Aiden froze as Tristan's words hit him like a punch to the gut. His mind went blank, except for the echo of those cruel words—a word his mother had constantly used on him, a word that had almost driven him to take his own life. A word that was a part of the past he desperately wanted to forget. A past that haunted him then, and still haunted him now.Tristan had just opened the door for those nightmares to resurface.For a moment, neither of them spoke. Tristan stared at Aiden, whose eyes were red with emotion. He could see the hurt in Aiden’s eyes, and his own widened slightly as if realizing he’d crossed a line. Yet, he didn’t take back his words, as he silently watched Aiden clenched his fists.Aiden slowly stood up, his face pale and his eyes burning.“Screw you,” he gritted out before storming out of the library, trying to keep himself from losing his mind entirely.Tristan remained where he was, watching Aiden walk away until he disappeared through the doors. Guilt gnawed at him
Tristan’s eyes were still wide open, and for a moment, he considered leaving Aiden by the roadside. But he took a deep breath, reminding himself that Aiden hadn’t done this on purpose—he was drunk. Despite his frustration, Tristan decided to help him get home. He flagged down a cab, and they got in. After telling the driver their destination, Tristan leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as the ride began. ****** With his arm tightly wrapped around Aiden’s waist, Tristan struggled to get the drunk Aiden to their dorm. The distance felt like miles and he was beyond frustrated. This wasn’t how he wanted to spend his night, but here he was, taking care of a drunk Aiden, who would probably throw a fit if he remembered who brought him home. Tristan’s thoughts drifted to the memory of their lips brushing, and he sighed in annoyance. He wasn’t going to let Aiden use that incident against him. After all, Aiden was the one who had gotten drunk and acted without thinking. As Aiden le
Thirty minutes had passed, and no one had spoken to Aiden, who seemed distant. His friends were hesitant to ask him anything because they knew he wouldn’t share what he didn’t want them to know. But his constant sighs and murmurs made them worry, so they decided to ask. "Why are you muttering to yourself? Did something happen?" Troy finally asked, sitting beside Aiden, who continued to stare blankly into space. "Is that even possible?" Aiden replied, confusing Troy even more. "What's going on, mate? What do you think isn’t possible?" Jefferson asked, sitting across from Aiden, leaning his elbow on the table in front of him, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Aiden suddenly stood up, as if something had just clicked in his mind. "I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay? I need to go home. I need to get drunk. Maybe smoke some cigarettes... or something stronger. Honestly, I could really use some hard drugs." "Are you out of your mind?" Jefferson exclaimed, jabbing him with his finger.
Aiden stumbled home, slightly tipsy, clutching a bottle of beer in his hand. As he entered the room, he sank down onto Tristan's desk chair, taking another swig from the bottle. He couldn't stop thinking about the brief kiss during the dare game, and it was frustrating because it felt like he wanted more.Each gulp he took was a futile attempt to drown out the memory. The sound of running water from the bathroom told him that Tristan was showering. The same guy he claimed to hate... and crazily, the same guy he now longed for. It made no sense, and it tore at him. As far as he knew, he wasn’t gay. Then why was he suddenly craving another guy's lips? How could they be so... soft?He tried to focus on something... anything... to distract himself, but his mind kept circling back to the kiss.He swallowed hard, eyes flicking to the closed bathroom door. He took another gulp of the bitter liquid, convincing himself it had to be the alcohol messing with his head. The real him wouldn’t be th
Aiden pushed open the door to Miss Brianna's office without knocking or waiting for an invitation. She had called for him, so he assumed she was expecting him. He was ready to be all impolite and messy, really. The moment he stepped into the office, her disapproving frown appeared as soon as she saw it was him. This only fueled the amusement bubbling under his calm expression. He took his time strolling in, then sank into the chair in front of her desk, without a care in the world. "You called me," he said, not bothering with any greeting. Right now, he didn’t see her as his lecturer, just Brianna—the girl who was really getting on his nerves. “Aiden,” she said sharply, sitting up straighter and narrowing her eyes. "Did you leave your manners at home, huh?" she asked, somewhat frustrated but Aiden didn't care about how she felt. He didn’t also flinch at her raised tone. Instead, he leaned back in the chair, arms lazily place over the desk as he watched her. "Yeah," he replied wi
Aiden walked into the classroom a few minutes after the incident, and Sam barely gave him a moment to settle before speaking up."So… was Tristan's ass soft?" he asked. Aiden shot him a glare as he dropped his backpack onto the desk with a thud. That was the last question he wanted to answer; just thinking about the incident made him mad."Did you apologize?" Kai asked, taking a seat across from him."Why should I apologize when he’s the one who should’ve moved?" Aiden replied. Colby raised an eyebrow and laughed loudly.“It must have been hilarious. I can’t believe I missed a sight like that,” he added, still chuckling, but Aiden chose to ignore him.Aiden realized there was no point in trying to defend himself or explain his actions, so he stayed silent, watching his friends annoy him with their teasing. He decided to let their banter slide; it wasn’t anything new."Instead of apologizing, why did you tell him to ‘watch where he was going’? That’s… kinda harsh, don’t you think? You
