บท 12: chapter 12
Vukan hurriedly looked away while he tendered his gaze towards the ground.
"What is going on with you?' Agatha pulled her son to the side and way from being seen. "You've been acting strange since they walked in and don't even make me mention how worried your father is that you might mess this arrangement up".
"Arrangement?" Vukan thought to himself.
To the best of his knowledge and naivety, his folks had majorly invited the Douglas family over to catch up but things obviously had an underlying intent behind them and he tried to pretend not to be struck in shock.
"Okay… Okay, I'll do whatever you ask of me", Vukan continued. "Please, just don't try to force anything on me tonight".
It was bad enough that he had had to suffer the humiliations over the past few weeks and he wasn't about to stand another one happening in his own house.
"Just serve the table with me please and be fast about it", she demanded.
Vukan obliged his mother and within minutes, the dining table was served with varying food delicacies. Judging by the expression on their faces, it was easy to note how impressed they were, with the exception of Oliver who continued to sulk and keep to himself.
"Well, I'm not the only one with a down mood around the table", Vukan thought while he plunged into his meal.
The next hour passed and the entire table was depleted of food while everyone seemed to be smiling and laughing some more now. Even Oliver managed to engage in conversations willingly, while the grownups' voices could be heard the loudest.
Oliver looked across the table where he sat from Vukan with astern expression on his face. He had willed himself not to feel intimidated because he was in another person's house and that was precisely what he was doing. There was a side to him that wished his sister had come with them, but she was busy and would quite frankly pick being engaged in other events than their dinner gathering.
Henry Adamson looked from his son, who was seated to his right and then over to Oliver across the table. "So, Oliver, I must confess my wife and I were really looking forward to having you over for dinner".
Vukan cursed underneath his lips while the grownups chuckled and laughed along.
"Well, would you like to have a tour of the house with Vukan?" Agatha Adamson asked.
Vukan heard his stomach drop and felt his lower jaw do the same. He had not seen the move coming and it was too useless trying to do anything about it now. Both parents seemed to be in accord as they nudged their heads and exchanged glances around the table. They all finally settled on looking at Oliver and Vukan intermittently, causing the boys some serious discomfort.
"Since I was hoping on having some rather sensitive discussion with Peter, could you kids use the moment to look around the house until we are done?' Henry Adamson asked.
Vukan saw the move as nothing but bullshit being forced on him. He'd rather leave the table alone than have to wander around the house with someone who seemed like he wanted to chop off his nuts. Oliver didn't look too happy by the situation too and he grumbled as he got up from his seat.
"Over here", Vukan motioned with his hand without actually waiting on Oliver.
"You kids should have fun now", Oliver's mom said with a wild smile.
Oliver, remaining silent, looked at his mother with anger brewing in his eyes, before turning his focus to the perfectly built boy who was some inches taller than him, now climbing the stairs.
"I hope you fall and break your neck', he thought, but soon discarded the thoughts because they were too dark.
For someone who knew what true pain was and who had been subjected to really heinous acts growing up, he never wished to see others get hurt or even go through unnecessary pain. He quickened his steps and tailed Vukan until he watched the boy stop. With his back still turned, and his sleeve pulled up some bit, Oliver spotted what seemed like a spiral tattoo crawling down his left arm and just about stopping around his wrist.
Vukan turned around and Oliver hurriedly looked away, feigning ignorance about anything until their eyes met once again.
"So, according to my folks, I'm meant to show you around my house", Vukan said, sounding stupid and repetitive for no apparent reason even to himself.
Oliver shrugged his shoulders subtly and replied, "That's what your folk wanted".
"That's what your folk wanted", Vukan imitated Oliver without letting him see his lips move. "Come with me then".
They walked over to the balcony overseeing the entire property, just as the moon slowly began to rear its head from underneath the thick clouds. While they walked through the door, the duo brushed past each other and Oliver looked particularly disappointed by the act.
