As he walks past, I catch the smirk tugging at his lips.
Damn it, Francis.
Seb beams and grabs my hand. “Glad you changed your mind!”
And he doesn’t let go. He just pulls me along, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
And just like that, I’m burning again. Mind. Body. Heart.
And somewhere behind us, I can feel Ian’s eyes
watching every step we take.
CHAPTER 10
SEBASTIAN
I know I should let go of Remi’s hand.
There’s no real reason to keep holding it anymore.
But I just want to feel his warmth a little longer.
I’m so happy with how coming out went, I could honestly jump for joy. I’ll admit it, I acted on impulse.
I hadn’t planned to say anything tonight, but I’m glad I followed my instincts.
Anne was wonderful, better than I could’ve hoped for.
She was surprised, sure, but she didn’t judge me.
She didn’t make me feel guilty for not telling Maddie back then. If anything, I think she was relieved to finally understand why I left.
And honestly… if I’d just been honest from the start, maybe we all could’ve avoided a lot of pain.
But like Remi said the other night, I was just a scared, confused kid. Thinking back on that version of myself now, I feel a little less guilty. Like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders.
Not completely, though.
I still need to talk to Maddie. And to my parents.
I don’t know which scares me more, but it doesn’t matter; I know I’ll do it.
Eventually.
Anne promised not to say anything to Maddie, but I already knew I could trust her. Same with the rest of the group.
None of them would take away my right to share the truth in my own time, in my own way.
Remi’s still walking beside me, our hands loosely linked. He hasn’t let go either. There’s a quiet tension in him now, though, like he’s trying to stay grounded, or maybe trying not to think too hard.
Every so often, I catch him watching me with a look I can’t quite read. Maybe he can still feel the adrenaline buzzing in my veins.
Around us, the others are chatting and laughing as we make our way toward the car park.
Francis and Ian are the only ones with cars. London isn’t exactly a driver’s city, but public transport makes up for it.
Ian’s especially animated tonight, cracking jokes, inserting himself into every conversation, except with Remi.
