Chapter 10: CHAPTER NINE

New couldn't sleep. Not because it was his first time sleeping there but because of what Tay said earlier.

I'm starting to really like you, Newwie.

Those were the last words he spoke before going to the comfort room, leaving him in utter disbelief while staring at the white ceiling of Tay's room.

He glanced at the sleeping figure beside him. Tay was sleeping on his side, with his back turned to New while New was

sleeping on his back. He sighed and tried to sleep, counting as many sheep as possible but that didn't help either.

He wasn't supposed to sleep in his bed but Tay argued that his father may walk in his room and him sleeping on the couch might result to their parents being suspicious about their made-up relationship.

I'm starting to really like you, Newwie.

He grunted as he remembered yet again what Tay said. He flipped over and buried his face in the pillow before letting out a muffled scream.

He felt the bed move but he didn't care. He just wanted to get those words out of his head for the sake of his sanity that was slowly falling over the edge.

"You should sleep. We still have work tomorrow."

New abruptly looked at Tay who was already facing him. An amused look was plastered on his face as he looked at New who was having a mental breakdown in the middle of the night.

"Can't sleep? Why? You're still thinking about what I said earlier?"

New scoffed and acted like he was about to gag. "You wish."

He switched position and went back to lying on his back for he didn't wanna face Tay or he'd definitely wouldn't be able to sleep for the rest of the night.

"Hey why don't you believe me? I was being sincere."

"Oh really? So where's your 'I'm sorry but I'm not into men' act, huh?"

New scoffed as he watched Tay got speechless and evaded his stares.

"I-uh. Let's go to sleep," Tay replied as he turned his back to New.

———

Tay's car stopped in front of what seemed to be a vacation house by the lake.

"Is this it?" he asked as looked over at New who had a long face.

"Yeaaah," New answered nonchalantly.

Tay chuckled over his response and then fixed his hair as he looked at the rearview mirror, making sure that not a stray hair could be seen on his face. It was a Saturday and he was about to meet New's family. He heaved a deep sigh as he fixed his shirt which was neatly tucked in his pants.

"What are you so nervous about? It's not like we're really into this relationship shit anyway," New raised his eyebrows at him, completely perplexed as to why he was fidgeting about him meeting his family.

Tay just grinned, completely showing his teeth and gums as he fished his phone out of his pocket. He then snapped a photo of them so quickly that New didn't have a chance of looking at the camera. Instead he was looking at Tay with a serious look on his face.

"Gotta impress your family. You know, for future purposes," Tay replied as he went down the car.

"Oh Taaay! I'm so glad you came!" New's mother approached him and squeezed him in a hug.

"Of course, Mom. I can never say no to you."

"Come on in. Everybody's here."

"Sure thing, Mom. Lemme just get something."

"Okay. I'll see you inside then."

New's mom then strutted her way back inside as he went to open the trunk. He then grabbed the gifts he prepared for New's family.

"Hey! Don't tell me-."

New pointed at the bags Tay was carrying. Printed on each bag were names of luxurious brands of bags and shoes. New even spotted a bag with the word Rolex on it.

"Shit Tay. You don't have to spend so much money on a made-up relationship!"

Tay chuckled as he closed the trunk. To say that he was completely amused of New's reaction was an understatement. He restrained himself from pinching his cheeks as he looked at him with a confused look on his face.

"Oh come on. These are nothing. I just can't come empty handed. They're already family so I don't mind."

"Family? You haven't even met them!"

"Come on. I'm sure they're waiting for us."

He grabbed New's hand and dragged him inside.

———

New watched in disbelief as her relatives gushed over his "boyfriend." The moment they stepped into the room, murmurs filled the air as Tay walked in with so much confidence that New's relatives, especially the female ones, couldn't even hide the excitement in their voices upon the arrival of the unknown guest.

New felt a nudge on his side. He turned to look at his cousin Namtan who was obviously bewitched by this human being in front of them.

"Who's he?" she asked. New noted the excitement in her voice. Of course, who wouldn't be. Tay exuded so much aura that anyone who'd stand beside him would eventually be intimated.  But New knew for a fact that behind that intimidating face was a sunshine disguised as a human being.

"He's quite a sight. He single?"

He glared at Namtan who was surveying Tay's body features, squinting as she bit her lips and smacked them together. Tay glanced over them and he could see that he was asking for help as his aunts and cousins were flocking over him, asking questions and even touching him on random body parts.

