26

The weekend at Ethan’s parents’ place came to an end. And it was the most wonderful weekend Arthur had ever had in his life. The following weeks went pretty well.

The boys attended class in the day and hung out in evenings and weekends mostly spent by watching movies or going out to different clubs. Ethan had even taken Arthur to a gay club. And Arthur’s experience there was the greatest he had experienced in life. The atmosphere, the aura, and the people and their openness stole Arthur’s heart. It was a whole new world for him.

It was another weekend and the boys had planned to visit a new club and before that have lunch outside. They did not want to see the face of the dorm gates until late at night.

Arthur came out of his dorm room, laughing at the incident that happened just now. Jake had been getting continuous phone calls from his father and Ethan had picked the third call and imitated a girl’s voice. Anyone could guess what Jake’s father had assumed of it. And Jake’s father was enraged by it and was taking the class for Jake.

“What is making you laugh so much early in the morning?” Arthur heard a voice in front of him. He stood there with wide eyes and nervousness creeping through his skin. The voice that could make him lose even without arguing. His father James Perry.

“Dad,” Arthur said with denial in his voice. He had no idea why on earth was his father at his college.

“I think I asked you something,” replied James, while looking behind into Arthur’s dorm room.

“Nothing, just some friends,” Arthur said in low voice.

Arthur’s father, James Perry was a strict and disciplined man. And he implemented it on his son as well. He made Arthur go through some terrible childhood and pressured him to study all the time. As a result, Arthur neither had close friends nor enjoyed a proper childhood or adulthood. James wanted Arthur to take over his company but never made any efforts to ask about Arthur’s wishes or dreams. He was basically a terrible aspect of fatherhood. Arthur’s mother could barely have his son shipped to another state to study. She had begged her husband so that Arthur could see the world and make friends on his own. Arthur loves his mom more than his life. She was the reason for his survival in the terrible environment that he grew up in.

“I see, let’s meet your friends then,” James said and walked inside the room without waiting for Arthur’s reply.

Mr. Garcia, James' aid and one of the board directors of his father’s company, Skyline Infrastructures, was also there. But Arthur had not noticed him until he walked inside his dorm room behind James.

“Uncle,” Arthur said.

Mr. Garcia gave him a known smile, “Come on, let’s meet up with your new friends.”

Arthur followed them hesitatingly.

Inside the room was Jake, who was walking around half naked, his lower half was covered with a towel while also trying to convince his dad that he was with no girl.

And Ethan was laying on Arthur’s bed and did not bother to hear what Jake was talking about on the phone. Arthur’s father looked around the room. He noticed a few drinks bottles and snacks trash discarded in a corner.

The room fell silent when James Perry entered the room. The boys, Kole and Jared went silent and Jake stopped talking on the phone and disconnected the call. The only oblivious person to the surrounding in the room was Ethan.

“Why did ya’ll go mute?”

“Cat got your tongues?”

“Is your papa coming here to hunt you down?”

“I will hide you in a pub,”

When the room went soundless, Ethan asked the questions while continuing to shake his legs with closed eyes.

With doubts, Ethan slowly opened his eyes, which immediately met with an older version of Arthur. He sat up on the bed.

“Dad, they are my friends,” Arthur said softly.

James turned to his son with anger and immediately walked out of the room. Mr. Garcia and Arthur followed him.

“Is this the kind of friends you have made?” James said gritting his teeth.

Arthur shuddered at the frequency of his father’s anger. He swallowed his saliva, “They are all good people.”

“Good people? From which angle do they look like good people? They are all rogues and I am very much sure that you have become one too,”

“Calm down, James. Young people are like this only nowadays. They party hard and also study well. Even Liam parties with his friends,” Mr. Garcia tried to calm James. Mr. Garcia’s son, Liam Garcia has always been a competitor to Arthur. It was more like competition transferred to the next generation. Their fathers' ego and pride were at stake every time Arthur and Liam were involved.

“How do I calm down when he is here making friendship with thugs? Drinking and partying?” James asked. He was fuming like fire and barely controlled himself from slapping Arthur.

“Uncle is right. We party but also study well. My grades haven’t gone down even a bit,” Arthur defending himself.

“I see, now you have got guts to even speak back to me,”

“N-No,” Arthur was not allowed to complete his sentence. James strode out of the dorm building.

“Don’t worry, Arthur. I will talk some sense into your father,” said Mr. Garcia with sympathy.

“Thanks, Uncle,” Arthur said before Mr. Garcia walked out.

Arthur stood rigid in the same spot. He did not know what would be the outcome of this situation. His father was capable of doing anything he wants. For a moment, Arthur thought what if his father asked him to quit this college and go back home.

Suddenly, Arthur felt a kiss on his cheek. He did not have to turn around and look who it was. He smelt Ethan’s scent.

“Come on, I will make you forget this bad omen we came across this morning,” Arthur laughed at Ethan’s words. He followed Ethan back to his room. He made a mental note to call his mom later and talk.