Upon arriving at the pool bar, Evan breathed in and let a smile take over his lips. He looked at his two friends who were looking at him with quiet mirth. “This is honestly what a vacation is.”
Theodore leaned on the bar table in front of him and ordered a glass of Martinez. Upon receiving a nod from the bartender, he averted his gaze to Evan and Colin, who also just finished telling the bartender their orders.
“You know,” Theodore started, making his two friends stare at him in curiosity. Ignoring how the both of them would tease him about it to no end, he still forced himself to say, “I have to admit, I’m kind of glad the both of you talked me into coming to this vacation.”
Colin’s smugness immediately rolled off of him. “Not so ungrateful now, huh?”
“I knew you’d say that.” Theodore mumbled under his breath, but still loud enough for Evan and Colin to hear his words.
“Yet you still said it.” Evan replied with a chuckle.
Theodore shrugged. “I thought it would be a good idea. Obviously, that wasn’t a well thought out idea.”
“When have you ever had a well thought out idea?” Evan queried, earning a look of absolute blankness from Colin and Theodore.
“Seriously?” Theodore raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking me that?”
“Shouldn’t Theo and I be the one asking you that?” Colin chorused. Theodore raised his hand to give Colin a high-five, to which he accepted enthusiastically.
It’s at times like these Theodore likes Colin a little bit more. Colin always ends up taking Theodore’s side when there’s a differing opinion between the three of them. He especially loves it when the both of them continually jibe Evan. It almost seemed like an unspoken agreement between them.
“You always do this.” Evan pouted. Their ordered drinks were placed in front of them and they simultaneously drank from it with the guy in question downing it in one go. Theodore and Colin eyed him with a glint of mirth dancing in their eyes.
“Might want to go easy on the alcohol there, buddy. We’ve still got all night.” Colin told him.
“Well when you put it that way, I guess I am kind of stuck with the both of you.” Evan released a sigh. “Could this be any worse?”
“I was thinking it would be nice to throw you out in the ocean.” Theodore said it so casually that Evan whipped his head to look at his friend, surprise clearly palpable in his expression. Theodore ignored it and merely focused on drinking his beverage as if what he said didn’t just mean leaving his friend behind.
At this point, Theodore is pretty confident that neither Evan nor Colin could tell if he’s joking. He hid a smirk on his lips. It’s nice how he can mess with them like that. It doesn’t happen quite often but when it does, all attention is trained on him.
“If you’re thinking of going through with it, it’ll be my pleasure to help you out.” Came Colin’s immediate reply.
“Hey!” Evan exclaimed.
Theodore and Colin ignored him once again. “We could do it tonight, if you want.” Theodore told him. “It might be interesting.”
“The both of you scare me.” Evan muttered grudgingly, calling over the bartender to order another round of his drink.
His friends shared a laugh at that, not the least bit remorseful of how they messed with him. “Is this the part where you expect us to apologize?” Theodore asked.
It took a moment for Evan to reply, clearly thinking carefully about what his reply would be. Despite that, Theodore already knows what his friend’s reply is going to be. With how long he’s known the guy, he didn’t even have to go through his head so meticulously. Theodore took one look at Colin and knew that he felt the exact same way he did.
“Yes.” Finally came Evan’s answer. “I expect—no, demand an apology.”
Theodore only shook his head in amusement as a smile made its way onto his face. “Alright then, I’m sorry.”
“I know that wasn’t sincere, Landon, but fine.” Evan lifted his glass and drank from it when it was placed in front of him. “Since we’re already talking about apologies here, then I’m sorry about breaking your toaster.”
As that moment once again resurfaced from his memory, Theodore couldn’t help but let a sigh escape his lips. The night they all went to the bar and his two friends were too drunk to go home on their own, he left the both of them sleeping in his living room like how drunkards would. When he left for work, he wasn’t really expecting both of his friends to get home any time soon. He wasn’t even all that surprised to still find them lounging in his apartment when he returned that night.
To say that they looked absolutely horrible and hungover was an understatement. He expected to find them curled up or something but what he didn’t expect upon arriving was to find his toaster broken. When he asked the both of them who the culprit was, Evan sheepishly said it was him and promised to replace the one he broke.
How Evan even managed to break a toaster, he had no idea.
“You still owe me for that.” Theodore informed his friend as he lifted his glass of Martinez from the bar table and took a sip from it.
Evan gave him a mock salute. “Duly noted, Captain.”
Theodore rolled his eyes at that. “At ease, soldier.”
“Oh yeah, Theo,” Colin started, gaining Theodore’s attention almost immediately. “You never did tell us how your date went.”
Theodore was hoping this conversation would never come up. It’s not that he was embarrassed of what happened, he just felt like that experience was too emotional and personal. Alison trusted him enough to share some of her past to him and he didn’t know how to divulge into the entire thing without explaining the events in consecutive order.
