Brutal Romance

Round 15: Abandon

Panic. Lucas quickly put a shirt and his shorts on. Grab everything from used clothes to toiletries and sandals to shoes then shoved it all together on his bag. With his bag slinging at his shoulder he went down to the reception area.

Early in the morning Lucas knock hard at Kite's door. Amo opened the door. "What's up? It is still too early!" Amo complained with his raspy morning voice. His hair is obviously disheveled still shirtless and scratching his eyes to fend off the sleepy feeling. "Get the guys and be ready, we are leaving now!" Lucas shout before running downstairs.

"When is the next boat coming to pick passengers back to the jump off point?" Lucas ask the lady at the reception desk who is all smiles at him. "Good morning sir! The earliest boat leaves at seven while the next one will leave at ten. This are exact time schedule so whether there is a single passenger the boat will leave according to schedule." The receptionist answered him.

Lucas with all his determination check out immediately and went to the port area for the ten in the morning boat schedule.

As the receptionist said the boat leaves the moment the clock hit the ten o'clock mark. The sky started to get dark in the middle of the journey and the waves suddenly becomes wild. "There is a heavy rain coming!" He heard one of the boatmen said.

Luckily for him they are able to cross although they were slammed by waves earlier. Lucas heard that all boat ride are suspended due to the weather condition.

Grabbing his phone, he tried to call Charles once more. "Damn it!" Lucas cursed. Marcus is looking at him amusedly. "Care to explain what happened and where is Charles by the way?" Amo asked him once they all settled at the car. Lucas is at the passenger side while Amo take the wheels. He gave Amo a don't ask me now look. "Just drive and hurry!" Lucas managed to say to him.

They began to traverse the long road back to the bustling metropolis.

Charles on the other hand is busy unpacking his things. He sorts his things out that is currently placed on the bed. After he finished sorting them he went to take a morning shower since he felt the need for it. With him looking presentable he decided to grab a breakfast. He feasts on some stir fry noodles with bean sprouts and hot soup.

Satisfied with the food Charles got bored and stroll away to have some walking to exercise himself. When he got tired, he look for a cafe to kill time and his wandering never failed he found a decent shop that offers fruit shakes and some sweet goodies.

Lucas and the boys on the other hand has stopped on a stopover along the expressway for a while to grab some snack and empty their bladders. Amo and Kite are back but Marcus is yet to be seen. "Where is Marcus?" Lucas asked both Amo and Kite. They shrugged. They don’t know where he went. Amo was busy buying his food while Kite went to the restroom earlier. Lucas is growing impatient.

Amo noticed it so he rings Marcus number. Not too long he picks his phone up. "Where the hell are you? Get back here now or we are leaving without you!" Amo said and end the call. Another minute passed and they saw Marcus jogging his to them. "Sorry! An elderly woman asked me to help her out." Marcus said which is of course a lie. He just wanted to stall them as long as he can.

They are once more on the road.

Jin just woke up. He had too much drink last night and his head is in throbbing pain. He can't blame himself, he enjoyed Charles company. For some reason he got his interest. Who wouldn't be, Charles eyes is his best asset. Then his skin is so flawless even better than the girls Jin had met. He felt too bad when Lucas came in last night dragging Charles away.

"Who is he by the way?" Jin asked himself. Dismissing the thought, Jin took a shower and head out. He plans to go surfing, it is rather windy today plus the sun is almost covered by clouds.

Amo is curious and it is killing him.  Lucas is not the type of person who will leave in such a hurry without hard reason. He doesn’t know how to ask it properly, but he is sure it is something related to Charles. Soon all of them boys except Marcus and Amo is awake. Marcus seems rather too busy with his phone that he did not notice Amo is glancing at him.

Indeed, he is busy. He saw someone posted a photo of him and Lucas. It is the same photo Charles saw the other day. Reading the comments make his heart jump in happiness.

Charles went back to his room. He hasn’t seen Lucas or his friends. On his way back to his room he decided to knock on the room that Amo and the others are occupying. But he is caught in a surprise, instead of Amo or Kite or Marcus a lady on his forties opened the door. He checks on the room number again and it is the same room number that should house Amo and the rest.

Charles went to the reception desk to inquire. "Hello! Where are the guests on room 206?" Charles ask the lady on the front desk. "Room 206...oh, they checked out this morning before ten. They are lucky to catch the last boat ride for the day. The weather on the sea is rather rough and authorities has suspended the operation for any sea craft." The front desk assistant told him.

Charles nod and thank the lady.

Charles grab his phone and switch it over from airplane mode. As soon as the signal indicator shows his phone continuously receiving text messages from Lucas. His phone suddenly ring, the caller ID is for Lucas. He decided to pick it up. "Charles! Thank God. Where are you? I've been looking for you!" Lucas said on the other line. "Oh me? Still here at the resort." Charles said. "Whaaaat?!! But I thought you left your things were missing this morning!" Lucas said his voice has a disappointed tone. "I did not leave just transferred to another room that's all." Charles responded. "Why didn't you tell me?" Lucas said pissed off. "Why should I? You left me yesterday too. Remember?" Charles said. "But that was, in any case I'm going back there." Lucas said. "I was told there is a heavy rain on the sea so even if you wanted to you can't." Charles said then he ends the call.

Lucas is stressed out. He should have checked the front desk for Charles when he went there earlier. Now he is bothered. He cannot cross the sea with heavy rain going on. But he is more concern about Charles being alone on the island and that guy he saw with him last night. "Damn this!" Lucas said under his breath.

Charles is walking downstairs to eat some lunch.  On his way down he come across Jin who is also going downstairs. "Charles! Hey. Good to see you!"