Teo yawns, staring at the entrance of their cafe “Not a busy day as usual”

“It’ll take some time for our Tala to get known!” Laurent answered back with sass and then hyped Teo up “Let’s trust this bitch! Yeaaah! I’ll keep posting more online videos!”

Teo begins to sweep the floor even though there’s no mess out of boredom “Our customers are usually students from the university…”

♡♡♡

"Welcome~"

"Hey" Sebastian muttered, carrying a small paper bag, he went inside, only looking at Teo and nobody else. As usual, he composed himself. 

Teo's face lights up "Sebastian! Classes are over?" He didn't even notice how happy he felt seeing Sebastian go in. He was probably the only one who cheered up, the other customers got intimidated.

Sebastian nodded, too shy to make eye contact, he stretched his arm to give Teo what he was holding. "I washed your shirt" He pushed his glasses up while staring at the window.

Teo grabbed it and said, "Oh right, you borrowed my shirt" pretending he doesn't remember when in reality, he couldn't take his mind off of it. "You didn't have to wash it" 

Sebastian is blushing at the moment but his face is still dour. "I wanted to" He looked at Teo this time to express his sincerity.

"Well well well" Someone from the staff room came out, clapping his hands, you all know who it is. "If it isn't... nuts and bolts" Laurent made quite a dirty joke without them even noticing. He's either smart or so dumb. It's the latter.

Teo and Sebastian looked at him, all confused and said, "What?" in unison.

"Anyway... what are you doing here? For drinks or for Teo?" Laurent teased them, leaning on the counter with an evil smile. His eyebrows went up and down to both of them.

Sebastian's face turned red as he flinched "F-For a drink!" He stepped back a little.

"Are you going to order some chocolate drink?" Teo asked and Sebastian nodded. He ordered a chocolate drink last time. Also, Teo remembered that he was always drinking chocolate milk back in high school.

♡♡♡

Sebastian is still in the cafe, doing his homework. Teo and Laurent look at him from time to time while serving customers or cleaning counters.

This is the only day that the cafe finally got busy. Customers from the university are going in and out ordering all kinds of things. Being a new cafe in the area really piqued their interests. Also, the fact that the cafe was owned by the Rañin’s, Laurent’s family, helped it to gain attention.

"He's still here," Laurent whispered to Teo, pointing at Sebastian's back.

Teo pushed Laurent's face away from him "He's doing some work... probably" and continued working, trying not to mind his best friend. He knows he’s just going to tease him again. He’s used to it at this point.

"Or" Laurent snickers "He's here for you" He teased Teo once again, trying to get on his nerves.

"Stop being delusional, Laurent" 

Laurent giggles "It's so boring, something has to happen!" He yawns 

Teo just sighs and ignores him, serving another customer yet again. Laurent continued whispering all kinds of things to Teo while he was working.

♡♡♡

A few days later.

Work continued as usual for the duo and Sebastian became a regular ordering the same things every single day except for their days off. On weekdays, Sebastian goes there after 4pm and stays until closing time.

"He's always here" Laurent whispered to Teo "He must really like you" He never fails to tease.

Teo looked at Laurent funnily "Or he just likes our food here? And it's near his university, there's a lot of other factors!" He scoffs, trying to focus on work.

"I'm bored, I'm going inside the staff room to watch porn or something" Laurent joked and went inside, grabbing his phone.

Teo looked at Sebastian doing his work, he looks like he's struggling. Teo then muttered to himself "Damn that Laurent and his teasing, it must be getting to me… Get a hold of yourself…

♡♡♡

"TEO!" Laurent screamed, grabbing all the customers' attention including Sebastian's. There really aren't many customers.

Teo quickly turned to face him "What? I'm serving a customer…” Teo looked at the man in front of him "I apologize sir, what was your order?" 

"Y-Your apartment! It's on fire, look!!" Laurent forcefully placed his phone in front of Teo's face in a panic.

Teo's eyes widened, skimming on the contents of the phone "W-What?!" He continued reading for a bit before rushing out of the cafe.

"E-Everybody! There's an emergency! Everybody out!" Laurent screamed, making everybody scatter and leave except for Sebastian. Sebastian looked at Laurent, waiting to know what happened. Laurent grabbed Sebastian's arm and pulled him out of there, locking the doors of the cafe.

♡♡♡

Teo is on his phone, panicking and calling his mother "Ma! Our apartment building is on fire!!"

