Victims of Forever

He checked his inbox once more and saw a reply from Kiran.

Babe, sorry for the late reply. Had my hands full today. Can't wait to see you tomorrow! I love you too xx

Gavin smiled. He wanted to call Kiran but decided against it, seeing that it was already late and Gavin was tired himself. Gavin went to bed, and not before long he was deeply asleep.

ooOoo

Gavin and his family went home early the next day, and Gavin wasted no time and went out to go to Kiran's house. Kiran texted him sometime earlier that his parents wouldn't be home and told Gavin to let himself in when he'd come over. Gavin went directly to Kiran's bedroom and saw that Kiran was still asleep under the covers.

Gavin took off his shoes, then made his way under the covers and crawled on top of Kiran, kissing his cheek. The movement caused Kiran to wake up and he slowly focused his eyes on Gavin.

"What a great way to wake up," Kiran began, "you missed me?" he asked, then kissed Gavin passionately, his hand going down Kiran's body.

Taking off each other's clothes, they ultimately rode in waves of pleasure, their bodies a tangle of limbs as every moan, thrust, touch and kiss showed just how much they missed each other.

A few minutes after their lovemaking Kiran extracted himself from Gavin and went to the bathroom. Gavin was still lying on the bed when he felt Kiran's phone buzz from the bedside table. He looked at the phone and saw that Kiran had a message. Gavin started dismissing it when he looked at the phone again and saw the photo of the one who sent the message.

It was Xander.

Curiosity getting the better of him Gavin opened the message.

Hey, just woke up. Had a great day yesterday, let's do it some time again!

'Hey babe, are you hungry? I cooked some—," Kiran started saying, then stopped when he saw Gavin holding his phone.

Gavin's sight was red with jealousy and a bit of anger, "So this is what you meant by having your hands full yesterday? You had your hands full of Xander?" Gavin accused, his voice menacing.

Kiran flinched, "Look, I can explain. Xander has no idea that we're together, and seeing as you did not go with him to the movies yesterday he came to me and invited me."

"You could have at least texted me what you were doing!" Gavin shouted, "Did something else happen between you yesterday?"

Kiran started to say something when the phone rang again, another message from Xander. Kiran tried to wrestle the phone away from Gavin but he was too far, and Gavin has already read the message.

By the way, you really are a good kisser. I want more where that came from.

Kiran tried to reason, "Gavin, please—"

"SHUT UP! Save your explaining for someone who will listen. We're over!" Gavin shouted. He put on his clothes, and then hurriedly went out of Kiran's house.

When Gavin arrived home he threw himself to his bed, tears of anger and frustration flowing uncontrollably from his eyes.

ooOoo

The next week Gavin was back in class, the second semester already beginning. Their professors, thinking that the students already had their fill of breaks, loaded on them heaps and heaps of school works and projects that Gavin wasn't sure if he could finish everything before the deadlines.

It didn't help that it was already known to the whole school that Kiran and Xander were already a couple.

Gavin couldn't help but feel betrayed, but then blamed himself for not being true and forcing their relationship to be covered under layers of lies and deception. Due to the unending workload that their professors also gave them he wasn't able to talk to Kiran as much as he wanted to. His pride, however, prevented him from talking face to face to Kiran. The fact that kiran and Xander were always together made it harder for Gavin to corner him and demand an explanation.

An opportunity came a week later in the form of Valerie. One of their projects had their class divided into groups. Gavin was disappointed that Kiran wasn't in the same group as him, but had another idea when he found out that Valerie and Kiran were in the same group. Walking to Jamie's apartment after class one afternoon he talked to Valerie.

"Val, I have a favor to ask from you," Gavin began. Valerie looked at him, allowing him to continue.

"I want you to text Kiran to come early to school tomorrow. Tell him that you're going to work on your project, that you'd meet him outside the lab rooms an hour before the first period," Gavin continued.

"Oh, is it his birthday tomorrow? Do you have a surpise for him?" Valerie asked.

"No, but I have something I want to tell him that I didn't have the time until now, clarify some things. So you're doing it? Tell me you'll text him," Gavin insisted.

