Chapter 13
McDonald's Escapade
"Why did he run?" Derek says as he takes a seat across from me, his tray on his hand, placing it on the table. He has some large fries, chicken sandwich, and a large coke. I take one of his large fries, which makes my best friend frown but lets me. I just shrug, not really wanting to think about what happened about my encounter with Dale.
Derek narrows his eyes at me, his arms across on his chest as his lips set into a thin line. "He could be getting late, the reason why he ran." I reason. I believe, at some point, that it's an utter bullshit to give it to my best friend. Even I believe that it's a bullshit card I've pulled out. But the only reason why I want to make that reason true is that I don't want to make myself believe that Dale's somehow interested on me and he's gay. No. I can't afford to make myself believe in that bullshit. Derek shrugs; the way he shrugs his shoulders, it tells me that he doesn't to butt into my stuff and doesn't believe anything I say. Derek knows me too well.
We're at the McDonalds just a few blocks away from the school. Derek and I decided that it would be best that we'd go here after the school. There are a couple of students from the Sky International School sitting just around the corner of the store, still dressed up on their uniforms whereas Derek and I have already changed before going out here.
My best friend and I are seated just near the door, near the other corner of the store. A guy dressed up in McDonald's uniform is mopping the floor. A girl has accidentally knocked out her cola and it spilled right onto the floor. The bell chimes, indicating that there's another customer coming into McDonald's.
It's Josh Heid Thompson.
Josh is currently one of the richest person I've known, and the fact that he's a gay multi-billionaire guy is adding to his charms. Apparently he's married now to Prince Ezerette Mclane, who was once a straight guy. I believe that his mother was pushing him, forcefully making him meet other girls so he could have a relationship and be happy but Ezerette didn't want it thus resulting him to spreading the rumor that he was married with Josh Heid Thompson, a CEO of a company. They didn't know each other at that time. But I've seen the picture that Ezerette's best friend made, which was he and Josh on a beach, having a beach wedding, which was romantic, I thought. But everything came to an end. The rumor, I mean. It was an act first, but they fell in love eventually. I wish I could have that too.
Along with Josh is his 7-year-old adoptive son Chase and 4-year-old Casey. Chase has a dark brown hair, a little shaggy, but I know that when he grows up, he'd be a chick-magnet. He has this goofy smile tugged on his lips as he looks up at the menu of the McDonald's. Casey has a red hair, an Irish descent, but she's cute. With her puffy cheeks and bobby hair, a little bit chubby (kids that are chubby are perfect and fabulous), she looks like an angel sent from above.
"Hi Josh," I greet him and Josh's eyes meet mine. His eyes light up in recognition and he waves at me, striding his long legs towards my direction. "Long time no see."
Casey and Chase are both disappointed, their lips pouting in their father's direction and I laugh, shaking my head. Josh sighs, ruffling his children's hair and they pout even more. "They are both like that. Ezerette keeps spoiling them so much. Ezerette just scolded me to bring the kids here in McDonald's but it's not even healthy."
"Fries are potatoes, therefore they are healthy." Derek reasons, taking five pieces of fries and shoving it into his mouth, chewing it rather aggressively as he looks at Josh. Josh glares at him. I see that he's struggling a bit to flip Derek off; he can't do it because his kids are right in front of him. Ezerette will kill him if he knows what the kids have learned from him. "That's true." Derek throws him a smirk.
"Shut up, Derek." I say, turning my eyes back on Josh. "Well go ahead, order for your kids now. Your children's lips will stuck in a pout forever if you don't get any faster to get them McDonald's food. Ezerette will totally kill you."
As if on cue, Josh turns on his heel and heads to the counter where a boy is openly ogling Josh. I can't blame him, really. Josh is like a God or close to being a God. His body is sculpted, as if he could be displayed at the museum just to see how magnificent he is. The fact that Josh is on a dark suit, tie is loosely worn around his neck, the two buttons of his white polo shirt over the suit are undone, doesn't help the kid at all. In fact, when Josh tells him his children's favorite, the guy immediately blushes, looking like he just wants to bolt out of the store and scream and shout and let it all out. Nonetheless he takes Josh's orders in a meekly manner, a bit slowly. Derek shakes his head at the poor guy at the counter who's taking Josh's orders; the kid's hands are slightly trembling, and Josh is eyeing him in amusement, his eyes twinkling.
My phone buzzes, alerting me that I have received a notification. I pull it out of my pocket and Derek eyes it as if there's something dark about my phone. His eyes are fixated on the mobile device that is in my hand, and I arch a brow at him. His eyes flick upwards, meeting mine.
