didn't follow him. Tay knows that New needs space right now. But he can't fight the smile that spreads across his lips. He just saw New.

New.

After four years, he finally has an opportunity to see him again, to get him back, maybe. He promised he'd to everything to have him. And New promised to hold him onto his words.

He grinned as he started towards his car. This is so sudden and he still has to think about it, but New will be his again, mark his words.