Babe For The Weekend

Chapter 4 - send me running

"I'm sure you'll love it there." Luke tapped his fingers at the wheel.
"I've never sailed before." Joss couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.

The beach was everything Luke had described and more. Luke's parent's were already there when they arrived, eager to greet them before they can even enter the hotel.

"We already book you a room." Luke's dad handed Joss a key card. "We shouldn't waste the day. We'll wait for you two here and we'll sail at lunch."
"Okay. Let's go." Luke intertwined his finger with Joss and they hurried to their floor.

Both of their hands were rough but Joss didn't mind. Holding Luke's hand came off as a second nature to him.

"Luke! Wait!"
They both halt on their tracks, turning to face the girl who's running after them.
"Inka! Heyyy!"
She immediately noticed their hands.
"H-hey.." Her voice faltering at the sight.
"How are you?" Luke asked, oblivious to what Joss was witnessing.
"I'm good." She tucked her hair behind her ears.
"Oh- Uhh.. This is Joss, my boyfriend."
He couldn't explain it but Joss felt his heart swell with pride. He offered his free hand to Inka and she took it wholeheartedly.
"Nice to meet you." He said.
"Nice to meet you too."
"We're heading to our room, Inka. See you later?"
"Y-yes. See you later, Luke." She glanced at their hands one last time before turning her back and walking away.

"That went well." Joss placed his bag on the bed. Luke didn't say anything and just slumped on his back, bouncing a little from the cushion.
"Hey? You okay?"
Luke only nodded in response.
"We better go. Your dad's expecting us in a few minutes."

"We were wondering when you'd get here." Luke's mom said aboard the yacht.
"I'm sure you two will get your time alone later." Luke's dad teased.
"Joss, Luke told me this is your first time sailing." He added.
Joss felt Luke's hand on his lower back.
"Yes." He answered meekly.
"Come meet our friends." He was ushered into the deck, exchanging pleasantries with the strangers.
"We'll have lunch in a bit. I hope everyone is hungry!"
They all cheered to the announcement.

Joss spun around, feeling Luke's absence. It took a moment before he spotted Luke and Inka on the edge of the yacht, laughing together. He suddenly felt uneasy without Luke near him. Something sunk inside his chest and the internal nagging only seem to grow by the hour. The rest of the afternoon, he forced every smile and laugh that his cheeks were hurting come 5 PM.

He looked for him again, this time the two were  seemingly deep in their conversation. It felt wrong in his eyes. Luke was supposed to be with him and not her. He was confused and nothing was making sense.

"I thought the whole point of this thing is to not lead her on. Now it looks like he's even making a move on her." Joss said to himself, gritting his teeth.

"Babe!" Luke called him when the yacht docked at the marina.
That seemed to anger him even more.
"Babe? Hey!" Luke called again but Joss eagerly walked away, increasing his pace in every step.
"Will you stop, please!" Luke yelled and that garnered them the attention of everyone.

"I think your son and his friend are having a fight."
"That's our son's boyfriend. He must have done something again."

Joss hears the whispers around them. And embarrassment suddenly took over him. He stopped, not knowing if he should turn back or keep walking at this point.

"Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?" Luke held him by the arms.
"I don't know.." Joss looked down. "Nothing.."
"What?"
"You've done nothing wrong. I'm tired. I'll get some rest." Joss shook of his arms.
"Babe.." Luke said softly, watching Joss walked away from him.

Luke knocked twice at their room before realizing that he had the key card.
"Where could he possibly went off to?"
He went down to the lounge and asked his parents if they had seen him.
"What did you do now?" His mom asked.
"I didn't do anything." Luke replied almost annoyed.
"Exactly." His dad continued on scrolling on his phone.
"What?"
"You didn't do anything. Did you stop to think that he might have been uncomfortable with us old people earlier?"
"Your dad's right. You did left him sweetie."
"We were on a small yacht. What are you guys talking about? Inka and I were just talking a few meters away."
"And you didn't think to include him in that?" His dad didn't even looked up from his phone, making Luke feel even more dumb than he feels now.
"Now that your dad's saying it, he may have felt out of place here. Oh now I feel bad. I was the one to invite Joss."

He went on a hunt until the sun went down. Joss might have walked around but he did say he wanted to rest. Luke has circled the resort twice and Joss was nowhere to be found. Until he spotted someone by the docks sitting in one of the yacht.

"What are you doing here? I was looking everywhere for you."
Joss shrugged nonchalantly.
"Come on. They'll be serving dinner soon."
"I'm not hungry."
Luke sighed. He looked around and sat next to Joss.
For a while, there was only the sound waves until Luke decided to break the silence.
"I'm sorry." He leaned his shoulder closer and took Joss's hands, lacing their fingers together. "I shouldn't have left you alone earlier. I know it made you feel out of place. I won't do it again. I'm sorry.."

In the chilling breeze, Joss felt the heat from Luke's palm. He brought their hands up to his lips and he kissed the back of Luke's hand.

Luke's chest pounded when he felt it on his hands. He swallowed the air that had gone stuck in his throat. His eyes fixated on one thing and one thing only, Joss' lips. And he could tell he was the same.

Joss averted his gaze back to the water.

The yacht buoyed on top of the gentle waves. Joss watched it reflect the moon on its dancing surface.

"If you're going to kiss me then you better do it now." Luke whispered, tightening their hands together.

Joss stared at his eyes. And continued to watch the moon glimmer in them. He moved closer and grabbed Luke by the nape.

Time stopped now that Luke is around and he could feel his heart beating in his chest. Each beat counting off as they fill the distance. Their lips moved closer inch by inch.

"One.." Joss counted in his head.

"Two.." Luke thought to himself.

"Three.."