Reap What You Sow 🌈

Chapter 47

A few steps away from the restaurant, Rory had just enough sight of the meerkat enclosure. He knew he had to go back inside, but Mateo's words had hit him hard. That asshole had seen him walk away with a red face, and he'd immediately known why. If Mateo could see it, Emilio and Adam could too.

He was ashamed of the impact Emilio still had on him. He wanted it to be over, for his feelings to diminish, but that seemed nowhere near happening, and it made him feel hopeless. They hadn't seen each other in five weeks. What more could he do?

He knew he had to go back inside and get some food, but he simply couldn't. He felt nervous and restless, and who knew where that would lead to... He couldn't even look Adam in the eye anymore. And Emilio...

Emilio suddenly stood next to him.

Rory jumped and instinctively took a step away from him.

The boy was hurt, he saw.

He needed to act normal! But he couldn't remember how to do that anymore.

"Weren't you the one who told me it's rude to ignore someone?" Emilio remarked. He didn't sound snappy, rather teasing.

Rory glanced sideways. "I - I just didn't expect you to be here."

"You've had an hour to get used to it. That was longer than I had at the LAN party, you know."

"Yeah, you're right," he mumbled. "I'm acting like an idiot."

Emilio's mouth twitched; then his expression turned serious. "I'm sorry about the last time we saw each other. When I lashed out at you." He looked down. "I... don't always have control over my emotions."

Rory bit his lip. Emilio's openness made something tremble in his chest. "I get that. I... don't have that control either." He took a deep breath. "I missed you," he said softly. His confession startled him but it was true, even though guilt pricked sharply in his gut.

Emilio met his gaze. His cheeks flushed. "I missed you too." He sounded small, vulnerable. Quickly he straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Although I've made some friends over the past few weeks. I've had some pretty good conversations with Sally and Shay."

"I'm glad to hear that," Rory smiled. He finally started to relax—until he thought of Mateo again. "And, uh—things are going well with Mateo too, I heard from him? Are you two together?"

"What?" Emilio's eyebrows shot up. "No way." He made a face. "Did he say that?" he continued, frowning.

Rory uncomfortably nudged a pebble forward with his shoe. "He said you guys... did stuff."

"He just wanted to mess with you, I guess. That's just how he is." Emilio shrugged. "A few days after we last saw each other, I did kiss him once. Out of frustration. I don't want more. I just want to be friends with him."

"And that's going well?" Rory couldn't help but sound hopeful. If Mateo and Emilio could be friends despite Emilio's feelings, maybe they could be too, right?

"Yeah, sure. Those feelings never went that deep," he admitted. "I only said that because... it was easier than admitting who really stirred those feelings in me."

Rory swallowed nervously. Is he talking about me?

An awkward silence fell.

Emilio sighed. "Sorry. I don't want to make you doubt. If you—if you even do. Because things are going well between you and Adam, right?"

"Yes."

The word came out with difficulty. Things were going well, really. But he realized he was still in love with Emilio, and it caused immense disappointment. He didn't want to lose Adam. He was sweet, he was pleasant company, he was... familiar, and though he had found his predictability boring at first, he appreciated it now.