Chapter 7

Vincent was on his way to meet his friends, they had invited him out to party for his birthday when he saw Jamie.

He had branched a local mart to get some cigarettes-which Owen had begged him to get for him on his way when he saw him.

He was going to ignore the scanty pedestrian that gathered around the boy sitting by the walk lane and go his way until he took a second glance at the boy and realised he looked familiar.

Stopping on track and looking at the boy fully the third time made him realised he indeed really did knew who that was.

He was the teacher to his daughter.

And Vincent had quickly taken him away from there when he realised more people are starting to gather around the boy staring at him cry over his cookies.

Now him driving the boy to his house, Vincent took a short glance at the older boy who is staring right out of the window.

This is the first time he did be seeing him up close, their first time meeting was so brief and a bit professional but now, Vincent could help but realized how pretty the boy is even though he had no idea why he thought that way in the first place.

Seeing the older crying over the cookies, Vincent had find it a lot cute rather than it being embarrassing. It's reminds him a lot of his daughter-her childish self-in a good way.

This made Vincent wondered if there is more about the boy sitting in his car more than the ones he had witnessed.

"You can drop me at the next stop"

Vincent slowed down a bit on hearing Jamie, "That's your destination?"

"No, but I can walk the rest myself."

"You don't want me to find out where you live?"

"No, I just-"

"It's okay, I understand" Vincent cut him off feeling a bit hurt by that. And he had felt strange by feeling that way. He totally understand if the boy didn't want him to know where he lives. They are not that close...but why did he feel like he wants to get to know the older boy better.

Vincent stops his car at the stop Jamie had said as he turned off his engine not saying anything.

Jamie about to get out of the car but stops as he turned back to Vincent. "M-my house is the third house down, I didn't want you to stop there because it's easier to for you to turn around here. S-sorry if I give you the wrong idea."

Vincent watched as Jamie said as he couldn't help the smile that broke from his face. Why is he so cute?

Why did Vincent find him so cute?

"It's okay, I understand." Vincent said as he realized Jamie was indeed right. It's easy for him to turn around here than going through the long process if he passed through the roundabout lane.

Jamie nods, "bye."

"Yeah, see you." Vincent had been the one to say that this time around and Jamie had turned back at him probably wondering if he heard that right.

"I will see you around Jamie." Vincent said again making Jamie to confirm he really did heard that right as he smiled.

"See you around Vincent."

Both haven't told eachother their name but had heard it from Chanel and it's now staying rent-free in their head.

Vincent smile as he watched Jamie opens the car door to leave but stops again turning back to him.

"C-can I have your number?"

"I-I mean for y-your sister, you know, maybe if I want to talk about her or something." Jamie fumbles with his statement as he flushed had from embarrassment making Vincent to smile as he stretched his hand to Jamie.

Jamie stared at his hand a bit confused but slowly held the boy's hand anyway making Vincent to chuckles as he shaked hand with Jamie.

"I am asking for your phone Jay."

Jamie flushed so heard, the other not knowing if it's because Vincent had called him Jay or because he felt embarrassed for not understanding what Vincent had mean by stretching his hand, nevertheless, Jamie quickly brings out his phone giving it to Vincent.

Vincent typed his number on Jamie's phone before returning it back to Jamie who quickly saved it as he muttered a low thanks.

Vincent nods his head with a smile.

"So..I will be waiting for you for you to call me so we could talk about us and not my sister."

Vincent said as Jamie flushed from realizing Vincent had knew he was lying about the real reason he wanted to collect his number.

"S-see you later." Jamie stutters.

Vincent nods as he drives away after Jamie gets down from his car.

Vincent couldn't help but smile as he drives off feeling alot light-hearted, him not understanding what made him feel so strangely relieved and happy for the first time in three years.

☘

"I thought you have decided to bailed on us at the last minute again." Dylan said as Vincent entered the private room they had booked for him for his birthday party.

"Even though you both are one heck of a boring dude that I would prefer staying back home with my daughter, but I will give you the honour today, it's my birthday."

"**** you!" Owen cursed throwing one of the marshmallow balls on the table at him, which Vincent picked up from his shirt where it landed at before throwing it into his mouth chewing on it as he chuckles.

Owen scoffs as he picked up his drink.

"Happy birthday Vincent." Dylan said after a few seconds.

"Thanks man." Vincent replied bringing out the cigarettes he had brought for Owen giving it to him. "Where are the others?" Vincent added.

"At the other booth, we felt they might get to rowdy and you might not like the noise so we booked for a separate room for you." Dylan explained.

"You sure it's only because of me?"

Owen looked up at Vincent. "What?"

"Dylan specifically told me to come that it is important, I mean, it doesn't sound like it has to do with only my birthday party...so did you guys have anything to tell me?"

Dylan cleared his throat as he looked from Owen to Vincent. "Actually, we can just tell you later, it's your birthday and-"

"No, I will tell him now" Owen cut in.

"Owen..."

Vincent picked on a lime sucking on it silently as he watched the two. They seems to noticed him staring as they composed them.

"So there is this thing we've been wanting to tell you.." Owen begins.

"Okay?"

"And we don't knows how you are going to react to it but I hope you will understand us."

"Okay?"

"I and Dylan, we are umm.."

"Uhmm?"

Owen groan feeling frustrated, "ugh, can you just keep quiet and let me talk?!"

Vincent chuckles.

"I and Owen are dating, that's what we wanted to tell you." Dylan completes.

"Okay?"

"And we know this might make you feel uncomfortable around us but still we-wait what did you mean by okay?" Dylan asked a bit confused.

"I don't know, is that all what you wanted to tell me?"

"That we are going out together?, yes." Owen replied.

"Hmmm, okay."

"Wait, you know?" Dylan asked.

"About three months now?"

"What the heck? How? I mean, we haven't told anyone yet." Owen asked.

"Let just say, you both don't know how to keep to yourself when you are in public, is it the time I almost walked on you both jerking eachother's out in the locker room? or when you both were making out this one time we had a slumber night party at my house?"

"What the..." Dylan flushed as he picked up his drink gulping it down before Owen collected the glass from him.

"That's enough."

"We thought you won't be okay with it, we were really nervous to tell you." Dylan said.

"I figured that's why I decided not to pry about it." Vincent replied with a smirk.

Owen nods in understanding.

☘

"So what's up with you? You look.... different?"

Vincent and his friends are now with the other guys-his teammates at the karaoke room when Dylan asked the question.

"What?"

"I don't know, I just feel like you look a bit more relaxed to the way you used to be. Like you felt relieved or something."

"Like a burden had been carried off your shoulder" Owen who was also listening to their conversation chirped in.

Vincent didn't reply as he shrugged sipping in drink slowly. Not like he wasn't aware of that also. And one thing he was also aware of is the reason why he felt this way.

The guy whose present makes him feel a lot relieved and happy even though he is meeting him for the second time today in his entire life.

Vincent didn't realized he was smiling until he noticed his friends staring at him.

"What?" Vincent tried frowning.

"What the heck?! You have someone you liked? Who is she?" Owen exclaimed.

"And why does the person have to be a she?" Vincent replied defensively picking at the snacks on the table eating it.

"T-the person is a h-he?" Dylan asked looking even more surprised.

"Ugh, can you guys just stop with the reaction. Are you both allowed to date and I am not?" Vincent defend.

"Hey! Birthday boy, sing us a song!" Joe, one of Vincent teammates said as he pulled him up from his chair before his friends will have anything to say.

A thought lingering on Vincent mind as he picked up the song he wanted to sing.

Do I really liked the guy?

TBC

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