The Secret Closet

Final

"Please leave." He didn't ask. He begged.

Mew could only watch Gulf's pained face and abide by his wishes.

He was still confused as to where it all went wrong. He was certain that Gulf reciprocated his advancements. He felt it. He knew he wanted it too.

Never in his life did he expect that he would do such intimate things with a man. He used to hate people who had such relationships and there could even be a small part of him that's still hesitant. However, Gulf was different. He was the one person he was willing to make changes for.

"Have you seen Gulf?" Mew asks after finding the room empty in the morning.

"Oh, he already left. He was fetched by his dad early in the morning because he said he felt very ill. Didn't he say goodbye?" Miss Hom wondered.

"Maybe he told me while I was asleep." Mew lied but he couldn't keep lying to himself anymore.

I need to make this right.

☀️🌻

Gulf pretended as if nothing happened and avoided Mew as much as he can. Every class break he had, he spent it in the student council room— hiding from confrontation and not wanting to do anything with anyone.

But solitude doesn't mean solace. Instead, it causes more displeasure. His mind kept going back to where it all started— the bookstore. His blood boiled every time the flashbacks of harsh words rushed through. It pierced through his heart and has built a higher wall around him.

This is clearly an experiment. A game he and his friends probably decided on. He can't fool me.

Gulf stops eating his lunch when he hears a knock on the door. He hates being bothered but he gets up to open the door anyway in case it was one of the school admins.

But he was wrong. It was the last person he wanted to see.

Gulf was about to slam the door on Mew's face but the latter refused to be avoided again.

"Gulf, please let's talk." Mew struggled to make him listen. Gulf kept moving away not wanting to hear his excuses that he's already assumed as lies.

"Can you stop?! Does it hurt for you to listen to me? Shouldn't you be the one who has to explain to me why we stopped being friends? You just left me hanging for no goddamn reason and treated me badly!"

Gulf shoots him a glare and pulled his arms away from Mew's grip.

"You don't deserve anything, you homophobic asshole."

"What?"

"You think I don't know what you say about people like me?" Gulf's fist clenched in anger.

"You were in a bookstore with your friends that day and I was there too. Disgust spewed from your mouth, resenting those who are slightly different from you. You were even ready to end our friendship, remember?"

"I didn't know you were there. If I did—"

"If you did then what? Would've you change your mind if you saw me that day holding those books. Would've you defended me in front of your friends and take back your words?" Mew couldn't deceive him and say yes.

"If you knew then that I was starting to have feelings for you even if I was so confused and scared, would've you stayed?" Gulf was tearing up while remembering what it felt like.

"Gulf, I was a different man then."

"Don't." Gulf was scarred by what he saw that it made him more insecure than he ever was. He felt degraded and unwanted. He was damaged.