Life's Interesting This Way
#2 of Luxuria's Coffee N' Cakes
Written by TwistedSnakes
Commissioned by Luxuria
Chip was fourteen when he first snapped at his teacher. She was soaking wet, mildly stunned at his audacity to open his water bottle and splash its contents at her. Not that Chip minded: she got what was coming to her.
What was more annoying for him was the trip home after the principal called his mum over, had a "good long talk" with her before sending both of them off. He was now stuck in the passenger seat, listening to his mum incessant nagging.
"God wouldn't want you to do that," she said, "You're supposed to show His love to the people around-"
"Mum," Chip drawled, "You don't even believe that crap." It was true: while she worked as the personal secretary for the head pastor of one of the biggest churches in the region ("Second biggest in terms of membership count, but in terms of offertory we lead by a large margin," his mum would brag to her friends from time to time), she was merely going through the motions, performing rituals that held no meaning to her other than the approval of those around her.
"That's not the point," she chided, "Don't you want our neighbours to think of you as a good Christian boy in a good Christian family?"
"I know you do," Chip shrugged nonchalantly, "But not me."
"I'm still your mother, young man, so you better listen to me when I tell you to behave, do you understand?" she was getting more and more agitated as she gripped the steering wheel tightly with her manicured fingers, each of them painted a different shade of orange and yellow with a cross in the middle of them ("A reminder that my hands are instruments of God's will," she had earlier told her colleagues).
Chip rolled his eyes. That was the cue for him to tune out as his mother began her endless tirade of how he should listen to her because she knows what's best for him and for the family. How cultivating a good image and reputation among his peers is important. How one day he'll look back and understand all the sacrifices she had made for him.
He sighed. He loved his mum, but at times like this, she could really get on his nerves. Chip took out his earphones and pushed them into his ear, trying to block out his mother's voice as he began blasting music that his mum would never understand. Maybe it would be better if his dad was the one who picked him up from school instead. Imagine a family-oriented father who put in the effort to balance both work and family, who poured his heart into spending quality time with his children. Then take the opposite of that. Chip's dad was someone whose soul was sold to the corporate world a long time ago for a hefty annual salary with fat bonuses at the end of each year.
Perhaps that's why he'd much rather be with his dad now. His dad had a hands-off approach to family. If it were his dad here, their conversation would go something like this:
"Why did you throw water at your teacher?" his dad would say.
"She deserved it," Chip would reply.
"Hmm, I trust that you had a good reason to do it. Just don't get expelled," his dad would reply, "Well, even if you did get expelled, we can get you into Androw School instead, the additional cab fare can't be more than a ten dollars extra each way anyway."
Then the rest of the car ride home would consist of them sitting in silence rather than Chip ruining his hearing as he tried to drown his mum's voice out.
"Take a look at your sister, she listened to me and now she's working as a pilot, earning a lot of money. A shining example of a good Christian girl."
Chip sighed again. She'll be fine after she gets some time to cool off. He pressed the button to increase the volume of the music but it was already at the maximum. Instead, he settled for rolling his eyes. His sister again. Don't get him wrong, he had no ill-will towards his sister. In fact, he loved his sister the most out of all the members of the family. But she'd be away for days as she flew an aeroplane-load of passengers to another continent before flying another load back.
In a few years' time, he would come out to his parents about his sexual orientation: the reason that his teacher started the argument in the first place. His mum would think he was joking and his dad would brush it aside. Nobody took him seriously anyway.
For now, though, Chip sat quietly in his mum's car, lost in heavy techno beats as hoarse vocals screamed about enchanted unicorns going on Viking adventures.
Life's interesting this way.
Chip was twenty-two when he was sitting on the high bar stool at the kitchen counter in his sister's house. His sister was grumbling as she was bent over the washing machine, shoving in a bundle of bedsheets that were marked with an unidentified, sticky substance. Unidentified because his sister wouldn't say out loud what it was, and because Chip wouldn't say who.
