The Perfect Boy in the Shadows

Chapter 16, Life is a Love Triangle

-Lily-

I knocked on his door softly, and the door opened only a few seconds after, greeting me with a hug from my former crush. I gasped, a little surprised he hugged me so openly. 

"Lily, I'm so glad you're here," he mumbled into my shoulder before pulling away.

"What's wrong Grayson?" I asked as he invited me into his room.

"There's just... so much going on. I only recently discovered what I was and it... it's been really hard," he said.

"But Grayson, you're still the same person you've always been, right? Nothing has changed, you just realized something you didn't before," I spoke softly, squeezing his knee in a comforting way.

"Yeah... I'm still the same person but I don't think others will think of me that way," he choked out. I could see the tears forming in his eyes and I felt my heart melt for his sad emotions.

"Aww Grayson... no one will think like that."

"But you did, didn't you? I mean... after I told you, you ran away! Like you didn't want to be friends anymore... and then I tried to text you over and over but you never responded!" he sniffed. I'd never seen him break down like this before, he always kept all his emotions hidden, tucked away from the world.

"No, that's not what it was at all... I just realized I was meant for someone else and I've been... a little busy with him," I explained, hoping it didn't sound too weird.

"Oh... alright, well I'm glad to know that we're still friends."

"Of course we are."

"But Lily, you have to promise me not to tell anyone about me, do you understand? This is something I have to tell people on my own, okay?" he asked with a pleading look in his eyes. Oh no... what have I done?

"Um..." I began, I'm sure he could sense the hesitation in my voice, "I kinda... might've already told someone," I whispered.

"You WHAT!?" he yelled, jumping up from his bed, "Who did you tell!?" he practically screamed at me.

"Listen Grayson I'm really sorry... besides it was a nobody," I sighed, burying my face in my hands.

"WHO DID YOU TELL!?" 

"Uh... Jack," I managed to squeak out. 

"YOU TOLD JACK!? Lily, what were you thinking!?" he panted, wiping the tears from his face. His facial expression was one of the scariest things I've ever seen. A mix of anger, sadness, and rage.

"Crap, if Jack knows I might as well tell the whole world that I'm gay! Thanks a lot, Lily!" he sighed.

"I know Jack will keep your secret... he's a really nice guy. Jack, he's... he's amazing Grayson! I know you can trust him," I said, hoping to calm him down.

"Yeah! I know he's amazing! Who else do you think I've had my mind on for the past year!?" he yelled. Oh my god... oh my god. Grayson has... feelings for... Jack? This just made things a whole lot more complicated. 

"Grayson you have to let your feelings for him go, we're dating right now and-"

"YOUR WHAT!?" he raged, cutting me off. "God! This is all just a big love triangle!" he yelled again.

"What do you mean?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Can't you see Lily? Our whole life is a love triangle! You, me, Jack... you loved me, he loved you, I loved him... now you love him, and he loves you... but I'm still stuck as the third wheel, loving him, trying to fight for him, knowing that there's no hope for me. There'll never be any hope for me!" he half yelled/sobbed his statement out, falling to the floor crying. "In every romance book you told me to read, there was some sort of love triangle... and I thought it was stupid! That the author couldn't think of anything else to make a good story! But now I realize... those stories weren't that far off from real life, were they?" he asked me, the tears still streaming down his face. 

"You're right Grayson..." I whispered, sliding down next to him. "We are just this messed up, stupid love triangle... aren't we?"