Forged Bonds (BxB)

CHAPTER 34

Today was one of those days when I was woken up by Mallory's singing in the kitchen. Today was also one of those many days which I wished I hadn't woken up at all.

I had a severe headache. It was hard for me to open my eyes, and the pounding in my head made it seem like my brain had been replaced by a rock. I forced my eyes open and immediately saw a bottle of aspirins and a bottle of water above my nightstand, next to my mother's portrait, with a note placed in front of them.

Take two when you wake up – Jeo

My eyes widened when I read his name. 'Do you love me?'

"Oh no, no, no, no" I repeated over and over again as my question kept ringing in my head.

I tried to stand up, but the rock in my skull pulled me back to the bed. What was I thinking? I remembered Jeo's reaction to my question. How he didn't know what to say and avoided the topic completely.

It was such a dumb move. Yes, I wanted Jeovanni to love me. But that wasn't possible. We had just agreed to be exclusive. He'd probably start to avoid me until we never spoke to each other again. I had just gained a little bit more of him, and my longing took that away.

He doesn't love you, John.

"Oh, fuck you" I murmured to my own thought.

I did as Jeo told me to and took two pills before forcing myself out of bed. I took a long shower and washed my hair; brushed my teeth; downed the bottle of water; and changed my clothes, going downstairs after I was done.

"Morning, Jack" Mallory was the first to greet me when I arrived to the kitchen.

"Morning" I mumbled, taking my seat by the table, where there was already a plate of pancakes waiting for me, and the usual fruits next to it. I should probably tell Mallory I was allergic to strawberries.

"Hey, son" I raised my gaze to see Alvarez looking at me with a small smile and a mug of coffee in his hand.

My eyes slightly widened again as I had a slight remembrance of my uncle seeing Jeo and I while I clung to him for dear life. I wondered if we were doing something else, something more... compromising. I wondered if he knew or suspected about my sexuality. But his expression gave nothing away.

"Hi" I glanced away from him.

I didn't want them to find out and start treating me like my father did. I didn't want them to hit me, to call me slurs, or to kick me out. It was weird realizing that I had grown some sort of trust towards them somehow. I stopped expecting them to abuse me there had been a long while.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Each word Alvarez uttered and each second his eyes were set on me made me feel more tense. I kept waiting for him to raise his voice, for him to throw that mug of coffee on the ground, tell me to pick its pieces up and... I stopped my train of thought. I didn't want to remember that again.

"Good" I wasn't capable of letting my voice tone be anything but low.

"Did you have fun yesterday?" My aunt asked me.

They were asking common questions, but I still felt like I was in an interrogatory.

"Mhm" I played with the pancake on my plate.

"Good morning" Dani's recent presence in the room made me almost let out a sigh of relief. I felt safer with her here. I knew she didn't hate me for what I was. And I knew she wouldn't like if her parents mistreated me because of it.

She exchanged some words with them before Mallory announced that Alvarez and she were going out to have breakfast with some friends. Apparently, all the food she had cooked was for only Dani and me.