OLD FLAMES

Chapter 26: Wind of Changes

"Ton, you know I'll miss you, you asshole!" Ray shouted.

"Ray! Watch your language," Nick exclaimed.

That Monday, having made my decision, I called my father and accepted both his offers. However, I needed to sort out my current work before transitioning to his. My father sounded ecstatic, and for once, I felt reassured that this decision was right for someone.

Reflecting on my almost seven years at the bank and contemplating the life I'd built, I realized it had been challenging yet fulfilling. It was time to move on. I drafted my resignation and, after that, phoned Ray to invite him to dinner.

Ray had picked the restaurant, but before we entered, I spotted Top and halted Ray.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Mew and Top are here," I gestured toward the visible Top and the more obscured Mew.

"Let's leave," Ray urged, pulling me away.

We remained silent and, instead of finding another eatery, I took Ray to the beachside. We dined at a seafood joint, and then I proposed a stroll.

"Babe?" I began quietly, and Ray responded with a curious "hmm?" as he toyed with the water, his shoes off and slacks rolled up.

"Why did you want to leave?" I inquired.

"Top needs someone to talk to. He can be difficult, but I understand how lonely it can get. Now I have you, and you have me. We get to share moments like this, and we'll always have each other to confide in. I'm glad Mew's there, and he might get startled if he knows we spotted them. Also, Mew would never admit it, but he's still in love with Top and was so worried when you shared your situation with them," Ray explained, playing with the gentle waves. "After all these years, I've learned that love doesn't always make sense, but you still feel it. I hope Top and Mew realize that someday."

"You've grown so much," I smiled adoringly at him.

"No, Luke actually told me that!" he laughed, and my widened eyes betrayed my surprise. He hadn't mentioned Luke before. I felt a pang of jealousy but quickly dismissed it, knowing that Ray was now with me.

"Tell me about him," I encouraged.

"Why do you suddenly want to talk about Luke?" Ray looked at me suspiciously. "Are you trying to start a fight?"

Chuckling, I replied, "Silly! I'm not. You seemed to like that guy. I'm just curious why you broke up."

"I kept telling you he wasn't my boyfriend. But yeah, I liked him, and Luke's a nice guy. We're still friends," he corrected me.

"Yeah, yeah, call it what you want," I teased.

"After I told you it was over, I went on several dates. Mew, Ton, Nick, and Cheum all tried to set me up with various single people. I couldn't stand any of them. It felt torturous, and those idiots had a good laugh at my expense. Cheum was the informant, as they arranged the dates at the hostel. I finally reached my limit and struck a deal with them: one final date, and if it didn't work out, they'd leave me alone. That's when I met Luke. Apart from being incredibly good-looking, he was funny, and our humor just clicked. He found out about the setup, and we agreed to keep seeing each other to avoid other setups. I told him I wasn't ready for a serious relationship, and he agreed; he traveled most of the year anyway so serious relationships are hard for him. I mentioned once that I'd never experienced normal dates, except for the few times with you. So, he made it his mission to show me everything. He's the coolest guy I know. He never demanded anything from me that I wasn't willing to give. I'm grateful to him, Alan. While he took me on those dates, I regained the years I lost to alcohol and parties. However, amidst all the fun, I still wished it was you with me. That's when he said that line. I told him that he was perfect in every way, but I still couldn't fall in love with him. He met you at Ton's party and figured it out. No matter how much I was hurt by what happened, I still wanted you," Ray recounted, smiling sadly as he remembered Luke.