But if he were to tell his sister the truth, the cause of the stain was a guy he had met on a dating platform. They had hit off over the past three days, enough to know that they wanted to take it to a sexual level. Or as Chip puts it, "making carnal introductions". And the guestroom at his sister's place was much better than his room at home for situations like these. The record for him was when he managed to invite three other guys over for a passionate org-
"I don't know why I put up with you," she sighed wistfully. Chip knew exactly why: they were like best friends, enjoying each other's company as they traded secrets. It helped that they both shared a mutual love for men, something which came up a lot in their conversations.
"I was going to clean up after," Chip shrugged, "Didn't know you were going to come back early."
"Lies," his sister retorted as she closed the door of the washing machine. "The last time I came back in the evening, the dirty sheets were still on the bed. From morning," she complained, "Morning!"
Chip opened his mouth to apologize but his sister interrupted him. "Forget it," she tapped the start button, letting the washing machine do its job as it spun the sheets around. She went into the living room and grabbed some shopping bags from the couch before coming back into the kitchen and dumping it on the kitchen counter. "I got some stuff for you," she started smiling excitedly, "From Sungeol."
"Aww, you didn't have to," Chip grinned back. But if he was honest, he'd be really disappointed if his sister didn't get him anything. He had started looking forward to the loot from his sister's shopping trips where he got designer shirts, jeans, jackets, and accessories from foreign places. He liked new clothes.
"I got you this span slacks to go with your beige sweater," she took out some umber-coloured pants and laid them on the table, letting Chip feel its soft material and appreciate its cutting. "And there's this grey denim jacket I saw in the shop window that immediately reminded me of you, so I bought it."
"Didn't know they sold jackets for cock-sucking," Chip jested.
"What? They don't-" she started before realizing that her little brother was telling a joke, "Nevermind. But seriously though, we shouldn't be discussing oral sex so openly."
"Why not? You seemed pretty eager to trade tips the last time we talked."
"Not at the family dinner table!"
"That didn't stop you."
His sister sighed in resignation. "True," she conceded, closing her eyes.
"So have you tried it?"
"Tried what?" she opened her eyes as she turned to him with a puzzled look.
"You know, licking along the ridge just under the-"
"Yes," she immediately cut him off, "Got it. And yes, it was good." Despite her curt tone, her face was turning red.
"So did you try it with your boyfriend?"
"D'uhh, who else?"
"You know, the other guy who came around asking for you two weeks back when you were on another flight."
"Just a friend. You're one to talk anyway," she whipped a pink pastel sweater at Chip, "At the rate you're going through my sheets, I'd think you were running my guest room like a brothel."
"Aww, thanks," Chip grinned back.
"Anyway, I got you this too," she took out a folded article of clothing, tossing the baby blue fabric at Chip who caught it in mid-air.
"It's a blouse?" he unfolded it and looked at it incredulously.
"Well...I thought it'd be funny..."
"I love it," Chip nodded at her.
"Wait, really?" now it was her turn to stare incredulously.
"Yeah, thanks," Chip got off his seat to give her a hug before trying the shirt lon. It fitted his form really well, giving him a flattering curve around his hips where it tapered off. His sister was getting better and better at choosing feminine clothing for him.
"Looks good," his sister nodded approvingly.
"Haha, thanks, sis," Chip grinned at her again, "Anyway I think I'll donate my older clothes to Heart and Souls. I got a lot of them now."
"Since when did you care about poor people?" his sister scoffed.
"Since started volunteer work, like, three years ago? But not that you'd know, you're always on one flight or another," Chip exaggerated his sigh and giving her an exasperated look.
"Shush, you're beginning to sound more and more like mum," his sister rolled her eyes.
"How could I ever match up to my 'good Christian sister'?" he retorted mockingly.
"Oh, stop it," she rolled her eyes again.
Both of them sighed as they looked at each other wistfully. His sister finally broke the silence. "Come here, you," she held her arms open to hug Chip again. He hugged her back, feeling awkward as his short stature meant that his sister had to bend over to reach him.
He loved his sister. The snarky banter. The secrets they shared past midnight. The complaints about their own guy problems. The clothes she bought for him.
In a few months time, he would buy yet another shirt on a whim, wearing it out of the shop. After that, he would proceed to spill a cup of mocha frappucino over it within the hour, followed by buying another shirt to replace it. The stained shirt would then be donated to Heart and Souls by the next hour.