“WHAT?!”

Mary on the phone yelled, urging Teo to just get out of there, to stay at a safe place.

"I'll help the others..." Teo said despite his mother’s worried whines, pacing back and forth in front of the building. He hung up and gritted his teeth, a bunch of people running outside, "Are you okay? Is there anybody hurt? What happened?!" 

He just couldn’t leave everyone alone. What if someone gets hurt?

♡♡♡

"Where is he?" Laurent asked, looking everywhere for Teo since there’re a lot of people outside already, the firemen are on the case. There were people everywhere, the sky was gray from all the smoke. Truly, a horrid day.

"There" Sebastian pointed at Teo, they both ran towards him. Teo was sweating and kind of dirty, helping people out of the building and talking to his neighbors.

Laurent and Sebastian start to help other people too, even though the firemen are doing their jobs, the fire still spreads to the whole building. Fortunately, all of the people got out and since it wasn't that huge a building, it didn't spread to other places.

"Our whole building..." Teo breathed heavily, dropping on his knees to the ground, exhausted "Shit!" He felt hopeless. All their valuables. Their pictures. He’s been living there all his life. He didn’t have much stuff but that was all he had and now it’s all gone, gone for good.

Laurent kneeled down in front of him "At least nobody got hurt" He rubbed Teo's back to comfort him. He was at a loss at what to do too.

"Thanks for also helping the others," Teo whispered, feeling weak. On the verge of crying but he stopped himself, not wanting to break down in front of his friends. He felt like choking.

Sebastian looked at Teo then at the smoky building. He couldn't fathom what had happened. It was such a surprise that he couldn't utter words.

♡♡♡

"You can always go here! Please, Mary!" 

Sebastian went inside their house seeing his mother talking to her friend in full panic mode. Sebastian made sure she didn't bother her since it looked very serious. He tried to silently go upstairs, still in shock.

"Remember, you're always welcome here" Anselma said and hung up the phone, she then looked at her son, noticing him before he could leave "Sebastian?" 

"Hey mom" Sebastian greeted her and started walking towards the stairs but his mother called him. He stopped in his tracks, suddenly nervous for some reason.

Anselma noticed that Sebastian's clothes were kind of dirty and dusty "Where have you been?!" 

"There was an emergency with my… friend earlier" Sebastian answered looking at his clothes. He clenched his teeth. How can such a thing happen in just a span of minutes? He still couldn’t believe it, how the fire engulfed the entire building in a blink of an eye.

Then someone came inside the door, "Hey hon" it was Anastacio "Good grief Sebastian, what happened to you?"

♡♡♡

"So your friend lives in the same building as my friend?" Anselma asked, Sebastian nodded silently. She then gave Sebastian a hug, "Oh dear, I'm glad nobody got hurt and you did good helping them out. Good job, Sebby" 

Anastacio drank his tea and said "If we're expecting Mary and her son… There won’t be any room for your friend and his family but we could think of something, don’t worry. We’ll help as much as we can" 

"It's okay. I think he's going to live with his other friend for the time being. I’m going to ask tomorrow" Sebastian said, assuming that Teo would stay with Laurent, he started walking away, saying "I'm gonna go wash up" 

Anselma was still on edge thinking about her friend "I wish Mary and his son would come here. Knowing her, she would want to stay with her evil in-laws" She sighs, feeling beat.

Anastacio almost spilled his tea by laughing "Hon, this isn't a drama show or whatever you call it" 

"Hey, you haven't met them!! I did and they were beyond annoying. They’re evil!!" Anselma scoffed at her husband, making him shut up in an instant.

♡♡♡

"No way!" Teo stood up from his bed and started circling the room dramatically "Ain't no way!" He scratched his head continuously “No way Ma!! I don’t want to go to your in-laws! I don’t even consider them as family!”

Teo and Mary are staying in a motel for the night. There were little things left from the fire, so they didn't bring much stuff.

"Where are we supposed to go? Don’t say stuff like that" Mary asked with a sigh, grabbing her phone in her bag "They're our only choice" 

Teo scoffs, still whining “Have you forgotten how mean they were to you when you and pa started dating?! You told me you got pregnant early and they were livid, they made you a maid at their house WHILE you were pregnant with me!” Teo was starting to raise his voice even higher as he complained “That’s why you and pa ran away when he found out and when he died in that crash–! Do you remember how hard it was for us to visit his grave? They wouldn’t even let us! They didn’t even bat an eye at a child! Me! They don’t give a fuck about us! And I sure don’t give a fuck about them! I’ll keep living like they don’t exist! We don’t need them!”