Thinking carefully of what he would tell his friends, he looked at the both of them in the eye and released a sigh right after. “If I’m being honest, it went great.” He finally managed to croak out.
“And?” Colin stared at him expectantly. “That’s not possibly all you could say, right?”
“Are you sure you’re not a woman?” Theodore questioned.
Evan laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he is.”
Colin merely rolled his eyes at his friends’ petulant antics. “Fine, mock me all you want but that still doesn’t change the fact that I get more dates than the both of you combined.”
That left Evan and Theodore’s smug expressions drop in an instant. It’s true that a lot of women do find Colin attractive and most of them would plunge on the chance to have a date with him but it still didn’t stop Theodore to retort, “Yeah, but not for lack of trying though.”
“That goes for the both of us.” Evan gestured to both him and Theodore. “Especially Theo. I mean, just look at the guy!”
“Theo’s an exception.” Colin grumbled. “The guy always looks good. Stupid six foot guy with slicked back ash brown hair and attractive physical features.”
Despite it coming from his friends, he still felt oddly shy and smug about what he heard. He knows that he doesn’t look that bad and he would find women staring at him more often than not but he still didn’t let it go through his head.
“Of course I do.” Came Theodore’s reply. “I was naturally born handsome.”
Except for this one time.
“You're a cocky bastard.” Colin deadpanned.
“Still true though.” Theodore took a sip from his half-empty drink.
“That I will begrudgingly accept because it’s half-true but Evan—I will not.” Colin replied, earning a glare from Evan.
Theodore didn’t mind one bit about his friends arguing like two adolescent children but he figured it’s probably time to step in because he’s pretty sure this conversation is eventually going to lead nowhere.
“Alright, both of you shut up. I’m pretty sure you’re going to repel every woman who would like to approach us.” Theodore told them with a tone that is both demanding and stern.
Evan and Colin took that as their cue. Heeding Theodore’s words, Colin turned his attention back to the guy who is still taking a drink from his Martinez. “I’m still not done pestering you about your date, you know. How did that go?”
“Like I said, it was fine. I didn’t expect to enjoy it, but I did.” Came Theodore’s reply.
Colin wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. “When you said enjoy…”
It was only then that Theodore realized how badly worded his response was. Either that, or Colin just has a mind that is able to make everything he hears or says into an innuendo. When he said those words, he didn’t have that engraved in his mind.
“No, you dumbass.” Theodore flicked Colin’s forehead, to which the guy at the receiving end glared at. “Nothing of that sort happened.”
Evan snorted. “You weren’t tempted even just a little bit?”
“No.” Theodore glared at Evan. “I’m not like you two idiots who jump at the chance to do just that.”
“Right.” Colin nodded his head as if in understanding. “I forgot that you weren’t one who wants to partake in just one night of pleasure.”
“And that is why sometimes a second date is possible when it comes to the women I date.” said Theodore.
“How do you survive, man?” Evan asked almost pitifully.
Theodore rolled his eyes. “I get by just fine.”
“Thanks to your hand.” Colin mumbled lowly under his breath but Theodore still heard what he said. Choosing to ignore his friends’ words was getting easier and easier for him to do. They often say stuff like that to one another and he discovered that just letting them be is the wisest decision.
“So if none of that happened, what made you spend the entire night with her then?” Evan queried. Colin also looked at him questioningly.
Flashbacks of that night appeared on his mind. After that talk they had about Alison’s ex-boyfriend, they ended up getting to know each other a little better. They enjoyed each other’s company that much that even after the cafe closed for the night, they went to the beach to merely take a stroll and have another bout of free flowing conversation.
At the end of the date, he even ended up with an invite to Alison’s fashion show in Manchester three months from now and a second date from when he gets back from his trip.
“We just talked.” Theodore replied after a few minutes of silence. “It was nice, actually.”
“Wow, she really enjoyed your presence that much, huh?” Evan questioned.
“I guess so.” Theodore downed his drink and called for the bartender to order another glass.
“Well, his appearance does help.” Colin chorused. “I think she enjoyed staring at you as much as she enjoyed talking.”
Theodore let out a chuckle. “I don’t think so.”
“Humility doesn’t become you, Theo.” Colin chuckled. “Not even a bit.”
“Did you get a second date then?” Evan queried.
Theodore purposefully remained silent to keep them on their toes and to build up some suspense. After seeing the impatient glint in their eyes, he figured it’s time to say something. “Yeah. It’ll be after we return from the trip.”
“So after a fortnight then?” Colin asked.
Theodore nodded his head. “It’s fine. That’s a perfectly suitable time to have a second date. And even if I wanted to have it sooner than later, it still wouldn’t work.”
“Why is that?” Evan looked at Theodore with a stare that almost made the latter want to punch the former.
