Theory Of The Constant Melody

CHAPTER 2

I GOT UP FROM MY BED and the first thing my eyes did was darting back and forth among the couch and Acherous’ bed. I hovered around while my eyebrows creasing with confusion.

There’s this new wash of daylight; one of nostalgia way back years in Texas. And so, there’s no better thing to do beyond usual, I walked by the double hung window and looked out it.

Last night, I dropped off while watching Hollywood romance movie and didn’t even become fully aware of the storm.

The atmosphere is even close to pluvial and the petrichor lingers through my nostril as I slid up a sash and supported it briefly by my hand. The pavements formed into slick, greasy film. Normally, we don’t bother to suspend a drape as concerted to view the setting of sun before the twilight. As a matter of fact, we have a curtain rope that we used for once a quarter.

“Cyan!” a familiar baritone called.

It echoed in the room which I concluded immediately where it came from. Here his voice again which has never failed to give me a quick palpitation. Not only his presence that makes me feel a bundle of nerves, but also this intimately melodic voice of his. 

“Yes!” I replied, exclaiming.

“Could you get me a towel inside my drawer, bro? I forgot to wash my clothes yesterday,” Acherous requested and I heard some cracking of the door. 

“Okay, wait there,” I answered and strode down the aisle.

Originally, our bed was placed in a corner adjacent each other. Although when one of my roommate’s girlfriend had slept over here, I insisted to move aside my bed; our cupboards in the middle.

Upon reaching his drawer, I knelt down with one knee rested on the floor and pulled the ceramic knob. His boxer shorts and briefs nicely welcomed my eyes and I could catch a whiff as smelled lightly sexy with his lavender fabric conditioner.

Surprisingly, this is the first time he let me open his cabinet over the months. And it’s good to be true which it happens just by now.

“Bro, I wonder where do you place your towel?” I yelled, still searching for his towel.

“Uh…”

“Gotcha!” I shouted as I dived into the lower reaches of the drawer and pulled out a white towel. “Hang on… I’m coming!” I stood upright and paced toward the bathroom.

Rapping on a frosted glass suavely, I uttered,  “Acherous, here…”

Unexpectedly, he opened the door with his naked body—awfully displaying his sturdy, muscular body. He stared at me normally as if nothing must be worried about and the corners of his mouth quirked up.

Meanwhile, my eyes snatched down the range of his lower body. No wonder some women in the campus are admiring him—not new to manifestly exhibit his upper body since he posts twice a week his morning workout. And I’m used to seeing it once in a while!

This man really takes my breath away and blows my mind. Could he just cover his pecker? For goodness’ sake! Darn. He’s looking into me like he knew my desires.

We’re both men.

I held my breath and hemmed once. “Bro, dusty doughnuts! Could you please cover your d**k? It’s… disgusting,” I complained, acting loathsome. I looked him straightly in the eye, composing myself not to steal a glance at his huge erected manhood.

His eyebrows furrowed with confusion, then he smirked playfully. After a couple of seconds, he burst into laughter.

“What’s wrong with you, Cyan?” he asked, moving his hands forward. “Your behavior never met to expect. We are both male and you looked like startled for a moment,” he commented, now regaining discreetly his sudden mirth.

“U—uhm…” I stammered.

“Look. There’s nothing wrong with it, all right? If only I could show you my fleshy buttocks, I would love to do it right in front of you unless you hope me to do it,” he prattled on.

My eyes narrowed as his naughtiness seemed to rain down on me.  “No, thanks. You wish,” I sneered. “Besides, I also have my butt and d**k as yours.”

“Very well! Exactly, bro. But why are you acting—”  

I hurled the towel into his arms that he swiftly caught at. “Wrap up yourself. You might catch a cold,” I said, actually trying my best to look more casual than ever.

Cyan, focus. Don’t let your eyes traveled down his d**k; otherwise, you’ll be tempted touching it.

There comes a time where even the best resistance to seduction will surrender once it occurs to your mind that people have sinned.

“Sure, bro,” he replied with a slight close-lipped smile.

I turned around then stumped down the laminated floor. I heard the door clang shut, in unison to sighing much carbon dioxide that temporarily lived through my lungs.

To get over it, I mooched about the sides across the room. Uneasiness totally dawned on my face as I looked myself in the face-length mirror.

I was quite caught by act, and he perceptibly noticed my abrupt change of mood—my expression.

What if he feels that I’m having a secret love toward him? I’m dumbfounded!

After the nth time, my shoulders slumped and I buried my face in my hands. I let out a humiliating sigh and leaned back against the wall with my intertwined fingers behind my head.

To give in to my typical mood, I plastered a smile on my face. Keeping up at hiding my feeling is never a sin, nor an awful act. I am just preserving my friendship with Acherous that, notwithstanding, I cause myself pain. Moreover, the least I expect for more than friendship, the more chance that I am saving myself.

I settled to prepare our breakfast; cooking fried rice and hotdogs. It’s a bit way too confusing that Acherous did not step out of the bathroom lest he has already taken fifteen minutes after the embarrassing scenario between us.

To square with him if everything’s doing fine, I padded with gliding steps toward the bathroom. As soon as I reached the doorway, I was about to barge inside to—at least scare him off—return him giving rise to the flushing my face red a while ago when I eavesdropped some moans.

I gulped once, followed by another one until a certain level of tiredness dislocated the spirit of my body.

I stepped backwards and slunk to the couch then sat on it, apprehending that I shouldn’t interrupt Acherous in what he may be doing. It took me several times to breathe heavily before I came around.

It is man’s nature after all.

Three minutes ticked by while I finished cooking when he went out of the bathroom with his bottom part of his body covered.

“Are you going somewhere?” I asked purposely. I just needed to divert his attention to other things.

