Chapter 12 #2
I know Lilly wouldn’t hate me for it, but I’m not in the right headspace for that right now.
Aria has been texting me, concerned about me, and I feel like a shitty friend for avoiding her. But since her breakup with Tyler, she’s gotten closer with Taylor.
I’ve been afraid that I’d run into Taylor and blurt out what happened.
It shouldn’t come from me, not if I can help it. She’s Easton’s girlfriend. He should be the one to tell her.
I know I can’t avoid this forever, but before I do anything, I need to talk this out with Aria. Maybe she can give me advice on what to do next.
Unable to sit with this any longer, I get in my car and drive to her dorm. She told me she was going to be in all night to study. Hopefully she doesn’t mind me interrupting her.
When I get to her room, I hear music playing from the other side.
Smiling, I shake my head. She loves to listen to music while studying, and even has a habit of singing along to the songs. I could never understand was how she’s able to multitask like that. I don’t need complete quiet to study, but stuff like that is too much of a distraction to me.
Knowing she won’t hear me knocking over the music, I use my spare key and let myself in.
Yeah, that was a big mistake. A very big one.
I stand in the doorway, eyes wide in horror, lips parted in shock at the sight in front of me.
Taylor and Aria are making out, hands all over each other, while Taylor gropes Aria’s breasts.
Sensing my presence, Aria looks over at me, and panic fills her eyes.
She pushes Taylor off her chest, heaving. “Bennett.”
Taylor’s head snaps over, the same look filling her face.
Aria scrambles to cover up, and Taylor jumps to her feet.
“What the fuck is going on?” I demand, when I’m finally able to find my voice.
Both girls look like deer in headlights. They look at one another, lips red and swollen from kissing, hair a mess.
“Someone better tell me what is going on here,” I demand as I close the door.
“It’s not what it looks like.” Taylor runs a shaking hand through her hair.
“Really?” I ask in disbelief. “Because from the looks of it, you’re cheating on Easton.” My eyes dart to Aria. “I can’t believe you’d do that. After what Tyler did to you, after what Liam did to me. She has a boyfriend.”
“Bennett.” The way she says my name breaks my damn heart. She looks so broken. “It’s not what it looks like. Trust me. You know I’d never do that to someone.”
“But you did.” I throw my hand toward Taylor. “She’s dating Easton.”
“Oh, please,” Taylor growls. “Don’t act like you're some saint. I know what happened on Halloween night.”
And just like that, my stomach fills with cement.
“Wait, what happened on Halloween?” Aria’s brows furrow, looking between me and Taylor.
“You know?” I ask her, ignoring Aria’s question.
“Of course I know. Easton tells me everything.”
“So... this is what? You getting back at him?” I’m so damn confused.
“No,” Taylor says. “I’d never do something petty like that.”
“Then what, the two of you broke up?”
My head is spinning. I have no idea what the hell is going on anymore.
“We’d have to actually be dating to break up.” The sound of Easton’s voice has me spinning around.
My heart begins to race, as my body breaks out with pinpricks. He looks so damn handsome, but also in rough shape. The urge to go to him, to wrap my arms around him and try to make it all better, takes me by surprise.
He closes the door behind him, looking between the three of us. “I’m going to assume he didn’t knock and walked in on the two of you?” he asks Taylor.
My head snaps back over to Taylor. “Yeah, pretty much.” Her cheeks turn bright pink.
“Can someone tell me what's going on?” I ask, unable to process any of this.
“We didn’t break up,” Easton says.
“So what, you two have an open relationship?”
“No,” Taylor says.
“We don’t have a relationship.”
“Easton,” Taylor starts, but he holds his hand up.
“It’s okay,” he says. “As long as it’s okay with you?”
She nods.
He looks at me, and god, my heart fucking flutters. “Taylor and I aren't together. We’ve never been together.”
“Wait... what?” My brows furrow. “How... what?”
Easton sighs heavily, about to answer, but it’s Taylor who speaks.
“I’m gay,” she says.
My brows rise. “Huh?”
“Gay,” she repeats. “I like women.”
“Then why would you date a guy?” I say, dumbfounded.
“Because my parents are religious and would have never accepted me being with a woman. Easton has been acting as my boyfriend to get my parents off my back.”
Huh. Well, that sure as hell wasn’t what I expected.
“But the two of you look so close,” I say, eyes bouncing between them. “I see how you are with one another. It’s clear that the two of you care deeply about each other.”
Taylor’s eyes soften. “Of course we do. I love Easton. He’s my soulmate. But, not in a romantic way.” She shrugs.
“So, you’re just okay with spending years with people thinking you're her boyfriend?” I ask Easton.
“Yeah.” He nods. “Because I love her. I’d do anything for her. I helped her, and she helped me.”
What does that mean? “Helped you how? How do you get any benefit from this?” I’m so damn confused.
“I keep her secret, she keeps mine.” His eyes are dark, filled with so many emotions. It takes a moment, but then it clicks. I get what he means, and it nearly knocks me off my feet.
Swallowing hard, I speak the words that have my whole world turning upside down. “You’re gay.”
It’s not a question, it’s the truth. I can see it in his eyes, the way his whole body locks up at my words, confirming.
Easton didn’t cheat on Taylor with me, because he was never really with her. Because they’re both gay.
Easton is gay.
Holy mother of god, he’s gay.
This changes everything.