It was already nine in the evening when Earl arrived at Zachary's apartment. The living room was a mess, there were inks on the see-through glass dividers, litters and papers, and cans and bottles of different liquors scattered everywhere.
Earl found himself swimming through the ocean of trash before he finally saw Zachary, sitting on the floor by the edge of his bed, a bottle on his grip. His head lulled as he turned to look at his best friend on the doorframe.
"Oh.. it's you."
Earl sighed. Zachary was indeed drunk. He grabbed the bottle away from Zachary but was pushed by the latter. Earl was getting more pissed than ever. Zachary has been pushing him away lately, to the point that he'd lost his balance and landed on something or someone. It was embarrassing and if this happened to anyone, a fight would've already begun. But this was Zachary, his best mate, and of course, he knew and understood his situation. Fighting wouldn't be a good solution to his problems.
"Get up, man," Earl said and softly kicked Zachary's stomach, motioning him to move.
"..leave..." Zachary mumbled, his head facing the floor.
Earl felt extremely irritated now. He watched as Zachary tried to reach for another bottle, and Earl was quick to push the damn thing away.
"Zack-"
"Just leave.." Zachary muttered. "Just.. leave me alone, Earl."
Earl felt something inside him snapped.
"Hey, are you being serious? Are you going to be like this forever? I heard what happened in the practice. Are you really going to let this affect even the sports you love? Are you that low to let this happen to you?!"
"Shut up! You don't know what I've been going through!"
"Hell yes, Zachary! I fucking know what's happening! I know what you're going through! I know it's not easy but fuck it, can't you be a man and continue living?" Earl stumbled when unexpectedly, Zachary hit him directly with his fist.
Earl coughed but attacked back. Since this was a slightly drunk Zachary, he was also hit by Earl's fist.
"You don't know anything!" Zachary roared as he threw another punch.
"Dammit.. Get a hold of yourself, fucker!!" Earl countered and threw a punch back at Zachary.
Zachary staggeringly got up and attacked Earl again. Earl was quick to do the same and the two men threw punches everywhere.
"You fucking twat!!"
"You crazy jackass!!"
The two tackled each other, bumping tables with arms and legs and faces connecting to the different parts of the room.
It was about half an hour later when both found themselves lying on the floor, facing the ceiling, panting. It was late to even realize they just did those in the span of half an hour, and inside a bedroom at that. Earl was kinda thankful he faced a drunk Zachary though, because if he were to fight a sober Zachary, god knows which hospital Earl would be in now.
"I... I don't like that coach to be honest." Earl said, breaking the silence.
He could see Zachary smiling, the first time since his heart had been broken. It made Earl smile too.
"I.. I think I'll be leaving the team. For a while." Zachary said, causing Earl's smile to drop, his eyes widened, his body immediately got up from his lying position.
"Zack-"
The smile on Zachary's face suddenly turned sadder, and only then Earl realised his friend wasn't getting anywhere near recovery.
"I'm distracted. I can't focus on swimming yet, Earl."
Earl's heart pained at his best friend's turning even sadder smile.
"You can do this, Zack. Swimming is a part of you."
Zachary flinched at Earl's words, somehow remembering a certain someone who had said the exact words. He seemed to be in deep thought then, his eyes just staring at the ceiling. His breathing told Earl his best friend was in deep pain, too deep he was confused on what to feel anymore.
"I don't know.. honestly.. I don't know anymore."
Truthfully, Earl didn't know what to do either. Zachary looked like he was turning more numb, as if he was trying to push all his emotions away. His eyes were turning blank. Earl felt a bit alarmed of what was happening. In the end, he could only sigh and look away. He couldn't see Zachary slowly and silently breaking.
"Get up, man." Earl tried to make the mood lighter. Perhaps, Zachary could still change his mind.
Maybe after eating.
Earl went to the kitchen and hastily placed the foods he brought in a bowl and served it on the table. Soon, he heard Zachary's bathroom door shutting close, then next, his bedroom.
Earl glanced at his phone and noticed there was a text message. Zachary had already taken his seat on a stool and began eating. Earl secretly typed a reply to the message.