“Ah… I’m meeting my friends,” he answered and peered through the window. “I hope you remember them.”

“Who wouldn’t? You told me that they are a bunch of retard,” I paused and tapped my feet on the floor.

He chuckled.

“Uhm… will you be right back?”

“Yes, by afternoon, perhaps.”

“All right. Throw on your outfit. I prepared a meal.” I stepped sideward and stroked the nape of my neck.

“Yes, thanks. I am actually hungry. By the way, if you wouldn’t have something to do by tomorrow, could you be along with me in the mall?”

ACHEROUS AND I hung around the Eastfield Bluehills Mall in Los Angeles. We were sitting next to each other in a Windsor-style bench, facing across the metal fence. Beneath the deck is the crowd gathering at the center of the mall for the upcoming event.

The moving platform along the polished floor was nearly becoming more of airport while the music in the background is soothing over the landscape down there.

It conjured up some memories during my childhood days. Strolling with my family heretofore before we moved out the city a half decade ago, we could never manage to visit here to spend all day long together.

After not paying our monthly rent due to the money that was supposedly paid in full had run up against my illness for the hospital bill. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder.

When I stepped foot on college three years ago, I came back here where my heart desires to live, Los Angeles.

“Is everything all right, Cyan? Looking so metallic,” Acherous observed as with full of empathy which sounded like of him. We stared at each other—longer than I anticipated.

“A bit. I mean... I just miss my family,” I imparted.

“My bad,” he apologized and bowed his head down as he seemingly looked mortified.

I laughed shortly and punched him in the right bicep. “Bro, you don’t have to feel bad for asking. You’re just concerned. But it’s all gravy.”

He showed off a row of perfect dazzling white teeth and answered, “Cool! But do you have to punch me, bro? It f*****g hurts, you know.”

I held against his left shoulder and patted it. “Well, I actually couldn’t get away with this flip talk. You are making the atmosphere more ridicule than ever. You’ve never changed—still childish,” I insulted him, confirming with the correct standard of not getting him abused.

“What the f**k!” he groaned and his face went blank. “Speaking of which, I’m counting down the days to see my younger sister. If you’d like—” he spoke to a halt and ran his hand through his hair.

As I eyed him up because he was behaving strange all the while, incongruous to our current situation, I chanced quickly to glimpse where he’s gazing at only to find out that his eyes blazed with the familiar person standing by the railing, an edge afar from us.

Shandria… with a British-look man, her new boyfriend, I guess.

I returned my eyes to him, discovering his tears welling up, and beamed a little. “Bro, we should go now. It’s past 12. We must not miss our lunch. Since I got my salary yesterday, it’s my treat now,” I passed on the topic and stood up right beside him to interrupt him viewing the cause of his sorrow last week… then now?

He looked at me and faked a smile. “Well, then. There’s no taking back, bro. You treat me soju, don’t you?” he blurted out and loosened up his blue and green stripe round shirt.

“Wow, Ache! Demanding. But take it easy, I’m up to it,” I replied, grinning and wishing it to be like a mood changer more than anything else that has existed.

If his smile is my happy pill, then could he do the same as mine?

Without further moments, we got to one of the famous soju store located at the fifth floor of the mall. No one dares talk. I just sensed something that he must be exploring his mind through realization.

In my own view, I know Acherous becomes forlorn in just a quick time of glancing at his ex just a moment ago.

“Bro, what soju you’d love to drink?” I asked to break the deafening silence and combed my hair with my fingers.

“Chamisul, Cyan,” he answered, not showing any expression over his face.

“Uhm…” I nodded in a continuous manner and chewed on my bottom lip.

Fidgeting his hands struck my eyes leveling down his waist. Then, he tucked his hands into the pockets of his trouser.

“Bro, is everything doing fine? You seemed so disturbed and bothered.”

Walking to a halt, we gazed at each other. “Your eyes look like hers. Such a pair of deep eyes as serene as a morning dew. That’s why when I looked into your eyes, there’s something that comforts me,” he revealed and his mouth curved into a smile. “Can I have this time to hear your thoughts? The wound is still fresh,” he requested and heaved an audible sigh.

“Bro, no need to request. As I mentioned, I’ve got you covered. But at least, control yourself. You cried a lot last week. Subside in awhile.”

We sat on the barstools with a bar counter right in front and I mimicked a signal to call for the waiter.

As the man with white polo and black fabric tied on his neck came closer to us, I cleared my throat and rested my arms against the bar counter.

I’d really like the brick and antique beams which this store reflected and looked like a typical bar. Not offering hard alcoholic drinks since the personnel of the mall are prohibiting the stores that vend or sell out some alcohols.

“Five Chamisul, please,” I ordered to the waiter.

“Then?” he politely asked.

“Just it. Take out.”

“Five Chamisul. Take out,” he repeated for confirmation which I agreed at once by nodding. Afterwards, he walked away.

“Hey! Let’s take a gulp of the soju here,” Acherous mentioned, expressing blended dissatisfaction and persistence.

I gave him a smothered laugh and hit him in the head.

“What?” he groaned and frowned with perplexity.

“Bro, I remember that we still have assignments in the major subject. Let’s not get drunk by today. We still have the other days to drink the soju.”

“Ah…” he mumbled and touched his temples then massaged those. “What the f**k! Okay… if nothing else I can do, then I give up. Let’s go home,” he disclosed.

“Home? Are you going back to Nevada?” I asked, my eyebrows arched with confusion.

He nodded and furrowed his brows. “Of course not. I mean… home. We are family. Nonetheless, our real family is a distant home, we still regard each other as a family.”

Suddenly, I felt the mixture of sadness and happiness. My heart aches a bit while I fluttered with his words. Family? That’s what we are now.