Chapter 32: The Elroy Golds & The Eavesdropping

It's over.

It's finally over.

That was the first thing to ever cross his mind when the call ended. This hide and go seek situation is over. It's finally over. He, too, mimicked Lily's breathe of relief.

He can feel almost as if a boulder has been lifted off of his chest. For a different reason, he can feel songs ringing through his ears. Maybe a it's not a banner of maturity that he will wave but a flag of justice.

Everything will fall in its place as they should be. Darren let out a small chuckle at that and smiled. Things will get better. He knows it. Things will get better.

This is what he was supposed to think. The case, their future, justice, and self-care. After all, he deserves it. He should just visualize the day his parents will be free and the day he can go out and tell people they are innocent.

Yes, that's right. It's better to think of himself and his parents rather than someone who got no respect to give.

Now, on with the Atty. Elroy.

Darren got so many questions about and for that man. How did Lily and Lee manage to find him? Track him? Why would the Hotel disclose information? How could they find him in the mall?

Well, not technically the mall since Lily didn't say they saw him in the mall. She just informed him that the hide and go seek situation is over. He was last found in Elroy Golds which happened to be his business.

Yes, his business. Darren just learned about that.

And so, Lily and Lee went there and it was brought to them by the shop's manager that he knew they were looking for him like what is that? What does that mean? It's confusing.

According to Lily's statements, Atty. Elroy stopped by there to talk to the manager and informed him that if two persons were to look for him, tell them they'll be meeting him at the lobby of Heart Hotel at ten in the morning tomorrow.

Again, confusing.

Lily and Lee would be meeting him at Heart Hotel at ten in the morning tomorrow.

Let's repeat,

Lily and Lee would be meeting him at Heart Hotel at ten in the morning tomorrow.

Did Darren hear it correctly? Let's repeat once more,

Lily and Lee would be meeting him at Heart Hotel at ten in the morning tomorrow.

Is someone else confused here? Because he very much is. Atty. Elroy was the one who initiated a meeting, the one who scheduled a meeting which meant that Atty. Elroy was waiting for them to get to Elroy Golds. Confusing, isn't it?

Especially when it was told that he doesn't accept cases when he's on vacation. But why would Atty. Elroy schedule a meeting if he won't accept cases when he's not in the office?

Now, if you think about it, it's really really confusing. That would mean that his case has a chance to be accepted? Because if he doesn't, then Atty. Elroy won't be informing them to meet at the hotel, right?

What is this bafflement? He didn't sign up for this mind rattling thing. Well, whatever it is.

-x-x-x-x-x-

When Darren felt himself famished for dinner, he decided to get back down and eat.

His mind is still running and wandering but also ecstatic that maybe he's getting himself a new promising lawyer. This distracting thing around his ankle is starting to get heavy and he would love it when it's taken care off.

He didn't do anything and yet the the opposing side made everyone think he did.

Cruel, he knows. Well, that's just people. Some people are good, some people are bad, some people are kind and some people are cruel. It just happens that the Chu name met wrong people.

Darren shrugged and tried to convince himself to move on. For how many times this day.

This is like the day he was a kid and he was obsessing over the legend of the legends, the real gangsta, real og, the king, Jackie Chan. He was Darren's idol when he thought he wanna be a martial arts artist and later on found out, he's non-binary and decided to support Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande instead and well, maybe throw in some occasional Zac Efron and Tom Felton.

Haaa, love those days.

Darren went straight to the dining, careful not to make a noise.

"Ah fuck"

He stopped on his tracks when he heard Tim's voice. He tiptoed and leaned on the wall.

He is again on a call, leaning on the sink, face down and holding himself a glass of water with phone on the other hand.

Darren looked around the area as if he can find answers on the place on whether he should go or stay.

The latter won. His curiosity is one of his biggest assets. If only he could sell some, he'd be a billionaire in one night.

"You fuckin' know my reason" he sounded upset.

"But it doesn't mean I will" he spoke again after a few seconds.

Darren blinked. This is other kind of puzzle. He's completely curious of things now. Hmm.

"We'll see"

Darren should also see too. He wanna know things. It's bothering him if he's clueless. He feels like an idiot and everyone knows, he isn't. It's Tim.

"I don't fucking want to. I have things to fix here."

His mind is suddenly going back to that thing he already didn't want to think of. Somehow, he thinks he understood that last statement. Maybe the things' he's tryna fix is this thing he messed up? This awkwardness.

That is if he can. For Darren, there's no things to fix since there was no thing in the first place. Maybe they both just got caught in that moment and then suddenly, something brought Tim back in the reality and realized that he doesn't want to kiss him.

Hmm, debatable.

"No"

Okay, maybe he ought to leave now. Forget his hunger.

"Come on. Don't be such a wuss."

Nope, he's gonna stay some more.

"We'll talk about that some time"

"Because I don't fucking want to."

Darren's no longer understanding a thing so he has to go and maybe just eat little later when he's sure Tim is asleep so he moved to go back to his bedroom but not until he heard something that messed up with his mind,

"Elroy. Fuck that fucking name"