Namtan squealed beside him as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Shit. She looked at me, Neeew!"

"You know what, you should stop drooling over my boyfriend, dear," he snapped as he left Namtan and approached Tay who was being huddled over by his relatives.

———

Tay handed the bags to New's mom and dad. When she introduced him as New's boyfriend earlier, he couldn't help but get nervous as he looked at New's father whose face was rather straight and stern. But when he reached his hand for a shake and welcomed him to the family, he couldn't help but utter words of gratitude to the heavens. He was even thankful of how accepting his family was about New's identity and their relationship.

"Oh dear. These are too much!" New's mother exclaimed as she pulled out a newly released Louis Vuitton bag. Her husband on the other hand received a limited edition Rolex watch. He pulled some strings just to get those and he was thankful they seemed to like his gifts.

He felt a pinch on his side and a glaring New came into his view.

"I hope these are not forms of bribery."

"Come on daaad. Of course not. I just wanna give you something special on our first meeting," Tay flashed his brightest smile as he grabbed New's waist to get him closer.

"I gave you my approval but you're still under supervision. Hurt my son and you'll see my utmost wrath."

"I won't dad. Never in this lifetime."

———

New slumped on the kitchen chair as he looked over his father and Tay who were talking in the living room. He didn't even know how he did it, but he was sure that Tay was able to win his father's heart. His father might not show it, but Tay was able to seep through the crevices of his father's heart thus melting it with those hearty smiles and funny jokes.

"Oh son. What are you doing here? Why are you not joining the others?" His mother queried as she entered the kitchen.

"Mom. Why is dad so calm about this? I was expecting him to throw a fit about me being you know."

His mother chuckled as she opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of soda.

"I actually talked to him the day I found out about you and Tay. Well, you were right though. He actually threw a fit. He even attempted to go to your unit but luckily I was able to stop him. It took me a rigorous 12 hours to let him understand your situation. We have to thank your baby pictures though for they helped in softening his heart when we went over our family pictures during our heart to heart talk."

New glanced at his father and Tay again. This time they were engaged in a serious conversation as reflected on Tay's expression. He sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. He couldn't understand why Tay seemed to be so invested in getting through his parents' heart when one day they would have to end their pseudo relationship.

———

Tay heaved a sigh of relief as his conversation with New's father came to an end. It was a good thing he had some pretty good knowledge about business so he was able to get away with his questions. He almost lost his shit when he asked if he could support New's needs in the future. But of course he had his company to inherit so he didn't see that as much of a concern.

He surveyed the area to look for New but failed.

"I really should get his number."

He was about to get out of the house to look for him outside when someone blocked his way.

"Hi!"

"Uhm hello."

"I'm Namtan by the way and you are?"

Tay furrowed his eyebrows at the woman in front of him and furrowed them even more when she continuously tucked her hair behind her ear. He was sure she knew her name for he was introduced earlier to everyone.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he was rather concerned of the way she was fluttering her eyes and the way she was wobbling her knees in front of him. It seemed like she was gonna collapse in front of him anytime.

"Uhm. I-I can't feel my legs," she exclaimed as she lost her balance and grabbed Tay for support.

"Hey wait. Is everything fine?" he asked as he tried to make her stand properly but she just grabbed him even more pulling him into a hug.

"Ooucch. My legs hurrrttt. Ohh. I can't feel themm. I can't stannd," she cried as she pulled Tay's waist to hug him even more.

He looked around to seek for help but everyone was outside preparing for lunch. He sighed and was about to carry her to the nearby sofa when she suddenly shrieked in pain.

———

New placed the cooked barbeque on the plate and placed raw ones on the grill. He slightly coughed when he caught some of the smoke. It had always been their tradition. They always gather for a family reunion every year to somehow catch up with everyone especially with those who were living outside Bangkok. He loved seeing his relatives except for one, his cousin Namtan. Ever since they were young, Namtan was the "dramatic" one as she would always get what she wanted through putting up acts and pulling tricks. And he hated how she always tend to covet what he had.

And what made it worse was they were classmates until high school. He still had that scar on his arm, the one she scratched when they fought over a piece of cookie. There was also a time when they were called to the guidance office when they made a commotion in front of the school gates. She was furious upon knowing that her crush talked to him over lunch saying he was a bitch for getting what she wanted. He could still remember how she grabbed his hair the moment he stepped out of the school grounds and literally dragged him to the streets. But of course, she would always get away with everything through her "I'm the victim here" acts. And since he was the masculine one, he was always seen as the one at fault for fighting with a woman.

