The Older Man (BoyxBoy)

Ten

DON'T BE QUICK TO GIVE UP ON THIS CHAPTER

ENJOY!        

Ollie

           A lot can happen in the span of a month. Let’s see. In the span of a month, I resigned as an intern from Stone. In the span of a month, I received my Bachelor of Science in Advertising. That took some serious persuasion and hard work. To accomplish that, I had to take a course for five hours every day for two weeks at a different college than the one I attended, and then I had to get the credits transferred. I finished college in two years and nine months.  In the span of a month, I got a job at an advertising firm that is just starting up. They needed recruits as fresh as the business itself. All I had to do was convince the board to buy something they didn’t need at all. Easy. In the span of a month, I moved out of my ex boyfriend’s apartment to my brothers, and in two weeks, from my brother’s to my own.

            In a month, I became a free and independent man.

            The thing that I love most about my job is the fact that I can work from home. Which is exactly what I do most of the time. I’m only required to go in if I’m working on a group assignment or I have a presentation, like tomorrow. My stomach grumbled heavily, reminding me that I once again worked through lunch and forgot to eat. Opening the freezer, the first thing I saw was the bag of tilapia. I took two out and put them to thaw, checked if I had potatoes then went back to work.

            My presentation took another hour to finish. The fish was long thawed by then. I worked on my presentation while I made dinner. At the end of my meal and everything, I was sure I would nail this account.

            I went over the presentation once more before showering and heading to bed. The usual routine followed, the one where I pick up my phone and browse all social media networks that I am a member of until my eyes fell like they were falling out. My heart went into overdrive when my phone slipped and almost landed on my face. I caught it just in time. Looking back on the screen, I accidentally opened the main gallery photo album.

            Ian’s pictures were there. A lot of them. I slowly browsed through them, reminiscing and admitting to myself for the umpteenth time that I miss him. He should be married now. I have not one trace of anger or hate towards him. I accepted what was and I let it go. I had spoke to him three days after I found out about his engagement. He didn’t deny anything and after that, still asked me to stay with him. That was the worst part. I cried like a baby just for that. I bid him goodbye and I haven’t spoken to him since.  As much as I have accepted it and I move on everyday, it hurts. It hurts to the fucking core of my being…especially when I remember how I felt when I was with him.

            One by one I deleted his pictures after looking at them. My eyes stung more as his pictures got fewer and fewer. All was deleted. I swallowed the lump in my throat and dried my eyes and my hairline with the palm of my hands. It was easy to fall asleep. I was tired.

            “Alright,” I said, sitting on the top of the desk next to the hand that belongs to the CEO of the account I’m trying to land. “You’re married, right?” He nodded but seemed skeptical of where I was heading. Participation is good, my man. “Can you remember a time before you were married when you used to wrap up the big man every time you took him out for a ride?” I nudged him twice with my shoulder to get my point across. He grinned. You pervert. The look quickly disappeared when he noticed the members of his team looking at him questioningly.