CHAPTER NINE

Revisiting the Past

My grip on my phone tightened impulsively. The device felt heavier than usual, and my heart pounded so loudly I swore Sean could hear it through the line.

“Hello.” Sean’s deep, velvet voice came again.

“H-hey, Sean… it’s Asher,” I stammered nervously.

“I know,” he replied nonchalantly, as if irritated by the mere sound of my voice. I wasn’t spared the sting either; hearing the voice that once called out to me lovingly and teasingly now sound so cold and emotionless hurt more than I expected.

I was the reason we broke up. It had been messy—so messy it left me in a terrible state. I even got a C for the first time in my life. Sean was my first love and my first heartbreak.

I had been too ashamed to admit our relationship and denied him countless times. The straw that broke the camel’s back came when one of my church members asked if I was friends with Sean—knowing his nature—and I replied, “I don’t move around with such people.” Unfortunately, Sean heard it.

That day, I lost my first love alongside my friends—the ones who truly knew who I was, accepted me for who I was, and supported me no matter what.

It didn’t take long for Sean to replace me with a new hot kid, and after the session ended, I moved away without telling him. I told the others, though.

“I need to ask you something…” I began.

“Oh please, Asher. You’ll never change,” Sean scoffed. “You only contact people when you need help or a favor. I had to come to terms with that.” There was a hint of mockery in his tone.

“It’s urgent, Sean. My whole life is at stake,” I pleaded.

“What is it?” he asked coldly.

“I need to ask you something.”

He snickered softly on the other end of the phone. The sound sliced through my heart like a blade. I shut my eyes and swallowed hard.

“Sean… it isn’t like that,” I forced out.

“Oh, Asher, it’s always been like that with you,” he snapped. “I’m glad I left you. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.” His voice cracked slightly, and that alone made my chest ache.

“I’m glad you’re finally with someone who truly loves you. You deserve it,” I muttered, forcing back the tears pooling in my eyes.

“Don’t ever call my line again—”

“Wait!” I shouted, sensing the call was about to end. “Someone took pictures of us at the Sterlings’ last party and is using them to blackmail me.”

He fell silent.

“Do you know—or have any idea—who it could be?” I asked. He let out a soft, humorless laugh.

“Let me guess,” Sean said. “You’re ashamed of your perfect image being stained. Typical Asher Miguel behavior.”

“I’m serious, Sean. It wasn’t an innocent picture. You were… um… it’s explicit,” I stuttered.

He went quiet again, making my nerves tighten further. I quickly forwarded the picture to him.

“We made out drunkenly on the sofa, remember?” I added. A chill crawled up my spine as memories of that night resurfaced. If the sender had taken this picture, then who knew what else they had captured?

“We don’t take pictures at the Sterlings’ parties,” Sean said calmly after a moment. “It’s forbidden. People don’t even come in with phones.”

“Do you know the people who attended the party?” I asked. Only a few of my schoolmates had been there. The rest were outsiders I barely recognized.

“No, but you can ask Jason, Jane, or Justin,” he suggested. “You still have their numbers, right?”

I chuckled nervously, and Sean—knowing me too well—groaned in frustration.

“Don’t tell me you deleted their numbers after moving out.”

“I wanted to start afresh,” I admitted softly. “I didn’t want to stay tied to the past.” I had blocked most of my rainbow friends’ numbers when I left Tennessee.

“Well, say hello to the past now, because it’s knocking on your door,” he said dryly.

I was tongue-tied, but before I could respond, he spoke again.

“I just sent you Jane’s number. You can ask her.”

I exhaled in relief. Jane was one of the Sterling triplets—and a lesbian. All three of them were gay, proud, and open about it. I wanted that freedom, but the thought of coming out to my parents felt like placing my head on a platter.

“Thank you so much,” I said quietly.

He ended the call without another word.

I stared at my phone. It was time to begin investigating the anonymous sender—and to face the past I thought I’d left behind.