Miles
Something was off with Atlas. They were playing the part, saying everything right, smiling warmly and being their sunshiny self. But their smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes, and my gut was twisting tighter with every passing minute.
But as we pulled into the parking lot of the high school and I surveyed the throngs of people parking in every available spot and descending on the high school like a pack of hungry hyenas, I knew now wasn’t the time to bring anything up. I’d have to keep an eye on them, make sure they were okay as we attended all the activities. Then we could talk tonight.
We’d arrived after registration and check-in was half over, which was probably why the lines were long and people were spilling out into the hallway outside the “small gym.” I knew from the formal invitation I’d received in the mail several months back and the follow-up email I’d received a month ago that Cocktails and Canapés was starting in thirty minutes. I hoped there would be enough food to eat. I was starting to get hungry—lunch was hours ago.
Atlas and I got in the shortest registration queue and waited for the line to inch forward. Once we made it into the gym, my neck craned as I scanned the crowd searching for Brad, the only person I knew for sure would be here at some point. I was certain most of the locals from our graduating class would attend, but I wasn’t friends with any of them. Even Theo wouldn’t be here for most of the reunion because we hadn’t graduated together, though he had mentioned he was helping out with registration and he’d be refereeing the alumni basketball game tomorrow.
Sigh.Claudia was right. I was such a loner.
But I’d never really cared to make friends. Most of the time, and until recently, I’d liked being by myself. I didn’t have many responsibilities outside of my job, save my yard and landscaping which I paid Jeb’s company to do because I didn’t want to work at home after I’d worked all day, so I spent my time at home watching movies and TV shows I liked, reading novels—gay romance, of course, though I would not be divulging my favorite genre to just anyone, thank you very much—and cooking for myself, which I didn’t derive joy from as much as a sense of satisfaction for a job well done.
Huh. Kind of boy-like, if you asked me.
I was alone by choice, but Atlas—they had changed everything. Now, I wanted to spend every waking minute with them. I wanted to be by their side as we moved through life together.
I wanted everything with them.
I loved them.
I’d had a similar thought before, even admitted it to Lars, but this time, I felt the realization hit me square in the chest. I wasinlove with them, with their joyful personality that offset my gloom, with the way they looked at life, their yin to my yang.
Maybe I just needed to tell them now.
The line moved forward once more, and my hand actually twitched at my side, begging me to reach out and touch the person I loved, the other half of my soul.
The line next to us moved ahead, and I glanced over to catch the eyes of a familiar face in the line beside us. I frowned when they looked away, trying to place the man I thought I recognized—
Shit.
I knew him. Reece. The person I’d been on the swim team with junior and senior year, the one who’d bullied that kid, Holden.
As if I was back in that locker room shower, listening to Reece pick on Holden as the water pelted my chest, my heart started racing, and I froze in place. My hands started to shake, and I fisted them at my sides to try to steady them.
When that didn’t help, I crossed my arms as we stepped up to the registration table, trying to make myself small. I didn’t deserve to be with Atlas. I didn’t deserve to be out and proud. I deserved . . .
“Miles! Hey, good to see you!”
Still looking away, I internally winced at what I knew was Reece’s voice. Outwardly, I smiled kindly at Theo, who’d told me he was on the reunion planning committee when we met up for a late dinner earlier this week, and offered a quiet “thanks” when he handed Atlas and me our name tags on lanyards and other info for the reunion. I let Atlas finish up at the registration table, too, before we both stepped out of the way of the person behind me in line.
Realizing I’d be an asshole if I didn’t answer a perfectly normal greeting, I took a deep breath, schooled my features, then turned around. Fuck, I hadn’t seen Reece in twenty years. Maybe he’d changed?
“Hi, Reece. Welcome back to Gomillion.” He offered me his hand, so I shook it briefly then pulled back, tamping down theurge to leave and immediately wash my hands. I didn’t trust him in high school, and I wouldn’t trust him now unless he showed me he’d changed.
His eyes smiled, more kindly than I’d expected, as he turned to see Atlas at my side. “Hi. Have we met?”
I blinked at what could appear to be an easy acceptance, but I still studied his face carefully. I felt Atlas’s eyes on me for a few infinite moments, but when I couldn’t figure out a thing to say, they spoke up, extending their hand. “Unlikely. I doubt we ran in the same circles in high school. I’m Atlas St. James. And you are?”
Atlas’s words snapped me out of my perusal, and I fought to hide a smirk. If Reece hadn’t changed, he’d likely be perturbed someone didn’t know who he was. He’d been too popular in high school for anyone in our class to not know his name.
Still, Reece’s smile seemed genuine as he shook Atlas’s hand. “I’m Reece Fisher.” Then his eyes shot wide. “Oh! I remember you. How have you been, Atlas?”
I eyed Reece with increasing suspicion. What was his game here?
I watched, barely listening, to the two carrying on what I assumed from their general tone was a cordial conversation as memories of Reece from high school flooded in. He was so cruel to Holden that day after practice, and I doubted that was the only time it happened.
My shame flew to the surface again. I should’ve stopped him. Why didn’t I stop him?
