Chapter 3

The mall is packed on a Saturday afternoon — Jake weaves through crowds of shoppers, his phone in hand as he checks the GC (where friend-Leo is still apologizing for running away earlier). He’s on his way to buy a new phone case for his cracked screen when someone bumps into him hard, making him stumble back.

Jake: Oof — watch it—

He freezes mid-sentence. Standing in front of him is Leo M. — his ex-boyfriend. The same Leo who held his hand on late-night walks, who brought him hot chocolate when he was sick, who told him he was the best thing that ever happened to him. And next to him, clinging to his arm, is Maya — Jake’s old best friend.

Leo M.’s face is a mess of emotions: his eyes light up for a split second (happy), then cloud over (sad), then widen a little (excited), before settling into a tight, guilty frown. For a moment, neither of them moves — Jake can feel the old ache in his chest flaring up, remembering how real their love felt, how safe he’d felt in Leo M.’s arms.

Maya notices the tension and lets out an annoyed huff, squeezing Leo M.’s arm harder.

Maya: Leo, c’mon. We’re gonna be late for the movie. Who is this anyway?

Leo M. doesn’t take his eyes off Jake. His voice comes out soft — so soft, the same sweet tone he used to whisper “I love you” with.

Leo M.: reaching out and grabbing Jake’s wrist gently J-jake… how are you?

Jake’s heart shatters all over again. That voice — it’s the one he’d replayed in his head every night since he found them together. He yanks his wrist away, rolling his eyes to hide the tears that are already stinging his eyes.

Jake: voice sharp, even though it’s shaking Fine. Now let me go.

Leo M.: Jake, wait — I… I’m sorry. I never meant to—

Maya: cutting him off, annoyed Leo, what the hell? Let’s go. He’s just some kid from high school.

But Leo M. isn’t listening. He’s still staring at Jake, his face full of regret. Jake can’t take it — seeing the man he loved look at him like that, while his ex-best friend stands by his side. He turns and starts walking away as fast as he can, not looking back.

He can hear Leo M. calling his name behind him, but he doesn’t stop. The sweet sound that used to make him smile now just hurts — and he doesn’t want to feel that way anymore.

Time skip...

It’s 8 PM when Jake finally gets home. He’d spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the mall, avoiding the spot where he’d bumped into Leo M., but the encounter had been stuck in his head the whole time. Now he’s sitting on his bed, back against the headboard, staring at the wall — his phone face-down beside him, ignored.

Then it hits him. The tears start slow at first, just a few drops rolling down his cheeks, but soon they’re streaming freely. He curls in on himself, covering his mouth to muffle the quiet sobs that escape.

Flashback — 6 months ago. Leo M. is sitting on this same bed, holding up a silly homemade sign that says “JAKE’S #1 FAN” while wearing a pair of Jake’s gray fuzzy socks. They’re both laughing so hard their stomachs hurt, and Leo M. pulls him close, kissing his forehead. “I love you so much it’s stupid,” he’d said.

Another flashback — 3 months ago. They’re at the beach, watching the sunset. Leo M. takes Jake’s hand and traces little circles on his palm. “When we graduate, we’ll get an apartment together,” he’d promised. “With a cat. And you can paint the walls whatever color you want.”

Another one — their one-year anniversary. Leo M. had surprised him with a photo album filled with pictures from every date they’d been on — the first time they held hands, the time they got caught in the rain, the night they stayed up till 3 AM talking about their biggest fears and dreams. “This year was the best of my life,” he’d whispered against Jake’s lips.

Every memory feels like a knife twisting in his chest. That year was full of so much love, so much respect, so many laughs — and now it’s all gone. He’d trusted Leo M. with everything, and he’d thrown it all away for Maya.

Just then, Lia walks past his room — the door was left slightly open. She hears the soft sniffing and stops, her smile fading. When she peeks inside and sees Jake crying, her heart breaks. She doesn’t hesitate — she rushes over and pulls him into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around him so tightly he feels safe, even for just a second.

Lia: softly, her voice thick with emotion Bub… oh, Jake. I’m here. It’s okay. Let it all out.

Jake buries his face in her shoulder, his sobs getting louder now that he doesn’t have to hold them in. Lia just holds him, running her hand through his gray hair, whispering comforting words into his ear as he cries out all the pain he’d been holding in since the mall.

To be continued ~

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