Chapter 18: Phase Three.

Kai

I have gone to work after taken two days of leave. Even when I tried to avoid seeing Hayes's face after the two... no three incidents that had happened between us, I can't just fully avoid him. All I know is that we work at the same company... we're colleagues and that if things like this were to continue, it might just ruin the work mood.

There's no avoiding anyway when we're in the same building.

When I was being dropped off at work by twenty-year-old Stan, I couldn't even get myself to say something mushy or sappy towards him. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't get myself to say those three words of colouring hearts. It seems so difficult to open my mouth as well.

He wanted to drive me to work since it was the only thing that he could do while I was at work. The more I said no, the more he insisted and would never let me off to go. The stubbornness that he wore was really just irritating that I had to grip my hand and clench onto something invisible so that I wasn't triggering my anger or my frustration towards him.

I had told him that I would call him or let him know if I was finishing my work. Although I believe if I do, he would be down there with the car parked and waiting for me to come out. If there's one thing that would describe Stan, it would be that he was an early person. Well... not when he was seventeen though. That time the man just went to school like he owns the place. Yet, I still wonder how on earth did his parents not being called to the school for their son's behaviour?

Pulling myself away from my thoughts, I went to continue doing my job. Working here means that I need to do my best in every single way possible. Moreover, it was my dad's company. And I was working here - taking the advantage of being his son and getting the spot of the head engineer that easily. At first, I thought about what other people might think when they knew about this. It would be the head of the talk.

But after working here long enough, I had come to realize that if those talks came in... I just need to work harder to show that I wasn't clinging onto my dad. It was another reason why I didn't want to work under dad's company but at that time... I just had to give up before I lost all other opportunities.

"Kai?" Amber called, standing at the doorstep of my office with her hand touching the frame. I glance at her from the files in my hands with a 'yeah?' look. "Boss wants to see you," She continued, walking inside my office with a meek smile.

Frowning, I put down the digital file. "Really? Why does he want to see me?"

"I don't know either, but I think it's not about work. You work pretty hard to even show a weakness," She replied, chuckling about my work behaviour.

"Is that so...? I'll go meet him after this, need to sort these files first," She nodded at me, then goes on to walk away from my desk. But then she turns back. "Oh yeah... I was wondering... is there something going on between you and Hayes? He got a blue eye and when I asked him where he got it, he only said your name... in a not so friendly tone...," The woman asked, raising her blonde brows.

I had to fake a smile. "Oh... nothing happened really... just that he almost let out a homophobic slur in front of me and someone just punched him in the face," She gasps at me. "What? Hayes did that to you? I always thought he was okay with gay people...,"

"Yeah... me too at first. I didn't expect him to be like that,"

"Don't bother about him, Kai. If he does anything, I'll punch him too. Now... go finish up your work and meet the boss," She said, then leaving my office with a friendly smile. That's the thing about people like Amber at the workplace, they're just so comforting.

Consequently, I continue doing my job then after five minutes... I went to go to see my dad. Which surprisingly meeting him wasn't anything important rather than he asked me to accompany him buying a gift for mom. I didn't know what was the occasion was, but I just follow along - hoping that he treats me too. Damn... my inner child just came out.

-

Hours passed, and I was minutes away from going back home for the day. I spent quite some hours with my dad at the mall that when I came back, I had to work much faster if I want to go home early. Which cost me my entire energy spent with my back slouching to focus better and also ending up hurting my back... my neck and just my whole energy is hurt. I didn't know how it works, but my energy is destroyed, and I need to lay down. Quick.

But as I was working my butt off, there was a part in my brain that recollect the time I had with Stan yesterday when I saw the Polaroid picture of him that I've taken. All of those fun moments we had yesterday... basically all of it started when his seventeen self came, it all just felt so nice. But at the same time, it felt very haunting.

Like the number one feeling that I have within all of this aside from the nostalgic feeling, the warm tender feeling, was anxiety. Because this whole thing felt very fragile... it felt very tentative, and I kept thinking in my head of what was to come after this.

What would be the next roadblock? What's the next thing that's going to deter this?

Despite all of that, just being free at times and have fun with Stan was just very cathartic... therapeutic some sort that I can't help but feel happy because I thought that I wasn't going through a breakup.

It was just... the absolute complicated shift of feelings, man..., it went back and forth as if I was trying to balance myself on a thread.

What a life...

As the clock shows several minutes before I would go home, I reach out for my phone to call Stan. When I was waiting for him to answer my call, I mentally laughed when I suddenly remembered that I set his phone ringtone to a sound of several otters yelling at each other.

Then he picks up. "Are you even here yet? I'm finishing in about two minutes," I spoke immediately. My eyes went to glance towards some people passing by my office while I waited for him to reply.

"I'm o-on my way. Just got caught up with coffee- I mean with uh, a show," He returned, and I can't help but imagine what he looks like saying this.

"Just admit it that you went to get a coffee and got lost in time,"

He let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah... I did. I'm sorry... but I'm gonna go get you now. Wait where you are," Snickering, I reply. "I'll wait right where you left me this morning,"

Getting up from my chair, I tidy up the desk and make sure that it was organized before I even leave. When I wanted to leave, I can't help but look towards the Polaroid picture of him. It then made me felt very weird out when I saw that the clothes he was wearing in the picture changes in colour.

Did Polaroid pictures are supposed to that? Or did I forget what colour of the shirt he wore yesterday?

Shrugging, I left the office with an exhalation of happy breaths. I was able to go home without having to witness Hayes or being caught up in a situation with him. And I was able to go home with work being settled. I guess going out and celebrate the small event with Stan after this would be delightful.

As promised to the young man, I waited at the very same spot where he dropped me off and continue to stand there for another minute. By the time thirty minutes passed by, I get very anxious about where he was and so, I tried looking side to side to see if he had parked. But if he parked, then he would have called me instead.

Hugging myself, I let it go and continue to wait for several minutes more until I couldn't continue standing anymore. Taking my phone out again, I went on to call him but was soon to be called by him too.

With my eyebrows pushed together, I answer the call frustratingly.

"Stan? Where are you? I've been waiting here for-."

"Hello? Is this Kai Everest?" Another voice spoke, cutting me off from being annoyed. I started pacing around when I heard that stranger's voice. Why was Stan's phone with him?

"Yeah... it is. What's going on there? Is Stan alright?" I asked.

The stranger sighs, and voices started filling around him. "He's alright, he fainted and got into a small accident on the road. If it is alright, can you come to the hospital right now? We need some information, and you were the only one in his contacts," An accident?! What?!

"Uh... y-yeah, sure. I'll be right there instantly," I stammered, going around to see if anyone hasn't gone home yet until I saw Amber walking to her car. Ending the call with the stranger, I quickly run to the woman who was about to enter her car. How did he even get into an accident? The stranger said that he fainted... did he not eat before driving to get me?

My heart was beating loudly because of how worried I am for the young man. Even when said that he's alright, I could just feel that something was wrong. "Amber! Hey! Amber!" I yelled, running faster to get the blonde woman.

She stops before entering her car, then looks at me perplexed. "Kai? You're not going home yet?" I shake my head. "No, not yet. But can you give me a ride? I need to go to the hospital. ASAP," My breathing was quickening due to the sprint I made and all my thought were driving me crazy from the news of Stan was in the hospital. Just hearing that made me shake non-stop. I can't believe it, why was this keeps happening?

"O-okay, hop in," She responded, and I got inside instantaneously without waiting for any second. She got in as well, and we started driving our way towards the hospital with fear in my heart that was begging everything will be alright.

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