LOGINAARON'S POVAt first, I genuinely thought I had read it wrong.I read it again. Then one more time just to be absolutely sure my brain wasn't making things up.“We need to talk about Saturday night.”~ Mr Harrison.My stomach dropped.What the hell!?No, it can't be. It can't fucking be.Beside me, Kyle was talking to Chloe about one of our assignments, but his voice sounded distant.The text kept replaying itself in my head.Mr Harrison recognized me. Maybe he'd gone home and replayed the whole thing in his head until my face clicked."Aaron?" I heard Kyle call out.I looked up.Kyle was already staring at me."You okay?"I realized I'd been staring at my phone for an uncomfortable amount of time.I turned the screen away immediately. "Yeah."He raised an eyebrow.I immediately corrected myself. "No."Thankfully, Chloe wasn't paying attention to us. She was asking another classmate about an assignment.He leaned slightly closer. "Aaron."I swallowed, then I turned the phone around an
AARON'S POVBy Monday morning, the entire school looked like it had been swallowed by the masquerade gala.Posters covered almost every available wall space. Pictures of gold masks, and elegant lettering announcing the date and venue.One giant banner hung above the entrance to the main building.DON'T FORGET TO BRING ALONG A DATE PARTNER.I stared at it for a second longer than necessary before looking away.Great.Exactly what I needed to see first thing in the morning.Kyle noticed immediately."You good?”I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets as we walked to class. "I don't know what to do."Kyle's expression softened immediately.He didn't joke this time. Not after the fact that I'd shown up at his house at nearly midnight looking like my entire life had collapsed.He already knew everything.He knew about Mr. Harrison. He knew about what happened at the club with Jay.He knew that I'd finally gathered enough courage to ask Jay to the gala. He knew Jay had said he would come i
JACK'S POVThe choir had just started singing when I stood up quietly from the back row and headed for the exit.I shoved my hands into the pockets of my hoodie and walked down the church steps slowly while families passed me on their way inside.A little girl ran past holding her father's hand. A woman walked by carrying a tray of pastries for whatever church thing was happening after service.I kept walking. My bike was parked beneath one of the trees near the edge of the lot.For a second, I just stood beside it. Then I pulled my helmet off the handlebar and stared at it.What the fuck was I doing here?Seriously.The same Jack Pierce who had never willingly stepped into a church a day in his life had just sat through almost an entire service because of Aaron Smithy.Definitely not for salvation.It was because of Aaron.Just Aaron.I rubbed a hand over my face.I hadn't even planned on talking to him. Hell, I'd deliberately sat far enough away that he wouldn't notice me if he look
AARON'S POVWe got to church a little earlier today.My mum liked arriving early enough to greet half the congregation before service started while my dad liked arriving early because, according to him, "the closer you sit to the front, the less likely you are to fall asleep during the sermon."Personally, I would've preferred staying in bed. Unfortunately, nobody in my house cared about my preferences on Sunday mornings.By the time we found our seats, the choir was already warming up near the altar while people continued filing into the building.I just sat there watching everyone. Then, I noticed Mr. Harrison. He sat three rows behind us. His wife sat beside him while his two kids quietly argued over something on a tablet between them.He looked calm, responsible and respectable.I couldn't wrap my head around it.He looked nothing like the man from last night. Nothing like the man with bloodshot eyes and whiskey on his breath who had grabbed my shirt and called my mother a bitch i
AARON'S POVFor a long time, none of us said anything.Kyle just stood there while I cried into the front of his hoodie like some pathetic kid who'd lost a fight with the world.Eventually, my breathing started slowing down. The tears didn't exactly stop, but they weren't coming out like before.Kyle pulled back slightly and looked down at me. "Damn," he muttered quietly. "Whatever happened tonight really messed you up."A humorless laugh escaped me. "You have no idea."He studied my face for a few seconds before guiding me toward the couch. "Sit."I didn't argue. I dropped onto the cushions while Kyle disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of water.I took it from him with shaky hands. "Thanks."He sat beside me as silence stretched between us again. Then, he cleared his throat. “Did something happen at the club?”I looked up.Of course he knew. Kyle was the only person in my life who knew everything.The club.Jay.The truth about me being gay.I looked down at the
JACK'S POVThe room felt strangely quiet after Aaron left.For a while, I just stood there staring at the closed door as if he might suddenly walk back in and tell me to go fuck myself.Honestly, I deserved it.I dragged a hand through my hair and exhaled heavily.Fuck.I really shouldn't have spoken to him like that. At the time, all I'd seen was the same thing I always see every single time I crossed paths with Aaron.Someone shoving him around. Someone saying whatever the hell they wanted to him. And Aaron standing there taking it, every single time.I remembered the bruises he'd shown up with that night. The ones he'd casually brushed off as school bullshit. But it was actually from Alex. If I didn't know better, I would have believed him.Aaron always allowed people to bully him anyhow they wanted. He hardly fights back.So when I saw that man with his hands all over his shirt while Aaron stood there looking like a deer trapped in headlights, something inside me had snapped.I th
AARON'S POVMy eyes went wide. Jay wanted me to fuck him. He wanted me to cum in his ass. My stomach flipped as my dick hardened again at the thought.Holy fuck.I had once fucked Jay before but I was the one who suggested it. Now, he was the one suggesting it, meaning he enjoyed it enough to want
JACK'S POVMasquerade gala?Of course, I wasn't going to attend.I'd rather spend my nights working at the club than attending some party that wouldn't bring in a single dollar.More so, if I wore a mask… Aaron might become suspicious. I'd definitely look too much like Jay, and it wouldn't take lon
JACK’S POVI came to school today with one aim.Find out who the fuck U.X. was.As soon as I stepped into the school gates, the irritation from last night surged through me.That bastard had played me so perfectly that I had actually fallen for it.I clenched my jaw as I walked through the crowded
AARON'S POVI didn't stop running until Mercer Street was far behind me. My chest burned as I finally slowed down and wiped away the tears.The cold night air hit my face, but it didn't help.My hand tightened around my phone as I walked home. The image of Jack coming out of the club kept replaying







