chapter 11

The alluring aroma of potatoes with eggs and some pastries filled the air and displaced the usually drab morning feel around the house. Vukan tossed and turned in bed without being able to gain the rest he felt he desperately needed. Having spent the night drawing and thinking of his episode with Oliver, he had only barely returned to bed before hearing the annoying crow of the cockerel nearby his house.

"I swear to God that one of these days, I will wring that chicken's neck!" he fumed before clamping the pillows hard over his ears.

Sadly, it did nothing to halt the cockerel's endless crows before his mother decided to add to his misery.

Hammering into his door in a repetitive manner, she called out from the other side of the door, "Get yourself cleaned up and do everything you have to do for the day and make certain that you are home for dinner because your father and I have guests coming over!"

It had been ages since they had guests over for dinner who weren't family and to the best of his knowledge, most of their relatives were overseas.

"Who on earth are you guys bringing over this time around?" he thought to himself before hurrying out of bed and towards the door in his pajamas alone.

He yanked the door open to the smiling face of his dear mother and a rather mischievous expression on her face as well.

"What are you two planning?" he asked with a raised brow. 'Who is coming over for dinner?"

Agatha Adamson replied, "Your buddy and his family of course. Didn't your father mention it to you last night?"

Vukan's heart stopped beating for a moment and he tightened his grip into the door for support. It almost felt as though his parents had jabbed a spear into his chest and left it in there for maximum pain.

"Do I honestly have to be there?" he asked with a sad face. 'I mean, I might have some important work to do through that period and I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity… ".

He soon stopped upon realizing his excuse didn't seem to make any sense. He would have stopped at the first question.

"If you have to ask, then yes you have to be there… your father has been super excited since he met up with his friend again and I'd love to keep that mood going around this house", his mother replied. "More so, you keep acting like you don't have something to benefit from this as well".

What he felt he had to benefit from the entire ordeal was insults and terrible matchmaking. Even while Oliver's insult had not stopped him from loving the boy, he wasn't sure if he wanted him anywhere near his family.

"Dress nicely, be on your best behavior as always and try to have fun tonight", Agatha encouraged her son. "You never can tell what more might come out of tonight's dinner".

She winked at him and waved before heading down the stairs.

"Bite me!" Vukan mumbled, before slamming his door shut.

He swept his gaze across his messy room and to the drawings he had done over the past few weeks. While they weren't all about Oliver, quite some number of them had been inspired by him. The latest, which depicted a heart being torn out of the chest, had been inspired through their failed blind date. It had also kept him awake for hours into the night.

Vukan fell back into his bed and stared into the empty ceiling, wondering what new calamity the dinner was about to bring him and Oliver. To the best of his knowledge, he had messed up twice and in ways most people were bound to cast him in the most heinous light.

"If only he truly took the time to get to know me", he thought to himself.

He had no doubt that they were going to kick things off. He was certain they could actually become close friends, if and only if Oliver was willing to look past his mistakes. The thought alone brought discomfort to his stomach as he took another look at how messed up his room was.

"It would be crazy to have him see my place this dirty", he said to himself.

It felt like a long reach, but Vukan wasn't in the mood to take any more chances with Oliver. Even if there was a rather low possibility of the boy being interested in checking out his room, he still wouldn't take the risk of being tagged as dirty. He already had other negative names without being known on a personal level.

"Get your shit together", he groaned before getting up from his bed to clean his room as best as possible.

Oliver would spend half the day tidying up, hoping and praying the dinner doesn't turn out to be a terrible idea, just like the blind date. His pride would literally be shattered if his parents were dragged into whatever mess he had going on with Oliver.

"If only he can take some time off that fucking high horse and understand me", he noted to himself before kicking some rumpled paper like a football.

It was quite hurtful at the restaurant that he had not been granted the opportunity to speak. Vukan wished he had chased after Oliver regardless. It was an opportunity he missed and one which he felt guilty for when he got back home. He would do his best to show what he was made of if or when the opportunity presented itself.

It was the least he felt he could do. It was the only arrow he had left in his quiver.

"What if he still acts up?" Vukan conceded to himself.

It was a possibility he would willingly accept too, but he wasn't about to give up though.

***

Dinner time approached and everyone within the house seemed nervous.

Henry Adamson had lectured his family on who Peter Douglas was, their experiences in school and how loyal the man had been to him all through their ordeals and various predicaments. Listening to the man rave about his friend seemed to jitter Vukan's nerves as he wished he could speak fondly of Oliver in such a positive light.