"Or would you prefer we just have sex right here?" he asked, and the girl who had posed the question took a step back.But his sudden outburst only seemed to encourage the hushed whispers and curious glances from their classmates. The amused, surprised looks on their faces made his anger flare even more. He muttered a few curses under his breath, trying to ignore the glances and suppressed laughter."Aiden’s lost it. He’s officially gone crazy," Kai chuckled.Troy, on the other hand, looked away, wishing he could vanish on the spot.The counselor’s advice had already left him restless, but this accidental moment with Aiden had thrown everything back into chaos. His heart pounded, his mind replaying their brief kiss and making things worse. He couldn't deny that it had felt... good.He swallowed hard, embarrassment and guilt washing over him as he realized the mess he had unintentionally created for Aiden.Aiden noticed Troy's distant gaze and walked over to him."Let’s get out of here
Aiden took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he struggled to calm the anger burning within him. It shouldn’t bother him; it shouldn’t be any of his business, but just the thought made his blood boil, and he had no idea why.Trying to control his anger and ignore Tristan’s presence, he decided to walk past him. But as he moved and stepped ahead, Tristan dropped his phone and grabbed Aiden’s wrist, pulling him closer.Aiden’s irritation flared as he yanked his hand away. “Get your filthy hands off me,” he snapped, the anger he’d been trying to suppress now spilling over.“I was waiting for you so we could talk,” Tristan said, ignoring Aiden’s outburst. Aiden let out a bitter scoff.“Shut the f*ck up. We have nothing to discuss,” he replied sharply. Tristan stepped closer, closing his eyes in frustration, his lips pressed into a thin line.“Aiden, could you, for once—” Tristan started.“Oh, don’t tell me you’re here hoping for an apology over the ‘butt’ incident or whatever,” Aiden inte
Without warning, Tristan learned in and pressed his lips softly to Aiden's, a kiss so sudden and gentle that froze Aiden in place. His body went rigid, his eyes wide in shock.Now what the hell was going?The kiss was soft at first, hesitant, as though Tristan feared Aiden might push him away. But when Aiden didn’t move, didn’t resist, Tristan deepened the kiss, his hands sliding to the back of Aiden’s neck to hold him close. Aiden’s initial shock gave way to something else, something that made his knees weak. His hands instinctively clutched the front of Tristan’s shirt, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, confusion, longing all collided in a way that left him breathless. Slowly, he shut his eyes and kissed Tristan back, though his pace was slower, hesitant. He couldn’t believe this was happening. The softness of Tristan’s lips, the faint floral scent of his breath—it felt like something he could get addicted to. When they finally pulled apart, both of them were gasping for
Troy adjusted his jacket one last time and nodded at his reflection in the mirror. His outfit was on point: blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a sleek leather jacket that fit him perfectly—just enough to turn heads.Running a hand through his dark hair, he made sure every strand was in place before flashing a small smile at his reflection. His fine features stared back at him, exuding confidence, or at least, that’s what he told himself. "You’ve got this," he muttered under his breath, though he wasn’t entirely sure why he felt so nervous.He was going to see Eric again, this time, as a surprise. It had been twelve days since they’d started seeing each other constantly, and Troy had to admit that Eric was a cool guy although he was annoying at times. Lately, Troy had found himself thinking about Eric more than he wanted to admit. There was something about Eric that drew him in, something he couldn’t quite put into words. The pull was magnetic, almost addictive, and despite the confusi
The distance between Aiden and Tristan grew wider every day, like a river carving its way through the earth, impossible to cross. Each passing day, it felt as though Aiden was slipping further away, and no matter what Tristan did, he couldn’t close the gap. Tristan couldn’t believe how cold Aiden had become, not after how close they had been. Was this how deeply Aiden had been hurt when he rejected him? If so, Tristan thought bitterly, he was feeling the weight of that rejection even more now. Aiden had stopped coming to their shared dorm entirely. He stayed at his dad’s house, avoiding Tristan as much as possible. On campus, whenever their paths crossed, Aiden would immediately turn away and walk in a different direction, leaving Tristan standing there, frozen and helpless. It was as if Tristan didn’t exist anymore. Many times, Tristan wanted to confront him, to bridge the gap, but Aiden would vanish before he could say a word. They had become like fire and rain—impossible
