straight as guitar strings!

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟲 [𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵]

"CAN you put this in me after?" Leo asked, and it was like the left and right sides of my brain, even my medulla oblongata, got a jolt.

I almost choked on the toothpaste foam in my mouth because of the surprise. I turned to face him, only to realize that he was just referring to the earrings he got from his pocket.

"Oh," I said with realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"Oh!" he replied, then gently wiped away the leftover toothpaste from my mouth. He slowly shook his head, tut-tutting while looking at me. "What's on your mind, bro?"

"Nothing," I replied. I turned away, twisted the faucet, rinsed my hand in water, and gargled quickly.

After that, I faced him again. I took the earrings and told him I'd put them in. He also reminded me to take it slow because his ear piercing was still sore since he just got it done yesterday.

"Ow, ow, wait... take it slow, okay?" He held my hand tightly, stopping me. Trust me, I tried to insert the earring gently, but I was so nervous now. I didn't know.

"Don't be fussy, I'm about to get it in," I said. After I said that, he loosened his grip on my hand as if I had earned his trust. He even joked that it didn't hurt at all and he was just messing with me. Well, he was trying to act tough.

"Why did you get your ears pierced?" I asked.

"I have an upcoming modeling gig... you know, like a fashion event this month, just to look cool." He said it wasn't his thing, but it's something he's looking forward to experiencing. Well, I told him that's good, and I support him.

He complained a few more times about the pain and advised me to be gentle, but while I was talking to him, he didn't even notice that I had already put his earrings in.

"You're really dense, they'll just ask you to take it off again at the exit gate when they see you wearing it," I laughed at him, shaking my head.

"I'll just hurry to leave through the exit gate later," he replied, and then we went downstairs because the restroom was on the second floor of our building.

When we got downstairs, we noticed something posted on the bulletin board, and the students who were part of the councils had just left after posting them. Leo and I hurriedly approached the bulletin board to take a quick look, but we didn't realize that our gaze was fixed on an audition poster along with the others posted there.

We looked at each other, "So, are we auditioning?" he asked me. "I want to, do you?"

"Of course!" I replied. Me? Shy away from that? Unlikely. I looked at him and caught him smiling at me while staring. "Why?" I asked.

"I was just amazed at how the universe does it."

"Like what?"

"This!"

"This? It's just the student council that printed it, what does the universe have to do with it?" I noticed his eyes twinkling at what I said.

He scratched his head and ran his palm over his face. "The heck! I mean, come to think of this... who would've thought that we would join the same band when we were rivals before?"

"I didn't see you that way before, it's just you who saw me like that." I raised one brow confidently.

He seemed not to argue and just said, "Yeah, I'm guilty as charged of that. You're so freaking innocently-looking, calm, like man, you're so chill and you have all the potential! And that made me a fan!"

I was trying to balance the mood, so I would be like responding in neutral mode. "You hated me first, let's not forget that."

"I was just envious that time, okay? It's not that I'm not admitting it 'cause I really am," he said, defending himself. He looked adorable and cute when he did that. What did I just say? Never mind.

"Okay, so are we gonna film our audition video now?" I asked him, steering the conversation back on track.

"Of course! Wait here. I'll be right back."

I stayed where I was, watching Leo hurry away from me. I didn't know where he was going or what he was doing since he didn't say, so I decided to wait.

While standing there, one of my classmates, Laura, bumped into me. She's one of the coolest girls in my class, and we're pretty close. She's lesbian, by the way.

"Hey! Where's Leo? Why isn't your baby with you?" There she goes, always good with jokes.

"What did you just say?" Her question caught me off guard. Where did that come from?

Apart from her, I didn't mention that Elfin, her friend and also our classmate who's openly gay, was with her. He ran his index finger through his short hair. "Right! Why aren't you with your husband? Oh, don't tell me... you two got divorced?" Then he burst into laughter.

"Elfin, you don't get to joke about divorce!" Laura scolded him. Laura was always that kind of friend. I envy her for always having the courage to stand up for someone, even if she doesn't literally have the courage. Well, I could give one of my balls. Just kidding.

"Oops, sorry, my bad." Elfin's sarcasm was evident, as usual, with the curve of his eyebrows and the tone of his voice, so I didn't respond. Then he suddenly asked, after glancing at what I was looking at, "You're joining the band?"

Not wanting to be rude, I answered, "Yeah, me and Leo."

"Interesting!" His eyes widened, pretending to be shocked. Yeah, always the best actor. He scanned me from head to toe before turning away and rolling his eyes. "Good luck to the both of you! Bye!"

"Thanks!" That was the most awkward 'thanks' I've ever said. I wanted to wash my mouth because it made me cringe!

"Sorry about that," Laura said softly, blowing me a kiss before she was dragged away by Elfin. She said that because she knew about my parents' divorce.

Well, Elfin is kind of frank and straightforward. I get that, and I'm not against his behavior. But if he goes too far, I'll speak up for myself, I guess? He just spoke the truth, though. Fair enough for me not to make it a big deal.

But before they got too far from where I was standing, I heard him say, "Ow, ow, wait... take it slow, okay?"

Laura pulled her hair and told him to stop, and then Elfin said, "Don't be fussy, I'm about to get it in."

I heard Laura scream Elfin's name, cursing him and calling him disgusting. But those words, I remembered them. That was the conversation that Leo and I had in the comfort room earlier. I mustn't be wrong... I remember it all too well.

My feet started sweating, and I felt a slight panic attack coming on, or so I thought. What if Elfin makes up stories about it? What if he takes it against me? My reputation would be ruined! Oh, no!

But before I let those uncertain thoughts consume me, I heard a voice that turned the chaos in my mind into peace.

"Hey! Look! I got a guitar!" It was Leo running with a wide grin, carrying an acoustic guitar in his right hand, raising it up for me to see.