chapter 4

"That's cheesy!" His friends screamed trying to overpower the music in the pub.

Vukan rolled his eyes. "It's just an inspiration for my art and nothing more. You guys need to stop with your cliches."

Jae Sullivan, his childhood friend laughed. "Alright. We believe you, but what if the guy you say isn't gay? What if he is straight?"

"No." Vukan instantly replied. "He is a gay and I have a strong gut feeling about it." He paused and observed his friends hiding their smiles. "Idiots! I know what you are trying to do. Let me get this straight. The guy was just my inspiration for the art and I don't care if he is straight or gay. It's not like he will be my boyfriend or something."

Tanya, the red-haired free-spirited lady with deep blue eyes glaring right back at him laughed. "Okay, let's stop teasing him. At Least it's good news that he will be staying in the Art School. Just one more year Vukan and you can finally graduate."

"Yeah! So how is your traineeship going on?" He questioned his friends.

Jae and Tanya sighed. "You are damn lucky to drop out of this law school. We are dying with this never ending case studies. I am sure that I will be an old man by the time I become a Lawyer."

After a few talks they brought the drinks to their table and started drinking in a competition.

"Vukan! Vukan! Vukan! Vukan!" the cheering voices continued as they grew louder and louder until Vukan had no choice but to bend to their request.

It was always the case when he was around the trio and there was no stopping them once they got into the current mood they were in. Vukan held up his shot of tequila, smiled at the trio seated by his side and around his tale, before downing it in one fell swoop. His head felt a light buzz rampaging through, while his eyes shut to accommodate the stinging taste left in his mouth and throat.

"Shit! That was hot", Vukan confessed without opening his eyes until he was certain the taste had completely left his mouth.

"Come on, don't be a pussy", Jae muttered.

Jae, a renegade in his own way and a rather troubled kid with endless battles at home, was someone Vukan had managed to connect with over the years. Their episodes were often volatile before maturity slowly swept in to calm things through. More so, he was someone or at least one of the first few to accept Vukan for who he was and what his personality entailed.

Jae always fancied a nice time and surely knew how best to have it.

He shot a wink at Vukan and tilted his head to the side before murmuring, "You might want to keep your eyes straight and don't turn to the side".

His words held some manner of confusion for Vukan, who could very well see the girls seemed to have picked up on it too. Tanya, nodded in attestation to what Jae had said.

"What?" Vukan asked innocently.

The looks on their faces had transformed without a doubt and he could very well tell something had triggered it.

"You remember Harry?" Alicia, the most reserved of the trio asked. "Well, Harry is just some feet away from you with his friends as well".

The thought of it sunk Vukan's heart. He wasn't scared of Harry or afraid of actually seeing him, but the conditions under which they had met and parted ways wasn't something he wanted to engage at a time like the one he was having with his friends. In fact, he had steered clear of Harry for obvious reasons and that moment didn't seem like the right time to stir unnecessary things up.

"Fuck me", he mumbled underneath his breath.

The table fell silent momentarily before Jae shrugged and spoke. "Come on. Screw Harry or the fact you guys had a one night stand. This is your party and we came here to have a blast".

Vukan cocked his head and did the best he could to remind himself that he was there for Jae, Alicia and Tanya.

Tanya drew closer from where she sat, sipping from her drink and grinning wildly as she asked, 'So, how is Caldridge School of Art? Are there cute guys there? I bet there are cute guys there. Gist me, come on".

"Someone is having some kind of rush", Vukan giggled while he shook his head.

"I hear they've got some really nice looking guys up there", Jae interjected. 'More so, Vukan is single now and should have his eyes out".

The four shared a brief laugh while Vukan distracted his mind from the thoughts of Harry.

"It has been fun though but I haven't made new friends yet… that should take some time", he replied.

Jae nodded his head slowly and replied, 'Well, we know you. Just don't take too long to adjust to the people there. You will need them, but we are still always here for you when you need us".

Vukan could trust in them and he smiled as a response to the show of solidarity they always had for him. They would spend the next hour reminiscing on the past and how far they had come before a subtle cough and someone clearing their throat close to the table prompted Vukan to look up.

"Oh my… ", Vukan thought to himself on the inside without showing any expression on his face.

His lips trembled tenderly but not in a manner to show he was uncomfortable.

"Harry", Vukan managed a bogus smile. "I didn't know you were here".

Harry, an athletic figure who was two years older than Vukan, waved back and smiled. "I spotted you some minutes back but wasn't sure if I soul came over, seeing you had company and… ".

The girls shared a brief exchange with one another before fixating their eyes on Vukan. Vukan couldn't quite tell what the expressions on their faces were about, but he needed Harry to leave before souring the mood to his party.

"Well, we are having a close thing going on here. It was nice seeing you though", Vukan managed a weak smile before looking away.

His actions could definitely be termed as rude but he didn't seem to care. He was over whatever had happened between them and he wasn't in the mood to alter the perfect time he was sharing with his friends.

Jae snickered and whispered, "Someone is actually learning to become tough all of a sudden".

Vukan wished he could explain what exactly it was that he was feeling. He wished he could tell his friends how the party and their current outing was a saving grace from the hellish situation things were with his father back at home.

