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CHAPTER 5

Kapittel 5

Allison huffed, then slowly slid her key card to open her condo's twin doors. The moment they slid open, the first thing she spotted was Brent, lounging his large body comfortably on their large couch while watching television. Allison felt her nerves calm down and her heart beating normally when the familiar warmth of her home engulfed her. She bent down to take her shoes off before strolling towards Brent to give him a kiss on the cheek. He slightly turned his face to see her and leaned, aching for another of her gentle kiss.

"Drew, honey, you look like a mess," he commented, noticing her disheveled look through his peripheral vision before grabbing a handful of potato chips and munching them, his eyes completely focused back on the television. He never got his eyes off the television since he was a kid, which to his companions' abhor, especially that he easily gets distracted by each show that flashes on the screen. He swept his rich brown hair sideways with his enormous hands before fully turning his head to look at her.

She replied with a full sarcastic smile. "I take that as a compliment," before sitting beside him on the couch. Jojo, their pet husky, emerged from the kitchen and slowly trotted towards them. When the dog finally reached them, she placed her soft hands on Jojo's pitch-black and ethereal white fur. The sweet dog wagged his tail, very pleased because of how her hands felt, very unlike the past days, his mother's hands were very gelid as ice and wet with her tears. Now, they're soft and intensely warm. He wasn't used to feeling Allison's hands the way back then, that's why he savored the warmth of her hand by leaning closer. An invisible hand caressed Allison's heart when her fur baby did that.

"It's true, hon. You need to freshen up." Brent advised, now looking at her. She looked into his ocean blue eyes and saw the concern in them. She never dared to open up to him ever since forever. She didn't want to talk about it. She was afraid of the old pain to come back again, getting fresh like it only happened just a minute ago. Thankfully though, Brent understands how she felt that's why he never forced her to open up and kept their friends hushed about Dane.

Allison Drew and Brent Dawson had been friends since they were born. In other words, he was her so-called childhood friend and vice-versa. They grew up together since their parents were the best of friends. A day never ended without Allison hanging out with the Kanes or Brent without going to the Taylors. They were so close to each other that they sometimes slept together on one bed. They may have different interests but they only had one thing in common, which was to never lie, and it was enough for both to become the best of friends. He only told his predicaments to her, and so does she to him. She was even the first person to know that he was gay before his parents. If only their parents didn't know he was gay, they could've arranged for them both to marry.

Allison drew a heavy breath before answering, "Yeah, I guess I need to." She agreed to his suggestion. She went closer to him and snuggled on his chest. Brent put an arm around her back, knowing it was the only comfort he could give for now while Jojo jumped on the couch and laid himself down, making himself comfortable on the space left while Allison and Brent were hugging each other.

Probably bored of the current channel, Brent grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned the channel to the next station that was advertising a certain brand of coffee. The picture of the delicious-looking white coffee made a lump on Allison's throat. It reminded her of Hades Ezekiel Friso de Vries, one of the wealthiest and domineering businessmen in the United States who could get what he wants with just a snap of his fingers. It's been days ever since her encounter with him, and she'd rather forget that fateful day rather than reminisce it. When she realized who he was, she was very embarrassed of herself; she made herself look stupid upon a man who has high regard. She even wished to never see him ever again. It'll just remind her of her stupidity. Surely, if her parents had heard what scandal their unica hija had done, they could've chided and inflicted her with distressing words by now.

She heard Brent whistle, "I wonder if white coffee tastes good. What do you think, hon?" he asked and looked down to face her. He frowned when he saw the expression on her face. She looked like a teenager that just experienced constipation for the very first time, or rather, remembered a bitter memory that she didn't want to remember.

"Ally..." he shook her a bit and Allison looked up, surprised. It was pretty obvious that she's been spacing out. What was she thinking about? Who was she thinking about? Why did she look so scared? Did someone harass her? The guy would rather be prepared for Brent's iron fist.

"Y...yeah?" she asked, stammering, looking like a little kid sulking on her dad's side because of her size, "Nothing," Brent answered as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. Once she felt his lips on her forehead, a tear almost fell. That's what Dane does whenever they part ways, he kisses her forehead. Her heart crumbled in memory of the guy who broke her heart.

"You sure?" she asked for reassurance.

"Yeah," Brent assured then changed the topic, "By the way, Rebecca and Johnsy are coming. They are inviting us to a new bar Johnsy's brother just opened. We're going for a surprise visit."

They have been friends with Rebecca and Johnsy since high school. At first, it was only Allison, Brent, and Johnsy, who befriended them back in 7th grade. But then Rebecca transferred to their school in the second year of junior high and became friends with Johnsy since they were seatmates. The moment when Rebecca saw Brent playing soccer at the field, like a girl struck by cupid's arrow, she immediately fell in love with him. She told this to Johnsy and asked for help who turned her plead down by telling her that Brent was actually gay, but being the spoiled daughter of a rich mogul, the truth didn't give her any blow and instead gave her the determination that she could change Brent back into a man again. Johnsy thought that it would be better if Rebecca met Allison since she was good at convincing people. The two met and it was pretty easy for them to get close because of Rebecca's advantage of being easy-going and her talent of keeping conversations good. Johnsy told Allison about Rebecca's feelings for Brent and her stubbornness. Allison had come to think that it would be better if Brent would be the one to dump Rebecca, and so, they introduced him to Rebecca, much to the latter's ecstasy. She tried her hardest to make Brent like her by flirting and seducing him but was broken-hearted when he dumped her, though, it didn't falter her to give up. Even now that they're in college, she still pursuing her desire of making him a man.

"I don't always go to places like that, Dawson, and I'm not in the mood. You know me. You can go if you want to..." Allison snuggled closer to his chest, seeking more warmth of his body's warmth. Brent was always warm. That's what made her love him more. He could be her lamp when she's alone in the dark. He could be her umbrella when it's raining. He could be her clown when she's sad. Brent was always the one she needed when she was in a state of melancholy, and so was she to him. They are truly best friends, indeed.

"Ally, hon..." Brent patted her back a few times, "We're very worried about you. You look like a disaster for the past weeks and we just want you to have fun. You know, forget about that guy. Have fun. Just dance like the world isn't spinning."

"But Dawson..." she croaked.

"C'mon love, just do this for us, please? You're making us fret," Brent cajoled. His concern was already gobbling him alive.

Allison turned her head and saw Jojo looking at her with the same message Brent's eyes have. She looked over the dog's left eye that has the color of the fresh grass. Her heart melted in an instant. Jojo's green eye reminded her of Jolina, her cousin who died of leukemia. Those odd-colored orbs were the reason why Allison named him after Jolina's nickname because they almost had the same shape and color as the left eye. She even sometimes thought that Jojo was a reincarnation of Jolina because of the eyes. Her sadness was taking her over again, she noticed. She shrugged the thought of her cousin off her mind and made a sigh evade her lips. Her guilt was eating her slowly, like a fire that was burning her delicate, smooth skin." Fine," she muttered, giving up.

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