Chapter 41 #3
Ayden’s chest got heavy and he placed a hand on it. He raised his other hand to his mouth, about to throw up. The light in Benji’s eyes only glimmered brighter at the sight of that.
I wanted someone to get him off stage.
“Don’t do whatever you’re about to do, Benji,” I whispered. “I’m sure we can work this out—whatever it is—off stage.”
Benji chuckled lightly, ignoring me. “He must be a bit nervous, all eyes on him and all. He wanted me to tell all of you something, regarding his sexuality.” He turned to look at Principal Evans. “I hope this is alright?”
Principal Evans hesitated before nodding. “As long as it’s school appropriate.” He almost looked… intimidated?
Doesn’t everyone already know that Ayden’s gay? What could this possibly be, now?
Benji grinned. Ayden couldn’t look anyone in the eye. I could tell he wanted to leave, but he was frozen. He was so afraid of whatever Benji was about to tell everyone.
“Come on, let’s just leave.” Xavier tugged Ayden’s suit.
“You should really stay and listen, Zay,” Benji stretched out the words. His true self was slipping out. “I think you’d be interested in knowing.”
Xavier ignored him. He gently turned Ayden around, pushing him towards the exit. Hero contemplated whether or not to leave as well, but decided against it since he wanted to keep an eye on Benji. Especially since him and I were only a few feet apart.
Benji clenched his jaw, watching the two of them start to leave. “Ayden doesn’t love you, Zay.”
Okay, that had to not be school appropriate. Yet, none of the staff members did a thing. The staff of the ‘widely recognized as strict’ academy were cowards. I scoffed—at the staff, and at Benji’s statement.
Ayden not loving Xavier? There was no way that was true. Ayden talked about him all the time. They even mentioned forming a band together in the summer.
Xavier stopped in his tracks, and so did Ayden. Xavier turned around, his face filled with confusion.
A small smirk appeared on Benji’s face, knowing the power he had. “You are just a distraction to him.”
The students in the gymnasium gasped. Xavier just chuckled nervously, trying his best not to let Benji’s words get to his head. “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” Benji cocked an eyebrow. He was too confident to be lying. “In Paris, he told you I blackmailed him, didn’t he? It wasn’t just because he didn’t want everyone to know he was gay—although, that was definitely part of it.”
Ayden was blackmailed? Since the beginning of freshman year? He left that part out when he told Hero and me. He must’ve been afraid of being asked what Benji blackmailed him with.
“Then, what?” Xavier asked, moving a few steps closer. Ayden stayed still, facing the other way.
“He’s in love with Hero.”
What… did… I… just… hear? Ayden was in love with Hero? No, he absolutely hated Hero’s guts back then. Benji is lying. He had to be.
Hero, who took his eyes off Benji for a moment, whipped his head back up. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Now you’re just making up stories.”
Benji shook his head. “Oh, how hard he tried not to.” Benji mock-frowned. “But he does.”
“That’s not true.”
“Then tell me, Hero, why did he compete with you for Violet?”
Huh. I hadn’t thought about that. That’s right—why did he compete for Violet if he was gay? Why did he hold a grudge against Hero?
“He must’ve not realized that he was gay.”
Benji clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “No, that’s not it.”
A tear rolled down Xavier’s cheek. He seemed to have figured it out.
“Does anyone want to make any guesses or shall I just tell you all?” Benji asked, looking around the gymnasium.
The students remained silent.
“Okay, then.” Benji grinned, then turned his attention back to Hero. “Ayden wasn’t jealous of you. He was jealous of her. Knowing he couldn’t have you made him so, so jealous. He didn’t know what to do, so he—”
“I tried to make Hero jealous, the same way I felt jealous.” Ayden finished the sentence, turning around. His lips trembled, managing to give a weak smile.
Hero opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
He wasn’t the only one that was speechless. How did I not realize my own best friend having a crush on my boyfriend?
“So I really am just a distraction, huh,” Xavier scoffed, bumping shoulders with Ayden on the way out of the gymnasium. Imani, who had been holding hands with her date, hurried after her cousin.
“And that’s all I have for you guys.” Benji flashed a proud smile and leapt off the stage.
My mind raced with so many thoughts. But there was one question that jumped out.
Was Ayden also jealous of me?
Using the stairs, I scurried off stage. I needed to confront Ayden. I needed to know.
I intercepted him as he was rushing towards Xavier. He looked past me. “Peps, I’m so sorry but I really have t—”
“Since when?” I rasped. “When did you start having feelings for Hero?”
He paused to look at me. He sighed before saying, “Always.”
A lump in my throat appeared. “You… why didn’t you tell me?”
“When?!” he asked exasperatedly. “When was the right time to tell you I had feelings for your boyfriend?! Or wait, should I have told you when I was still in denial of being gay? When, huh?!”
“I don’t know!” I cried out. “But we’re best friends, and I thought we tell each other everything!”
I didn’t know when Hero approached us, but his hand was placed on my shoulder. “Stop. This is what Benji wants. He wants us to fight. He wants to break us apart.”
Violet scurried over to us. “He’s right. Benji is an effing bastard who has nothing better to do with his life.” She then gazed at Ayden and wrapped her arms around him without hesitation.
“You’re not mad?” he asked, his eyes widening.
“Why would I be mad when you just released me of some guilt for what I did back then?” she chuckled, sniffling.
Ayden gave a small smile and hugged her back. As they eased out of the hug, Ayden couldn’t make eye contact with Hero. “I’m sorry, Hero.”
Hero looked away, exhaling. “Look, I can’t blame you for what you did with Violet. I know what jealousy feels like. I felt it so deeply when you and Pepper dated.”
Ayden nodded weakly.
“The day of the truth serum, when you found out I liked Hero,” I said, “were you jealous?”
I needed to ask.
“Yes,” he admitted. “I asked you that question because I saw the way he looked at you. I knew he liked you. I thought maybe if you had a crush on someone else, and he heard that, it would make me feel better.” He paused.
“When you guys got together on the cruise, I felt heartbroken. But, I’m starting to move on now. I’m happy for you guys.”
“And you still have Xavier,” I reminded him. “Benji was lying, right? About him just being a distraction?”
“Well, he might’ve been at first,” he muttered. “But then he wasn’t. Man, I really do love him and I can’t even begin to imagine how he’s feeling right now.”
“Go.” Hero nodded towards the door, not keeping him back any longer. “We’ll wait up for you if things go south.”
“Yeah,” I added. “We’ll be here.”
Ayden nodded, biting his lip. “Thanks, guys.”
As Ayden ran out of the gym, we sighed heavily at the weight of the conversation.