“Okay… so who did you dream about?”

“It was… Just…some guy.”

The spoon jingled vigorously across the tabletop as it jerked and danced its way down a few centimeters from where it fell.

“Oh….” He choked and stumbled over his words.

I looked at him completely un-amused with lofty eyes. “Is something funny about that?” He looked up at me only to be met by folded hands beneath my chin to form a derisive posture.

“No, it’s not funny at all.” He backpedals his theatrical riposte. “It’s just that I never took you for the kind of guy to be well, gay?”

His palliative response had missed the mark and in turn, only further aggravated me. But instead of giving him a verbal tongue lashing, I decided to avoid an argument and use this as a learning opportunity.

I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts then spoke with great composure. “Alex, in my opinion, labels are for food, not people.”

His eyes became loose, and his dispassionate countenance diminished.

In lucid terms, I tried to explain my position, “What about your sister Alexandra?”

“What about her?” He asked intensely.

“Well, wasn’t Duran and others alike in society labeling her?” I audaciously probed. “I mean, I’m sorry to bring up a sour topic and it’s horrible of me to speak ill of the dead. But that’s the same thing right?”

His unutterable pain creased his lids shut and leaks ran down his cheeks.

“Alex,” I, in a soft tone, pensively reached across the table to console him, “There’s no need to cry. I just think that people should be allowed to be whoever they want to be and love whoever they want to love.”

“Yeah,” He said sniffing his snots back up into his head and rubbing his eyes dry quickly. “You’re right.”

“I know. I usually am,” I shamelessly remarked.

His tears suddenly became Impassive at my jeering remarks. “You really are an asshole. You know that?”

“Yup, I know that too.” I condescend.

He rolled his eyes while wiping away leftover residues and snot. His emotions are far too malleable, I thought to myself. By this time, the evidence of sadness had long been dabbed away. And he carried on by filling his mouth with spinach and rice. I joined him by scooping up some rice and gravy to begin filling the whole.

“So, about your dream…” He obtrusively meddled, “If that’s really how you feel. Why were you so bothered by it?”

My brows rose unintentionally at the strum of his words. My head dipped slightly and I stared up at his unknowing gullible form envisioning my lie. I knew pulling off a reasonable lie would be a breeze. But I couldn’t stop myself from what I was about to do.

“Because…”

I tried to hold back but my emotions took over.

“I didn’t….”

Just stop while you’re ahead…

“Expect…”

Nick… please!

“It to be you….”

FUCK!