Tristan sat on his bed, the faint glow of his phone casting shadows across his face in the dimly lit room. His fingers hovered over the screen, refreshing his messages over and over. Hours had passed since Aiden left with Serene to grab dinner. Surely, something would come through—a text, a call...anything to show that Aiden needed him. Maybe Serene couldn’t handle Aiden if he got drunk. Maybe Aiden would say something careless and start a fight. Maybe Aiden would remember he existed. Maybe... Maybe... Maybe. But nothing came. Frustrated, he tossed the phone onto the bed. The thought of calling Aiden crossed his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. What would he even say? "Hey, are you okay?" God, it sounded ridiculous, even in his head. He got up and started pacing, running a hand through his hair. He hated this feeling—the knot in his chest, the gnawing need to know where Aiden was and what he was doing. Worse, he hated imagining Aiden smiling and laughing with Se
Troy and his friends sat in silence, their attention fixed on Aiden, who was engrossed in playing games on his phone."Something happened to you, didn’t it?" Colby asked. Though Aiden heard him, he didn’t respond."Let me guess—Tristan broke up with you," Kai said with a laugh. Aiden frowned, lowering his phone and shooting Kai a sharp glare. But the others didn’t take Kai’s words seriously."It’s not funny," Aiden muttered. His mind wandered back to the rejection. No matter how hard he tried to pretend it didn’t hurt, he couldn’t fool himself.'That dimwit. What’s this sudden nonsense about me being his brother? He’s lost his mind,' Aiden thought bitterly. His friends exchanged glances, watching his expression shift repeatedly."But dude," Sam said quietly, breaking the silence, "what’s your relationship with Tristan? Are you two related or something?" His curious tone made the others lean in.Aiden looked at them one by one, their faces filled with anticipation. "Well..." He trailed
Aiden pushed the door open and stepped into the house, letting it swing shut behind him. He dropped his bag on the couch and ran a hand through his hair, clearly exhausted. Andrew, his father, sat at the dining table with a newspaper in hand. He glanced up at the sound of the door closing, then folded the paper neatly and set it aside when he noticed it was Aiden who had come in. "You're home?" his dad asked, glancing briefly toward the door for any sign of Tristan. Seeing none, he turned his attention back to Aiden. "Did you come home alone?" he asked, his tone calm but curious. Aiden rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Yeah. My so-called 'older brother' is on his way," he replied, his voice filled with sarcasm as he made his way toward the stairs.Andrew raised an eyebrow at the comment, watching his son’s retreating back. For a moment, he considered pressing for more information but decided against it. Were the two boys starting to get along, or was this just another one of Aiden’s s
It was closing time, and the sun had already set by the time Aiden and Tristan began their walk back to the dorm. The air was cool, and the distant sounds of students chatting filled the campus. The earlier tension between them had melted away, replaced by an easy silence. Aiden stole occasional glances at Tristan, who walked beside him with his hands in his pockets and a relaxed posture, making it impossible for Aiden to stay irritated. Neither of them spoke much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. When they reached their dorm, the night passed uneventfully until they decided to study together. They sat at the desk, textbooks and notes spread between them. Tristan leaned forward, explaining a concept with his usual calm confidence. Aiden tried to listen, but his focus wasn’t on the words. His eyes kept drifting to Tristan’s face—the sharp jawline, the long lashes, the way his lips moved, the slight furrow of his brows as he concentrated. Aiden’s heart raced. The urge t
The school bell had rung minutes ago, but Aiden remained seated, hoping Tristan wouldn’t come looking for him. For the past week, he had ignored Tristan’s calls, texts, and casual attempts to talk. He didn’t fully understand why he was acting this way. Part of him had expected Tristan to address the incident with Catherine, but no such conversation came. Instead, all Tristan seemed to care about since they returned from the game was studying, and it irritated Aiden to no end."I hate him so much," he muttered under his breath, though he knew the words were a lie. With a heavy sigh, he rested his head against the desk, attempting to close his eyes. But then, he caught sight of a familiar figure, forcing his eyes to snap open again.Sure enough, there was Tristan, walking toward him with the same determination he’d shown for the past few days. Aiden groaned internally. He’d gotten good at ignoring Tristan; slipping out of class the moment Tristan showed up, but today it seemed escape wa
Aiden’s heart nearly stopped. He snapped his head toward Kai, eyes wide with panic. "What?" he stammered. How on earth had Kai figured it out? Kai chuckled at Aiden’s reaction, pulling his phone up to his face. The sound effects from the game he’d started playing filled the brief silence. "Actually," Kai began, his tone casual, "it all started to click a few days ago. His sudden kindness toward you, and you... well, acting all soft and awkward whenever he’s around. It's not hard to connect the dots." Aiden’s face turned crimson, his pulse racing. "I thought I was overthinking it at first," Kai continued, briefly glancing at Aiden before focusing back on his phone. "But with that expression on your face... yeah, I guessed right." Kai smirked knowingly, while Aiden sat frozen, his throat dry. He’d been caught—completely undeniably caught. Arghhh! Damn it! He hated that he was so speechless, unable to deny a single word Kai had said. "I..." he began, but Kai cut him off with