"Your phone's been ringing nonstop," Adam says as I step out of the bathroom, wrapping myself in a towel after a long shower. My mind is a mess, swirling with thoughts I can't untangle.
But one thing I'm sure of is that I'm glad to be here with him. My stubborn self almost walked out yesterday during our heated argument, and if I had, he would've continued living in his own private hell.
"You didn't pick up?" I ask, slightly surprised.
"Pfft, no. I mean… can I?" he asks, sitting on the bed with his back against the pillow, looking comfortable but oddly hesitant.
"Why not? Anyway, who was it?"
"I didn't check," he replies, catching me off guard. I mean, I've watched enough movies, series, and soaps to know that partners are usually dying to check each other's phones. Why isn't mine curious at all?
"Why aren't you asleep anyway? You said you were tired," I probe, trying to distract myself from overthinking his response.
"I can't," he says simply, his eyes fixed on me.
I grab my phone, realizing I haven't touched it since yesterday. It's been buzzing with calls I've intentionally ignored.
Unsurprisingly, my family's names dominate the missed call list. Oh, please—give me a break! I'm not a child who needs to be tracked down just because I didn't come home for a day.
I notice a few calls from Ryan and Carl as well. Between the two, I've grown closer to Ryan. He's playful and carefree like me, even though he's a bit older than me.
Carl, on the other hand, can be such a nag! Not exactly the kind of person I'd choose to spend my time with. Still, he's a good guy—mature, thoughtful, and undeniably cool.
"I'm going to call my family on a group call. Do you want to say hi? They know we had something going on before it fell apart, but they don't know we're back together." I glance at Adam, hoping he agrees.
"You told them? Or did they guess from the day I went over?" His voice is calm, but his expression unreadable.
"I told them. I'm sorry—I know I should've asked you first…"
"It's okay," he interrupts. "I just can't believe how different people can be. It's almost like some people aren't even human. Your family is okay with you being with a man, but mine…." His voice trails off, filled with unspoken pain.
"It's not about wanting to be with a man," I say earnestly. "It's about being so totally, crazily, confusingly in love with this one man that I can't help it. If you'd asked me before I met you if I'd ever want to be with a man, I would've said no."
He chuckles softly. "Well, lucky me."
I smile. "As for my family, I wouldn't say they're entirely fine with it. I have a gay uncle, and he went through hell, maybe he made a smooth path for me.
My grandparents weren't supportive at all, and their reaction was pretty ugly from what I heard. So, no—my family doesn't accept it wholeheartedly. Anyway , will you say hi?" I know they'll lift his spirits. They'll show him that not everyone feels disgusted by him. They never fail.
"Sure," he says after a moment's hesitation.
I dial my family, and just as they're about to start scolding me for disappearing, they stop mid-sentence when they see Adam's face on the screen.
°°°
Hours later, after countless conversations, I end the call while my family is still talking.
"You hung up on them? Even your mom and dad?!" Adam exclaims, looking genuinely shocked, like I just committed some grave sin.
"Trust me, they'd go on talking all night, and I'm exhausted. Come on, let's go to sleep," I say, climbing into bed and pulling the duvet over us.
I turn onto my side, and Adam wraps himself around me from behind, his arms tight around my waist. He rests his head against the back of my neck. It's new, this closeness, but I like it. It feels perfect.
"I love you," he says softly, the words catching me completely off guard. My heart races.
"I love you ," I whisper after a pause, my voice barely audible. He tightens his hold on me, snuggling closer, and I can't help but smile.
"Julian?" he murmurs after a few minutes, just as I'm about to drift off.
"Mmh?" I turn to face him, concerned.
"I didn't force myself on our neighbor's kid," he says suddenly, his voice heavy with emotion. "We were just playing, and we fell—me on top of him. Our lips brushed by accident, and at that exact moment, his parents walked in. They made a scene, accused me of things I didn't even understand at the time. My dad… he was so angry. He said horrible things to me, made me promise I'd never be friends with boys again."
"How old were you?" I ask gently.
"Ten," he replies, his voice trembling.
"Adam, it's okay. It's all in the past now. I didn't believe them when they said those things about you. Even when we weren't close, I knew you. I know you. You wouldn't do something like that. Now, go to sleep—it'll all be okay," I reassure him. Slowly, I feel his body relax.
°°°°°
The Next Morning
"Ugh! Who on earth is ringing the bell this early?!" I groan, carefully moving Adam off my chest as the sound from the gate disturbs our peace.
"Hey, are you expecting someone?" I ask, irritated.
"No. What is it?" he asks, sitting up groggily.
"Someone's at the gate."
"That's weird. No one comes here. Let's check the CCTV."
"Okay," I reply, following him to his office.
When we see the screen, I groan. "Seriously? What are they doing here at this hour?!"
"Did you call them yesterday? They said we should call them, but I didn't call Carl."
"No, I didn't call either. But showing up unannounced at 6 a.m.? That's ridiculous."
Grumbling, I walk to the gate and open it. "Good very early morning, weirdos!" I say sarcastically.
"Really now? We were worried sick about you! You guys didn't pick up our calls! We thought something horrible had happened, and now you're calling us weirdos?" Ryan snaps, his tone dripping with drama.
"Sorry. Something horrible did happen. That's why we didn't call or answer, but we're fine now," Adam says, sitting on the couch.
"OMG, are you guys sure you're okay?" Ryan asks, genuinely concerned.
"As you can see," I reply dismissively, brushing off the topic. But of course, we end up telling them everything.
We spend the rest of the day together—watching movies, talking, and just relaxing. It's the weekend, so they don't have work. And as for us… well, we were fired. Ha!