Instead, the little time they had spent together or through which they knew one another was fueled with enough negativity and misunderstanding.

"Do I really have to do this?" Vukan asked, looking defeated even before their guests arrived.

His parents turned to look at him like clockwork, both bearing similar facial expressions. They weren't pleased by his question and he could pick the cue without them needing to speak.

"I know this is some big deal for you, but I'm not just in the mood for it", Vukan attempted to protest.

His father turned to his mother and said, "Speak some sense into your son. I really hope he isn't going to bring us shame during this dinner".

Agatha dragged her son away from the scene where his father's patience was threatening to implode.

Some safe feet away from him, she laid out her concerns. "You should know how much your father values displaying a united front. He needs this dinner to go well not just for him but for you as well and I beseech you not to insult me when our guests arrive".

Vukan wondered what they would say had they known how he had been insulted by the son of their guest.

Begrudgingly, he agreed. "I will be on my best behavior but you guys have to put me into consideration before making these rather crazy decisions behind my back next time".

His mother agreed with a nod, even while he knew it didn't mean she was going to keep up to the agreement on a later date.

"You look good by the way", she smiled before adjusting his shirt by the collar.

Vukan had opted for a less flashy color to help complement his skin tone. Dressing up had taken him longer than usual too, even though his heart was torn about attending the dinner with his folks.

"You need to get yourself under control, Vukan", he noted to himself before hearing his father call unto them.

A car had slowly pulled into their driveway and judging by the make and headlight, it was precisely what his father had spoken about.

"Everyone be on your best behavior… these might be my in-laws if everything goes according to plan", he stated.

Vukan shot the man a rather strong gaze before looking towards the door, patiently awaiting their visitors and wondering what sort of drama was bound to unfold this time around.

On the other side of the door, Oliver cursed his luck and how his sister had failed him. For the first time in a very long time, she had found it impossible to manipulate their parents into doing what she wanted. To make matters worse, he had to forfeit his tickets to a cricket match to her and her friends, meaning he lost on every side there was.

"Tuck your shirts in properly", he heard his mother say to him.

She stepped closer and assisted in ensuring his shirt was well-tucked.

"This night might come to determine and decide a lot of things and I need you to do us proud", she added.

Oliver had done his best to assure them he would be on his best behavior before they left.

"Here we go", his father smiled and giggled like a child on a playdate.

The sight was embarrassing for Oliver but he loved them dearly and knew how much they had given up for him in the past. they always set aside their personal preferences and desires for him and would stand in the face of countless adversaries no matter what the cost was when it had to do with him.

"What if I don't enjoy the dinner?' he wanted to ask, before seeing his father already at the front door greeting his dear friend.

Oliver peeked through from behind, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy he had ridiculed the day before. He wondered if an offence was still being taken, but he wasn't entirely bothered about it either. He wasn't there for Vukan and he would leave the house as he had intended; not indulging the boy and ensuring he kept to himself as best as possible.

"It is good to see you dear friend. You arrived just on time as I was telling my wife that you would", Henry Adamson said in a patronizing manner with no harm meant.

Peter Douglas felt flattered and shared a warm hug with his friend before turning to his wife. "This is my wife, Gemma, and our son, Oliver, who you have heard so much about".

Oliver stepped closer to share a handshake with Vukan's father. He glanced at the quiet plus-sized woman who shared the deep black eyes as Sofia, Oliver's sister. The resemblance was clear, asides the fact that Sofia was on the petite side.

"Come right in… please… please", Vukan's father said warmly.

Vukan dodged behind his mother as best as he could, hoping and praying that he could somehow avoid the entire situation as best as possible.

"This is my wife, Agatha and our only child and son, Vukan", Henry Adamson introduced his family accordingly as well.

Oliver took a moment to greet Vukan's mother and managed a weak handshake with their son before casting his gaze elsewhere to the sight of the beautiful house. The living was exquisitely decorated and there was no denying the simple fact. The cap things off, the aroma circling around the house seemed to trigger his stomach towards hunger accordingly.

"Vukan, I need you to come with me to the kitchen to bring some refreshments for our guests", his mother insisted.

Vukan gladly followed her, hoping to be anywhere but near Oliver, or at least, for now. He felt as though the air was being sucked from his windpipe just by standing there. Cautiously, he peered towards Oliver, hoping to catch a glimpse of the young man without actually being seen. His first attempt worked out well but his second, out of greed, ended in the duo locking gaze for a moment.