Jacob's Point of View

Sherwin clicked his tongue while shaking his head. He also commented with his eyes grinning, "Seems like you two have a lovers' quarrel?"

"Jacob probably did not listen to Ter's advices again... Uh oh.." Dwight tapped my back as if he was comforting me.

I just ignored them and continued to woo Ter as if he's my lover. Well, I'm used to doing this thing as Ter's the type of bestfriend that always gets easily upset even with just the tiniest bit of a thing.

Right now, we just finished eating our dinner and I am sitting beside Ter while trying to bribe him with his favorite ice cream, a caramel one... but it seems like my 'bribe' is not working... he's still ignoring me, acting as if I do not exist right now. He can't even give me a glance!

Every one was looking at us— the three boys are laughing while watching and teasing us, while Aly and Lyra were eyeing the ice cream that I bought, which Ter continues to ignore.

"You two should kiss and make up like what lovers do..." Winston raised his brows multiple times and he acted like he's going to kiss Sherwin, which made me kind of annoyed. I immediately raised my middle finger at the two of them, and they just laughed it off.

Well, I know that they're just normally like this, but there are times where I could not help but somehow feel annoyed and upset at them whenever they tease me and Ter being lovers. Yes, it is already an open secret that Ter is not straight (or heterosexual like what they say), but I am. For me, I find it somehow disrespectful as I know myself that I am straight... that I do not like boys. Besides that, I just can't help but be frustrated with the fact that they can't accept that a straight boy and a homosexual boy can be bestfriends without either of them having feelings for the other one.

"Ter, stop being so stubborn..." Ly rolled her eyes at Ter.

Aly immediately agreed with Ly, "True! The ice cream Jacob bought for you is mouth-watering! I'm craving for it!"

Ter rolled his eyes too.

"You can have it." Ter pushed the ice cream with his hand and offered it to Aly. Aly's eyes twinkled, but I immediately pushed back the ice cream to Ter.

"I bought it for you, and you'll just give it away?" I said, annoyed.

With an annoyed tone too, he replied, "Did I ask you to buy it?"

All of them silently laughed, and I just bowed down my head for a second out of shame.

It seems like Terrence is really mad... so I think I have to stop wooing him for now as he might become even madder than he is right now. This is what I usually do when my wooing doesn't work at first, and it seems like it's effective because after hours of letting him be alone and not wooing him, his mood goes back to normal and his forgiveness follows.

I couldn't blame him for being mad because if he was the one who did not follow my constant advices, I would be mad at him too. It's just kinda frustrating that he doesn't trust my words— I really can handle myself in online dating applications, and I'm real sure I won't become a victim of catfishers like what Aly had experienced. Besides, I won't really let myself be hurt once again like what I experienced with my ex-girlfriend. I already learned my lesson, and I'm certain that I would never ever let history repeat.

"Y'all... maybe we should all drink everything out..." Aly randomly suggested, and the three boys all agreed in an instant. Sherwin's face lit up like there was some divine intervention that just happened, while Dwight and Winston did a high five.

"Uhm... I don't think that's a good idea... my.. my weekly allowance is tight, Mama will surely be mad if I ask for an additional money..." Lyra waved her hand, she even shook her head while her reaction seemed like someone important to her just died.

Yup. This is how much we love drinking alcohol. We're not really heavy drinkers, but for us, drinking alcohol is our way of escaping through what we are currently going through.

To be honest, I want to be drunk right now just so Ter would take care of me and by that, I can show him how I regret not following his advice, but I'm guessing I won't be drunk as I should be the one that should stay sober as these people that I will drink with all have low tolerance in alcohol. Except for Ter.

Yup. We're the only ones that have high tolerance in alcohol.

"I'll take care of your expenses tonight... just be with us and let's all have a drink!" Aly exclaimed and Ly was so delighted by it.

"Alright! Last alcohol get together before we finally head into our college life!" I got hyped by what Dwight just said, so we all cheered on after that. Ter cheered too, but when I gave him a glance and his eyes caught mine, he immediately looked away.

"Ter... you're coming, right? You need to join us because you're only mad at Jacob, not at us," Ly pointed her fingers at Ter, and Ter just nodded... which means he'll come.

Since we are still not that familiar with the place, we used Google Maps just so we could find a restobar where we can drink and enjoy.

As we were walking around this bright-lighted city, Winston told stories about her ex-girlfriend and how laughable their situation was when they were together. It was really laughable because we all laughed about it, even Ter... who's obviously still annoyed with me.

I just let Ter have his 'alone' time and did not bother him throughout that walk and up until we finally found a restobar that fit to our liking.

We ended up at a small restobar that's full of neon lights, and there, we all decided to get drunk.

The four of us— Winston, Sherwin, Dwight, and I immediately sat at the table and ordered drinks, while Aly and Ly were already forcing Ter to come with them at dance at the mini dance floor.

Since he had no choice (as he did not want to be with me right now), he just let Aly and Ly and joined them. They are still sober, but a stranger can mistake them as drunks because of the way that they were dancing.

I wanted to stop Ter from dancing on that mini dance floor as I can still remember how he was disrespected back then when we had our Junior-Senior Promenade by some homophobic guy and I don't want him to experience something like that again, but I can't.

Well, technically... I can, but I know Ter will just ignore me and continue what he wants to do, so I guess I'll just stay here... watching him while having just a few drinks.

Throughout the night, a few girls tried to siy beside me, but I immediately turned them all down because Ter might see me and might become ever mad.

Actually, I really understood where Ter is coming from. I could not blame him for worrying about me using dating apps where our other friend (Aly) got hurt. We saw how broken she was back then... and we she shifted from being the happy-go-lucky Aly to a sad and careless Aly. Good thing, she was able to rise up again... and now, she's happily single and her old happy-go-lucky self came back.