As much as Mary didn’t want to admit it, it was the truth. She had no one beside her when Tristan died, not even his family. She sighs, her head aching. She continued to scroll on her phone.

Ding.

A text message of hope, perhaps? Mary immediately opened it. It was from Anselma, offering her help, asking her to stay with them for the time being. Mary sighed upon reading it and scratched her forehead. She stared at Teo, not even hearing his whines anymore. He just kept complaining and talking while pacing back and forth inside the room, clearly stressed out.

"Ma!" Teo called and walked towards his mother. "I don't wanna go there. I'll find a way!" 

Mary stares at his son with pity, feeling guilty “I got it, don’t worry and rest up, you had a long day”

♡♡♡

"Sorry man, you know my father," Laurent said, drinking his beer. "He's not going to let you stay with us… And when my mother finds out about it…" He frowns.

Teo went out of the motel and commuted toward where Laurent lives. They're both in a nearby park, sitting on the swings while drinking beer.

"I was just kidding Laurent, I know how it is… I'm so fucking unlucky" Teo drank all his in one go, gripping the beer can tight to the point of destruction "What did I do in my past life to deserve this? I think I’m being punished”

Laurent felt guilty that he couldn’t do something. "Let's go out tomorrow. I'll close the cafe for the time being" He gave his remaining beer to Teo.

"You should give me a raise" Teo looked at him with a laugh and accepted the can Laurent offered. Once again, he drank it all in one go.

Laurent snorted "I wish I could! You know it's only on paper that I own the cafe, but my mother handles everything. I'm basically a worker like you" 

♡♡♡

"Thanks for the paid day off, by the way" Teo chuckled, joking. It was the next day, since Teo and Mary only paid for one night in the motel, they left and placed their remaining belongings at the cafe for the time being.

Laurent gasped "PAID?! You jerk!" He joked, helping Teo organize the little things he salvaged in the staff room.

"So, where are you taking me later?" Teo asked "Also, thanks for agreeing that we leave our stuff here for the time being, we only paid for one night at the motel" 

"No problem man" Laurent said, giving him two thumbs up "So, where are you staying later?" 

Teo shrugged his shoulders "I don't know, she said she handled it already and she said it was near here somewhere, maybe some cheap apartment" 

"T-Teo!" Someone knocked on the cafe, even though it was closed. Teo and Laurent went to see at the entrance.

Both of them simultaneously said "Sebastian?"

Laurent opened the door for him and Sebastian went in, catching his breath.

"I don't have class today" Sebastian said, trembling a little and continued "I thought maybe… we could go out today" He thought maybe Teo was still shocked too, just like him. Going out would not only help Teo, but also Sebastian who was still trying to grasp what just happened.

Teo laughed a little "Guys, you don't need to feel sorry for me. Truth is, Laurent here also offered to take me out" 

Sebastian frowned a little, pushing his glasses back a little from embarrassment "O-Oh is that so?" 

"Then we can all go out" Laurent suggested, nudging Teo "Right?" 

"Fine but I don't want this to be a pity party" Teo sighed "Plus we gotta hurry, ma needs my help by 6. I don't exactly know when we're leaving" 

♡♡♡

"First, I'm going to buy clothes for you! And your ma!!" Laurent was so energetic "My father didn't let me borrow his car so we're going to have to commute" 

"Oh, I should've brought ours then… Should I go get it?" Sebastian whispered, second guessing his words, but the two still heard it.

Teo panicked "N-No need!" He remembered how rich Sebastian was, his car was probably expensive and he felt scared. He would be too conscious to move in such an expensive car.

"Yeah, I bet you've never commuted before!" Laurent pointed at Sebastian "Being a Martin kid and all" 

"A Martin what?" Teo asked Laurent but Laurent was far way too excited to answer.

Sebastian nodded "I haven't tried… I don’t go out much actually…" 

"Are you serious?!" Laurent laughed "I only tried it because of Teo! We used to commute a lot in high school, I didn’t know how to drive then!" 

"It's because I don't have a car…" Teo sighed "I don't even know how to drive" 

"This is going to be exciting!" Laurent said, rubbing his hands together.

Somehow, Laurent saying that made Teo nervous.