To: David
He's already eating.
After a few seconds, David texted back.
From: David
Good! Two thumbs up for you, Agent Earl!
Zachary seemed to have noticed and smirked. "Just go, Earl. I'm fine now."
Earl was confused. "What?"
Zachary sighed and shrugged. "Go to Leah and have fun. I know you've been dying to ask for permission. Just go man."
Earl blinked a few times before another bzzzt came to his pocket.
From: David
Don't forget to tell him he's good enough! And he's talented! And gorgeous!
Earl frowned. It was as if David wasn't the one saying those things. It was as if he was being ASKED to DO and type those words. He was about to text back when another message came, and this time it was really from Leah, Earl's girlfriend. A smile immediately formed on Earl's face.
Upon hearing the sigh from Zachary, Earl couldn't help but felt a bit sorry for being insensitive. Because it was already late, Earl decided to do what Zachary was telling him to.
Earl cleared his throat and looked at Zachary who was still eating. "I gotta go bro."
"Yeah, thanks for coming. See ya." Zachary returned back to eating, the food was actually delicious it reminded him of something similar... he had eaten before..
"Bro," Earl called in a serious tone.
"What?" Zachary thought Earl had already left.
"Don't leave the team."
Zachary paused from munching, his eyes showing that he didn't really like that idea as much as Earl did too. He sighed and gave a quick glance at Earl. "I'll think about it."
Earl smiled. At least Zachary wasn't thinking too negatively about it anymore. Zachary continued back to eating and Earl was about to turn around when he remembered he still had something to do before he leaves.
"Bro."
"What? You're still here?" Zachary asked after a good swallow of his food. Noticing it now, the food was really good.. it somehow made his worries melt down..
"Know that you're good enough."
Zachary paused from eating. It was the first time in a long while Earl had said something so cheesy like this.
"And you're talented."
Zachary frowned at Earl. "What are you-"
"And-"
"Just what-"
"Gorgeous. You're gorgeous."
Zachary's fingers dropped his chopsticks. It made a loud clanking sound as they connected to the granite counter.
Hearing such words, he couldn't help, after all, but quickly went to the sink and puked.
A fresh-drained and mashed eggplants were placed in a bowl. Kathryn's eyebrows were knitted in concentration as she grabbed the other ingredients, being cheese, eggs, parsley, onion, garlic, and salt, and mixed them all in the mashed eggplant.Professor Lesley was on the roll, checking for each student’s surprise food for the week. She wanted to be surprised, that was what she had always said to her cooking class before giving them exactly thirty minutes to decide and cook their food.Kathryn heard the loud footsteps of their teacher as she carefully shaped the mixed eggplants into patties. Adding a quick few special ingredients, Kathryn rounded the patties in cute tasty flat balls.The heated oil in a skillet was already prepared and so she placed the patties down and waited for them to boil. Professor Lesley
"Fucking asshole! You.. piece.. of shit!""Damn.. you, Zachary!"Zachary was fighting with three other men on the grass. Punches and kicks were thrown everywhere, but despite the number, Zachary wasn't the one to be left behind. Zachary was outnumbered, but the three were clearly outmatched. Zachary was winning the fight.It didn't make Kathryn happy."Zachary! Stop!" Kathryn shouted.Zachary turned at Kathryn, surprised to see her standing there. A fist flew to his face but Zachary was quick to dodge and kick the attacker's stomach. "Fucking shit."The shaking three men staggered getting up, their faces looked like they couldn't fight anymore and Zachary, being the cruel ev
Zachary stared at Kathryn's face full in concentration, her smooth flesh getting in maximum view for Zachary to see as she treated Zachary's cuts and bruises on his face. Zachary's heart was starting to get warmer. Just having to see Kathryn this up close was enough for all his anger, bitterness, sadness, to ebbed away. Just when he was about to touch Kathryn, Kathryn got up."I think you'll be fine after-""No." Don't go, Zachary whispered inside.Kathryn blinked. She couldn't utter a word for a second there and Zachary found it cute. Again, it made his heart swell."I'm hungry," Zachary said. Well, he wasn't really lying, he honestly was hungry. A bit. The sudden growl from his stoma