Apart from Aly being single, I might have mentioned that I also got hurt by my ex-girlfriend— she cheated on me, and that made me feel like I really wanted to die. It got to the point where I wasn't eating anything, until I was hospitalized. As usual, they were all there for me, specially Ter— he was the one who really took care of me (it got to the point where he was feeding me like a baby).

I admit, I was able to obey Ter's advice for a while— to not use dating apps, and to not date unless he knows who I'm dating, but since I am a man and my heart is in need and is longing for

someone to love, I wasn't able to resist not using dating apps because my life felt so boring without it! Dating apps made my phone lively and unempty. Because of dating apps, the messages I have with my phone are not just groupchats.

"Hey, you three!" Dwight pointed at Lyra, Aly, and Ter, who were busy dancing while holding their bottle of Soju with some random strangers at the mini bar. Lyra was dancing alone, Aly was slow-dancing with a guy we do not know even if the song is upbeat, and Ter was talking with a guy while his hips and shoulders were moving. The guy looks about our age, and it seems like he's the type of guy Ter might like. I just hope that this guy is not a homophobic or a weirdo. I sighed deeply and took a sip on my tequila.

"Come over here! We all should have a toast!" Dwight clapped his hands and the three were able to notice him, and they immediately came to the table where we're sitting.

"Toast!" Aly raised the bottle of Soju that she was drinking and we all followed.

"To our last drink before we head onto our college lives!" We all said in unison, and our glasses and bottles met each other.

As I drank my tequila, my eyes met with Ter. I was about to smile at him, but then he immediately looked away and went back to the dance floor with Aly and Lyra.

After half an hour, some strangers continued to fill in the restobar, and the three became wilder on the dance floor.

When I saw Ter entertaining another guy that I know his type (but I think is straight), I wanted to stop him from entertaining him, but I couldn't since he's mad at me, so I did nothing but scratch my head and furrow my brows.

I tried to distract myself by talking to Winston and making fun of Sherwin and Dwight who were already fighting their urge to sleep, but I just couldn't distract myself as I saw in my peripheral vision how Ter and that random guy were too near from each other... as if they're going to kiss.

I immediately stood up from where I was sitting and grabbed Ter's hands, as well as Lyra and Aly's hands.

I felt Ter's hands trying to remove my hand from holding him, but I held him even tighter just so he couldn't go.

"That's enough for tonight! Sherwin and Dwight are already drunk, you three should not be drunk because we will be the ones that will suffer later!" I said loudly. The music was too loud, that's why my tone became louder.

Fortunately, the three did not go back to the dance floor anymore. As per the guy who was talking to Ter earlier, I think, he already went home.

And as usual, I'm right.

After an hour, Sherwin, Dwight, and Lyra were dead drunk except for me, Ter, Winston, and Aly. But compared to me and Ter, it was really evident how Winston and Aly were also drunk, they're just not as dead drunk as the others but both their skin was red and their eyes were already kinda puffy. A stranger would probably mistaken Aly and Winston as twins as they kinda look alike— they are both light-skinned, and their eyes are both small.

Since it would be such hassle if they all went back to their dormitories at 1AM (their landlords will probably be mad), I let them stay at my condo and sleep at the living room, where I and Ter prepared a cushion where they all could sleep.

"I don't want to be here in Manila, I want to go back in Bulacan!" Sherwin randomly cried as I tried to put him to sleep.

I heard Ter laugh, and my laugh immediately followed.

"Same... I don't.. I don't want to be a college student!" Aly cried like a baby. Ter and I both laughed.

After I gave them their blankets, I saw Ter making a coffee.

Normally, when he's not mad, he would ask me if I want a coffee, but right now, he did not ask me. He just made one for himself.

Confirmed. He's still mad.

I let out a deep sigh and just went to my bathroom to wash my face and clean my teeth.

After cleaning myself, I changed into my nighttime clothes (just white sando and a boxer shorts), and then I saw Ter sitting on the floor while staring at the wide window that reveals all the tall buildings that surround this condominium building.

I slowly walked into him and grabbed this chance to talk to him and ask for his forgiveness.

If I'm not mistaken, it's already been six hours since he got mad, and we are both not used to having an argument that lasts for more than 10 hours.

Usually, before an argument reaches the 10-hour mark, one of us initiates a serious talk and through that, the problem will then be resolved.

"Hey... Ter, I'm... I'm sorry..." I said as I sat down beside him. "Please don't be mad anymore?" I pouted as I tried to hug him, but he immediately moved away.

I adjusted my position just so I could be near him again and then spoke with my right hand raised as if I was taking an oath, "I promise I won't be a victim of catfishers... and.. I.. I also promise that I won't get hurt anymore by some girls that I like."

"You know that I don't want to hurt you, Ter, right?" I held his hand and wrapped it into mine. "I know you get hurt everytime I get hurt... that you feel sad and lonely too everytime I feel sad and lonely, so trust me, I would never ever do something that would make me hurt myself... because I don't want to see you hurting too. The pain is doubled when I know you're hurting, you know that, right?"

I looked straight into his eyes and continued, "I promise, I'll be careful for you, okay? And if you're worrying that I might forget you if I got myself a new girlfriend, well, Terrence, you're so wrong in so many levels." I laughed. "Forgetting you is impossible because, to be honest, I love you more than I love all of my girlfriends."

After I said that last sentence, his frowning face turned into an annoyed and kinda disgusted face. I'm used to it because he always gives me this kind of reaction whenever I said I love him.

"So forgive me, Ter... please?" I pouted and held his hands even tighter while my eyes are still locked with his.

"If you don't forgive me..."

"Then what?"

"I'll kiss you."

He immediately stood up and slapped my shoulders. "Kiss your ass!"