[Twice Featured Noteworthy Novel & Staff Pick on Tapas.io] ✔
[Previously featured on Tapas.io's LGBTQ+ Community collection] ✔
One night. That was all it took for Senn Reyes' life to change drastically--and permanently.
Senn Reyes is a seventeen-y...
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Friday
For the rest of the week, Senn had watched Elio cozy up with Joyce every possible moment. At first, he had observed them, hoping to find out that it was mostly Joyce who was seeking Elio's company. That it was mostly her who wanted to cuddle or sit together or hold hands while walking through school.
Sadly, none of that was true. Elio seemed all too willing to let her do all of that, and more. When on Friday Joyce kissed Elio on the lips during lunch, and he in response pulled her onto his lap, Senn—who had been approaching the table with Lucas and Avan in his company—turned on his heels, suppressed the need to throw up, and walked the exact other way.
He hadn't missed the frown on Lucas' face, or the worried look on Avan's face.
They exchanged a few whispered words that Senn didn't catch, before Lucas caught up with him and followed him outside, into the fresh air.
Away from the suffocating lunchroom and the people in it.
"Dude," Lucas said once Senn took a seat on the grass, angrily staring at another couple on the other side of the fountain. "Are you okay?"
"No, Lucas!" Senn hissed angrily. He threw his backpack aside without any intention to grab his lunch. "Do I look okay to you?"
"Not really, to be honest." Lucas scratched his head, but while Senn rather wanted him to leave, he took a seat beside him.
"Then why did you fucking ask?"
"I don't know, Senn," Lucas sighed. Much to Senn's surprise, he didn't even sound annoyed or angry over the fact Senn snapped at him. On the contrary, he remained calm, though he sounded a bit, well, disappointed. "What do you expect me to do? All week you've been staring daggers at everyone and I'm just not sure where it went wrong in the course of a week. You're not telling Avan or me anything either, but we do see the connection with Joyce suddenly dating someone else."
"It's not Joyce, stop asking," Senn grumbled, crossing his arms. "I said I was fine with it, didn't I?"
"But are you really?"
"I don't give a goddamn thing about her dating someone else, Lucas!" Senn yelled at him in anger. They really needed to stop prying for answers as to why he was so upset with Joyce and Elio dating. He really didn't feel like spilling the truth. He lost to many important people already, he wasn't willing to add his best friends to the list; may it be in a different way.
Lucas was biting his lip so hard it seemed like he decided to replace his lunch with it, but then he opened his mouth to speak again.
And then he decided against it, snapped his mouth shut again and looked at his own hand plucking on his jeans.
"What?" Senn demanded him to speak up anyway.
"I just..." Lucas paused, shortly sending Senn a look before deciding he didn't want to make eye contact while he spoke. "Are you sure you don't have any feelings for her anymore?"
