Chapter Thirty two

The day Max had been waiting for finally arrived.

Graduation.

For years, the idea had seemed impossibly far away.

First came the year he had lost his father.

Then the years when he stopped caring about school.

The suspension.

The anger.

Repeating tenth grade.

The long process of putting himself back together.

And now, somehow, he was standing in a graduation gown.

Almost nineteen years old.

Finished with high school.

Ready for whatever came next.

Micah had promised he would be there.

And he kept his promise.

He arrived early, dressed better than Max thought necessary and carrying a bouquet of flowers Sarah had insisted he bring.

When Max spotted him in the crowd, he nearly laughed.

Micah stood out immediately.

Max shook his head.

Of course.

When his name was finally called, Max walked across the stage with his head held high.

He didn't look at the floor.

He didn't shrink into himself.

He didn't wonder whether he belonged there.

He smiled.

And when he looked into the audience, he found Micah standing and clapping harder than anyone else.

For one brief moment, Max imagined Nate sitting beside him.

He wished he could have been there.

But Nate had called that morning.

He'd promised he was coming.

He just couldn't make the ceremony.

His residency had kept him at the hospital longer than expected, and by the time he was able to leave, the graduation would already be over.

Max understood.

He really did.

Still, he wished Nate had seen him walk across that stage.

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That evening, the house looked nothing like it normally did.

Music shook the windows.

People crowded the living room.

Someone had moved half the furniture to create space.

There were balloons everywhere, paper decorations hanging from the walls, and enough food to feed twice the number of people actually invited.

Sarah had finally surrendered.

After the ceremony, Max and Micah had practically pushed her out the front door.

"Go."

"But—"

"Mom."

"I don't want to leave you boys alone."

"We're adults."

Micah had grinned.

"Some of us."

Max had rolled his eyes.

"We'll be fine."

Sarah had stared at them suspiciously.

"You promise?"

"Promise."

"Don't destroy my house."

"No promises."

"Max!"

"I'm joking!"

Eventually, she had laughed, packed an overnight bag, and gone to spend the weekend with friends.

For once, she wasn't cooking.

She wasn't worrying.

She wasn't cleaning up after them.

She would simply enjoying herself.

And they were determined that she deserved it.

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By the time Nate arrived, the party was already in full swing.

He parked outside and sat in the car for a moment.

He was exhausted.

The drive had been long.

His body ached from the day's work.

But he was smiling.

He had made it.

Maybe late.

But he was here.

He grabbed the gift he'd bought Max and walked toward the house.

The front door opened before he could knock.

Music hit him immediately.

Nate blinked.

"What the hell?"

Micah appeared from somewhere in the crowd.

"You made it!"

Nate laughed.

"Apparently I've walked into a nightclub."

"Welcome to graduation."

"Where's Mom?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"We kicked her out."

Nate stared.

"You kicked Sarah out?"

"She deserved a night off."

Nate shook his head.

"You're both insane."

Then he saw him.

Max.

Across the room.

And Nate forgot what he was about to say.

Max was surrounded by friends.

Laughing.

Talking.

Moving with the music.

He wasn't drinking.

Nate could tell that much.

But he looked intoxicated anyway.

Not from alcohol.

From happiness.

From freedom.

From finally reaching the end of something he'd once thought he would never survive.

Max caught sight of him.

His face lit up.

"Nate!"

He crossed the room.

Fast.

Before Nate could prepare himself, Max threw his arms around him.

Nate barely had time to react.

"Hey—"

Max hugged him tightly.

"You came."

"Of course I came."

"I thought you weren't going to make it."

"I said I'd come."

"I know."

Max pulled back.

His face was flushed from excitement.

His eyes were bright.

He looked happier than Nate had ever seen him.

"You missed me."

Nate smiled.

"I did."

"Good."

Then Max leaned forward.

And kissed his cheek.

Just a quick, innocent kiss.

Barely a second.

But Nate stopped breathing.

Everything inside him went completely still.

The music seemed to disappear.

The voices around him became distant.

His entire body reacted before his mind could catch up.

The months of carefully constructed walls he'd built around his feelings—

Gone.

Not weakened.

Not cracked.

Gone.

Nate stared at Max.

Max was still smiling.

He didn't seem to understand what he'd just done to him.

Or perhaps he understood perfectly.

Nate couldn't tell.

He took one step backward.

"Excuse me."

Max's smile faded slightly.

"Nate?"

"I—I need..."

Nate didn't finish.

He turned.

He pushed through the crowd.

Up the stairs.

Down the hallway.

Into his room.

The door slammed shut.

The lock clicked.

Nate leaned against it.

His breathing was uneven.

He closed his eyes.

"No."

He rubbed both hands over his face.

"No, no, no."

He had known.

He had known he was attracted to Max.

He'd admitted it to himself weeks ago.

But knowing something existed was different from having it suddenly become real.

That kiss had been innocent.

It probably meant nothing to Max.

A birthday.

A graduation.

A moment of affection.

But Nate couldn't pretend it hadn't affected him.

He had spent months telling himself that his feelings didn't matter.

That Max needed someone stable.

That he needed to be responsible.

That whatever attraction existed would eventually disappear.

And then Max had kissed his cheek.

And Nate had realized he was lying to himself.

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Hours passed.

The party gradually died.

Music became quieter.

People began leaving.

Doors opened and closed downstairs.

Someone laughed.

Someone said goodbye.

Eventually, the house fell silent.

Nate remained awake.

He hadn't moved much.

He sat on the edge of the bed staring at his phone.

A message from Micah appeared.

Micah: You okay?

Nate typed:

Nate: Yeah.

He wasn't.

But he didn't know how to explain that.

Another hour passed.

Then came a knock.

Three quiet taps.

Nate froze.

He knew who it was.

He stood slowly.

Another knock.

"Who is it?"

Silence.

Then Max's voice.

"It's me."

Nate closed his eyes.

For several seconds, he didn't move.

Then he walked to the door.

His hand rested on the handle.

He hesitated.

Everything inside him screamed not to open it.

But eventually, he turned the lock.

The door opened.

Max stood in the hallway.

The party had left his face.

He looked calm now.

Serious.

His eyes met Nate's.

Neither spoke.

Nate stared at him.

Max stared back.

And in the silence between them, everything they'd spent months refusing to say seemed to gather at once.

The door remained open.

Neither of them moved.

Neither looked away.