I wonder where Teo is these days. I always wonder at the end of the day…

Sebastian is alone in his huge room full of paintings and other figurines, the room was messy, full of paint and brushes. He was staring at a picture he’s holding while laying down on his bed. 

I always used to borrow stuff from him to get his attention. I wasn't very good with my words... That's why I started drawing in the first place.

He rubs the picture gently using his thumb “Even though he knows I already have those things, he still lets me borrow them… He must have been weirded out by me. I did that until we graduated” He chuckled a little to himself while reminiscing.

I really wish I could see him again. He was always nice to me. I hold our little interactions so dearly… I just couldn’t bring myself to speak with him properly… Ugh Sebastian… Haven’t you moved on from that one little crush? I’m so hopeless.

Even though the picture consists of Sebastian and his family on graduation day, he wasn’t staring at that. He was staring at someone behind them who accidentally photobombed their picture on that day… Teo. 

♡♡♡

“Mom, I’m going now!” Sebastian yelled, putting his shoes on before walking out of their door. His university is only walking distance, which is conveniently near their subdivision. 

Sebastian puts his headphones on while walking, he had a hard time picking a song but eventually he did. He noticed a newly built establishment near his university. A cafe named Tala*.

The cafe was just a small one compared to other cafe's he's been to, but it's got a cozy vibe to it. Sebastian just felt like the place was calling his name, begging him to go.

A new cafe? Should I go? I don’t usually go to cafes without my sister but… There’s something about it. I have to go.

He decided to check it out for a bit since he still has a lot of time before classes start. He let his headphones rest on his neck for a while, the music not stopping. He pushed his glasses up as he entered the cafe. Just then the song in his headphones suddenly changed. 

“Welcome~!”

Someone very enthusiastic greeted him, his eyes widened upon entering the establishment. He couldn't believe what he saw so he had to adjust his glasses again. It was like a gust of wind hit his face even though there wasn’t any. He paused for a while, trying to absorb the situation. It must be my lucky day!! He thought. He kept hearing the song inside his head.

♫ Dear, I’m scared that we have a problem

Sebastian bashfully walks towards the counter, trying not to be obvious that he’s freaking out right now “U-Umm. Can I-I have hot chocolate?”

Does he still remember me?! We weren’t that close! Argh, please let him remember me!

All the thoughts flow inside Sebastian's brain, hoping, praying, begging all the Gods. He’s still hearing the song in his mind which sometimes catches him off guard.

♫ A man that surely deserves me ~

Oh wow… This customer’s voice is deep and really nice to hear… Teo smiles from behind the counter, grabbing a small menu to give to the customer “Sure sir! If there's anything else, here is our me– Sebastian?!”

Sebastian’s heart skips a beat as he hears his name come out from Teo’s mouth, his face is red as a tomato but his reaction says otherwise, he’s still poker-faced, at least he's trying to be. Everything seemed to slow down.

♫ So I cry and I beg and I pray…

“Teo, hello, you work here?” Trying not to combust, Sebastian composed himself “H-How are you?” Still, he couldn’t help but talk to him. After all these years. Who knew they’d meet at a small cafe like this? 

Sebastian still hears the music from his headphones, it makes him giddier. He thought, Why this song?!?! Goddamn it! AH, fuck! Don’t panic!! Just be normal! Speak!

♫ Love me, Love me

“Yeah, I work here with Laurent! Ah, but he’s out right now, do you know Laurent? He went to the same high school as us but he was from a different section!” Teo asked and Sebastian nodded. Teo was excited to see someone he knew as one of their first customers.

That Laurent guy was always with you… How can I not know him? 

For some reason Sebastian couldn't bring himself to speak up, so he just said “Yeah”

♫ Fool me, Fool me

Teo starts getting a little bit more excited, good thing there are no other customers “Do you study around here?”

“Yeah…” Sebastian blushes even more, feeling shy. He did have a crush on Teo when they were younger but it never bloomed because he never had the guts to actually push through. He's starting to remember their high school days now.

♫ Love me, Love me

Teo suddenly gasped, leaning a little bit closer to Sebastian from feeling too ecstatic, he noticed his actions and immediately moved back “I’m so sorry for blabbing!! What’s your order?"

Sebastian timidly points at the bread and the drink on the menu without even uttering a word. He was shocked to see Teo again after all these years, let alone have a conversation with him. This conversation might be the longest one they had in all the years they were together in high school.

“Thank you! Come again!” Teo waves bye to Sebastian with a sweet smile after giving him his bread and drink. He thought, What a huge coincidence! 

Sebastian’s chest was pounding so hard at this point, he gave Teo a small wave before he went out. He immediately gasped for air, leaning on the wall beside the entrance “Stupid coward Sebastian… Argh” he eats the bread while blushing madly. He put his headphones back in his ears while walking, thinking of Teo, his hands trembling a bit. He keeps speaking in his mind.

He looks different now… He’s got a lot of piercings… He looks more handsome now… I’ve always loved his shiny black hair and thick eyebrows and his smile, Sebastian thought. He sighs to himself. Looks like nothing changed much, he’s still a coward and Teo’s still handsome in his eyes. Fuck… What is going on? Why is Teo here? And… he remembers me…!! He remembered me!!

