Reap What You Sow 🌈

Chapter 28

Mateo's glance wandered through the room and rested upon Rory, who was talking to a boy with blond hair. Adam was standing next to him. He thought back to what Emilio had said to him. Had he made things more difficult between Emilio and his blonde loverboy? His friend hadn't come back yet, so he guessed their conversation still bothered him—or the fact that Rory was with someone else. 

Either way, Mateo realized he'd been a bit of a dick—although he believed that Adam guy had no reason to complain as long as he was too much of a pussy to speak up for himself. He walked to the three guys and wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulders. He was about to roll his eyes when the boy flinched, but he kept himself from doing it at the last second. 

"Hey, I'm here to apologize. I said some shitty things to you."

Adam didn't answer; he seemed to wish he could vanish. 

Rory however did turn around and gave him a suspicious look, as if he doubted his apologies were sincere. 

Smart kid.

Without taking his arm off Adam's shoulders, he turned towards Rory. "I'm just very protective when it comes to my friends or my little brother. You know—I know Emilio since he was a little kid. And I was fucking surprised when I heard he was in love—I was teasing him cause he couldn't keep his eyes off the door when he was waitin' until you'd show up."

He felt Adam's shoulder tense underneath his hand and couldn't hide his smirk. 

"So when you entered the room with this guy..." He pulled Adam closer in a cozy way, "I just saw his heart shatter. His first love, y'know. It's kinda sad. He's still confused about his feelings, and instead of giving him some time, you immediately run off with pretty boy over here." He patted Adam's shoulder. "What I understand, by the way, cause he has a cute face. Anyway—when you came to us, showing off your new boy toy as if you wanted to rub his missed chance under his nose, it rubbed me the wrong way." He squeezed Adam's shoulder again and looked at him. "So sorry for my words, kid. After all, it's not your fault that your lover likes getting off on breaking hearts."

Rory didn't say a word, although the stormy look in his eyes told him a torrent of words was on the way. 

A smirk crossed Mateo's lips; then, he pulled away his arm and turned around.

. . .

Rory took a few deep breaths to control his anger. An apology? My ass. That asshole only said these words to cause friction between Adam and him. He was about to follow Mateo and shove him, but he knew that wouldn't help him. Especially not because Adam was looking at him with eyes full of confusion and hurt. He needed to talk to him, assure him he wasn't a replacement. He however didn't want to have that conversation here, not with all these people around them. 

"Come on, let's get some air."

He was inclined to grab Adam's hand, but refrained from it. Maybe he needed some space. He went up the stairs and headed to the roof terrace. Only when he sat down in a garden chair, he realized Emilio might have gone here too. He turned a little to the side, his eyes flashing across the terrace until he saw the guy indeed, a few meters away from him. He wasn't alone, but with his friend. 

It made Rory nervous; he hoped that Adam wasn't thinking that he had come here because he wanted to see Emilio. Quickly he turned back to Adam, who'd bent his head and stared at his hands. 

"What are you thinking?" he cautiously encouraged him to talk. He had no idea how much Adam cared about Mateo's words or what bothered him the most. For Rory, it wasn't hard to translate his feelings to words, but it was something Adam sometimes found difficult.

Adam sighed softly. When he looked up, tears shimmered in his eyes. "Is it true?" he asked. "Did you only take me here to.. have your revenge?"

Rory shook his head and grabbed his hands. "No baby... I didn't. Hey, come here," he said as a tear rolled down his cheek. He pulled at his hands until Adam got up and pulled him on his lap, even though Adam was taller than him. One hand rested on his lower back, the other he put on Adam's thigh. "You were the one who wanted to go here, remember? To do a duet with Grace. I'm here to support you. Yeah—if not, I might have gone too, but I'm here with you now. And not because I wanted to make Emilio jealous."

"Did you know he would be here?" Adam asked, his gaze averted. 

"I wasn't sure, but I kept it in mind."

Adam was quiet for a while. Then, his hand shoved forward and he intertwined his fingers with Rory's. He looked at their hands before returning his gaze to Rory's face. "How was it to see him again. You eh—you still like him?"

"I care enough about him for not wanting to hurt him," Rory answered. "But to be honest, I didn't think about how he would feel about us. He was the one who didn't want to date, he was very firm." His glance glided to the side. Emilio was only a few feet away—and the moment their eyes met, Emilio quickly looked away. Had he heard their conversation? Rory realized he hadn't heard Emilio talk to Juan, but maybe they hadn't talked at all. 

He felt Adam's fingers stiffen and snapped his head back. 

"I neither knew he was here," Rory said.

Adam didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked over his shoulder to Emilio. "According to his friend's words, he changed his mind," he muttered. "Maybe you should talk to him again and decide if you really want me more than him." He looked at the ground.

Rory cupped his jaw and lifted his face. "Yeah, I have to talk to him. Tell him I didn't mean to hurt him. But listen to me, Adam. Even when Mateo is right and Emilio regrets turning me down, I would still choose you. The past days with you were amazing. There's nothing I'd want to change about you—perhaps that you stand up for yourself a little more—but he..." He started to speak softer. "He hurts other people very easily. When my boyfriend would do such a thing.. I think we would be fighting constantly. Yes—I do have feelings for him," he said, being honest. "I already told you. These feelings aren't gone in one week. But I also have feelings for you, Adam. And I get it if you want to take a step back—if you think we're moving too fast. I really get it."

"I don't want to take a step back," Adam said softly. "I want you, Rory."

"And I want you." He raised his hand and caressed his cheek. "I really want you."

Adam looked at him. Rory could still see the doubts in his eyes. Doubts that needed time to fade. His lips parted slightly while Adam held his gaze. 

He wants me to choose. For real. 

Emilio would see it if he would kiss Adam now—and there was no doubt that it would hurt him. But he also understood Adam's longing for certainty. His longing to become his number one. 

He thought back to how Emilio and he had been flirting last week—and how Emilio had kissed a random girl just to make a point. It had hurt him—but did it mean he couldn't kiss his boyfriend when he was around? His boyfriend who doubted his love? 

He leaned closer to Adam, pressing his lips against his. He surrendered to the kiss, trying not only to convince Adam, but also himself. 

He however didn't fully enjoy the kiss, there was a nagging feeling in his stomach. Whether it was because he was hurting Emilio or because he was wishing, deep down, that it weren't Adams lips he was kissing now, he did not know.

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