The Consequences of Falling In Love

32: The Consequences of Clashing

It's hard to find time to write since my niece & nephew are visiting I'm sorry )': but thank you for 23k reads and 1.8k votes. This chapter is for all of you. Thanks for sticking by! :')

oh and.... *hands a box of tissues*

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"What are you doing here?"

Royce stood in Nathan's balcony, his body half bent towards the railing, an unlit cigarette tucked between his curled lips. The cool air whisked in the dark night, the moon not so hidden behind the dispersing clouds. Royce turned around upon hearing Nathan, leaning back on his elbows and stretched his legs in the process. "Hey, Nathan."

Nathan's eyes were blanketed with a sense of confusion, his hair unruly as he gave Royce a look of incredulity. "It's two in the morning." He stated in a very obvious but oblivious tone, blinking several times as if he couldn't believe any of this was happening. As if Royce hadn't willingly climbed onto his balcony at the oddest time just because he wanted to talk. Just because he couldn't wait for the next day. They've already wasted so much time, he cannot afford to risk another day. He had to know now.

"And you're at my place." Nathan continued, his eyes dropping down to stare at the cigarette between Royce's lips. He took three steps and snatched it. "You have asthma. This is harmful."

"But—" Royce huffed out a breath. "I wasn't smoking."

"What are you really doing here, Ray?" The question came off as very worn out. Nathan rubbed his temple in distress. "I'm tired." The dark circles under his eyes were so evident, Royce couldn't unsee them. How come he was only noticing these things? It was painstakingly obvious that Nathan was bothered by something.

Royce stared at him for an unnecessarily long amount of time, basking in the silence he hates so much before announcing. "I know it wasn't you."

That seemed to do the trick. Any colour on Nathan's face was drained. Fear flashing on his face for a split second. "I– what? Who? Wasn't m-me?" He seemed to be struggling with his words, stumbling over them. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I talked to Wren." Royce took a step like he was interrogating someone, arms crossed. "She told me everything. Well to be honest I figured it out myself but I still needed her to confirm."

"You figured it . . . out?" Nathan's eyebrows drew closer. He took a pause, trying to comprehend his words. "And she told you?"

Royce nodded eventually. She did tell him most of it, how it wasn't Nathan who snitched on him. It was never him, to begin with. Turned out, it was Wren herself. Not her specifically but it started because of her.

Wren used to hang out with a guy named, Tristin. At the time, Royce didn't know because he was never told. She was worried he might come off as protective and scare the poor guy away. Wren never mentioned Tristin to anyone but she recites all stories to him, including her brother and Nathan.

His house was only a few blocks away and they'd spend the evenings playing together. It was a ridiculous crush she had on him since he never made fun of her chubby cheeks and was a good friend, listening to her ramble for hours and so she assumed he'd be okay with Royce being gay. Wren was childish and immature, some would say. She didn't hold back her brother's secret.

Tristin by some chance was in the same school as Royce. He didn't hold back anything either.

Wren found out before Royce did. Tristin told her how he'd tell everyone, with a look which could only be described as disgusting. She cried in front of him, begged even for her brother's sake but all was in vain. By the time she went to Nathan with panic-driven eyes, it was too late. The news was out in the open and Royce was the one being tormented for it.