“Because I’m here.” Theodore deadpanned. “You’re seriously not asking me that, are you?”
Colin chuckled. “Excuse the stupid, Theo. He still doesn’t have enough alcohol in his system.”
Evan glared at Colin but said nothing to retort to his statement. Instead, his attention remained on Theodore. “You should have invited her.”
“What?” Came Theodore and Colin’s simultaneous reply.
Evan shrugged. “It would have been fine.”
“This is a boys’ trip, Evan.” Colin said. “Come on dude, we already talked about this.”
“Yeah and besides, she still has some business to take care of.” Theodore chorused.
At this, Evan pursed his lips like he’s in deep thought. “Still, it would have been nice. You would have finally gotten yourself a girlfriend, Theo!”
Theodore’s immediate response to Evan’s words was a scoff. “Very unlikely.”
“Why? She likes you, doesn’t she?” Colin peered at him curiously.
“Yeah but I suppose that means as a friend.” Theodore shifted in his seat to have a better look at both of his friends. “She’s still in love with her ex-boyfriend.”
Evan and Colin looked at him, clearly taken aback by what he just revealed. “And yet you agreed to have a second date?”
“Correction,” Theodore started. “I asked to have a second date.”
“What?” Colin asked incredulously. “You’re just fine with being second choice?”
Evan pointed at him, his eyes alighting with renewed vigor; almost like he’s excited by the very thing that is currently passing through his thoughts. “This is your way to make her fall in love with you, isn’t it? Make her forget all about her ex-boyfriend.”
At this, Colin gave Theodore a grin. “Great plan man.”
Theodore could only look at them with a mixture of surprise and amusement. Do these guys not know him at all? As if he would do such a thing. If her heart wasn’t his to begin with, then there’s no need to compete with the other guy; he already knows who would win in the end anyway. He’s not going to waste his time like that.
“No, I just wanted to have a friendly date. I did push her to talk to him so I just wanted to know the progress.” Theodore replied.
Colin sighed. “Right. You were always such a goody-goody.”
“Dang it, there goes making you less uptight.” Evan grabbed his drink and drank it in one go.
Colin clapped Evan on the back. “Let it out, man. Just let it out.”
“What about your date then?” Theodore asked, his expression still sporting an amused one. “The one you bragged about when we were at the bar.”
Evan and Colin shared a look before the latter groaned in his place and the former to laugh in complete glee. Colin removed his hand from Evan’s back and rested it on his lap; almost like Evan has some sort of disease. Theodore patiently waited for the both of them to get on with their story. Unlike them, he’s a relatively patient guy.
“Evan happened.” Colin said, glaring at the grinning guy on his right.
“What did that i***t do now?” Theodore asked, nonplussed by the glare Evan threw his way.
“I don’t know how he managed it, but he ended up on the same play as us. He even ended up sitting right beside me!” Colin exclaimed.
Evan withdrew his glare from Theodore and merely laughed in his place when he heard the words that came out of Colin’s mouth.
“Sorry man, but I honestly didn’t know you were there.” The faux innocence plastered on Evan’s face as he said that was enough for Theodore to deduce that he definitely did that on purpose.
The murderous glare Colin sent Evan didn’t do anything to affect Evan’s current jovial mood. Instead, it only seemed to have prolonged it. “What the hell do you mean you didn’t know? You were eavesdropping when I was talking to her in my office!”
“It was purely by chance.” Evan replied. “I didn’t know you were going to see The Homecoming by Harold Pinter at three in the afternoon and that you would pick her up near the park.”
“I’m going to kill you!” Colin exclaimed.
Theodore merely stared at his two friends, thinking how he got stuck with idiots. Nevertheless, he still tried his best to at least lessen the tension between them. Well in this case, just Colin.
“Come on Colin, there’s only three of us and you’re planning on getting rid of one? Can’t you at least wait when there’s going to be an addition to our group?”
That certainly got Evan and Colin’s attention. Even though both reactions were different from one another, Theodore was still glad he was able to do that. Upon seeing that his drink had finally been placed in front of him, he lifted his glass and took a sip while keeping his gaze on his two friends.
“I knew I could count on you.” Colin gave Theodore a wink. “Alright, I’ll hold off until then.”
“I hate you both.” Evan grumbled.
“So you’ve said.” Theodore laughed. “Nothing exactly new, Evan.” He turned to Colin. “So how did your date end?”
“As I said, horrible.” Colin replied grimly. “She was totally weirded out by how a friend of mine kept following us until she made the conclusion that Evan was jealous.”
Evan scoffed. “Can you believe what a ridiculous idea she concocted in her mind? But still,” He faced Colin with a smug look on his face. “Serves you right for ditching me.”
Understanding bloomed into Theodore’s mind. “Ah, so that’s what this was about. You were jealous. Just not in the way she thought.”
Colin gave Evan a teasing grin. “Aw, I love you too, man.”