For now, though, Chip enjoyed the warm embrace of his sister as they stood in her kitchen, thankful for each other's companionship.
Life's interesting this way.
Chip was nineteen when he was on his bed sucking off his boyfriend, Dale, for the umpteenth time. He had read up a technique where he had to form a tight grip over the base of the shaft, gently jerking it off while he half-sucked, half-kissed the tip, and since then had been eager to try it out.
His boyfriend of two years was moaning from behind the hand he had cupped over his mouth, trying to hide his pleasure from Chips parents. Perhaps he should have waited for another day when the house was empty. Still, the technique was working and both of them were enjoying themselves, making the risk worth it. Perhaps the risk was what made it all the more thrilling, Chips heart beating loudly in his chest as he bobbed his head up and down over Dale's member.
He loved his boyfriend to bits and their sexual connection was just another way to show it. His own member was throbbing excitedly, eager for the anal sex that usually came after. He called it the "anticipation of love".
In a few minutes' time, his parents would walk in on him and realise that he wasn't joking when he said he was gay. But that wouldn't be their source of displeasure. Instead, they'd reprimand him for not keeping the door locked while he 'did it'. Indecent exposure and all that. And they'd never let him hear the end of it while he walked around the house in boxers, and their nagging would fall upon deaf ears.
For now, though, Chip was lost in the moment, hungrily devouring the delicious shaft of meat before him, sucking it with his rapid thrusts like there was no tomorrow.
Without warning, the door opened and someone took half a step in, only to freeze at the sight of Chip and Dale. There was a momentary pause as his mum struggled to get her thoughts together. Then came the scream.
"Chip!"
Life's interesting this way.
Chip was twenty-five when he was smiling at a customer who had just walked into the café. The wooden interior gave a soft, quaint look to the place, accompanied by the low hum of the air conditioners.
"Welcome to Coffee N' Cakes!" he chirped.
It must've been the customer's first time in the shop for he was staring blankly at the menu, pondering over what to buy. "What do you recommend?" he asked.
"There's coffee, tea, and me," Chip suggested with a seductive wink.
"Uh huh," the customer gave him an odd look, "Where are your cakes?"
"We don't sell cakes here," Chip replied, "But if you want I can introduce you to-"
"You don't have cakes?" the customer looked at Chip in disbelief.
"Nope."
"So why is this place called 'Coffee N' Cakes'?"
Chip shrugged, "It just is."
"Fine. Just...just give me any coffee."
The customer proceeded to pay and Chip brewed a fresh cup of hazelnut coffee melts. Only when he was seated at a table sipping on his drink that Chip went back to daydreaming. He had broken up with his boyfriend of three years just a week ago. The experience had left his world a little duller than before as if it were painted with muted colours than the brilliant hues it was just the week before.
Another customer came in, carrying a heavy-looking backpack. Chip would've passed him off as a backpacker if not for that fact that he seemed local.
"Welcome to Coffee N' Cakes!"
"Hi, can I get a cold brew?" he asked. Chip could see a sense of tiredness in his eyes. A tiredness that went beyond fatigue.
"Here, it's on me today," Chip offered, holding up a marker pen to the plastic cup, "Can I get your name?"
"Oh, thank you so much," the customer bowed, "I'm Levi."
"Least I could do," Chip flashed him a smile, "Take a seat."
Minutes later, the barista was seated next to Levi at the wooden table, making conversation as he tried to cheer him up. Levi, like him, was batting for the other team, except that his parents weren't as supportive. His brother let him stay over but the small apartment room was too cramped for him, his brother, and his brother's boyfriend so he took his leave after a few days of recovery. As of now, he had no home to go back to, no friends to rely on. Alone.
Chip wasn't going to leave things this way.
In a few hours' time, he would help Levi get a job at the Coffee N' Cakes. One of the spare rooms on the second floor would come to be something Levi called home. And they'd sell coffee, tea, and "cakes" for years to come. Along the way, they'd become the best of friends. Inseparable for life.
For now, though, Chip comforted the distraught Levi who had started to cry on his shoulder. He put his arm around Levi, giving him a reassuring squeeze as he ignored the awkward glances of the other customer.
Life's interesting this way.
~ End ~