Chapter Four: He's in Deep Shit [continuation]

Keith left his phone there. He went to the kitchen and drank water.

"Why are you so red? Are you sick?" Kiara suddenly asked and appeared in front of him out the blue making Keith so shocked to the point of dropping his glass. He wasn't wearing his indoor slipper and he also wasn't wearing his glasses because he took them off before he left his room, as soon as he stepped, he got pricked so deep. He groaned at the pain.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." Kiara panicked and she quickly screamed for help. "Pa!!! Keith's foot is bleeding!!! HEEELLLPPP!!!" It was almost eleven in the evening and the noise made the dogs outside bark as if they understood that their master is injured.

Their parents immediately went downstairs. "What happened?!"

"Keith was being clumsy! He dropped the glass and stepped on it!" Kiara reported.

"You intentionally scared me, motherfucker!" Keith straight the records since Kiara instinctively threw him under the bus even when she's panicked.

"I did not! You were just so red, I thought you're sick, that's why I asked. I forgot about the fact that it's because you're in love!"

"You motherfucking son of a bitch!!! How many times do I have to repeat it? I AM NOT FUCKING IN LOVE!!!" Keith was so angry… he standing with one foot and leaning on the cupboards, he felt that he had to stand up for himself and did it literally that he pressed his other foot on the front near Kiara and stepped into another shard of glass making the former deeper. "FUUUUCCCCKKKKKKK!!!"

The screaming from their house disturbed their neighbors. They usually hear a comedy show, sitcom, or family drama at night time. It was the first time, they're hearing real-life thriller. People can't help but pay attention to the show. Meanwhile, Drake on the other line was getting worried

Keith was sitting on the dining room groaning loudly, his mother was sitting beside him holding his hands. His father pulled the shards of glasses on the sole of his right foot. Kiara was holding the first-aid medicine box, standing restlessly while watching so much blood dripping on the basin. The warm water quickly became red.

"Why would you have to scare your brother, Kiara?! Why do you have to ask why he's so red?!! Be sensible! What reason could there be if a young healthy boy is red in the middle of the night?!!!!" His mother began a lecture stabbing people as if she's blindfolded.

"I am not jerking off Ma!!! I was writing my essay!"

They were just a few centimeters away but their tempers got ahead of them making them lose control and shout so that they can reached out what they want to convey.

"Oh! Come on! Don't deny it!" Kiara teased him.

"You Piece of Shit!!! I'm gonna kill you!!!" His father pulled another shard and it hurts more because Keith couldn't stay still…. "AAAHHHHHH!!! FUCK!"

"Can you all shut your mouth for a bit?!!! You're so loud, I can't concentrate! And you Keith! Your mouth is so dirty! Why do you have to overreact! It's normal for men to do that! You don't have to be ashamed!" His father tried to console him.

Keith snapped and cried like a kid. He has been endlessly teased and embarrassed by his family. It was too much. "Fuck!!! I'm not like that! I keep telling you I'm not! But you don't believe me at all!!! You kept talking and making fun of me!!! My door knob is broken, why the hell would I jerk off when I'm writing my essay?!!! I didn't jerk off!!! I didn't do that shit!!! You can all fuck yourselves but I won't!!! Or you can just break them all and I'm gonna feed it to my dogs!!!"

The tantrum was so loud and absurd. Kiara can't help but laugh, even his father was shaking trying to contain his laugh. His mother was patting his back to comfort him but she can't help but laugh too. The neighborhood were sympathizing with Keith for a while but they laughed at the end.

Meanwhile, Drake who was worried to the point that he wanted to come out of the screen like Sadako so that he can check on him was kind of amused when he heard Keith cry and throw a tantrum. He was curious what kind of face Keith was making. It must be hilarious. It must be cute. It made him feel guilty that he wants to laugh in this situation.

After cleaning the wound, they applied medicine, and wrapped it to stop the bleeding. His father assisted him up to his room and his mother and sister went to his room too. When the door was opened Drake called out his name.

Drake: "Keith! Are you okay?! Does it hurt?!-"

He stopped when he saw that the whole family was looking at him. Keith became paler. He forgot he didn't hung up on this video call.

His father of course recognize the most popular boy who might impregnate one or more girls because he's a notorious player. "Drake Ran? You were video calling Keith?"

Drake was flustered.

Drake: "Ah- yes Mr. Lim."

