"He was so cute, wasn't he?"
"Yeah, so cute and shy. Such a shame about those gloves though.. what was it called? Germaphobia?"
"Oh, but you know what? He ate the pizza I handed to him."
"Oh, no way!?"
"Yes, way. I swear, he did! I picked up a slice with my hand and passed it to him and he took it and ate it. Maybe he likes me?"
"Oh, you little b*tch!! I liked him first!!"
Eddy cringed. He had mixed feelings about the conversation that took place between the 2 girls who were sitting behind him in the tutorial room.
Brett ate a pizza slice that was handed to him by one of the girls?
Eddy was so tempted to turn around and find out which girl, whom Brett didn't seem to mind touching his food. Eddy was envious of her. He wanted details.
Meanwhile, the guy recoils in horror when he bushed past my arm when I'd just had a shower..
"..Eddy?"
Eddy turned towards the voice that called his name.
"Yes?"
Eddy's eyes widened. It was Brett.
"Hi Brett.. how are you feeling?"
It was 3 in the afternoon. Eddy had hoped Brett didn't have a busy timetable today and was able to get some rest and recover from last night.
"I... I need to talk to you."
"Okay..?"
"..I wanted to apologise for rushing off like I did this morning.. it was rude of me after I'd spent the night with you.. and.. and.."
Eddy's eyes widened as Brett's voice increased in volume as he seemed to get more and more worked up.
"..And I feel really bad ..leaving like that in such haste... on the morning after I've.. made your bed so.. dirty and.. I.. I was wondering if I could come by this afternoon and help you ..clean up.."
The two girls sitting behind Eddy were obviously eavesdropping from the moment Brett approached Eddy and they gasped in horror.
"Oh my god what were those two up to in ..Eddy's bed!?!?"
Oh f*ck!!
"Brett.. please.. can I talk to you in private?"
Eddy practically shoo'ed Brett out of the tutorial room. He didn't want to nudge him since Brett had already freaked out when they had made contact.
Once they were out of the tutorial room, they walked down the corridor and left the building, ending up in a small courtyard. Brett turned around to face Eddy.
"Eddy.. I..."
"Listen, Brett.. you... you're gonna cause a whole lot of misunderstandings if you talk like that in front of other people.."
Brett furrowed his brows and stammered;
"What? I.. I don't understand. Please tell me Eddy, have you.. since had a shower again and.. have you washed all the bed linen..?"
Eddy was so glad they moved out of the tutorial room to continue their conversation.
"Yes. I didn't have lectures in the morning so I had plenty of time to tidy up and do laundry.. not that my room or bedlinen was that dirty Brett. Look, I do clean my room and do laundry quite frequently.."
Brett continued to stammer;
"I.. I know that.. You.. you had a nice room. I didn't mean to insult you..."
Eddy sighed.
"Brett.. it.. it sounded like you couldn't stand my filth.."
Brett's eyes shot open in panic.
"N..no!! That's not it Eddy, I swear!!"
Eddy furrowed his brows.
"Brett.. I don't understand."
Brett looked straight at Eddy.
"Can.. we go get some dinner after our tutorial so that I can explain?"
..Say what?
They sat across a small table in a Taiwanese eatery that Brett chose. He said it was his favourite place.
"Brett, I. .thought you were a...germaphobe? How can you eat out?"
Brett shook his head.
"No, Eddy. I've grown tired of going around correcting people and explaining myself so I'm sure that's what everybody thinks.. It must be the gloves.., but I am not a germaphobe."
"You're not?"
"No. I've got OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder"
"..There's a difference?"
"Yes."
"Please. Explain it to me. I want to know."
"Well, excuse me then."
Brett reached out his gloved hand and took Eddy's glass out from the taller's hand. Brett held up the glass in front of Eddy's eyes, rotating is slowly to show the faint grease mark of Eddy's lips on the rim of the glass.
"See this?"
Eddy nodded. He was actually a bit embarrassed to see it.
"It's.. the grease from the fried chicken.."
"Yeah."
Eddy then widened his eyes as he saw Brett put his lips on the grease mark on the glass and take a sip of the tea.
"Brett? You.. can..do that..??"
"Yes. Cos I'm not a germaphobe. I don't think you have germs or you're dirty, Eddy."
Eddy blushed as he nodded. Then he looked up.
"Brett...! So that's why you were able to eat the pizza that girl handed to you!"
"What? ..How did you know about that when you weren't even there!?"
"The girls were talking about it. I guess it's confusing to understand your reactions when they think you're a germaphobe."
Brett shrugged.
"Eddy.."
"Yes, Brett?"
Brett put down Eddy's glass next to his own. He then picked up his own glass and showed it to Eddy. The rim of the glass was spotless. Eddy widened his eyes.
"Brett.. why aren't there any grease marks on your glass..?"
"Because I wipe it every time I take a sip."
"Oh."
"And Eddy.. if you were to now take this glass and take a sip out of it.. I would have a panic attack."
"W, what?"
"I.. I couldn't bear you to.. consume my germs.."
"What? So you... you think you're dirty?"
"In a nutshell, yes."
"Oh my god.. b, but... I wouldn't mind.. I wouldn't mind at all, just like you didn't mind mine.. I could easily take a drink from that glass..."
"I'm at a stage where I understand logically in my head that I shouldn't mind so long as you don't.. But.. I can't.. I can't let you do it. I..The thought of your body or your belongings getting germed up by me is.. just..."
Brett shuddered. He looked like he was in pain.
"I.. I'd freak out."
"Oh. ..okay... I think I'm starting to get the idea."
Eddy reached out across the table in an attempt to get his drink glass back. Brett widened his eyes and stammered.
"N, no..!!"
"Brett? What is it?"
"I.. I can't let you have this glass back either."
"What? But it was my drink to start off with."
"I know. But I drank out of it.. so.. I can't let you use it anymore because.. I.. I've contaminated it."
"Damn it Brett, you haven't. I don't mind. I honestly don't mind at all..."
"I know logically you may not mind Eddy, but I can't!!"
Brett's voice shook.
"Eddy.. I'm sorry.."
Eddy's expression softened.
"Hey it's okay, I'll just get myself another glass, is that okay?"
Brett nodded.
"Okay. I'm just gonna go and get one."
Eddy returned from the eatery's kitchen with a new glass and he poured himself some tea from the pitcher on their table and took a swig, all the while Brett faced his lap, biting his lower lip.
"Brett.. it's okay now, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Look Eddy, I.. I'm sorry to cause so much hassle.."
"Brett, please look at me."
Brett slowly raised his gaze.
"It's okay. So you're a bit different. I just need to learn how you are different so that I don't upset you. Thank you for explaining how things are with you to me."
Brett stared at Eddy. Eddy gazed back at him.
"So Brett.. if I promise I'll do my best not to upset you, will you see me again?"
Brett's eyes widened in surprise.