"Sorry. That was a mistake", Vukan stated while he pointed out the house's features.
While the air between them felt rather bothersome, Vukan stole repeated glances at the rather handsome looking boy with just about the perfect physique for someone of his height. His deeply glowing eyes also made staring at him worthwhile, but Vukan did well to avoid being caught as he pretended to actually be more interested in showing Oliver around than in Oliver himself.
They went through the bedrooms without looking into their parent's rooms.
Oliver remained silent, taking in the sight and actually commending how beautiful the house was. The wallpapers were lively, and the wooden floors were made from premium stock as well. He knew because he had been opportune to work around a company tasked with delivering such items to wealthy people's homes in the past.
"Well, that should be all", Vukan finally paused and said as they approached the end of the hallway.
He swung his arms from side to side and then back and forth before stepping forward to breach the distance between himself and Oliver.
"Why exactly are you mad at me?' he asked.
He had a good idea why, but didn't quite see the reason behind being hated without proper understanding of the scenario. Vukan was even more perturbed by why he was being targeted in such a manner even after Brad could be seen forcing himself on him at the pub.
Oliver raised his head, locked gaze with Vukan and in that moment, he could swear something prompted him to want to continue staring into those big burly and yet intriguing eyes.
He snapped out of it hurriedly and shot back by saying, "I don't see the need for this discussion here or wherever else. I didn't come here for you and I'm sure as hell not interested in engaging in this conversation with you".
Vukan listened to the words and replayed them in his head over and over and again until he finally determined that they didn't make sense. He was willing and ready to fight for what he knew and the truth and yet, his companion, didn't seem to give a hoot about hearing him out.
Vukan reached out and managed to grab Oliver by his left pinky finger, "See… ".
Oliver yanked off his finger and tucked it into his pocket. "Don't your ever touch me without my permission again".
Vukan could not believe what he was experiencing. Everything he was getting in response from Oliver was dark and unbelievable.
"Why are you this aggressive?" Vukan felt forced to ask. "I mean, you don't even know me and yet you want to judge me or label me because of certain incidents?"
Oliver scoffed and in a rather derisive manner too. He shook his head, leaned towards Vukan and whispered, "When are you going to get it into your head that I don't care to know you, I don't care to listen to whatever flimsy excuses you have going on and I'd rather be in my bed right now than having to go around your house with you".
Vukan felt his blood boil but not with rage but some degree of disappointment. There was a side to him that wished the handsome boy would cut him some slack. Sadly, Oliver wasn't ready or even willing to.
"Let's go back", Vukan demanded.
Upon turning around and readying themselves to leave, they heard their parents cackle aloud and in a manner showing just how much fun they were having. Vukan didn't want to mess that up and by the reluctance in Oliver's legs from walking forward, he decided it wouldn't hurt to stay where they were for a moment.
The air grew drabber and the duo engaged themselves in silence. Oliver whistled some bit and did his best to avoid even looking at Vukan in the slightest. He wasn't about to feed the desperate boy's ego, or at least, that was how he saw Vukan.
"So, what do we do next?" Vukan turned to his companion with a raised brow. 'We cannot just stand here and listen to each other breathe".
"The silence works better for me", Oliver retorted. "Well, it did until you managed to ruin it".
Vukan tossed his head towards the ground and watched Oliver walk past him slowly. He sucked in the lavender scent from his perfume and felt butterflies ruffle in his stomach.
"Is this your room?" Oliver asked.
Excited that he was being spoken to, even though it was a question, Vukan looked up and nodded his head aggressively. Oliver did the same and stepped into the room before Vukan could get to him.
"Are those your drawings?" Oliver asked, pointing at a stack of drawings aligned side by side close to his bed, while one was still on the drawing board.
Realizing how creepy it might come off to be or how demeaning it would be for Oliver to find paintings of himself inside Vukan's room, Vukan raced over and stood between Oliver and the remainder of his room. He figured he would rather be termed as queer than be called a stalker, which was what seeing those drawings would cause him.
