Complications

Last week's fiasco with Alex where I realized that I wasn't ready to let go of him just yet didn't stop me from continuing to date Nico and Lyndon. As a recently single gay man in this city teeming with all sorts of gay men, what else was there for me to do except to keep dating in the hopes of eventually forgetting about my ex. It wasn't the most rational of decisions I admit, but when we're heartbroken and horny at the same time, we're not exactly capable of thinking rationally, am I right? So if dating Nico and Lyndon stopped me from thinking about Alex too much, then at least that solved the problem for a while. Until of course those moments when I would find myself alone and I start thinking of him again. 

Because Nico lived in Pasay and Lyndon lived in Mandaluyong, dates with Nico were usually spent at the recently opened SM Mall of Asia, and dates with Lyndon were spent at Shangri-La Mall. That was my solution to prevent them from ever bumping into me while I'm on a date with the other. Of course the more ideal solution was full disclosure. Because Lyndon knew I was dating Nico, it was only fair to let Nico know that I was dating Lyndon too. But that wasn't a conversation that was easy to bring up, and honestly, I wasn't ready to face Nico's reaction yet if I told him. 

With both Nico and Lyndon asking me out on a date at the same time this week, I decided to go with Nico because I didn't want the memory of Alex on my skin to be replaced by that of Lyndon's. I wasn't ready for that yet. But what I should have known was that Lyndon was stubborn, and what he wanted, he made sure he got. By now, he knew which mall Nico and I always went to, and as Nico and I sat down for coffee, there he was coming towards us.

“Hi guys,” Lyndon said.

“Oh hey, are you with someone?” Nico asked.

“I was supposed to meet someone. But he canceled on me,” Lyndon said.

“I didn't know anyone ever did that you. You remember Earl?” Nico asked.

“Yeah, from the party right?” Lyndon asked.

“Yeah, hi,” I said as we shook hands.

“I'm not bothering you am I?” Lyndon asked.

“No, it's okay. I feel bad about your date. How about you join us? We're going to see a movie later,” Nico said.

“No, I can't do that. You guys are on a date. I'm just gonna go home. I was only picking up coffee before I go when I saw you guys,” Lyndon said. 

“It's fine with me if it's fine with Earl,” Nico said.

“Is that okay Earl?” Lyndon asked.

“I guess,” I said. 

“So you guys have been seeing each other a while huh,” Lyndon said.

“We do, don't we?” Nico said looking at me. 

“Anything special this Valentine's Day?” Lyndon asked. 

“I'm not off until the 17th,” Nico said.

“That's too bad. Are you guys exclusively dating?” Lyndon asked.

“We are. Right Earl?” Nico asked.

“I won't mind if you date other guys,” I said. 

“Do you?” Lyndon asked Nico.

“I'm happy with just Earl here,” Nico said. 

If I could only kick Lyndon under the table without Nico noticing I would have immediately done so. He was really being a jerk, but there was nothing I could do about it than go along with the situation. I decided to step back from the conversation and let them do the talking. After we left the coffee shop, as Lyndon was buying the tickets for the movie for the three of us, Nico pulled me back out of Lyndon's earshot. 

“Hey, I'm sorry. I just feel bad that his date cancelled on him,” Nico said.

“No, don't worry about it,” I said.

“But you're being awfully quiet. It's not like you,” he said.

“I just don't know Lyndon that well,” I said.

“Are you sure it's not because I asked him to come with us?” he asked.

“No. It's fine really. It's actually sweet of you to do so,” I said.

“I'll make it up to you next time okay,” he said. 

“No you don't have to. Really it's fine,” I said.

“But I want to,” he said. 

If I could just disappear right then and there from the shame and the guilt, I would have.

Inside the cinema, Nico sat between Lyndon and me, which was what I had hoped would happen. But a few trailers short before the movie started, Lyndon made an excuse that he didn't like where he was sitting so then he transferred beside me. When the lights finally dimmed, as Nico and I held hands, Lyndon started to brush his leg against mine. When I moved my leg away, he started to brush his arm on my arm. And when it got especially dark, he sought my free hand and pressed it against his hard on. I slowly withdrew my hand without directing attention to myself. Nothing more than that happened, and after the movie we all walked towards the taxi bay. 

“Why don't you share a cab with us since we're all going the same way?” Nico asked.

“I'll leave you two alone. It's bad enough that I spoiled your date,” Lyndon said.

“Don't be silly. Just drop me off at Pasay Rotonda and you can drop Earl off at Evangelista and the cab's all yours,” Nico said. 

“I don't think Earl wants to,” Lyndon said.

“No, it's fine. Let's do that,” I said.

After Nico got off the cab, Lyndon put his arm around my waist. 

“Now wasn't that fun?” he whispered in my ear.

“What the hell's wrong with you? How could you do that to Nico?” I asked.

“Well how could you?” he asked. 

“I didn't do anything,” I said.

“Exactly,” he said. 

“Kuya U turn tayo sa ilalim ng Magallanes interchange. Sa Evangelista na kami pareho bababa,” he said to the driver. 

“No,” I said and moved away from him. 

He moved closer to me and I felt his hand slide across my waist and down to my behind. 

“I get hornier when you resist me,” he said as he squeezed me. 

“Please don't do this. I feel guilty enough as it is,” I said. 

“What he doesn't know won't hurt him. And I'm sure you're not telling,” he said and then he kissed me on the neck. His other hand went to my crotch and he began to touch me. I did nothing to resist him further. 

Thankfully, the elevator was full. But sadly, the hallway was deserted, so as I unlocked the door to my apartment he stood behind me and he pressed his hardness against my butt. 

My phone rang as we kissed in the living room. 

“It's Nico, I have to get this,”  I said.

“Give it to me,” he said, and then he turned the phone off. 

I turned the phone back on as soon as he left, and not a few seconds later, it rang again.

“Is he gone?” Nico asked.

“I'm sorry,” I said.

“You just failed the Lyndon test,” he said.

“What?” I asked.

“That's his thing. He gets off on stealing boyfriends,” he said.

“Then why did you let him come with us?” I asked.

“Honestly? I thought you'd be different,” he said.

“I'm sorry,” I said.

“It's not entirely your fault. And besides, look at him, who could resist him right?” he asked. 

“You deserve better than me,” I said.

“Are you going to see him again? No, don't answer that, now that he's had you, he's going to just stay away anyway,” he said. 

“I'm really sorry,” I said.

“So am I,” he said.

And then the line went dead.