A New Beginning

Brrr… Brrr… Brrr…

The shrill vibration of my phone cut through the silence, pulling me out of my grief.

I glanced at the screen.

Victor.

I quickly wiped the tears from my face, took a slow breath, and answered.

“Hey, Victor.”

“Hey,” he said. “Are you still free this evening?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Great. Do you want me to pick you up? Just send me your address.”

Before answering, I instinctively looked at Raihan, expecting another dark glare.

Instead, he simply smiled and gave me a small nod, silently telling me to go ahead.

I turned my attention back to the call.

“No, it’s alright,” I said. “Just text me the address. I’ll make my own way there.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

“Perfect. I’ll send it over now.”

“Alright. See you soon.”

“See you.”

I ended the call and, almost instinctively, looked back at Raihan, searching his face for the irritation I was certain I’d find.

“Do you want me to drive you there?” Raihan asked quietly after I ended the call.

I looked at him, surprised.

“Are you sure you want to go?” he asked again. “After everything that’s happened today?”

He let out a weary sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

“I made you cry, Lucas,” he said, his voice heavy with remorse. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I never wanted to be the reason you broke down.”

He stopped and glanced at me before continuing.

“I had no right to act like I owned you. Just because we fu***d doesn’t mean I get to make decisions for you.”

“I know you’ve hated me for a long time,” he murmured. “And honestly… I don’t blame you.”

He lowered his gaze before continuing....................

“I’m sorry, Lucas. I know I tried to force my way into your life… even into your heart.”

He stood up and held onto my hands before continuing.............I’ve been trying to change. I know words don’t mean much right now, but I really am trying.”

He hesitated before speaking again........“I won’t stand in your way anymore. Whoever you choose to spend time with… that’s your decision.”

“Can we… start over?” he asked softly. “Maybe not as lovers… but as friends.”

After another pause, he added with a nervous chuckle,

“Best friends… if you’ll let me.”

I couldn't say anything.

I just stood there, staring at him.

After a long silence, I lowered my head and sighed.

"I think..." I mumbled quietly, "it's time I let go of the past... and give myself a chance to make real friends... maybe even find a family again."

"Raihan... can I ask you something?"

He looked up from where he was sitting and gave a small nod.

"Mhmm..."Shoot."

I hesitated, feeling a little foolish.

"Why are you gay?"

“…Heh.”

A quiet chuckle escaped him, but he didn’t look offended. If anything, the corner of his mouth twitched with amusement.

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I'm being serious," I said. "Before I came to Silvercrest, I'd never even met an openly gay guy... at least, not that I knew of."

"Heh.....I let out an awkward laugh.

“But ever since I got here, it’s like I’ve been thrown in at the deep end. You, Drey, Victor…” I counted on my fingers. “Almost every guy I’ve gotten close to happens to be into men.”

I frowned, genuinely curious.

“So… is that actually common out there?” I asked. “Or is Silvercrest just an exception to the rule?”

“Why do I feel so at ease every time we have sex?”

“Why does it feel so… right?”

A faint, almost sheepish smile crept onto his lips.

“Heh…”

“You know…” he began, rubbing the back of his neck, “you could’ve pushed me away.”

He shrugged, letting out a quiet sigh.

“I figured you were into men.” His lips twitched into a crooked smile. “Otherwise, I would’ve been barking up the wrong tree.”

He paused, studying my expression to make sure I wasn't angry.

“So… I took my shot.”

A soft chuckle escaped him.

“Turns out, I wasn’t completely wrong.”

"And I owe you a sincere apology for that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got the wrong end of the stick."

“Raihan!”

“Tsk…”

I shook my head with a small laugh.

“You just danced around the question.”

“Come on. That wasn’t the answer I was expecting.”

“Well…” Raihan exhaled softly, a nostalgic smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Hmm…”

“When I was a kid, I had a childhood friend.” He paused. “He was a boy.”

He paused, as though sifting through memories he’d long tucked away.

“One day, we kissed.”

A soft, nostalgic chuckle escaped him.

“We were just kids—too young to know which way was up—but from that day onward, something inside me simply fell into place.”

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’ve never looked at another girl the way I’ve looked at a man since.”

His gaze drifted to the floor, Is he shy? I mumbled silently.

“We were joined at the hip back then.”

Huhhhhh..... What does that mean?I asked curiously.

Lucas.......Stop you understand what I mean.....“We were inseparable.

Ohhh!!!!I exclaimed.

“We even made that silly childhood promise that we’d grow up, get married, and spend the rest of our lives together.”

His smile slowly faded.

“But life had other plans.”

He clicked his tongue.

“Tch…”

“We were torn apart, and just like that… he disappeared from my life.”

He let out a weary sigh.

“I turned heaven and earth looking for him.”

“I chased every lead, knocked on every door, and followed every trail I could find… but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

He laughed bitterly.

“Heh… if he walked past me today, I doubt I’d even recognise him.”

A heavy silence settled between us.

“My parents couldn’t stomach it at first,” he admitted.

“They fought me every step of the way. They were convinced it was just a passing phase—that I’d eventually come to my senses.”

He shrugged.

“But time has a funny way of changing people.”

“They eventually came around.”

His voice softened.

“They realised this wasn’t some whim or rebellion. It was simply… who I am.”

A faint smile returned to his lips.

“And from then on, they stood in my corner.”

"That's one hell of a story," I murmured, my voice laced with sympathy.

"I genuinely hope fate brings the two of you back together."

I patted his shoulder and smiled at him.

"They say what's meant to be has a way of finding its way home."

“Hah…” A teasing smile crept onto his face.

“Come on,” he said, nudging my shoulder. “Let’s get you dressed before you keep the poor guy waiting.”