Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2015 07:38:57 -0700
From: Ederson Suarez <edsuarez062196@gmail.com>
Subject: A Solitary Blue Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Get in

I sparsely noticed the silence that had accumulated in our table as the
clock ticked the moments away; none seemed interested to impart something
that could have us basking in a good laugh, and even the usual rants of
Josh seemed to have been neutered to a much blessed silence.

It was still weird though. Kevin was nibbling on his fries, eyes darting
from anywhere that he appeared grimacing at the repeated scenery of the
dilapidated cafeteria; he let out a small groan before hinting on getting
up and staying elsewhere. I could see how the silence made him
uncomfortable, but I was too far from his fulcrum that I couldn't help but
watch and sigh; equally fiddling to the bottle cap of my soda. Drew, though
always jovial and enthusiastic, had his sight running on the embossed
scriptures of the bible he had in hand, his lips prodded in a serious pout,
his brow furrowing and at times, his Malachyte-like gaze slamming at the
paper. Him, being the son of the pastor, getting appalled on what's written
in the bible was as appalling as the sound of a pile-up.

So for Josher, while the silence was amicable, he wanted none of it. He
graced upon us a devious smirk; in which Kevin looked suspiciously. He had
weighed from Josher to I before breaking into: "What?" and that signalled
Drew as well. He drawn the bible away from his gaze and threw an
inquisitive one to the equally inquisitive Kevin.

"Nothin', I just remember that Cato is doin' me a favor, that's all." he
said.

I grimaced at the words he had used; the burning suspicion rose from Kevin
as his Cobalt blue eyes were glancing at me, partly disturbed yet
curious. His eyes were also blinking several times like he was filtrating
my image naturally. "Are you fuckin' serious? Please, tell 'im that he's
babbling crazy."

"Kev. . ." Drew chimed in. Thankful that he's helping to coax the slightly
fuming Kevin and the sneering Josher from each side. "Maybe we should hear
the whole story from Cato. I don't think he'll lie about this one."

"What's there to lie, anyway?" I retorted.

Josher laughed, amused that he was getting his desired reaction to work all
of us up.

"So what is it? Wait! Allow me to guess." Kevin said, moving closer to
me. "That idiot of heck was daring you to date another girl for a few cash,
that can ultimately ruin your reputation and you, being the egotistic kid
felt obliged to do so."

"Of course not," I looked down and thought of it: It was very different
this time, I didn't see myself doing a dare that was opted to be done for
kicks and cash. I didn't even find myself remotely close to the brink of
attracting him, well out of all person I was dared to make a move on, it
was a guy and as mysterious as the sea he was. I gave Kevin and Drew a
chidden grin, "Well, partly but to be honest, I don't see myself to be
successfully flirting to this guy~"

"A guy?" Drew cut to what I was saying. The Malachyte-gaze turned saucer
wide cocking his head to Josher who broke out into a hysterical peal of
laughter. "This doesn't involve Nick in anyway right?"

"Well," I scratched the back of my head and, "it does." smiled
half-heartedly to the always kindred Drew. "It's a week-long challenge,
really. I just need to make HIM fall for me, and I'll just break his
heart."

"And do you actually think it'll work?" Josh bared himself to the
discussion.

"I doubt it." Kevin said. "Nick seemed to be straight, he maybe alone but
that doesn't give his sexual orientation away."

Drew added, "But it's not entirely impossible, but you do know you're
walking at the owned property of Connor Wenceslao, right?" smirking at
me. "I don't know if the sounds I heard are true, but rumors can be very
enticing."

"Ummm..." I hesitated to tell them what I had in mind: I didn't want to be
laughed at because I did join the Aquaculture Club, and was starting to
notice Mr. Amber eyes. That all of my focus had slid down from my grasp,
that I can set aside Nick for Mr. Amber eyes, yet I was stopped by my fear
of them leaving me. "I actually have met Nick yesterday, and he was a
really decent guy. Although he's small, he can be very intimidating."