She was also the first one who knew that he was gay when she caught him gushing over a picture of a naked Ryan Gosling on a magazine. He was actually surprised that she did not break the news to everybody considering that they were the worst enemies in their family tree.

"Hey. Why don't you sit over there and let me finish this?"

He looked over at Kayavine or Kay for short. He was not really one of the relatives but he had always been a part of their family reunions considering how he literally grew up with them. They were actually childhood friends but Kay studied in the US as an exchanged student for a couple of years so they weren't able to see each other for some time.

"It's okay. I'm almost done."

"So...you have a boyfriend now," Kay replied as he flipped some of the barbeques.

"Uhhm. It just happened."

"I know you're gonna come out one day."

"I-uuh. It's bound to happen anyway," New nervously laughed. Actually only very few people knew about him being gay.

"Isn't he the reason you rejected my confession way back in college?"

New paused, his hands midair as he was about to flip the barbeques but froze in the middle of the conversation.

"Wha-what do you mean?"

"Remember during Valentine's day in our Junior year? I sent you a letter for I was afraid of telling you my feelings upfront but you just shoved my letter away. You didn't even finish it."

"I-uuuh."

New actually remembered that day but he didn't knew that the letter was from him. as he wasn't able to finish reading it because he was rather preoccupied with giving Tay his poem which eventually landed on Earth's hands.

"I-uhh. I don't what to say. But why? I-I never told you I was, you know, gay."

Kay chuckled and grabbed the plate from him before placing the cooked barbeques.

"I'm your best friend and besides I saw Tay's pictures in your room."

New blushed. He actually had an adequate stash of Tay's pictures which he secretly took.

"The barbeques are done. You should get your boyfriend. We're about to eat," Kay said and headed over to the long table placed in the middle of the lawn.

He then headed back to the house where he last saw Tay. He was about to call out his name but instead stopped on his tracks as he was greeted by an equally awful sight. There stood in the middle of the living room was Tay Tawan who was hugging, or was being hugged rather by the opportunistic Namtan. His logical reasoning just flew out the window as he approached them in big strides and his hand reached for her hair as he used all the force he could ever muster and pulled the bitch from manhandling Tay.

"OUCCCCCHHH!! WHAT THE FUCCCK!"

Namtan's shrill might have disturbed all the living creatures around the area as it reverberated throughout the house.

"What's your problem bitch!" Namtan's face was red as she approached New and attempted to scratch his face.

"Hey, hey wait!" Tay who was overwhelmed by the situation tried to stop the two but was just pushed aside by a raging Namtan.

"I told you to get your hands off my boyfriend you bitch!" New shouted back as he attempted to get a hold of her hair again.

"Oh come on! As if he'd really wanna be with a gay like you!"

"What did you say bitch?!"

New once again grabbed her hair and pulled it with all his might as Namtan grabbed his arms and scratched them with her long fingers

"Hey! Hey! New!" Tay grabbed his waist to get him away from her but failed.

Their relatives then flooded the area, flocking over to check on them as the commotion pursued.

"What's happening here?"

New's father's voice resounded in the area stopping all of them. They immediately let go of each other and stood upright.

Soon, the living room was filled with Namtan's sobs as she once again put on a manipulative show.

"I-I was just asking Tay for help but then New came over and hurt me. He even pulled my hair," she said in between her sobs. New rolled his eyes and grunted. Among the people inside that house, he was the sole witness of how manipulative Namtan could be for he was always the victim of her devious acts. And he couldn't help but be furious because he already knew what was gonna happen next.

"Daadd, her hands were literally all over Tay! I couldn't just stand and do nothing!"

"But I was just asking for help! You don't have to physically hurt me!"

"And what help did you ever need for you to embrace him?!"

"My-my legs were numb so I-I needed him for support!"

"Okay stop! Why don't we hear the man in question. Tay was Namtan saying the truth?" New's father asked.

Several pairs of eyes looked at Tay who was obviously nervous. Tay then glanced at New and then at Namtan. Tension filled the air as they watched him open his mouth and then closed it again.

"I-uh."

Tay sighed before proceeding.

"Yes, dad. She asked for some help but—."

"I can't believe this!" New furiously pushed Tay aside and stormed out of the house.