"Shut up, Jae", Vukan teased before getting up from his seat. "Can we dance or are we simply going to drink ourselves to stupor all night?"

The ladies shared a brief look with one another before getting up and walking to the dance floor with Vukan. Jae remained seated, sipping from his drink and depleting it totally before joining them on the dance floor. The DJ went wild within seconds, prompting Vukan to cast aside every worry he had at heart, and focus on dancing the night away with his friends.

"I'm really glad you guys forced me to do this!' he screamed atop the blaring sounds of techno music in the background.

He needed a good time and that was exactly what he planned on having with his friends.

***

Some Tables Away

Drowning in his own thoughts, Oliver Douglas replayed the events of the previous night in his mind in a closed loop. The urge to head off to the bridge and to cast a coin into the river still baffled him, considering how much he would pick logic and reason over fantasy at every given time. Had his friends not mentioned doing it and believing it to work a few times, he never would have sought to try it.

Regardless, since he tossed the coin into the river, nothing about the day felt different. Nothing about Central Canzos felt any different yet.

"Hey, Douglas", someone called on him from his left hand side. "What's going on with you?"

Oliver looked up, his green eyes shining brightly with worries, and his thin lips managing a weak smile as he brushed his blonde hair backwards, shrugged. "Nothing. I might need some more drinks from the bar".

"Are you sure?" his close friend Isaac asked. "You've been mute since we picked you up from your crib".

Oliver shrugged once again, excused himself and headed for the bar. He would rather drown himself in more alcohol than sit silently without anything of purpose to do at the table with his friends. His mood sucked for the night and being at home working on some architectural designs wouldn't have been a bad idea.

Regardless, it had been a while he spent some much needed time out with his friends and he figured it wouldn't hurt. More so, the atmosphere was ripe with young guys like himself and very much interesting to watch others make a mess of themselves after a few drinks.

"Excuse me", a built-framed guy with dark hair tied into a ponytail and stretched down his back spoke as he brushed past Oliver with his friends.

Oliver stepped backwards, grating them enough room to pass while he received his drink from the bartender.

"Oh shit! I am so sorry!" a red-haired lady apologized upon causing Oliver to spill his drink.

Oliver fell silent momentarily as he took a good look at the damage done, His sneakers had barely escaped the alcohol assault which his pants suffered.

"It is okay', he assured her while deeply resenting her mistake. "It is fine".

He watched her hurry away to meet with her friends, while he dusted himself clean with some paper towels given to him by the bartender.

"Crazy night", Oliver mumbled to himself. "Crazy fucking twenty-four hours".

He thought about how he had walked the lengthy process from his house to the bridge, tossed his coin with a heartfelt wish into the river and now having drink spilled on him and not even being able to do anything about it.

"If this is what my coin gets me, then luck sucks", he mumbled before heading back to his seat looking disturbed and a tad unhappy.

He watched the lady and her friends dancing wildly on the dance floor without an atom of worry on their faces.

"Where is the drink?" one of Oliver's friends asked him as he turned his attention away from the lady that caused him to spill. "You were getting a bottle for the table, so where is it?"

Oliver remained silent for a while before finally shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't think I'm feeling the mood tonight", Oliver informed his friends. "I might need to go home soon or something".

He paused and waited for some response from his friends but they seemed to be in accord with everything he had just said.

"I knew we should have dropped your ass off back at home", Sammy, his long term friend muttered. 'You always know how to kill a buzz".

Oliver smirked, turned away from his friends while they chattered and giggled aloud. All he wanted was a good night, but it didn't feel as though he would be getting one regardless.

***

Vukan struggled to contain his breath as Jae and Alicia wore him down. They danced through the night, barely taking a moment to stop asides for the intermittent drinking. Hammered but still in control of his senses, Vukan realized it was exactly what he needed since the last episode with his father.

"You have someone checking you out, Vukan", Alicia pinned closer to Vukan and muttered in his ear. "Dude has been on your tail all night long".

She broke off and cackled aloud before sipping from her glass. Vukan looked over his shoulders to see Harry's teasing eyes learning intensely.

"What the fuck does he want now?" Vukan asked himself as he watched Harry approach him on the dance floor.

"Hey", Harry muttered with an extended arm which Vukan left unattended to. "I was hoping we could talk in private".

Vukan looked around the room and then settled his gaze on his friends who weren't far away. "I'm trying to have a nice time with my friends right now and I don't want to be rude but you are killing my buzz".

Harry snickered softly, took a step back and then two forward as he slipped his hand around Vukan's waist. "Come on. You cannot tell me you didn't miss me after our one night together".

Vukan unlocked himself from Harry's grip, and looked down for a moment as images of the heated night coursed through his mind once again. The night had definitely been awesome and they spent it far into the early hours of the morning, but that was all it was and nothing more. More so, he had chosen not to call or even speak with Harry ever since and he wasn't going to until Harry walked over initially.

"Please, let this thing go", Vukan pleaded as best as he could. "People have one night stands and they eventually go their separate ways".

"Is that it? Is that all it was to you?" Harry asked, sounding pained and somewhat with disbelief.

