the progress project [3]

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everett

"i had an amazing time tonight," he grins, squeezing derek's hand on the short drive back to the apartment. "thank you for coming with me."

the other boy returns the smile. "thanks for letting me. your mom was nice. hesitant, but nice."

"she likes you."

"why did she say i looked a lot like aidan?"

everett's blood runs cold. he can feel the hair on the back of his next rise, and he takes a deep breath. "he was my ex."

silence, for an uncomfortable few minutes, until... "are you with me because i look like him?"

"no!" everett rushes, too quickly. "not at first, no. but you two are so different. i love you, derek."

"you love him, too."

"no, i—"

derek unlocks the car at the stop sign. "i don't have much of a walk. see you around."

"derek, please." everett grabs his arm. "don't go. you are not aidan."

"do you still love him?" derek asks, and everett is still so lost at how this all happened. "do you love aidan?"

"yes," everett says, opening his mouth to say more. derek is already gone. "but not like i used to."