Josh didn't guffaw this time. He intently listened as I trailed on about
the events yesterday: the drowning incident, the shock I received and the
manner I responded to it. They all listened and my cheeks were burning as I
go over to the idea of mistaking him to be drowning when he's swimming.

"Wow! You did all of that in just one day?" Drew asked.

"I kinda misjudged you, I do think you also have a heart to give in this
game." Kevin admitted, though not meeting my eyes and as if dazed with the
story I'd told.


"and now you know why he's the 'Lady Killer.'" Josh teased. In all honesty,
that epiphet was always successful on making me feel like a douche- I admit
that it inflated my ego- sometimes, but with all of the women I had dated
for a week or so, all of them wanted something that shouldn't matter in a
relationship, they sought for recognition, a label or name for everything;
you'd be a love taxonomist on the sideline really. When in reality,
acceptance should be their number one. But with Nick, I don't think this'll
be easy. He seemed seeking for something deeper than acceptance, and I
didn't think a week would pave me a good idea on what it is; a mental
reminder for me: Mr. Amber eyes was also a target, way, way far to my
playing target, Nick.

"I'm not certain if that's a good idea, but if I couldn't stop you: knock
yourself out." he sighed before shaking his head. Kevin wasn't the usual
dramatic, but his eyes were glassy, and as if anytime, he could bawl a loud
cry.

"I think it'll be a good one, maybe I'll talk to Nick as well. I really
want to know him, without breaking his heart, of course." My body slacked
with what Drew said, when he spoke of something opposing on your act, he
could make guilt faster than light.

"Don't hate me!" I fought back.

Kevin and Drew laughed at my expense.