Vukan looked up and into his eyes with so much determination not to get himself emotionally bullied. Granted it had been some time since he was in a relationship with anyone, he wasn't about to let himself get trampled upon.

"It was a one time thing and nothing more", he confessed as vividly as possible. "We agreed afterward and you and I spoke about it the morning before we parted ways".

The discussion had been brief but it had also held some form of understanding for the duo. They weren't meant to pick up affections; they were both in troubled places during the ordeal and Vukan had hoped the relief from the night would help shunt their worries for a while. Jae and the girls soon raced over, looking worried and concerned for their friend.

"What is going on?" Jae asked.

Vukan stared at Harry, expecting him to speak or at least explain. Harry simply cocked his head, held up his hands and smiled without uttering a word initially.

"I should leave you guys alone then", Harry finally said as he pulled away.

Vukan let off a huge sigh of relief as his friends pulled him away towards a secluded corner.

"Did you guys hook up after that one night?" Alicia inquired.

"Hell no!" Vukan protested. "He is acting like a lover boy now but back then he acted so mature".

The mood around had suddenly gotten drab and Vukan couldn't help but blame himself.

Alicia smirked and handed him another drink as she said, 'At least you stood up to him and called his bullshit".

The words seemed to bring a cheer to the group as they returned to the dance floor to cast away their worries, while Vukan still couldn't shake off the worry about Harry thinking something could come through between them. Granted, he was somewhat handsome with really cool features. His job as an engineer paid well and his ability to have a good time in bed was equally admirable.

Regardless, Vukan was tired of such shallow-minded guys, because it was what he saw Harry as right off the bat. He was older, more accomplished, but with a vague understanding of personal space and respecting emotions. He had pestered Vukan with phone calls and endless messages after their one night stand.

Vukan had recalled having to bar Harry's digits before running into him at the party tonight.

"Don't think too much about it,'' Vukan whispered to himself. "Don't think too much about it".

***

Hours later, Vukan and his friends returned to their car, having had a wonderful night and with the desire to head home. It was almost midnight and by the look of things, they were out past their allowed time.

"Is that someone on your car?" Alicia was quick to point out as they approached the parking lot where Vukan's car was parked.

Vukan felt his stomach sink into his chest as he spotted the undeniable frame.

"You have got to be kidding me", he said while he pointed at a tipsy looking Harry slowly climbing down from the car and walking in their direction.

"Why are you doing this to me?" an uncoordinated Harry asked as he finally came face-to-face with Vukan. "You made me fall in love with you and you're not even going to regard or accept my advances?"

Somewhat embarrassed, feeling uncomfortable and unsure of what to say or how to go about the current ordeal, Vukan looked to his friends for some assistance.

Jae stepped forward and grabbed Harry by the arm, trying to lead him away. 'This isn't the place to do this, buddy. It isn't the place at all'.

Harry shrugged Jae off as though he was nothing before squaring up to Vukan as a group of people were pouring out and heading to their respective cars.

"I love you… I fell in love with you and I swear this isn't some dumb affection or something", Harry attempted to work his way into Vukan's head.

Vukan shook his head aggressively, shrugged Harry off in the process and screamed, "I can never love you! Can't you get it into your thick skull that there is nothing between us and that there will never be anything there!?"

The massive crowd around suddenly halted and silence ensued right after the outburst. Vukan, reddened in the face with a clenched fist and an influx of anger building up on the inside, attempted to walk away but Harry pulled him back by his arm.

Angered by the act, Vukan shoved Harry, prompting him to stagger backwards and fall on his behind. "Get the fuck away from me you freak! You don't mean shit to me and never would!"

Jae stepped between the duo while Vukan fondled his pockets for his car key.

Alicia waved at the crowd, attempting to disperse them as she muttered, "Nothing to see here… move on now".

Feeling slightly embarrassed, uncomfortable by the occurrence and by the number of people whose intentions the altercation with Harry had managed to gather, Vukan needed to leave as soon as possible. He fondled his pocket for his car keys some more but realized he had left it inside.

Gutted, he mumbled in disgust, "This night cannot get any worse".

He raised his head, turned around and prompted towards the door before halting at the sight of an even more disturbing occurrence. Standing in the doorway, having witnessed everything that had transpired some minutes back with Harry, was none other than the "bridge guy" Vukan saw the other night by the river.

Vukan's heart sunk into his chest, his stomach felt empty and began to churn with despair, while his eyes locked its gaze on "Oliver Douglas" without being able to simply peel his gaze away.

"Fuck me", Vukan muttered with a great deal of despair and shame.

Those deep green eyes continued to stare at him with some measure of disappointment behind them, just before Oliver Douglas broke his gaze away and headed to his car. Petrified with the feeling as though his knees were about to give up on him, Vukan wished the night would come to an end already. He wished he had not come for the party with his friends in the first place.

Those green eyes would haunt him for the remainder of the night. The innocence he had seen in them at the bridge over the river, seemed to have been replaced with some form of judgment. His cellphone rang immediately and called his attention to his pouch where he had tossed it. It was Sophia calling and he could only assume that word had gotten to her about the unfortunate incident.