“You’re my friend too.” Ody held his gaze.
Mano didn’t react, but the words hit him hard.
“Ody!” someone called from the gate.
“I’m coming!” Ody shouted back, then turned to Mano again. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“No one’s ever stood up for me like that. You’re the bravest person I know.”
He said it with such sincerity that Mano had to look away for a second. Then, he gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Go.”
They climbed the gate and headed for their vehicles. Mano swung his leg over his bike and grabbed his helmet.
“See you around,” Ody said.
“See you,” Mano replied with a small nod before taking off into the night.
Ody got into the car with Chris, Steve, Pierce and Elias.
“If you’d told us sooner, I’d have smashed their faces into the basketball hoop myself,” Chris said, earning a burst of laughter from all of them.
“Guys… seriously. Thank you. You’re family.”
They dropped him off and waited until he was inside before leaving. Ody collapsed onto his couch, his mind spinning.
His thoughts went straight to Mano. If he hadn’t spoken up to his friends, those guys would have beaten Ody into the ground. Gratitude washed through him, and all the suspicions he had ever had about Mano melted away.
He shot up, grabbed his keys and phone, and rushed out.
Mano had just gotten home. He was heating food, stomach tight from the adrenaline of the night, but relieved that everything had worked out. He knew Kash wouldn’t dare go near Ody again after tonight.
The intercom buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Yeah?”
“Uh… Mano? It’s me, Ody. Can I come up?”
Mano blinked at the unexpected visit, then buzzed him in. He opened the apartment door just as the elevator arrived. Ody stepped out, breath unsteady.
“What are you doing here? You should be home resting,” Mano said, concern slipping into his voice.
“I’m fine. I just… wanted to talk. I didn’t get to say everything earlier.”
Mano stepped aside and closed the door behind him. “Take a seat.”
Ody sat on the couch, his body tense and restless. He fidgeted with his hands, staring at them until Mano spoke. “What did you want to tell me?”
“I feel like I didn’t thank you properly.” He lifted his eyes. “You don’t know what it means to me. What you did.”
“Don’t mention it. It was nothing,” Mano said, sitting at a comfortable distance.
“You might think that, but for me, it’s different.” Ody met his gaze again. “Do you know how many times I wished they’d stop? Even before I met you. I know I pretended it wasn’t a big thing, but… it hurt.”
“I know what it’s like,” Mano said.
Ody’s expression shifted. “I’m sorry I told you that you shouldn’t have gotten involved,” he said, regret softening his voice. “Things got worse after that, but if you hadn’t stepped in the first time, they would still be after me today.”
“Don’t think about that. What matters is making sure they leave you alone.”