“f**k off, Porter.” Evan grumbled.
Theodore and Colin merely shared a laugh that annoyed Evan to no end.
— • — • —
When Theodore agreed to go on a vacation with his friends, one thing he was expecting to happen was that he would not have any disturbance from anyone. Now that he’s here, standing on a cruise ship that he paid for fourteen nights worth, he just wanted to enjoy and have fun.
Obviously, that’s not going to happen.
Theodore sighed as he pressed his phone against his ear. “Hi mom.”
“Hello, darling!” Karen replied enthusiastically. “How was your day?”
“It was alright. Evan was already drunk before dinner.” Theodore said, shifting slightly on his bed to make himself more comfortable.
Karen let out a laugh. “Oh dear, that friend of yours certainly knows how to handle his alcohol.”
An amused smirk appeared on Theodore’s lips upon hearing his mother’s words. “Sure does.”
“I suppose Colin too?”
“Surprisingly, no. Colin and I had dinner together since Evan was too out of it to eat with us.”
“You talked him out of it, didn’t you?”
Theodore cursed under his breath. He hates how his mother knows him so much. It’s both annoying and touching at the same time.
With a sigh, he replied, “Yes. I didn’t want to spend my first vacation dinner alone.”
“I knew it.” Karen chuckled. “Speaking of dinner, how did your date with Alison go?”
This was the talk Theodore was hoping wouldn’t come up. It might have been a pleasant night but he still doesn’t want to give his mother the satisfaction of knowing that her plan worked. Well, maybe not in the way she hoped since there obviously wouldn’t be any romantic relationship between him and Alison but it still worked; she was still able to get him away from work and go on a date that he actually enjoyed.
It took him several seconds to form a reply. When he did, he said, “It was nice.”
“What?” Karen asked. “What a vague answer! Give me something more than that, sweetie.”
It took everything in him not to groan like a spoiled adolescent boy. “That’s all there is to it, mom. We ate, we talked; it was a nice night.”
“Well that’s not the way Alison explained it.” The smugness in Karen’s tone was palpable enough that Theodore could still feel it even when they’re miles away from each other. “She said you were such a dear.”
Those words left him almost speechless in his place. He knows that she enjoyed their date but he doesn’t know how much—and he’s been wondering about that ever since Wednesday.
Hesitantly, he took the bait. “What did she say?”
“Well, she said that you were an incredible listener and that you know exactly how to woo a woman.” Karen replied. “I’m so proud of you, darling!”
“Mom, that’s hardly an accomplishment.” said Theodore.
“I know but I hardly hear these comments whenever I set you up with someone!”
That’s right, this isn’t the first time his mother did this to him. He actually lost count because of how many it has been. All the previous dates he had with the women his mother thought would be good for him were not that enjoyable to say the least—that’s why he still doesn’t have a girlfriend until now.
“That’s because I don’t like them.” Theodore held his phone tighter in his hands. “They were insufferable.”
“Alright, fine. I’ll admit that they were.” Karen told him. “What made Alison different?”
This is exactly one of the reasons why he doesn’t talk to his mother about women. She puts meaning in everything when that’s obviously all there is to it.
“I don’t know, mom.” Theodore replied almost exasperatingly. “I just felt like we would get along fine and I was right.”
“Should I tell Alison you would like a second date?”
“No.” Theodore breathed out. He knows he’s going to regret telling her this, but he still went for it. “I already asked her for a second date.”
The silence lasted for a second. Maybe two or three, or longer. Theodore honestly didn’t know because as soon as that silence was gone, he forgot all about how long it was and it was instantly replaced by how he feels like he’s going to be deaf by now.
Karen’s excited squeal finally stopped. “Theo, darling, I really hope this works out.”
“She’s still in love with her ex-boyfriend. That’s hardly any reason for it to work out.”
Theodore could already see his mother waving him off as she told him, “Details, details. That’s fine, darling. Just continue to woo her and everything and she’ll be yours in no time at all!”
“No.”
“Oh you stubborn boy!”
“I’m not doing that, mother!”
“Theo, sweetie,” Karen started. “This is your chance to finally have a girlfriend!”
“I’m fine on my own, thank you.”
“No man is an island. You’ll eventually need someone.”
“Well that’s not happening any time soon.” Theodore huffed. “It’ll come on its own time.”
“Surely you would like to have someone who would care for you. You’re not young forever, you know.” Karen said. “That handsome face of yours would eventually wear down and when it does, how will you find a girlfriend?”
“If appearance is all she sees then I’d rather stay single.”
“But darling, at this rate you’re going, you’ll be around your forties or fifties before you have a child.” She told him. “I don’t know about you dear, but I definitely would like to see my grandchildren before I pass.”
This time, Theodore didn’t suppress his groan—even if it made him sound like a spoiled adolescent boy.
Aksara