Into the unknown
1342 Words
Andrea Caster
The nefarious veil around Jos’s face dropped. She shrugged nonchalantly. “I don't know. I genuinely don't care. I mean, you and I are here. Hail and hearty.”
She coolly slipped an arm around my shoulder, standing an inch taller.
Together in a wordless agreement. We spun, scanning the wide living room area. She stopped to focus our gaze at an oil painting of a naked bloodied man in handcuffs. His thighs were crossed over each other, blocking out his crouch.
The man in the painting bore resemblance to Jesus crucified, but without the cross.
“I wonder what he does here though…” She whispered close to my ears.
Durian stepped out at the same moment, still wearing the same plain white t-shirt and matching plain black shorts like mine.
“Take all she said with a grain of salt. This one has a wired kink for getting under people's skin.” Durian sounded as nonchalant as he did earlier.
Me? I was shaken to my core from what she just hinted at.
Something about her voice, eyes and aura made me believe there was a strange potential of truth in her words.
If she hadn't hinted at the portrait, I would have just taken it as one of Durian’s many edgy attributes.
“Now that we are three…” She stole the attention in the room, “and you know what they say about the more, the merrier…” Jos headed to the cabinet behind the minibar in the corner of the living room.
Durian gave me an apologetic look.
She brought back with her from her short search, a long clear bottle of spirit. “Why don't we celebrate?”
“What are we celebrating?” I inquired.
“Good question.” Durian added.
She grinned, dragging her gaze lazily from Durian to me as she raised the bottle in the air. Her eyes went into siren mode.
“To my big brother’s new friend whom I have certainly never met before.”
I knew I had to think before this witch lured me into her trap, and fast!
I had to think of something fast!
“Unfortunately, I don't drink...” I blurted out.
Jos squinted her dark eyes into a black strip.
“Anymore.” I added, pushing past the nervous lump in my throat.
“And I have a flight tomorrow. I'm not going to be battling hangovers and jet lag. Those days are behind me.” Durian stated, throwing his weight on the couch.
Jos pouted, visibly disappointed. “You both are no fun.”
She dropped the bottle on the counter. I kept my mouth shut.
“Well, in that case, I will take my leave.” She retorted.
I tried hard not to show how relieved I was as she walked up to her older brother, “You are a terrible host.”
“I know.” He said simply.
It was my turn now. She strolled up to me, keeping her eyes firm on mine. I hated when she did that.
“And you, Mr. Andrea. I hope to see you again soon.” She winked at me.
My heart skipped a beat.
Jos truly left, waving as the elevator door slid closed.
The moment she was out of sight, more breath of relief poured past my lips.
“I am sorry about that.” His deep voice soothed the air.
I turned to him. “Does she usually pop in and out this way?”
He frowned. “No. But then again, she's my sister. She must have coerced someone to let her in.” He sounded generally unbothered even though his eyebrows said otherwise.
I could definitely imagine her getting her way in. My experience with her was something I wasn't going to forget in a short time.
“Where were we?” He asked, getting up from the couch.
“I don't think we can go back there.” I confessed to him, going to the counter.
Shortly after I spoke, Phil sent a text.
‘I am outside your apartment, can we talk?ʼ
I typed back the fastest decline message, shutting my phone down afterwards.
“Uh—can I get some water? I think making out drained me…”
Durian grinned. “When was the last time you were this close with a man?” He asked as he provided me with essential mineral water.
“That's a topic we are not going to discuss. We just made out in front of your sister. Only God knows what number I was on your roster.” I muttered, trying not to sound pissed.
He was quiet. Silently observing me from a short distance.
“You let Jos get into your head.” He muttered.
“I haven't seen you in five years!” I exclaimed. “Let's start there.”
“Okay. You want gritty details and honest truths? Here you go.” Durian ran his hands through his curls.
“I fell badly in love with you during my one-semester program. Yes. I got lost in the freedom that was America’s queer culture. I forgot the internet still existed—”
“Your parents found out.” I pieced it together before the words rolled out of his mouth.
His eyes admitted I was right before his tongue continued to speak.
“Not only did they find out, but they also attributed it to the reason I got adopted on my flight. They were so angry at me. But even in that anger, I forced them into making a promise to me.” He approached me.
I could feel my heat throbbing beneath my skin.
His feather-like finger tips grazed the surface of my cheek. “I made them promise me that nothing bad will happen to you, Papi. That no harm or media attention came your way. That you be left in peace, out of the drama.”
Tears poked at the bank of my eyes, threatening to make a crack through the walls I spent years reenforcing. This was the closure that could have healed me five years ago. Rips spilled as they rolled out of my control.
“f**k man…”
I was in the storm of every emotion I could think of and he was the only one holding me at the moment.
“Yes. It may have been selfish…” Durian lifted my face to meet his eyes, swiping his thumbs beneath my eyes, “but it would have killed me to see you suffer from something I could have protected you from.”
His words sealed the wound but I knew he wouldn't stay here. He would leave again. Leaving me hopeless and nursing an excruciating heartache.
“You can't stay… right?” I said, confronting my fears.
He looked slightly uncomfortable
“Yes- I can't.”
I had barely come to terms with one staggering fact before another completely swept me off my feet.
One after the other, the fresh stitches began to rip apart, revitalizing my old wounds.
“You bastard… then why did you come to me? You really enjoy toying with me, don't you?”
“You can come with me!” Durian exclaimed.
His wide slim fingers moved to cradle my face before I could react. “I can give you a job, a place to stay. A visit to your family after your first month. Good pay…”
“In exchange for what?” I pulled away from him in disbelief. He acted like my voice was a baseball bat that whacked him in the torso.
“It is you we are talking about, Andrea…there is no one else more deserving of this. Please let me do this for you as a token of my apology. To make up for lost years. We would be close in each other's reach.”
I felt the burst of happiness within me as I knew what my reply would be.
“f**k yes!”
- Writer