Opening the message, it's from Dustin, telling me to come over to his house. I respond: Sure. Just give me twenty minutes and I'll be there. I'm with Derek. "Who's that?" Derek says curiously, his tone holds something strange that makes me look up at him.
"A business that should not concern you," I snap, slightly irritated.
Derek snatches the device in my hand and I glare at him, giving him a cold stare, stretching my arms out and opening my palm. He reads the message out loud, scowling after he's done reading. I sigh, suddenly exhausted and I run my fingers through my hair, tousling it. "So he's a backup, huh?"
"What's your problem, dude?"
He remains silent for a while, purses his lips and looks at me in the eye. "Dude, don't lead Dustin on if you're not even interested on him." I do. I really do. I am interested on him. But there's this feeling inside of me that makes me hold those words from coming out of my mouth. It's like a spell has been cast of me, preventing the words that I want to say from escaping my lips. Those words suddenly feel like they are made and sharpened with sins. "You're better than that. You can't just give yourself to Dustin even though you don't want it. You're just craving for something that you think you should have now; this is not the right time for that, Beau. Trust me."
His words are flared up, shooting me straight into my chest. I purse my lips, deciding what should I respond to that. It's not like I'm leading Dustin on. I know I'm interested on him yet why can't I say the words to my best friend? There's something about Dustin that is so relaxing and calm, and when I'm around him, I feel like I could be anything. I feel like I'm free. As my brain begins to function, the pain in my chest deepens, I say. "I guess I'm giving myself a chance." That's true. That's the truest statement I've ever said these past few days. "I'm tired of being hurt, Derek. You felt it, too. You felt it when Nero... never mind. All I'm saying is I want to give myself a chance to be happy."
"And you can," he says. "Be happy, I mean."
The fries and burgers and colas are just standing on the tray, and I bet it's getting cold now. Josh has just left with his kids. I feel like I'm being suffocated. I feel like I'm being trapped inside of something I can break but there's something pushing me back.
Not everything we want will be in our hands. Sometimes it's better for them to be in other's hands and not yours, my mother has said to me. The words cloud my thoughts and I can't think straight. Perhaps Dale is not really for me, and I'm not really for him. Maybe we're not destined for each other. Maybe the reason why I fell for him is to soften me, make me realize something, and then when the time comes, that's when my prince charming will come and sweep me off my feet.
"We're just hanging out as friends, don't worry." I say, smiling brightly.
He gives me a thumbs up and then grabs some fries. He frowns as he feels it cold, but then he shoves it into his mouth. I unwrap the burger that I have ordered and munch on it, the taste of the patty exploding and spreading across my tongue.
As we get out of the McDonald's, after eating the large fries and burgers Derek ordered, the cool breeze of air hits my skin. The sun is scorching that makes me squint. Derek is telling me about the Halloween costume he has gotten, and that he'd make me take a look at it. According to him, I will be the first one to see his costume, which is Freddy Krueger from The Nightmare in Elm Street. That's so overrated. He has found out a shop just a few blocks away from the school, and he made his way there and found out the outfit. I'm sure there are a lot of people dressed up as Freddy Krueger and they will be looking at each other's eyes and say: What the actual fuck?
The streets are crowded with people talking on their phones, people on suits – people who have business to attend to, and I wonder if I would be like them one day: so busy, looking like they don't have a care in the world as they move forward, briefcase and papers and bags in hands, barely noticing how the hue of the color of the sun spreads across the sky and the cold breeze of the October air.
We squeeze into the sea of people who are walking opposite us. They all have the same expression plastered on their faces: annoyed, aggravated, and poker face.
Deciding to go back into the school just to get Derek's car, once we step into the school grounds, the place is still filled with students who are chattering with their friends. Derek and I take a left turn, heading into a parking lot and Derek suddenly stops me, turning me around and draping his arm over my shoulders. I narrow my eyes at him. He looks suddenly worried, and beads of sweat are practically forming on his forehead as he gives me an awkward and nervous smile.
I duck, turning around and running forward to where the parking lot is and I skid to a stop, my mouth agape as I look what's in front of me. I hear Derek cursing under his breath, scratching the back of his neck as he kicks a pebble on the ground and it flies away.
The sound of the pebble hitting the ground makes them stop and my eyes meet his, his lips swollen from making out with hers. Lilith and Dale were making out, and we – I – interrupted them. My heart clenches at the sight, and my feet are frozen on the ground.
I force myself to move, and each step I take sends a stabbing pain right in my heart. Putting up a courageous smile, I take a deep breath and my arms clench on my side. "Congratulations, Lilith and Dale." Dale looks at me with something flickering in his eyes, and tears begin to well up, so I turn around and face my best friend instead, who sees everything in me. "Come on, Derek. Let's go. Mom's probably going to kill me."