Chapter Six

Jake had a lot of work piled up as Janelle his secretary had emailed him all the necessary work he needed to review so she was able to clock out early. He worked late reviewing work even after most staff had clocked out when his phone vibrated for a text message.

'What are you doing' the text read.

'I'm working' he replied after recognizing the text ID.

' it's proper courtesy to ask back Jake. I've been trying to call why put your phone in DND"

"Cos I'm busy and certainly do not want to be disturbed"

" my call is now a disturbance?" She asked.

" Kiki come on chill" he soothed "...once I'm done I'll ring you up"

"Don't bother. I'll be too busy to answer" she replied angrily and put an end to the call.

Jake continued what he was doing earlier. 'Kiki and her tantrums 'he thought.

He wondered how Owen was doing. These days thoughts of Owen keeps enveloping his senses. He felt at home whenever he was with him. They hadn't seen each other for some days now as they had to manage their work lives.

Home was something he lost at first the moment he was caught with Dean, his first love and totally when his mom died. Him and Dean had met in high school when Jake was 16 and Dean 18. Dean was an all round heartthrob and on the basketball team, tall with dark brown hair and very handsome face. Girls swooned over him as he was so down to earth but didn't date any of them. Dean tutored Jake in science and came over to his home most at times to lecture him after basketball practice. Dean got along well with Rome, Jakes brother though Rome was his senior when he was still in school. In contrast Jake who lived with him his whole life, Rome never got along with though they had just a three year gap in age. Jake crushed on Dean and finally spilled that he loved him and was utterly shocked when Dean also confessed that he liked him too. They started dating and Dean was so sweet to him even though they never had sex.

One faithful day Dean had pecked Jake on the lips for getting a solution right and Jakes mother had chosen that moment to walk into the room and caught them with lips locked. The tray of refreshments she was holding fell down and the glasses of juice shattered and the cookies dispersed on the floor. She screamed and his dad rushed over and was immediately able to read the room seeing how Jake and Dean were looking shocked. He lashed out at Dean and ordered him out of the house.

His father saw him as a disgrace and the biggest stain on the white flag they'd held to the world. His dad was an assembly man and reputation meant so much to him as he wanted to run for mayor.His dad was about asking him to leave the house too but his mom stopped him and rather locked him up in his room. Jake was never a favorite child to his dad and this incident had worsened their relationship. He was grounded for two weeks and those days he didn't go to school. His mom took him to excorcists and pastors to drive out the evil spirit she felt was possessing her son. She'd always look at him with sad eyes and that hurt Jake.

When he returned to school he found at that his mom as a member of the school board had gotten Dean expelled. She had gone further to spread to the school online community that he was a negative influence and Dean had to leave the country as no school was willing to accept him. Jake was forced to stay at the school for the rest of the semester and obviously the news had reached the whole students at school that he was the reason Dean was expelled on the basis of negative influence. So Jake was bullied by them and his friends left him. He managed to get through the semester after which he transferred to another school. In the new school, he had no friends as he preferred being alone.

In college, it was hard to be a loner with his good looks, people kept clinging on to him though he tried to shy away. When he met Jules, she stuck to him like gum and was there for him when he needed a friend. She accepted him when she found out his sexuality and had no discrimination towards him. She energized him out of depression and he loved her so much for that.

*******

He slept off on his office table and woke up from a call from Kiki.

"You said you'd call" She queried.

"Good morning to you too Kiki... besides you said you'd be busy too....and I get we'd reached some agreement"

"Seriously Jake... are you messing with me right now "

"Ok I'm sorry.... I'll call next time"

"Well... I see you've opened an Ig account and I wanted to know why?"

" I felt it was time to be sociable"

"And the time I persuaded you to open you weren't ready to socialize"

"Come on K ....."

" And besides why didn't you follow me .... I see you followed a model. Who is he ?"

"He's .... a friend"

" wow...just wow Jake. I can't believe you fell for their cheap tricks"

"What do you mean"

"I'm sure he's contesting for a fashion stuff and has convinced gullible you into voting for him"

"That's not the case K.....how's your thesis coming "

"Don't shift the subject Jake.... I'm sure of what I'm saying "

"Whatever K" he rolled his eyes.

" My thesis is going pretty well and once the semesters over I'm flying to you... I've missed you"

"I've gotta go now....bye"

Jake thought about how he'd manage with Owen if Kiki came by. Kiki was his fiancée of 7 years now whom his dad had bethrothed to him as the only way he'd forgive him for what he did in the past. Jake had eventually agreed to marry her cause he'd promised his mother on her deathbed out. His mother had begged him on her deathbed three years ago never to come out cause even after all the exorcism and praying, he was still who he was and she feared the world would never accept him for who he was. She never told his dad about her findings and tried to protect her son.

Jake just wanted a lover behind closed doors that he'd hide from the world. A lover who was his and his alone and Owen was the right pick for that but would Owen agree to be a secret to him.