Hook: The Novel (English)

Chapter 17: Hidden Feelings

Ford's P.O.V.

"So why did you spend the night with my cousin?" Prince's voice cut through the air, his eyes narrowed as he directed his question at me.

We had just arrived at the parking lot area, and to my surprise, everyone was already assembled, including my friends. Their lack of surprise at seeing me with Gadiel indicated that Pierre had already filled them in on the situation.

However, instead of letting Gadiel join us, they swiftly pulled me aside, insisting that they needed to speak with me privately. Prince particularly scolded Gadiel and urged him to give us some space. As they led me away, we found ourselves in a secluded corner, and they wasted no time bombarding me with questions.

"Ford, we know you like him, but aren't you moving a bit too fast?" Finn voiced his concern.

"Are you two dating now?" Sho inquired, his curiosity evident.

"No, not yet," I replied honestly.

"Not yet? Sounds like you're expecting it," Wade teased with a playful grin.

"Of course!" I responded confidently, unable to suppress a smile at the thought of what the future might hold.

"Hey, don't divert the question. Why did you spend the night with my cousin? I mean, your house is so far away from his place," Prince pressed, his tone insistent.

"Well, it was his birthday, so of course I wanted to celebrate it with him. I really wanted to make it special, so I borrowed my mom's car and drove straight here to give him the cake I made and greet him at exactly 12 am," I explained, a slight pout forming on my lips.

Prince fell silent, and I could see the frown on his forehead slowly disappearing as his expression softened. "Oh... that's sweet," he muttered under his breath, his tone indicating a newfound understanding.

"Although, it appears you may have forgotten about our outing? Pierre mentioned that you were hesitant at first, but my cousin was insistent on getting you to join," I recounted.

"I did forget about it, honestly. I really wanted to come, but I didn't have any clothes with me, so I decided to sit this one out. Plus, I already celebrated his birthday with him, and I think it's only fair for him to spend time with his other friends now. But, yeah, he mentioned he'd lend me some of his clothes," I explained, a smile creeping onto my face at the thought of me wearing his clothes.

So domestic vibes.

"Oh, don't worry about that. We've got you covered. We swung by your place first and asked your mom for your clothes since we had a feeling this might happen," Dean chimed in.

My smile vanished instantly. "You did what!? WHY!?"

"What do you mean 'why'?" Cooper retorted.

"Why did you bring my clothes!?" I exclaimed.

"Because you obviously needed them," Wade replied sarcastically.

"Great, now I have no excuse to borrow Gadiel's clothes. Ugh! We were almost looking like a pair of domestic husbands, but you ruined it!" I lamented.

"Wait a minute, your delusions are becoming a bit concerning. What do you mean 'husbands'? You really should consult a doctor," Prince remarked, and I was about to protest when suddenly a hand wrapped around my shoulder.

"They're saying we're about to leave, so save the chitchat for later," Gadiel interrupted, pulling me away. But Prince stopped us. Seriously, why did he always have to be such a party pooper?

"Where do you think you're taking him?" Prince inquired.

"He's sitting with me," Gadiel replied firmly.