At the funeral hall, Gulf looked sullen. He had spent days of not eating prior to his mother passing. Now the sight of food just made his stomach churn. His body was just of a 14 year old and it was holding so much garbage and stress.
Chet and Atid showed up and tried to comfort him and give him food but he was not having it. They were only kids so they had to give him space to mourn her mother. She was the world to him. She was the only one he had. They realized now the reason why his father was distant to them was because he was hiding a lethal secret.
Gulf left the room to go pee. He wondered why he was having the urge to pee when he didn't eat or drink anything. He opened the bathroom door and peed. He washed his hands and left the room.
Or he thought he left.
He was thinking of how his mother scolded him for not using soap to wash his hands that he got stuck in front of the door. His mind wouldn't come out of his imagination. The door to the stall opened and that startled him. He looked back and saw his father come out of the stall.
Oh he was here. Gulf thought.
Right in his heels was the boy from last time. Cleaning was looked to be cum from his pants, "you should've been careful," he said and bumped into the shocked man standing still. He looked up and opened his mouth with shock. Last time he hadn't known about him but now he knew Gulf was the son he got ashamed.
"You are just the worst."
Gulf said feeling the last drop of respect fall right on the floor.
He left.
After the funeral, Gulf packed his clothes and his mother's valuables. Whilst he was packing his mother's clothes, he came across his college fund bank account and high school fund account. He never knew his mother had that. He was glad he found it first. He took all their pictures and left to his grandma's. She lived out of the city and that's what he needed. He never heard from his father again.
6 years later,
Gulf transferred schools after his grandmother passed away. She was old and loosing her hurt but not as much as his first loss.
He was in his 2nd year of university and he felt like he needed some change of scenery. He decided to go back home. Not home the house but home the city. He had been doing well. He was working whilst in school but he left everything and transferred to a University where he had initially wanted to go with Chet and Atid. It was easy transferring his credits and all. However he needed to add on extra some classes to match the requirements for the university.
His first day went well. He got his tour and then he attended classes. He was walking out the school when he saw someone he thought he was never going to see again.
The person saw him too and the unbelievable face that he made as he recognized Gulf was priceless.
He started shaking his head his hand on his mouth.
Gulf could see him say no way.
He smiled and mouthed yes way. He got goosebumps as Chet hugged him tight patting his back repeatedly muttering, "I don't believe this."
Chet came out of the hug with the biggest smile, "You came back home."
Gulf knew exactly what Chet was saying.
"Yes I came back home." He said with a proud smile.
"I missed you so much Gulf." Chet Hughes him again.
"I missed you too Chet." He said hugging his Bestfriend again.
"Yo, if someone sees you they'd think you're......get out of here." Atid said stepping away.
"hooooiiiiiiiiii" he lunged at Gulf in a hug and all the time he was just screaming in Gulf's ears.
"It's good to say you back. Welcome home Gulf."
It felt emotional that Chet joined the hug for a group hug again.
The guys had a sleepover at Gulf's small apartment catching up. Gulf had matured a lot. The Gulf they knew was a playful 14 year old but now he looked determined in everything he was doing. His step and everything looked calculated. They realized they were all taking different classes but that didn't stop them from hanging out.
A month later, Gulf had settled. He managed to get a part time job at a decent company. Chet was surprised and kept on asking Gulf how he got a part time at a company instead of restaurant but he never got the answers.
They were having drinks Friday night in a bar.
"I can't believe I didn't know this bar existed." Chet commented looking around.
"right." Atid agreed, " how did you know about this place?"
Gulf ignored them seeming distracted by something.
"You look so different and I can't seem to get used to this new You." Chet commented for the umpteenth time.
"I've heard." Gulf answered still looking distracted.
"No like... you look so different." Chet repeated.
"How is that different from what you just said?" Atid asked making Chet feel dumb.
Chet decided to let it go and instead asked, "Don't you see it Tid? The aura around him?"
Atid looked at Gulf seated there with a presence. He was staring at something, his cup of alcohol hanging close to his mouth, his finger on his down lip as if calculating something.
"I know he looks completely different. He looks like a different person. I almost didn't recognize him."
Whenever they got silent in between chatting, everyone could feel the unasked questions looming above them. After his mother's funeral Gulf moved away with not as much as a goodbye to anyone. Ofcourse he was curious about what happened but he was just ready to hear it.
Even a month after his return he had not talked about it.
"I'm really glad to see you back. I had missed you so much." Chet said to fill the awkward silence.
"You say that everyday. I bet he is getting bored of hearing that."
Gulf felt like Atid and Chet had switched personalities. Back then, Tid used to be a bit calmer whilst Chet was always looking for trouble and it now looked like they had reversed roles.
Gulf smiled and drank some more alcohol. It seemed as if he wanted the alcohol to make him courageous so after a few more gulps he asked, "How was it after I left?"
"It felt empty." Chet truly confessed. "I missed you everyday and not knowing where you went or how you were was really scary. I had things to tell you but you suddenly vanished."
"True." Atid agreed. " the first part of what he said is true. The second part I'm not sure. If you had things to say you could've told me. Am i not your friend too?"
Chet stared at Atid strangely and Gulf frowned. Gulf looked at Chet fumble for words but he ended up drinking.
It was true that they had been worried shitless after Gulf just left. The news came with their homeroom teacher who connected Gulf's mother's passing to his moving away but Chet knew there was more to the story.
"What happened with him after I left?"
"Nothing happened. Or we don't know what happened." Chet answered truthfully.
"It never came out?"
"No it never did. We just went with homeroom and a male senior rumor. That was much better runout don't you think?"
"Thanks guys." Gulf felt disappointed that it didn't come out and at the same time he felt glad it didn't come out.
"It's nothing." Atid assured him. They were his friends and that's the least they could've done in that situation. Outing the man would've sparked some Gulf rumors and they didn't want that.
"Have you talked to him ever since then?" Atid asked.
"No."
"Do you plan to?" Chet questioned.
"No. I don't plan to do that. I'm happy enough like this. I feel like if I see him I'll be reminded of my mother."
"That's good. You don't need him. You should just stay away from him." The friends cheered him up. Or at least Chet did. He looked at the guilty look Atid had that screamed a secret.
"Spill." Chet stated.
"Hey!!" Atid did not appreciate being caught. He wondered how Chet knew him this well.
"You're clearly hiding something. What is it?"
"Please don't make me say it." Atid begged feeling uncomfortable.
"It's been years Tid, I'm past that. I'm a grown up man now." Gulf tried to reassure.
"He," Atid sighed,
"He is......I saw your father a few months ago. He was shopping for food."
"Did you say hi?" Chet asked.
"No he was shopping with another man."
Gulf nodded disappointed, "I see."
"They looked domestic. They had rings on and matching clothes on. I think he is living with a man now." Atid finished with a wince.
"Ofcourse he is." Gulf looked at his friends impatiently.
It looked like the news had affected him again.
"You guys go ahead. I'll meet you at school. I just need some time by myself."
"Gulf," Chet was concerned.
"I'll be fine. I just came back I won't be going anywhere." He reassured them with a smile on his face and they hesitantly left.
He stared in a distant thinking he was doing great holding back but now he just got the motivation he needed.
He raised his hand and the waiter stopped by,
"I'll get three more of this."
He was going to get wasted.