登入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 POVI couldn't understand why Jay had stopped dancing or why he was staring at me.The lights were still flashing around him. The music was still playing. The crowd was still watching him but it felt like his attention was completely here.On me.I couldn't even understand the expression on his face because of the mask.Mr. Harrison took another step forward. He looked even angrier now. "Do I look like your age mate, huh?" he snapped. "You little bastard."I quickly looked away from the stage and adjusted my face cap lower. Then I pulled slightly at my nose mask, trying to hide whatever part of my face was still visible.He must not recognize me.I lowered my head slightly. "I'm really sorry once again, sir."Mr. Harrison scoffed and eyed me. "Is that how you were taught to apologize, you son of a bitch?"My head shot up instantly.What the fuck did he just say?Son of a bitch?Calling my mum a bitch?The same woman who had lent him money more times than I could count. The sam
AARON'S POVThe cab pulled over outside the club and I quickly handed the driver his money before stepping out onto the street. The familiar neon sign hanging above the entrance immediately caught my attention.For some reason, my chest tightened.My eyes drifted upward toward the glowing letters before the image U.X. had sent me flashed through my mind again.The picture of Jack walking out of this same club.My fingers curled into fists at my sides.What if he was inside right now? What if I walked in and saw him?Worse...What if he saw me?The thought alone made my stomach twist.Jack had framed me once before.One stupid accusation involving drugs had been enough to get my name removed from the scholarship list. Somehow, after weeks of hell, meetings and explanations, I had managed to get my name back on that list.The last thing I needed was another disaster.Especially this one.Because if Jack exposed me for coming to a gay strip club?It was over for me.The scholarship, my p
AARON'S POV“No.”His answer still hung in the air.Just that.The entire hallway had gone completely silent like someone had pressed pause on reality.Vanessa couldn't even say a word. Her smile had completely wiped off.She just stood there frozen, trying to process what had just happened. Her friends behind her looked equally shocked, confused and embarrassed.I’d never seen Vanessa get rejected before.Honestly… nobody had.My eyes moved back to Jack. He had already pulled his arm away from Vanessa and started walking away like he didn’t just shock the entire crowd with just one word.People were still staring at him as he walked through them. The crowd split automatically, obviously afraid to stop him.I should’ve looked away but I couldn’t. Halfway through, Jack suddenly turned his head.Our eyes met again.But this time… it felt different. I couldn’t explain it.Then, he looked away and kept walking.My chest tightened.Earlier… I hadn’t even realized how tense I was until that
JACK'S POVMy head has been spiraling with several thoughts after I found out my theory had been wrong all this while. If U.X. was really in the same team as mine, then I had been looking at the wrong team all along. While at the coach's voice, I searched the drawers and found the list of the names of people in my team. Ofcourse, no one had a name with the initials, U.X. It seemed the only way I would be able to find out who the fuck U.X. was going to be through Alex.I had a video of him taking drugs. The next time I got my hands on him, he would definitely spit it out.As I turned towards a new hallway, I noticed a gathering at the end of that hallway. Probably someone was being publicly bullied. I discarded the thought when I noticed the balloons and golden decorations. Maybe someone wanted to announce a party.I didn't think too much about it since I wasn't even in the mood for any of that right now. I approached the crowd and made to walk past when someone grabbed my arm.My
JACK'S POVI stared down at Alex while he struggled to breathe properly on the pavement. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, and one side of his face was already beginning to swell. Even then, the idiot still tried glaring at me like he hadn’t just gotten beaten half to death.I crouched slightl
JACK’S POV I pulled the thick black jacket over my shirt carefully, trying not to put too much pressure on my injured arm. The bandage underneath still felt tight, but at least the jacket covered it properly.I grabbed my bag from the chair and checked myself briefly in the mirror. Nothing looked
AARON'S POVI held the folded paper tightly in my hand as I walked toward the cafeteria. My thumb rubbed slowly against the edge of it while the words inside kept replaying in my head.“Keep your eyes open, Aaron. You’re missing something obvious.”Missing what exactly?Then the signature beneath i
AARON'S POV The first thing I noticed when I stepped into class was Jack’s empty seat. My eyes landed there immediately before I could stop myself.His chair at the back remained empty. His bag wasn’t there, and his hoodie wasn’t thrown carelessly over the seat like usual either.I looked away and







