PROMISES AND LIES

Chapter 3

Web drives home his best friend. While in the car, Web noticed friend is a bit upset.

Web grabs his hand and presses it.

"Hey, what's with that pouty lips?"

"Web, I don't know how to put contact lenses."

"Hahaha. Is that all?"

"Why you are laughing?"

"You're cute and funny. Look at you in that duck pretty face," Web smile while saying it.

Sean pulls down the sun visor mirror and looks at himself carefully tilting his head left to right holding his jaw. He then fixed his short hair and asked.

"Web, you are the only person who told me I am pretty. Am I not handsome?"

Web heaved a deep sigh and speak.

"You i***t bunny, you are pretty because you are beautifully handsome."

"Ayyiee, my best friend knows how to comfort me. But you know what?"

"What is it bunny?"

“You are the most handsome on our campus. And I have never seen one outside the campus either. Hihi."

"Hmmm...so I am handsome to you?”

"Of course you are, always," Sean said and made the last word in a whisper voice but enough to hear by Web.

Sean made a serious face staring at Web when he said that and Web's ear tips quickly turns red and just focus on driving without any expression.

When they reach Sean's home, Web parked the car and close the engine.

"Eeeehhh? Web?"

"Why, you don't want me to stay?"

"I want, I want. I was just surprised."

"Good." Web get off of the car and open the door for Sean and unbuckle the seatbelt for him.

"There you are my prince, you can step out now. It is safe to land your feet on the ground." Web act like a castle guard.

"Ha-ha..thank you, my king." Sean rides Web's imagination and steps out from the car.

Web take the paper bags and Sean's backpack and lock the car.

"Auntie, good afternoon. Oh, it's almost evening. Where is uncle?"

"Web, he is rendering overtime lately. I'm glad you are here, please have your dinner here. I made some dishes ok."

"My pleasure auntie."

"Oh, son. What happened? Where are your glasses?"

"That is why I am here auntie, I will teach him how to wear contact lenses."

"Oh wow. Yeah, you should, you know how clumsy is our Sean."

"Mom, can you not embarrass me in front of him?"

"Ehem, son, Web is not a stranger to us, right? I guess you even shared each other's fart smell, don't you?"

"Eeewwww, he has the smelly one." Sean teased his friend.

Web just smiles remembering the days he will fart inside the car without notice to suffocate and stop Sean from talking too much about his crush.

But those crush Sean mentioned was just his lies and imagination to make Web jealous and it's effective. Web will take his revenge in a stinky way.

Before dinner, the two do their homework in the living room first and have their dinner afterward. While eating dinner, as always, Sean serves him first.

"Here, try this." Sean picks a pod of sweet beans and feeds it to Web.

Web feels awkward and a bit shy in front of Mrs. Evans but she just smiles and nods.

"Is it good?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"Yes, auntie.." Web answered after swallowing the crunchy vegetable.

The two enjoyed the dinner with Mrs. Evans and they help clean up the kitchen. When done, they sit together in the living room and watch TV while Sean is leaning his head to Web's right shoulder. After few minutes, Web remembers the contact lenses.

"Let me teach you how to put the lenses properly." Web shakes his shoulder to let Sean move.

Web stands up and Sean lazily stands up and starts to walk up to his room and Web followed.

"Mom, we will go up," Sean shouted and he just hears his mom saying yes and they continue to walk upstairs.

This is not the first time Web gets into Sean's room. When they are doing homework together, doing projects, or just playing video games and Web slept over here many times. For them, it's just a normal bonding time of friendship. But deep inside their heart, it's a romantic memory they always wanted to share and remember.

Web take the paper bag with bundles of contact lenses boxes.

He opened one and pick a pair of them and prepare it on the center table of the sitting area. They go to the bathroom and wash their hands. Sean sits on the sofa facing Web.

Web showed him how he should properly hold and put the contact lenses carefully without hurting his eyes. Web tried to put on his left eye first. Sean takes a deep breath because he knows, their faces will be inches apart and Web's bare hand will touch his face.

"Open your eyes wide and look up.." Web said and Sean obeyed and start to place the lenses carefully and successfully.

"There, how does it feel?" Sean blinked his left eye many times.

"It's fine, place the other one again."

"Mn." Web pick the right lenses and his hand that holding the lens suddenly trembles when Sean blew his warm breath and fanned on his lips but still, he successfully place it on Sean's right eye.

Sean blinked his two eyes and smile. He then cupped Web's face and stare at him.

"Wow, you are brighter than the star Web, you are glowing like white jade and you are more handsome now. Hihi."

"What else?" Web ride on his compliments.

"Your brows are perfectly brushed naturally, your eyes are beautiful, the nose bridge is perfect, you have a nice jawline and a tempting pair of plump red lips," Sean said and massage Web's cheeks with his palm and twist and stretch it like he is playing on a stretchy toy.

"Are you happy, done, and satisfied?"

"Ah, yes yes. Thank you Web..." Sean let go of Web's face.

"It's nothing. Don't sleep with lenses, remember."

"Yes, now I can see you better even you are far."

"Good."

Sean picks up his phone and checks if he received a message.

"Are you expecting a message from your chat mate?"

"Huh? No, no. We didn't talk after yesterday, only that profile I tell you, that's all."

"I see.I remind you. Don't trust, ok."

"Yes, I'll remember that."

"Then I'll be going, it's late already."

Web bid farewell to Mrs. Evans and his friend.

"Sean, don't sleep with lenses."

"I will not, I will not."

Sean pinches Web's cheek once more and closes the door of the car and taps it.

"Bye, see you tomorrow."

"Bye, take care, and keep safe."

"I will."

Sean waved when Web starts the engine and drive until the car disappears in his sight.

"Ehem!" Mrs. Evans is standing at the main door.

"Mom, what do you mean by that?"

"Son, I am not against it. I will be happier if you are happy with your choice ok, that's what I mean."

Sean understands his mom but he is afraid Web might reject him.

Sean just gets into his room when he received a message.

@: Hi, how are you doing?

&: I'm good.

@: That's great. Want to share some happenings today?

&: Nothing much, it's just my eyes are hurting.

@:That's bad.

&: Yeah so I need to rest my eyes now. I'm sorry.

@: No problem. But can you be my chatmate?

&: We are chatting already so I guess?

@: Yes!

&:???

@: I'm just happy.

&: Why?

@: You accepted me as your chat mate.

&: Well, I can't promise to be here always. But ok, it's official. We are chat mates. goodnight.

@: Goodnight.

Sean goes to the bathroom and removes the contact lenses. He is not used to it so he can't stay long using his phone.

He lay back on his bed and think of his friend.

Web...thank you.

Sean woke up still feeling sleepy and dizzy. He taps the alarm clock on the nightstand that keeps beeping. He tried to reach his glasses forgetting it was broken already. Sean taps his forehead when he tilts his head to see where is it only to realized he replaced it with contact lenses.

He gets off the bed and arranges it like no one sleeps on it and smiles. There. Sean walks straight to the toilet and does his daily routine. He brushes his teeth and freshen up and went down direct to the kitchen.

"Web!?"