Yayo ~ Isaac Garcia

Chapter 14

Isaac took a deep breath, his eyes reflecting the echoes of a distant past. "Man, Paul and I were practically inseparable. I was hanging out with him more than I did with Lee," he began, a wave of nostalgia coloring his tone. "But everything took a U-turn that night at the party. Paul got scooped up by the cool kids, and suddenly, I found myself stranded in the shadows."

He went on, painting the picture of how Paul's popularity pulled them apart. "He started ghosting me, and when we finally did chat, it was an invite to join him and the jocks," Isaac shared, his face showing a mix of feeling ditched and longing.

"As I squeezed into their clique, they had no clue about my connection to Lee. Little did they know, it was a setup for them to trash-talk Lee," Isaac spilled, a trace of pain flickering in his eyes. "You know, Annie used to date a footballer named Aaron, and the jocks started spewing rumors and ripping into her new beau – Lee, not knowing they were tearing down my own twin brother."

Isaac paused for effect, letting the bombshell sink in. "It's a moment I prefer not to revisit. That moment put a strain on my friendship with Paul and planted the seed for my deep dislike of him," he wrapped up, the emotional residue of the past lingering in the air.

His voice quivered as he delved deeper into the painful details. "The football crew's words were like a knife, poking at Lee's feelings and mocking our private nicknames. So, I confronted them, demanding to know how they got those deets when they barely spoke to Lee."

His eyes narrowed as he pieced it together. "That's when I figured out the ugly truth – Paul, my close friend, blabbed about all of Lee's secrets. Unintentional or not, he let the vultures in."

Isaac's tone grew somber as he recounted the face-off with Paul. "When I called him out, Paul tried to play it off like some accident, but the damage was done. Our friendship crumbled, and we never exchanged words again."

A heavy silence hung in the air as Isaac paused, letting the revelation sink in. The serene scene now echoed with the remnants of a friendship obliterated by betrayal.

Isaac's gaze lingered on the horizon, a complex mix of emotions playing across his face. "You know, it tore me up inside that Lee never really got the whole picture of Paul's betrayal. I wanted to spill the truth, set the record straight, but something held me back, you know?"

He continued with a thoughtful sigh, "It's like, I could see the puzzle pieces scattered on the table, but I couldn't bring myself to assemble them for Lee. Maybe it was the fear of shattering what little remained of his trust in people, or perhaps I was just too damn protective. Either way, it's a weight I've been carrying for a long time."

Isaac's eyes, normally expressive, hinted at a hidden turmoil. "Lee faced the brunt of those rumors, the judgment, and the side-eye from everyone who bought into the lies. And there I was, standing by his side, knowing that I held the missing pieces to the truth. It's a kind of silent guilt, you know? The burden of shielding him from a reality that could've hit him like a freight train."

He shook his head as if trying to shake off the heaviness of the past. "But at the same time, revealing Paul's betrayal would mean opening up a whole new wound. It wasn't just about my friendship with Paul anymore; it was about preserving what little normalcy Lee had left. I guess I chose the lesser evil, but it's haunted me ever since."

Isaac's voice took on a reflective tone, "And now, as I look back, I wonder if I made the right call. Could Lee have handled the truth better than I thought? Or did I just prolong the pain, letting the echoes of Paul's betrayal linger in the background of our lives?"

He met your gaze, searching for understanding. "It's a tough spot to be in, you know? Protecting your brother while shouldering the truth that could've changed everything. But sometimes, you make choices, and you live with the consequences, even if they're heavy as hell."