But I did.
I knew the truth.
I lifted my head to tell Max and Amy that we were leaving, to find only Max there. He was already watching us. There was a peculiar expression on his face. Like he was seeing more than he had before. More than I’d ever intended him to.
It had the sour taste returning, but there was a new flavour to it now.
Fear.
I shook it off. I was imagining things. Overthinking as usual. “Going to take Dom back.”
Max didn’t say anything, he just continued to watch us, his eyes turning calculating.
I tried not to think about it as we left, brushing it off as nothing.
But I felt Max’s gaze on us until we were out of sight.
I wason pins and needles for the next couple of weeks, waiting for Max to say something. To detonate the bomb and ruin everything for me. For us.
After all, there’d been a reason why both Dominic and I had wanted to keep this from him. We both knew he wouldn’t react well.
It’ll be okay,I told myself constantly.He probably didn’t hear what Dom said. And even if he did, it’s not like Dom will dump me. He loves me.
Dom had no recollection of that night, and I didn’t enlighten him. Max didn’t bring it up in front of us either, but that was likely because of Amy. Their argument at the festival had spiralled into a massive falling out, culminating in Amy breaking things off.
Thinking about it, that was likely what had kept Max from challenging me about Dom. He was too focused on his own issues to worry about anything else.
I should’ve known it wouldn’t last. But when the bomb exploded, it didn’t come in the form I’d been expecting.
Dom was working a late shift at the chippy. I’d spent a few hours there before heading home to shower. He’d be coming over after work like he usually did, and thanks to the ridiculous heatwave we were experiencing, I needed to shower before he arrived. Based on the storm clouds blocking out the sun, we were finally going to get a break in the weather. I couldn’t fucking wait.
Dom hadn’t fucked me since the festival, neither of us wanting to risk it with the thin walls. That hadn’t stopped us reliving it. Whispering memories of how it had felt as we ground together. Planning future positions as Dominic took us both in hand. Him telling me how good I’d been as I went down on him.
I put my key in the front door and paused at the sound of raised voices. Max’s didn’t surprise me, but Mum’s did. Not because she didn’t shout at him sometimes, but because of the tone.
Was she…crying?
Alarm shot through me as I hastily opened the door and a wave of noise hit me. Max was indeed yelling, my dad’s voice now rising to join his.
And Mum…Mum was crying.
I rushed into the kitchen and skidded to a halt. Mum was at the table, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Dad and Max were both on their feet, cheeks beet red as their chests heaved. “What’s going on?”
“Good, you’re here,” Dad said, gesturing at Max. “Maybe you can talk some sense into him.”
“Oh yeah, golden boy to the rescue.” Max sneered, his knuckles white as he gripped the back of a kitchen chair. “I told you, this is happening.”
Dad gritted his teeth. “Over my dead body.”
“I’m eighteen. You can’t stop me.”
I was so fucking confused. “Stop you doing what?”
Max’s throat bobbed before he lifted his chin defiantly. “Joining the army. I start basic training in two weeks.”
I stared at him in shock. “But…that’s before our results come out.”
No idea why that was what my brain fixed on.