Keith's mother saw that her son's study table was indeed filled with workbooks and there was also a written essay. She said, "Oh. Keith's telling the truth, He's writing an essay about… "The Effects of Romance on Theatre Plays as a Central Theme". Wow, boring title." She looked at Keith and added, "Change it to "Sensationalized Effects of Romance Genre in Theatre Plays." It will sound more controversial because of the implied negative connotation. It will catch your reader's attention. And by the way, you got creative and strong points but I don't see credible proofs. If I were to judge this, I will use it as a toilet paper." She said when she was just scanning through it not reading the whole thing. Sure enough, it's nice that she's teaching Chemistry instead of Liberal Arts Subjects.

When she saw her son's pale face, she realized how strict she was and tried to coo him. "But this is okay. Teacher Ma is not that smart, she can't even emcee properly. This is a masterpiece for her level."

"Ma, I want to sleep now. You can go back and rest. Good night." Keith's face was pale and his eye brows are about to intersect each other while his eyes were looking down on his feet.

So, his mother put the essay back on the table. Looked at Drake on the screen and said, "Drake Ran, you must also do you home works."

Drake: "I will teacher Lim." He toughen up and tried to smile.

She then kissed her son's forehead and left with her husband. "Goodnight. Don't read too much. Sleep immediately!"

Kiara stayed to observe the guy in the screen. He looked exactly like the type who play as the main character in an idol drama.

Keith looked at her. "Why are you still here?"

Kiara who acts shameless at home is different outside the house. It's hard for her to take initiative and make friends. It's hard for her to voice what's on her mind. So, even if she's mad curious, she smiled and left without putting up a fight. Keith closed the door after and walked to the study table limping.

Drake: "Are you okay?" He sweetly asked.

If you're talking with this voice and this tone, how the hell can I be okay? He then answered,

Keith: "I'm fine. It was nothing."

Drake: "Your eyes are red."

Keith slapped his forehead. Wanting to hide his embarrassment. He just realized that Drake must have heard him throw embarrassing tantrums.

Keith: "I'm not always like that, okay? You see, my family, all of them likes teasing me at home and in public. I'm the youngest. The only thing I can do to stand up for myself is curse. I have to be obedient. I have to understand them. I have to be lenient. But you know, it's been too much because even at school, people keeps gossiping about me. It's too much."

Drake smiled seeing Keith open up to him.

Drake: "It's okay. I cry sometimes too. Men can cry too. You know. It's normal."

Keith took his phone with him, wore his glasses and went to lie on his bed.

Keith: "Are you done with your essay?"

Drake: "I feel like if your work is a toilet paper, mine would be equal to poop. Your mom was so scary."

They laughed. It was really funny.

Keith: "Ugh. It was tougher when I was in grade school. My sisters will do "peer review" on my works. Then my mother, she's like chief editor. Change this. Change that. What the fuck is this? What the fuck is that? So ruthless."

Drake: "Why didn't I know before that you're actually fun to talk with?"

Drake finally gave up on his essay and also lied on the bed.

Keith: "I dunno."

Drake: "It was because you're so into reading and you're not interested with me at all."

Drake 50% explained and the other 50% was a joke.

Keith: "No. it's because you're busy flirting and dating."

Keith jokingly rebutted. But he just ended up reminding himself how straight Drake is. Drake chuckled and agreed.

Drake: "Yeah maybe. In my defense, I just hang out with them."

Keith somehow knew that Drake is strong enough to chat overnight as much as he can play without any care about time. So, he took the initiative to finally end the call.

Keith: "Uhm. Drake. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep."

Drake: "Oh… Okay. Good night. Have a good rest and good dream."

Keith: "Un."

Drake: "See you tomorrow. Don't ignore me tomorrow, okay?"

Keith: "Un. See you tomorrow Drake."

The call ended at last. Keith covered his face with his hands. He wanted to scream, but he can't. He knew he will fuck it all up in the end. What would a closeted gay like him expect from a straight playboy Drake? He knew this will be a clichéd unrequited love. He knew he might get hurt. This is a pattern shown in the novels and dramas he read and watched. But for now he chose to dwell on the butterflies on his stomach. He chose to feel how fast his heart was beating reminiscing that sweet voice calling after him, talking to him, getting to know him. He chose to dwell on this euphoria admiring someone and hoping he would reciprocate his feelings back to him. He chose to admit he has a crush on Drake and knew his feelings will just get deeper and deeper.

The metaphor about toilet paper and shit even sounded so romantic to him. He mumbled, "I'm in deep shit. Fuck."