This time for sure… I’ll try my best, He laughed a little to himself, looking a bit insane on the sidewalk. Try my best? I still like him…? Even after all these years? I’m hopeless. No, I don’t like him! I was just nervous to see him again. That’s all! It’s just been a while since I saw a classmate and it was Teo of all people!

♫ I can’t care about anything but yo–

He’s still hearing the song so he quickly grabbed his phone from inside his pocket “Gah! Stupid song!” Sebastian quickly pushed the next button, his cheeks and ears filled with the color red.

♡♡♡

Teo plopped on the sofa inside the staff room, rubbing both his eyes “I’m sooo fucking tired!” 

“What?! We had like five customers today!” Laurent shouted at him, grabbing a mop “Clean up while you’re doing nothing!" 

“Tch” Teo rolled his eyes at him and buried his face on the sofa, his hair getting messy “There is no mess to clean!” 

Laurent gasped, throwing the mop away “Did you just say tch to your boss?! How dare you?" He pretended to be offended by dramatically placing his hand on his chest.

Teo sighs, finally sitting back down properly, fixing his hair. He said “I saw Sebastian today” looking at his friend, who, for some reason, is always all over the place doing whatever it is he’s doing.

Laurent quickly stopped what he was doing and sat beside him “From high school?! Really?! What does he look like now?” He looked eager.

Teo starts to remember what happened earlier, recalling what Sebastian looks like now “I guess… he’s so much taller than before, way taller and bigger than us. The man had a growth spurt! He used to be smaller and cuter… His brown hair is messier than when he was in high school but it doesn’t cover his face anymore… He used to have hair that covered his eyes back then. He still wears glasses and he’s still a man of few words… His voice is also deep, like… It’s actually so good to hear, so different from when we were in high school!”

“Man, we’re total ass… I never grew after high school!!” Laurent sighed, shrinking on the sofa. He felt so lame compared to Teo's description of Sebastian.

“Speak for yourself! I grew, right? Right?!” Teo scoffs at him, “I do wonder whether it’s just us who quit college… Well, of course those stuck up bitches are probably working in their own companies now” He folded his knees and hugged it. Also sinking in the sofa with his best friend.

“Are we gonna be fine?!” Laurent stood up, panicking, messing his hair up from the scratches “Everybody is in college right now, some are working and here we are chatting in the staff room because we don’t have customers!”

Teo slapped his arm, also standing up “Idiot, it hasn’t even been a week! We thought a lot about this! Have faith!” 

♡♡♡

I can’t believe I saw him again today… How lucky!

Sebastian spends almost the entire time thinking about how he met Teo again. Gushing and sometimes smiling to himself. He finally decides to tell it to someone because he just couldn't keep it in anymore.

Argh, I know she’s going to make this a big deal but…

Sebastian decided to contact his older sister on the phone, texting her about the surprising day he’s having so far. He blushes as his older sister teases him via messages, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit. His thoughts and daydreaming was cut short when some classmates called out his name while walking.

“Sebastian!”

Sebastian sighs and thinks, What a pain. He forced himself to converse with the said classmates since he was in a good mood.

♡♡♡

As Laurent was cleaning in the cafe, preparing to close, he asked Teo “Wanna go drink?” The cafe opens at 10am and closes at 6pm.

“Sure, my ma’s out anyway with her friend for the first time in forever” Teo removes his apron and hangs it near their personal closet inside the staff room, then he added “To the usual place?”

“Yep! Good thing you’re working now, your ma can finally breathe a little. Aren’t you thankful to your boss?” Laurent laughed a little at the end and gave Teo a smug smile while placing his arm around his shoulder.

“Shut up loser” Teo pushed Laurent’s face aside, making him go away “But you’re right, I’m glad she can enjoy going out with her friend again”

I did promise my mother that I’d give her a better life. Sometimes I feel scared… What if my decisions make things worse? What if it’s not making anything better? But what choice do I have? I don’t even have time to be a coward. I have to move, move, move. I want to help my mother. I want to make things better. I want to eat good food and have my own room, my own bed, a house without leaks… I want to live a comfortable life.

Teo continued thinking as he and Laurent locked the cafe doors from the outside. The weight on his shoulders is getting heavier and heavier.

♡♡♡

“More drinks?” Anselma asked Mary “I can’t believe it! Mary in the flesh, it’s been waaaay too long!” as Anselma gets way too hyped, someone entered the room, it was her husband, Anastacio.

Anastacio goes in and closes the door behind him “Sorry I’m late, this karaoke bar was hard to find and work ended late too” 

“Long time no see!!” Mary waved to him, everything felt so nostalgic to her. They were the best of friends in college after all, but after the accident with her husband, they just all drifted away.

♡♡♡

How the fuck did I get dragged into this?!

Sebastian sips on his drink a little bit. Some college friends asked him to come. They’re all in a cute cozy bar near their university, drinking some alcohol. He did know about that place but he was never interested.

Sebastian sighs, I don’t really drink but… He took another sip of his alcohol. Fuck it’s so bad. As Sebastian talks to himself in his mind, paying nobody any attention, two guys walk in a bar making him almost spit his drink.

♡♡♡

* Tala means Star