He slowly turned Kathryn to face him, capturing the younger's lips before she could get back to her senses. Kathryn whimpered, hands pushing Zachary's chest but soon stopped resisting as she slowly opened her mouth and let her and Zachary's lips meet in an intense passionate kiss. Zachary held the small of Kathryn's back, pulling her closer against his body as he kissed her deeper and fuller.Both were moaning as their lips met, with tongues meeting and dancing in an erotic pace, producing a sloppy sliding sound each time they'd try to devour more and more of each other.Zachary slowly pulled away, giving them both time to gasp for air, a trail of saliva erotically hanging in between as their mouths separated. He took the time to look at a panting Kathryn, finding a deep flushed messed-from-a-kiss face of the woman he loved and would forever love, that brought
Awkward.That was the correct and fit term to use as David looked at their seating arrangement in the bus.Chad and Zachary were sitting next to each other. Zachary looked like he was slowly losing all his patience each second, and that any minute he would really attack Chad and kill him. Literally. David knew Zachary was just so capable of doing that. Especially when he proved he could also hurt his own coach.David gulped. He didn't expect Zachary to do that. Though he heard Zachary came after a few days to personally give his apologies to Coach Brix which made Coach Brix be shocked - and scared, he was still getting shivers from Zachary's glare - though he accepted Zachary's apology in the end. Somehow, David already had a clue what made Zachary do that...David, who was sitting just in front of Chad and Zachary, peeked over the two behind again. Chad was slowly losing it too."Aish. Would you please stop staring at me like tha
Kathryn breathed out and breathed in, smiling ear to ear as she inhaled the fresh, breezy air coming from the ocean. She could hear the waves gently crashing to the different rock formations, seagulls flying around, and the boats making splashy sounds as they gently stroked through the water surface."So beautiful!" Her eyes were twinkling excitedly as she bent down and watched from her seat the little fishes going visible through the clean transparent sea."Oh! Earl, look, look! It's Nemo!" Kathryn pointed, her hand trying to grab Earl who was seated next to her in the ferry.Earl looked over and frowned. "Kathryn, it's not Nemo, it's Dory!"Kathryn bent her head closer to the water, unbothered by how the ferry was still running, the fish still swimming with them. "No, Earl, look closer. It's Nemo!"Earl thought it was ridiculous, but it was really a blue tang he was seeing and not a clown fish. He couldn't help
Earl glanced at Zachary, noticing how he wasn't too reacting this time even though Kathryn's name was just mentioned, and answered David. "She’s out with Miss Lesley and a few of our classmates. They're preparing our dinner for tonight.""Oh. And you're here with us?""Well, it was made out of draw-straws. Kathryn was just unlucky to pick the shortest one," Earl laughed softly. Though Kathryn didn't look anywhere near forced to help at all. For all Earl knew, Kathryn was feeling giddy that she was one of the ten students who were fated to make tonight's dinner.David groaned. "Seriously, what's with this, basing everything with draw-straws? I heard the chosen three teams to be together on this trip were made from draw-straws too!"The elevator dinged and the three went out, heading to the Seaside Walkway, a rocky cliff shoreline between islets in the right wingside of Do Island. David and Earl were fully enthralled by the sea, looking at it while th
"Sandra? ...Adelaine? ...Mandy?”Kathryn's eyes glowed through the darkness of the room. She could hear the soft snores from her shared-room classmates, Sandra, Adelaine, and Mandy, going along with the gentle waves coming from the sea outside. There was a rattle of leaves from a nearby tree, showing its shadows through the glass window intruding the room.After calling for the fifth time without having a reply, Kathryn slowly slid out of her covers. The piece of paper Zachary gave her said he'd be waiting by the spiral stairs. That was a bit far from the hotel they were staying at, having an estimated twenty minute walk towards the place. It was getting colder and darker, being past ten in the evening now. Kathryn wondered if Zachary really was there, waiting for her to come.Kathryn bit her bottom lip and got up from her bed. She knew how Zachary could really be stubborn at times. And with the tone of voice he used a few hours ago, there was a 99 p