While I, shaking my head as if my effort to dismiss the teasings I'm
currently subjected, and Josh, the least likely person to be there for me,
sympathizing to me.

~~~~

Tentatively, I bowed my head down at the sight of Mr. Amber eyes; I had let
a day passed by without learning his name, but I found it gratifying that
he would never be unknown to me; he had the same pleasant look like last
time, and thankfully, he's decent and clothed because if he's not, god,
forgive me, for I'll be a sinner.

"You're back!" he said, louder than I expected. His voice reverberated that
the same dead body yesterday sprang up and darted us a quizzical gaze.

"Why shouldn't I be?" I asked back, "I did join yesterday, right?" flashing
him a grin.

"I know, and I hadn't forgotten any of it yet," his gregarious face
draining the light as it loomed at the thought of losing a member. "But
with the whole Drowning and Meeting the 'infamous' Nick fiasco. It felt
like you're as good as one of those running a manifesto to have the
Aquaculture Club be torn." and as words dribbled out of his lips; I
couldn't help myself but to imagine touching the bottom lip, grazing a
finger before... Finishing it felt like rape, and I'm the rapist and this
whole scenario was an off-setting for a perfect porn movie. "But you
didn't, and you're still here! You don't know how happy it made me."

Moved by his statement, I pushed upon the same bright smile to reign on my
face. "I'm glad that my presence made you happy, Mr. Amber eyes." his face
was tinged with red, and seeing it was funnier than it should be.

"Stop teasing me!" he said, playfully punching me on the side.

The man near the window had stood, curtly glazing us with a glare that I
couldn't help myself but to look back.

"I'm not!" Ignoring the man who stood. Allowing a chuckle to escape. "You
didn't introduce yourself so I was left with nothing but your eyes."

"I didn't?" he asked. I nodded.

"You just gave me the application paper, pushed me out of the club to be
near the sea, and met a freaking merman."

"Really? You should've told me. I might have been so douche-y to you that
time."

"I don't mind it, honestly." Some chairs were sprawled out in the room,
while there's no one inside aside from the members I had known on my first
day, and it was intriguing that even though the Aquaculture Club wasn't the
most hubbub-causing here in P. V. Lucido; it still afforded to be lively. I
took a seat, scanned the room and locked gaze with the dead man awhile ago,
fully resurrected this time. "The mysterious beau trope is a feel-good
scenario for me."

He was about to voice out a retort, when: "Stop flirting inside the
headquarters, you should know your limits as well: Newbie and, you too,
Red." the dead man responded instead.

So his name was Red? Kinda fitting to someone who turned red when being
closely approached by something flattering. But with what had transpired to
our act, the least thing that I had done wasn't to look away like Red,
blushing ten-fold of red that I, somehow, lost the will to be
embellished. Instead of shying away, I resisted, and did lock eyes with
him.

"I can say the same thing about the club rules: that sleeping is
prohibited, but I haven't had my stay here counted to a legal amount that I
would be able to complain."

"You cheeky bastard!" he exclaimed, throwing the blanket that somehow
covered his sunkissed skin: half-naked and baring his taut body as if it
would be intimidating. "Like Red here, I also have the power to void your
application here. Do you want me to cut your fantasies here, eh fag-boy?"

"Stop that, Quinn!"

"Seriously, Red?" he asked. "I shouldn't be the one to stop, because I'm
just protecting you from this guy. You don't know his motives at all."

"And I don't know yours as well." he rolled his eyes back to me, and
beckoned me to get out. Aiding me somewhere far from here. "Your father
have brought your Sculling boat awhile ago. It's bigger than I
expected. Can you check it out for me?"

"Certainly." I said, flashing him the usual grin. Much to Quinn's chagrin
who hadn't done anything but to have a fixed gaze from Red to I.

As I had went out of the headquarters, the first person who had greeted me
was the person I was evading: it's Nick. His eyes were smiling, yet face
tact and unmoved. He was like the sea today: calm, and in peace, and it'd
be a trouble to disturb that silence.

He was looking at me, quite expectantly if my word would be taken from it,
but was it natural that I felt him boring a hole to my body that
especially, pointing to my heart? And if he was staring to what I feel;
would the thumping of it, and the sudden need to shy away natural. I'd been
nothing but a wreck, yet when it comes to him. My advances yesterday seemed
not enough to make him, at least, feel engaged towards me.

"Hello, I'm Cato." I said, jovially.

No response. He did nod his head, though. I think that's enough to know he
acknowledged my presence.

"I don't really want to barge in here or to get in to your affairs, but I
was forced here by Red."

"It's fine." Non-committal, I see. But he could have been disyllabic at
least. Not just an 'it's fine.' He sounded more of an aggravated person
today, yet feigning reticent about it.

"I also am sorry that I have to do what I have done yesterday. You kind of
scared me, honestly." I said, bowing my head in embarrassment.

He didn't answer at all. It seemed like I'm the only one investing to this
conversation, but I couldn't bear to leave him: not when he's blankly
staring at the sea, it was frankly the mostt of expression I wanted him to
lose, the blank stares at the sea as if he would drain it anytime; or in
the sky, like a gaze but a needle to prick the cloud to lose size and the
sky to lose form.

"It's because I like you." what? Where the hell did that come from? My
words loomed me lately. When Nick had a startled look on me, and I didn't
know where should I hide my face. But what's best would this give me? I
can't be beating around the bush with this dare, I need to go headstrong,
and by chance, be able to inflict the shock that's usual to make haste,
make waste scenario.

"Please go out with me!" I said, and he did nothing but to be silent for
awhile, as if weighing and thinking. Until I earned a slight nod.

"Sure." he said, and that's how I found myself in the vortex of Nicolas
Avery Ferrer. A brewing storm hiding in those vibrant blue he had.

And as if it's automatic, I leaned my face towards his; meeting his gaze
and deepening the stare of make-believe affection. He wasn't resisting with
the hand that bound him from the hips and the other, tilting his face. He
closed his eyes, and there our lips met.

A soft and honey-filled kiss that left him blushing, though smiling like
it's the easiest thing on Earth. Well, he sure was the easiest thing I
believe.