"Okay, okay fine, I'll do it. I hope you resolve whatever is going on between you two," Valerie said, still completely clueless of what is entirely going on.

I hope so, I really do, Gavin thought to himself.

ooOoo

"Valerie? Where are you? Is anybody here? Oh," Kiran stopped when he saw Gavin the next day.

"Hey Kiran,"

"Hi. Uhm, have you seen Valerie? She said we are going to start working on our project today," Kiran said.

"Well, the thing is, Valerie's not here," Gavin explained, "I told her to text you so that we could talk."

Kiran fell silent. Gavin chose to continue.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you explain that morning, but I was really shocked and hurt that you did not tell me about Xander. And now this, you're officially with him right now," Gavin said, not able to stop his voice from breaking.

Kiran's face was sad too, "I know I made a mistake too by not telling you, but that time I thought that it wouldn't hurt you if I didn't say anything. I didn't plan on going too far with Xander, but he was too aggressive and everything just sort of happened. I'm sorry."

Kiran's face was very close to Gavin's, their eyes locked into each other. No matter how hurt he was Gavin still felt weak whenever he looked at Kiran's eyes, their intensity still boring to the core of Gavin's soul. His heart thumped erratically inside his chest, Kiran was close, so close.

The next moment their lips were together, their hands desperate to touch as much of the other as possible. Their tongues battled for dominance, until Kiran gave in and let Gavin explore his mouth. Gavin couldn't believe how much he missed kissing Kiran, and he attacked his lips like he was deprived of kissing anyone for many years.

The reality of the situation returned, however, and they separated, catching their breath. Gavin recovered first.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Gavin said, "you're with Xander now."

"What we have is wrong, all I want is to be with you," Kiran said, and then he pulled Gavin's head once more to his.

Gavin can't help but fall into his desire, and once more they ravished each other's lips. Minutes later they heard footsteps approaching, and with a hard effort they forced themselves to let go of each other.

"I'll break up with Xander, just give me time," Kiran implored. Gavin had no choice but to agree.

ooOoo

Kiran wanted to break it slowly to Xander, not wanting to make a scandal should he blow off things abruptly. Gavin understood, and they resorted to meeting each other in secret when they had the time, satisfying their needs for each other. They went where they couldn't be seen: beside the library, inside an unused classroom, anywhere that they could be alone. However, the constant hiding and secrets made Gavin feel guilty, and he was not sure how long he could keep with it.

One day, Gavin and Valerie were driving to Gavin's house to get some paraphernalia that they would need for their class that day. The both of them were silent the whole time, causing Gavin to be alone with his guilty thoughts. Not able to take it any longer he cleared his throat and looked at Valerie.

"Val? I'm giving you a situation, and then you tell me your opinion after, okay?" he asked.

"Fire away," Valerie replied.

"What if, say, Patty and Kiran were in a relationship, and I am Patty's ex-boyfriend. But Patty and I still meet with each other and do things like we're still together, like kiss," among other things, Gavin said, the last part he kept to himself.

Valerie raised her eyebrows, "Well, that would make Patty a two-timing bitch. Kiran's clearly a loser in that situation, but I emphasize on that Patty being a bitch. And that would make you a home-wrecking bastard," she paused, "Wait, is this situation actually happening?" she asked.

Gavin laughed, hoping Valerie couldn't hear the nervousness in his voice, "No, just a thought."

Valerie shrugged, yet did not press the issue any longer. Valerie's opinion shook something inside of him, but he tried to appease his thoughts. Xander was the one who wrecked his relationship with Kiran in the first place. Kiran was Gavin's

Kiran promised forever.

ooOoo

It was exactly six months after they first met. They should be celebrating today; happy that they made it this long, but that was not the case. Kiran was still with Xander, and Kiran and Gavin were still covertly meeting with each other.

"It's been so long already Kiran, I don't want to seem impatient but this has gone too long already," Gavin said during one of these meetings. They were in the supply room of their college, under the pretense of getting things for their experiments later.

