13 : Love?

"Chester let's talk in the back of the building this lunch."

Those are exactly the 10 words that escape from Dave's lips 30 minutes after he came back from the restroom. Chester wonder if it's so important. Dave rarely ask him for a favor or something all these years. Waving the thought away, he continued to walk to his destination— in the back of their building. Before going he stop in the cafeteria to get something to drink. He bought two in case the conversation last long.

He stop on his track as he saw Dave staring in the soft and green grass that's swaying in every blow of the wind. He kinda feel worried, it's been 4 or 5 days since Dave and Steve avoided each other. Actually, it is Dave who avoided Steve. He slightly feel guilty because it's his fault for forcing those two to join his little game. He went too far. Ever since then Dave would be spacing out in class or wherever he's by himself, alone.

The lad who's been waiting patiently look at him. There's no emotion that can be seen in his face. It's pure blank making Chester sighed before pacing to him. He throw the can of soft drink to Dave's direction and sat in the soft grass. Crossing his legs and open the his soft drink.

The back of their building is refreshing and calm. The land is cover of grass that sway in each blow of the wind. There's also several tree that installed randomly. For example, the one in front them blocking the sunlight. The air here is more refreshing and cooling than when they're in the main.

Dave glanced at the latter sitting comfortably in the grass while sipping his drink. He wonder if Chester felt the way he did. Does he feel afraid and puzzled like him too? Does he feel weird for feeling this toward a guy? He took a deep breathe erasing his thought and sit down beside his friend.

"Chester," he hesitated telling him. Afraid it might offend the youngster.

"You know, if there's something bothering you, you must tell me right now. That's the reason I'm here anyway," Chester seems to see through his intention.

"You don't need to answer if you're uncomfortable—

"C 'mon what's with you don't need to answer if you're uncomfortable thing? We've been friends since forever just spill the tea," his friend said impatiently mimicking his voice and words.

Right. Chester is a straightforward person. How did he forget that? It's the one of the thing he admired about him. He wish he can just be like him, able to show his true feelings.

"How did you know you're gay?" Chester stopped from a moment before looking at his friend who gulped, anticipated.

"Well, when I was in the middle school. Rather than girls, I feel attracted to boys. I confirm it when I started dreaming about my handsome classmate."

"What did you dream about?" Dave asked curiously.

"Kissing and sex." Chester said formally as if it's a normal thing.

Dave on the other hand choke from his drink as he heard his friends answer. He look at him with his eyes wide open and the lad just look at him no trace of embarrassment or whatsoever reaction. It's just his usual face.

"What? You asked me," his friend excused, "is this the reason you ask me here?"

Dave shake his head and breathe heavily, "actually this past few days there's something bugging me."

"You feel something weird towards Steve and you wanted to consult me what it is." Chester continued Dave's sentence.

"H-how did you know?" Is he too obvious?

"Bro you're so obvious. You always look at Steve's lips and blush right after," the latter answered as if he read his mind.

Dave blush, he didn't know he is this obvious. Setting aside the fact that he's so obvious he asked, "I'm not sure if this feeling I feel for him is in a romantic way. What if I'm just confuse?"

"Dude did you ever feel the urge to kiss your friend? No, right?" Chester's voice is full of sarcasm.

"Of course not. But, I don't know what is this. This is all new to me. What it felt like to be in love anyway? I didn't know this is this hard" he confessed.

" Who knows? You know, there's no particular definition of love. It don't have a formula or outline to follow to find the answer. It just happen," Dave listened carefully while watching him at the same time.

Dave frown when his friend smile and continue," if you suddenly feel so comfortable toward someone to the point you don't care if you look idiot and feel insecure at the same time, maybe that's love. If you feel bad for him whenever he/she cry to the point you wanted to cry too or whenever you saw her/him smile so bright that you wanted to maintain it and keep it for yourself at the same time, you can call that love too. Love is so complicated but one thing is for sure, if you're afraid to lose that particular someone to the point you can't see the future without him then you're wrecked."

Dave stay silent for a while so Chester talk again, "You know you won't know the answer to your questions if you keep running from them. Stop lying to yourself, acceptance is the key," then Chester wink at his friend and do the peace sign.

Dave make a wry smile,"what's with that?"

"I'm trying to cheer you up since you didn't say anything and you look like you're about to cry," Chester teased.

"Is it mean I'm gay?"

"What? Why are you asking me? It's your gender preference you should decide on your own. Don't let other people decide for you buddy, that's your body."

"Man it's so hard to fall in love," Dave sighed.

"Cheers for that." Chester raise his can that Dave accept wholeheartedly making a cling noise.

"You are so opposite of Leo. I wonder why did you fall for that naïve."

"Well that's because he's naïve," Chester blurted out without thinking.

After a long silent, finally, Chester realize what Dave and he said. He look at his friend, his eyes is about to pop off of its socket.

"H-how did you know?" he stuttered.

"What? I'm not stupid, you know? You're so obvious," Dave smirked.

Chester feel his blood rush from his body to his face. He is sure he's bright red right now. Now, it'll be hard from him to act normal in front of Dave. He low-key flirt with Leo that's why he didn't thought Dave will notice.

"Since when?" he mumbled subconsciously.

"Since we were in 2nd year. I caught you kiss Leo's head in the class. I didn't intend to saw it, I was just about to lock the room back then."

At that time Chester wish a mythical creature will pop up from the ground and kidnap him. He don't know when is that since he always kiss Leo's when he had a chance up until now.