We got downstairs and I tried—God, I tried—to spark some kind of conversation. But Aiden only gave me those tight-lipped smiles, the kind that said everything and nothing all at once.
Great. He was back to his usual emotionally-vacant self. One step forward, ten steps back.
Then, like life hadn't already given me enough to panic about, we bumped into him.
Theo.
Seriously, does this guy even knock anymore? Just barges in like this place is his summer home. But no, he's "Julie's bestie" so I guess that's his free pass.
I saw him first—makes sense since I was leading the way. He had his head down, scrolling through his phone like always. Then he looked up and spotted me.
"Oh, Isaaq! Hey," he said casually. "I was just coming up to your room—"
Panic. Absolute, gut-clenching panic.
Of all the things I didn't want to happen… Theo meeting Aiden was top five nightmare material.
He was still mid-sentence when Aiden stepped out from behind me. And just like that, Theo froze. His whole expression flipped—from friendly to pissed in record time.
He didn't say a word. Just stared.
Aiden, oblivious as ever, greeted him with that polite tone. "Oh hey there." He even smiled. "Almasi, who's your friend?"
Almasi. I almost choked.
"Um…" I stalled, grasping at words like they were floating away from me. "This is… this is Theodore. I call him Theo. He's… a friend."
I turned slightly, gesturing awkwardly. "And Theo, this is Aiden. He's… also a friend?"
God, kill me now.
I could practically feel the heat radiating off Theo. He still hadn't said a damn word—just glared at Aiden like he'd already buried him a hundred times in his mind.
Aiden, ever the cool customer, nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Theo."
Still silence. The tension was suffocating. I was sweating through my shirt.
And then—divine intervention. Julie strolled in like it was just another normal day.
"Oh, you boys done already?" she asked with a little smirk.
Aiden smiled back. "Yeah."
Julie frowned, clearly disappointed. "Really? You're leaving so soon? Can't you stay a bit longer?"
"As much as I'd love to, I've got some stuff I need to take care of," Aiden replied smoothly. "I should get going now."
"Okay, then. Bye," she said, but you could tell she wasn't thrilled.
"I'll see you out," I offered, but Julie immediately shut that down.
"No need. Lewis will escort Aiden out. Isaaq, we need to talk."
Aiden gave me one last glance—soft, unreadable—then said his goodbye and followed Lewis out.
And just like that, I was standing in the living room with Julie and a very, very quiet Theo.
Why did this suddenly feel like an ambush?
Why was Theo even here?
And why the hell did he look mad?
If anyone should be mad—it's me.
The room was too quiet. The kind of silence that wraps around you and squeezes.
Julie sat next to Theo on the couch, gently running her fingers through his hair like he was some fragile porcelain doll. He hadn't said a word. Just sat there, tight-lipped, staring at the floor.
Then Julie looked up at me. Her gaze was soft but firm. She motioned with her eyes for me to sit.
I didn't want to—I wanted to be anywhere but here.
Still, I groaned and dropped down on the couch like a sack of bricks.
"Obviously, you boys need to talk and settle whatever's going on," she said.
"There's nothing going on," I muttered.
Julie raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Then why are you so uncomfortable? You do realize you're very easy to read, right?"
I rolled my eyes and leaned back with a sigh.
Julie turned to Theo. "Didn't you have something you wanted to say to Isaaq?"
I was just itching to get this over with. My leg bounced uncontrollably, tapping the floor in nervous rhythm.
Julie gave me a sharp look. "Stop that."
I clenched my jaw and forced myself still.
Theo's face finally shifted—less stone, more sorrow. His eyes welled up, and when he finally spoke, his voice cracked.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm truly sorry. I didn't know what came over me. I was angry… and scared… scared that you were going to, you know, push me away."
He glanced at me with those watery eyes, and I could see it—regret, guilt, all of it.
I wanted to be angry. I tried to be angry. I knew Julie could see through me though.
The truth was—I wasn't mad anymore. I was just… different now. Changed. More cautious.
He was once someone I let in without question, and now? I had to keep my guard up.
"Push you away?" I scoffed. "You did that all by yourself, Theo. You fucking drugged me."
His face crumbled. "I know! And I'm sorry!"
Julie quickly cut in. "Oooookay… that's enough. No more shouting, please."
That was my cue. I stood up, done with all of it.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Anywhere that's not here," I muttered. "I can't be here right now."
And without another word, I walked out.
---
I stormed off into the kitchen, yanked a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with water. My mind was spinning. Theo's apology was still fresh in my ears, but I didn't know what to do with it.
Should I forgive him?
Should I even want to?
As much crap as life's thrown at me, Theo had been around for a lot of it. Through all the chaos, he'd always just… been there.
He wasn't perfect—hell, he wasn't even safe half the time—but in some messed-up way, he was my best friend?
What?
Ever since I came out, he never looked at me differently. No judgment. Just acceptance.
Aside from my aunt, he was the only one who ever made me feel that kind of safe.
Well, him and Aiden now, I guess.
Then, of course, there was Theo's dad—a man who came in fifty different shades of terrifying. I wouldn't be surprised if nightmares feared him.
I scratched the back of my head, groaning under my breath when I heard a shuffle behind me. I turned—nearly dropped the glass.
"What the fuck, dude? Don't scare me like that."
Theo stood there, completely unbothered, smirking. "Well, clearly you're not Aiden. He'd have noticed me from the beginning."
"Ha-ha, very funny," I grumbled, then paused. "Wait... how did you—?"
He sighed. "Yeah… so this might not be the first time I've seen your new boyfriend. We maybe sort of… met earlier."
I blinked. "You didn't do anything to him, did you?"
Theo lifted his hands. "Can't say I didn't want to… but your man? He's scary. And kinda sus."
"Aiden?" I raised a brow. "No way. And he's not my boyfriend… yet."
"Oooh," Theo teased, "so that means you're still available."
"Don't even think about it," I warned.
Theo laughed. "Relax, I'm kidding."
Then he paused, his voice softening. "Look, Isaaq… I'm sorry. I just… I don't want you to hate me. I know I messed up. I don't want you to think I'm some movie villain or something."
I didn't answer—just looked at him. That was all I could do.
He ran a hand through his messy curls. "I've been thinking about it and… you're actually the only friend I have. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kind of a mess."
I gave him a dry look. "Well, that's one thing we definitely agree on."
"Fuck you, Almasi," he said with a smirk.
I almost laughed. Almost. But he kept going.
"I'm not saying I'm gonna stop loving you. I can't. I'm smitten, alright? But… loving someone means putting their happiness first. And I want you to be happy. I want you to feel free around me again. So if fucking Aiden makes you happy…" He shrugged, "...then I'll allow it."
I nearly choked. "Um—excuse me?"
Theo rolled his eyes. "Come on, Isaaq. I know you guys fucked. Your life's practically a front-page article these days."
"I can't tell if you're still apologizing or just being a creep."
"Also," he added with a grin, "there's no way you're not forgiving me. I'm way too important to toss aside."
I squinted at him. "Weren't you literally crying, like, twenty minutes ago? Faker."
"I was genuinely hurt, fuck you, Almasi."
"Fuck you, Malrione."
"I'm down for that."
"Shut up," I said, but I was already stepping forward.
I pulled him into a hug.
He melted into it, smiling against my shoulder, arms wrapping tight around me like he belonged there. And maybe he always had.
But it was strange. As close as we were, as much as I cared about him… it was never going to be that kind of love. I couldn't help it.
Because even while I held Theo in that moment, my heart still felt drawn to Aiden.