Kiran sighed, "Xander's not giving me the opening that I would need to break up with him. Whenever I start speaking up about the state of our relationship he interrupts me with something he believes is more important. I didn't want to let it go on for this long too."

"Kiran, you have to be more decisive now. Go tell it to him bluntly if that's the only way," Gavin demanded.

Kiran pondered about it. "Fine," he said a few seconds later, "I'll break up with him today."

Somebody knocked on the door, "Guys? Have you gotten the materials already?" their professor asked.

"Yes, sir! We'll be there in a few minutes," Gavin called out, then he looked at Kiran, "I'll see you after class, okay?"

"Okay."

ooOoo

Gavin was on edge the whole afternoon, his heart beating nervously the entire time. Their professor decided to let them work into their respective groups for their projects, so Gavin wasn't able to see Kiran for the whole afternoon. Gavin kept checking his phone, but there was no text message from Kiran. When the bell rang hours later signaling the end of the class Gavin practically ran out of the door and looked for Kiran.

Kiran wasn't with Valerie when Gavin saw her a few moments later, and he wasn't in any of the classrooms used for lecture. Gavin tried to call him but he turned his phone off. Remembering their conversation earlier he guessed that Kiran might be waiting for him in the supply room, so he made his way there.

Gavin opened the door and was greeted by the sight of Kiran and Xander making out passionately. Xander's hands were under Kiran's shirt, groping his chest and playing with his nipples. Their arousals were apparent, their jeans barely able to conceal their lust as they ground into each other. Gavin felt a lance of pain go through his heart.

Xander and Kiran stopped kissing and looked at Gavin—Kiran's guilt was written all over his face, but Xander only looked annoyed.

"I'm sorry Gavin, but can't you see that we're busy?" Xander said, starting to close the door.

Gavin held the door in place, "Actually, Kiran and I had something to talk about, can I borrow him for a while?" he said, surprised at how calm his voice was.

"Talk to him later," Xander said.

"We have to talk now," Gavin insisted, "in fact, Kiran's got something to say to you," he said, looking at Kiran, eyes wide with shock.

"What is it Kiran?" Xander asked him.

"Go on, tell him," Gavin prodded.

Kiran looked at Gavin, then at Xander, then back at Gavin again. Kiran looked at Gavin with his deep brown eyes, the same eyes that captivated him many months ago, and for a moment Gavin felt that there was still hope for him and Kiran, that Xander would go away and Gavin and Kiran can truly be together at last.

Kiran looked back at Xander however, his decision already made.

"It's nothing Xander, I don't know what Gavin's talking about. Let's go to another place, shall we?" Kiran said, taking Xander's hand.

Gavin couldn't believe what he was hearing, couldn't process what he was even seeing right now. Kiran was his, He promised me! Gavin screamed inside.

"I'm sorry Gavin," Kiran said, and then he and Xander went away, not even looking back.

Gavin collapsed on the floor, feeling like his whole world was going down with him.

ooOoo

Gavin sat in his favorite café, alone with a pile of books in front of him. His concentration was not in the books, but on that day many months ago.

Gavin laughed to himself, he couldn't believe how stupid he was.

Kiran and Xander were still together now, going strong by the looks of it. What he knew came from Valerie, as Gavin still couldn't bear looking at the both of them and not have his heart break all over again. His friends sensed that something was wrong with Gavin the first few months—he rarely laughed and always zoned out during conversations, his minds on other things. Valerie kept asking him what was wrong, and his response was always the stress of junior year getting to him. Valerie insisted on knowing, but Gavin would snap at her, which made her drop the issue altogether.

Through the weeks Gavin managed to pretend that he was better on the outside, though nothing much has changed with what he felt. I'm the master of hiding, after all, he thought to himself.

The thing he couldn't get over the most was that he fell into a lie that has been the demise of many others before him, something he thought he would never be a part of. Gavin knew that someday soon he would get over Kiran and move on, but there was something in him that could never be changed:

He was a victim of the promise of forever.

ooOoo

This was based on the true story of our friend V. G., who built such huge walls until someone came and tore them down, only to leave him exposed and vulnerable. His story isn't over yet.