'This is the end of our friendship,' Ivan finished Joel's statement in his mind.
"I love you," Joel said as he took one more step toward Ivan. His breath smelled of alcohol.
"What! Is… that what you wanted to say?" Ivan asked, and Joel nodded. He was tensed, and he looked like someone who could pee on himself at any moment, and Ivan honestly didn't understand why Joel had professed his feelings.
"Come on, Joel. You know I also love you, right?" Ivan said as he held Joel's shoulders and smiled, but Joel didn't smile back.
"It's not that simple, Ivan. I'm gay, and I want you," Joel said as he tilted his head to perhaps try and kiss Ivan, who quickly moved back.
"You're too drunk. Come on, let's get you somewhere to rest," Ivan said as he moved to hold Joel's hands, but Joel quickly moved back as if burned by a hot sensation.
The heartache he felt was becoming unbearable by the minute, and he felt as if his heart could explode.
Why didn't he feel better after telling Ivan what he had wanted?
"No, Ivan, I'm serious. I really don't feel anything for Rina," Joel went on in a breaking voice, and Ivan knew, at that moment, that more s*it was on the way.
'Fuck!' He inwardly cursed.
***
"Are we really going to stay like this?" Ivan asked as he pushed the empty plate away from him.
"What is the problem with how we're living? The house is big, so we don't even have to see each other," Steph answered sarcastically as her eyes roamed around the room.
"Why the hell are you even annoyed at me?" Ivan asked when he saw Steph get up from the dining table and head to the kitchen to load the dishwasher. He followed her and stood by the door to make it impossible for her to pass through when need be.
"A normal human being utters a word of hatred to even their worst enemies," Ivan said.
"Are you now a philosopher? Just get lost, Ivan. I don't want to lose it," Steph answered in a sharp voice as she shook her head and shut her eyes to try and block the tears that were threatening to freely roll down her cheeks.
'Why am I even feeling angry at him? What is wrong with me? There is nothing wrong with you, you're just pissed he is going to spoil things further, and you have had enough,' a voice in her head reasoned.
With every passing day, she was getting more and more agitated and desperately feeling the need to get away from the Jacksons, but they had helped her, yet she hadn't fulfilled her obligation yet, so she still felt like a slave.
"We will stand here until you tell me exactly why you're pissed at me," Ivan said as he took steps closer to Steph, who scoffed and tried to pass, but Ivan stood still. Steph took a step to the left, and so did Ivan. After multiple failed trials, Steph sighed deeply and cowed.
"Why did you come home with Vera?" Steph asked before she could take back the words. She saw a smirk on Ivan's lips, and he smiled as he said, "So this is it? Are you jealous?"
"F*ck off, Ivan. Why should I be jealous?"
"Because you love me. Why else?" Ivan answered as if it was the most natural answer.
"I'm pissed at you because you forgot the damn rules. You brought her here, and somehow you expect the world to believe her allegations against you are wrong. Are you delusional or just stupid? Because obviously, I'm the one feeling the pain," Steph shouted at the top of her voice, and Ivan gasped in shock.
Why didn't he remember such a thing happening?
"Really, Steph! Just acting isn't enough for you, so you decided to write the scripts as well because what you're saying is outrageous, to say the least," Ivan answered dismissively, and Steph looked at him in anger and felt like slapping the hell out of him.
"This isn't drama, Ivan!"
"How so, yet you're acting so well. I wish you did this during drama rehearsals. You would be Luke's favorite student," Ivan mockingly said as he hid a soft laugh.
He looked up to see the expression on Steph's face, and it was pure anger and rage. At that moment, he realized that Steph was more than serious and that he was pushing the buttons too far.
"When was that again? I don't remember any of that," he innocently asked as he looked up at the ceiling to remember.
"Cut. Me. The. Slack! Don't act like you don't remember anything. I was so pissed at you, Ivan, that more than anything, I wanted to smash your head on that wall and be free from you. You're beyond redemption, and I just wish I didn't have to do this," Steph said as her voice broke.