After the Football Game ✓

The Screaming Silence of Hurt

CHAPTER 68 (Part 1 of 2)

The party was in full swing.

Everywhere Tin turned his head, he could see well-known faces and the very elite of high society in Thailand. Here and there were travelling diplomats and even notable foreigners that were influential in their own right.

But Tin's mind was not on the party, nor on the conversations that are happening all over him, nor on the pretty dresses that the women wore, nor on the striking gentlemen that wove around the place like strutting peacocks in their expensive suits and carefully tousled hairstyles.

He was thinking about Can. Wondering about the phone call that was suddenly dropped. He could hear that can was mad about something, and he knew the crazy things his Cantaloupe could do when he was not thinking straight. He thought long and hard if there was anything that he had done to provoke the little firecracker, but there was none that he could think of.

His phone rang, looking at the screen he saw that it was his father calling. And his father never called him unless there was something to be done or some trespass that he has been judged unworthy of doing. A slight pinch of worry grew in his chest.

"Hello, Dad? "

"Come home, now, your friend Can is here. "

Tin froze as he heard the sound of the call being ended. He could not judge how is father sounded on the phone not having talked to him much but the fear that began in his chest blossomed into an almost overwhelming panic.

He hurried outside and gestured to the valet for his car. Jumping into the drivers seat, he drove off, his mind full of questions as to what Can was doing at his home and in front of his father; the father that did not really care much about Tin but only wanted for him to follow traditions, expected too much and had only his eyes on Tul, his older half-brother.

Tin was very worried. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that the day would come that he had to worry about racing home because Can was there.

"What are you doing Cantaloupe? What are you doing?!!!" Tin kept on muttering to himself as he drove, the skyscrapers of the business district and the hotels were passing by outside his car window but it seemed like he was on autopilot. He tried calling Can's phone repeatedly but the mobile seemed to be turned off, something that only intensified his anxiety.

With a screech, his car's tires bit into the driveway. He threw open the door and without even bothering to close the door ran inside, opening the doorway with the loud bang.

Inside, the butlers and the housekeepers were standing around just as he went through the door. Tin could feel their cold stare though all of them managed to slightly bow their heads.

"Where is he?" Tin demanded to nobody in particular.

"Um ... he is in ... umm ... in the master's study!" replied one of those who were standing close to where he was.

Without waiting to hear more, Tin stormed towards his father's office. Along the way he met the person he hated most in the world, someone he was hoping not to see. His brother coming from the exact direction where he was headed.

"Oh, so you are home," Tul sneered at his brother.

"What? Don't tell me that ..." Tin snapped back, but could not finish the sentence when he noticed that usually immaculate face of his nemesis is patched up and he was putting on another strip of band aide. He looked like he was beaten.

Tin's eyes grew wide. He felt a fierce dread and fear for Can. He was thinking that what happened to Tul would surely be connected to him being called home and Can being with his father.

"Do not have to worry too much dear brother, I was just kicked and then punched twice ... your boyfriend's punch is pretty good too." Tul said coldly, looking into the eyes of his stricken brother.

"Cantaloupe, what did you do?" horror began to pound inside of Tin's heart that was already hammering in anxiety. He has told Can many times not to mess with Tul. He knew what his devious brother could do; with just a word, he could ruin everything for Can including Can himself.

Tin clenched his fists, trying to restrain his inner fears. Like putting on a mask, he tried to hide what he was feeling though his heart was about to explode. He stepped forward towards the direction of the study. As he passed Tul, the elder brother just calmly said.

"Is this going to be so simple?"

Tin clenched his fists tighter and hurried on to his father's office. Though he was trying to hide it, he knew that his brother would not leave things as they were. He also knew how his family looked down on him, how they would always believe in Tul, how Tul was a blessing from heaven and he, was nothing. He stopped.

"No matter what happens, I will not let anyone touch Can." Tin turned his head and shouted at the retreating back of Tul, the one who he used to call brother but now he felt that there was only one person that will always see the good in him. Can. The only one that will never abandon him, the only one who promised to be by his side, the only one that he loved.

Tul laughed a bitter laugh but continued on his way. But his words echoed on the walls as he left, "Ha ha ha, so now, you are the happiest!"

Such sarcasm. For surely it was Tul who was the happiest. Tul who has everything and Tin only had Can.

Remembering his boyfriend and thinking about what he must have been through in the hands of both his evil brother and his domineering father, Tin rushed towards the office. He was preparing for the worst, the least that Can would get would be a scolding, he could not imagine the worst; he feared to think about the worst.

Automatically, he raised his hands to knock on the wooden doorway of his father's study.

Knock, knock, knock, and without waiting for an answer opened the door to the loud angry voice of Can.

"Why are you so unfair? Isn't he also your son too? Why did you do that with Tin? Do you know what your older son did to him? Do you care about how much your son have been hurting all this time that he thinks everyone is out to get him? He does not trust anyone, more so you!" Can had both hands gripping the front of the master's desk, in front of him, sitting and staring at the red faced, screaming young man was Tin's father, one of the most influential businessmen in Thailand; and probably one of the most ruthless too. But Can was looking straight into the elder man's face, his knuckles already white from the force that he was using as he gripped on the table, his face leaned forward, scolding the old man.

"He was harmed, betrayed by that good for nothing Tul. Did you know all that? Do you know what he did just now? Why I beat him up? He does not know that I will always trust my lover."

Mr. Mesanat's eyes grew wide at the word "lover" but his face remained stone calm, like it always was. Hearing the door open, he glanced at the newcomer and stared at Tin for a second and said.

"Tin, come here."

__________

* This is a highly emotional confrontation, and quite a long chapter. I decided to cut it into 2 parts, the second one: Freedom to Love will be posted sometime within today but for now goodnight or more correctly, good morning. Its already 3 am. <3