"Why are you this weird?" Oliver asked. 'Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere near your stuff. I was just bored in the first place".
"Then why not try and listen to me when I try to explain what happened with Brad over at the pub?' Vukan suddenly grew persistent.
Oliver paused for a moment and looked right back at him. "You really don't know when to give up, don't you?"
He shoved Vukan aside and slowly began to head for the door before feeling a restraint on his shoulder. Oliver could guess who it was obviously and even while he tried to fight the arm resting on his shoulder, he seemed powerless. He wanted out but equally didn't want the hand to ease off. Embroiled in the sudden mental battle going on in his head, he felt his body make a full swing, before getting enveloped by a slightly larger frame.
"Let me go", Oliver mumbled without the desired verve. "Please, let me go".
His words didn't pack a punch and his actions didn't seem like he truly wanted what he was asking for either.
Vukan parted his lips to speak but words wouldn't come through. He mumbled aloud and heard no word escape his lips. He simply stood still, hoping and praying the moment would last as long as possible.
For Oliver, there was nothing he could think of at that moment. All his senses seemed to dull asides his hearing and sense of smell. Vukan's perfume softened his previously tensed nerves, while the sound of his own raging heartbeats, drummed in tangent with that of Vukan's they both seemed at peace and at war at the same time.
Slowly and without realizing it, Oliver felt his arms go around Vukan and hold him firmly in return. They didn't need words to air what their drumming hearts were already doing. They didn't need to squeal or scream to understand each other and there was no need for apologies either. Vukan simply wanted it to last for as long as it could, while he wondered if Oliver wanted the same thing.
The room door creaked and caused the two to hurryingly part and find themselves a spot on the couch in Vukan's room.
"Oh, sorry", Vukan's mom apologize for interrupting them while she signaled for the other trio behind her to ease off.
She hurried off giggling and the kids could hear their parents doing the same. Vukan dropped his head in his hand as he could guess they had probably thought something intimate was going on between them, since Oliver's head was buried deeply between his chest.
"Oh shit", Oliver sighed before chuckling some bit and getting up on his feet. "Can we go back now?"
Vukan agreed and the duo walked back to meet with their parents down in the living room.
"We were just about calling on you two to inform you that we are leaving", Peter Douglas said to his son. "It was a lovely meal and I'm sure everyone in my family had a nice time".
Mrs. Douglas seconded her husband's word with a smile too. "I haven't had such a fun night in a while and I look forward to having more with you guys".
The four turned and looked at Oliver and Vukan. The glee in their eyes was apparent, while the two sons couldn't help themselves but let off a thin smile. The smile was a reassuring one for the parents that their sons were getting along and that things had been going on smoothly upstairs in Vukan's room.
"Well, we need to beat the night", Mrs. Douglas encouraged her son to say goodbye.
Oliver turned to Mr. and Mrs. Adamson with a smile. "Thanks for dinner. It was really awesome".
They responded in gratitude too and soon enough, the Douglas family were on their way back home.
Vukan turned around to head to his room but his mother called out to him and stopped him dead in his tracks.
"So?" she asked ambiguously.
'So what?" Vukan retorted, feigning ignorance.
'How was he? I mean Oliver", his mother clarified.
Vukan fell silent for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "I am spent and I really need to have some sleep".
He turned around, wore a thin smile to himself and disappeared from sight.
"You ought to help me clear the table, you know!?" his mother yelled but Vukan was out of sight in seconds.
"The night must have gone good for the both of them", his father boasted. "Who said I'm no good at matchmaking?"
The duo laughed hard and tended to the dishes in their son's absence.
Up in his room, Vukan bolted the door and punched the air with folded fists. He pulled the shirt Oliver had leaned into off of his body and covered his face with it to have a feel of the boy once again. It was a wonderful night after all and one he was about to cherish for a very long time too.
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