Love Better Left Unspoken [SKEPHALO]

--7--

Zak

Zak stepped out of the carriage, nervously pulling at the cuffs of his sleeves. He and his family had just been invited to none other than Zak's least favorite thing.

One of those fancy gatherings with red wine and piano music playing while people sit around, gossip, and dance all while being their cocky selves.

His childhood had been at least mainly free of these sorts of events...the one minor plus of being so unfamiliar in the community. While that was nice while it lasted, it had left him feeling unprepared for now. He knew how to be polite, but he knew near nothing about the formalities of meeting wealthy strangers or what type of fork is used for what type of eating. 

As he stepped inside, greeted by a sickeningly sweet smile of an old woman he didn't know, he decided it would be better if the ground fell in below him and swallowed him up. His mother smiled at the woman, greeting her with an overly friendly 'hello' and shaking her hand, his father doing the same. She approached Zak, a few inches taller than him,  and he took in the sight of her.

Her face was so wrinkled it looked as if it was melting at the corners of her smile, and while he didn't feel exactly...afraid of her, he was incredibly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, realizing the situation, and bent slightly, taking hold of her hand gently and kissing it as he had read about in books. The woman laughed, using her other hand to place over her heart. "Well, aren't you quite the charmer? A real gentleman," She complimented kindly and Zak forced a smile as he pulled away.

Before long, he was released into the crowd. It was far more than a little unnerving to be thrust into a room full of highly-held strangers, and he took a deep breath to ease the shaking of his sweaty hands. He glanced around, hoping and praying for even the slightest familiar face, and caught sight of Darryl from across the room. The music was loud, mixing with the mingled laughter and clanking of silverware from the dining area, so Zak couldn't understand a word the other man was saying.

But he couldn't help but be entranced as he watched Darryl's mouth form words that may never grace Zak's ears, talking to some people Zak didn't know. Since that late night stroll, Darryl had crossed Zak's mind frequently, though he'd never speak a word of it to his parents. Zak wasn't...obsessed with him, or in love with him, he swore this to himself.

But he just wanted to talk to him...just a bit. He missed the other man's goofy laugh and his emerald green eyes, and the kind way the man received Zak's overly loud and dorky personality. Nobody Zak had ever known had been as nice to him.

"You're ogling at this man, I can tell you want to marry him," Zak's father said suddenly, startling Zak enough to make him jump. Zak turned to him, eyes wide with embarrassment. "You can tell us you know, not everything has to be a secret just so you can be as over dramatic as you always have been."

Zak was surprised by how fiercely the anger built in his chest. "You don't get to tell me what you know about me. You know nothing about me."

Before Zak knew it, his voice was getting higher, louder and angrier. "You haven't been there for me at all. My whole life. Not a word of encouragement from you. I spend all my time trying to prove to you just how wrong you are about everything you've ever said to me. Don't you see how wrong that is?!"

Zak's father's face had gone pale as he looked around at the silent crowd, mouthing for Zak to stop. Only then did Zak look around, scanning over the room. Everyone had turned to look at them, even those eating. The music was still playing, but the chatter had gone quiet and Zak could see Darryl staring at him, concerned.

Humiliated, Zak desperately tried to hide the tears that built up in his eyes as he shoved his father away from him. He inhaled sharply, biting the inside of his cheek. Zak stormed out of the front door, slamming it loud enough to shake the intricate door frame, walking out into the night.

He hoped he never saw any of them again.