Chapter 13
Henry's POV
"As much as I'd like that," I whispered, trembling with anticipation, "I think it'd be better if you just finished what you were saying."
Andrew shifted back, a little embarrassed but still unable to hide the raw edge in his voice. "Well… not being able to control myself, I made a mess all over your back."
"What type of mess?" I asked, staring at him, half teasing, half genuine curiosity.
He smirked, holding my gaze. "The good kind," he said. "You really want me to say it, huh?" He studied my face a little longer, then shrugged with a crooked grin. "I used you as my muse. Since I couldn't control myself, you made me—well, you made me make that mess."
He shifted closer. I could feel his hand, warm and firm, slip onto my thigh. He was dangerously close—too close for my liking, or maybe just close enough. Staring at his perfect face, I lost the last bit of control I had. I leaned in for a kiss, and he responded with an even fiercer one, seizing all the air from my lungs. We were lost in the throes of passion, Andrew slowly moving on top of me, never breaking our kiss.
Then, suddenly, I heard laughter—the unmistakable sound of Julian's boisterous voice echoing down the hall. I froze, lips still tingling, and I knew Andrew felt it too. He pulled back just enough to whisper, "What?" looking at me for an explanation.
And then he heard it too. I saw horror drain the color from his face as he stood up abruptly, muttering, "Uh… uhmm…"
"Calm down. I'll go into the bathroom while you fix up here, okay?" I said, trying to soothe him. He looked up at me, managed a small smile, and nodded. I left him there to tidy up, making my way into the bathroom.
As the door closed behind me, I leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. I wasn't happy with the way Andrew had reacted—like he was afraid of the guys finding out about us. I understood his fear, but it stung. Was he ashamed? Or was he just not ready? It would be awkward if they found out, sure, but eventually, they'd have to know. Or… did they not know he was gay at all?
I showered quickly, heart pounding, thoughts racing. When I finally emerged, towel wrapped around my waist again, the guys were in the room, sprawled on beds, half-laughing and half-teasing Andrew.
Andrew's POV
I was furious with myself. Hearing the guys' voices down the hallway had turned me to stone—frozen up like a kid caught stealing candy. I could tell Henry was disappointed by the way he looked at me before he went into the bathroom. God, I'm such an idiot for reacting like that. What must he think of me now?
I buried my head in my hands as the guys piled in.
"You okay, dude?" Mason asked.
"Yeah," I replied weakly, not looking up.
"You sure? You don't look fine," Mason pressed.
"I'm fine. Trust me," I said, forcing a smile.
At that point, Henry came out of the shower, hair damp, skin flushed. I couldn't even look at him, shame still burning in my chest. What did he think of me now? Probably that I was a coward.
"You really sure you're fine?" Ryan asked, more gently this time.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I snapped, more harshly than I intended.
"Calm down, man," Julian said, holding up his hands. "We're just worried about you. No need to get pissy."
"Yeah," Mason chimed in. "Sorry, we're just checking."
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Sorry, guys. I'm just a bit under. That's all."
"Well, whatever it is that's troubling you, I'm sure you'll figure it out. You always do," said a voice I wanted to hear more than anyone's. I turned to see Henry looking at me, a shadow of a smile on his lips. Relief washed over me. Maybe I was overthinking everything. That's what I do—overthink, and never about nice things. I believe firmly in "always expect disappointment, so when it comes, the impact won't be too much." Sooner or later, I'd have to face my fears, but seeing the way Henry looked at me, maybe, just maybe, I was in the clear for now.
That almost made me smile—until I felt the weight of the guys' stares. Immediately, I straightened up, trying to look normal. "Sorry for being such an asshole, guys. Even when you were genuinely worried, I was being a total prick."
"No biggie, man," Ryan said, giving me a friendly shoulder pat. "We're used to you being a prick sometimes."
The others laughed. "Yeah, yeah," I said, rolling my eyes. "Get it all out of your system—there won't be another time."
They laughed harder.
"So, what did you even do all day while we were gone?" Mason asked.
"Nothing much, actually. I was just lost in my thoughts. All alone."
"Or you were with someone," Ryan teased. "Spill it—who's the girl that's been buttering you up? You're hiding her from us, aren't you?"
"There's no girl. If there was, you guys would be the first to know," I said, trying to keep my tone light.
Julian, lounging on his bed, suddenly said something that made my blood freeze. "Are we even sure it's a girl? Could be a boy, for all we know. He's been moving so secretively lately."
Henry's POV
It was like Andrew turned to stone. When Julian said that, the look on Andrew's face was wild—like someone had just insulted his mother. It was scary, honestly. But what Andrew said next shook me to my core. Was this how he saw me? Was I just a puppet for him to hide behind?
Andrew's POV
"What did you just say?" I asked, turning to face Julian.
He shrugged, totally unbothered. "I mean, who knows? You might just be into guys. Being in college, away from your dad, maybe you finally want to be free and be yourself."
My mouth was dry. I felt the room spinning, heart pounding against my ribs. I could feel everyone's eyes on me.
"Do I look like one of those mentally unstable people who don't know their right from their left?" I snapped, louder than I meant to. "God created two sexes, male and female—not male and male. Why would I want a man when there are pretty girls all around us? So no, I'm not interested in men, and I never will be."I sounded more like my dad more than I intended to at this point
There was a silence. Ryan let out a goofy "Aye, sir!" in a horrible pirate accent, trying to lighten the mood. Mason laughed, calling him a clown, but Julian just stared right past me.
I turned, following his gaze, and saw Henry standing there, towel still around his waist, eyes wide and wounded. My whole reality came crashing down on me. I'd just denied him. Denied myself. Denied everything that actually mattered.
Henry's POV
I stood there, frozen, watching Andrew—his words echoing in my head, sharp as knives. For a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe. Was this what I was to him? A secret to be hidden? Someone to be denied when things got uncomfortable? I wrapped the towel tighter around myself, feeling suddenly exposed, vulnerable, and very, very alone.
The room filled with awkward laughter and fake jokes, but none of it reached me. I looked at Andrew one last time, his face pale, eyes pleading with me to understand. But I didn't. Not anymore.