Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 116: A Half-finished Canvas

"Sorry. I didn’t mean to," Nick muttered. He shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked at an invisible scuff on the floor. "Look, I’ve been thinking... things have been pretty weird lately. I regret it. I shouldn’t have listened to Jonas. You are more important than my grade."

Nael didn’t say anything. He just watched him.

"I’m really sorry, Nael," Nick continued, finally looking up. There was a desperate edge to his voice. "I was just being an idiot. But I miss hanging out with you. Can we just... go back to how it was? I’ll make it up to you. We can go to that arcade you like this weekend. My treat."

Nael felt a pang in his heart. "Don’t you remember how you always go with Jonas without telling me? I just realized that you never really saw me as a friend. And now you come to me again after Jonas dumped you?"

Nick swallowed hard. "No, not like that—"

"Forget it," Nael cut him off. "I think we don’t have any mistakes between us," Nael said softly. His voice didn’t shake; it was just tired. "Even if you do think you did something wrong, I forgive you. Truly."

A flash of relief crossed Nick’s face. "Awesome. So, the arcade—"

"But," Nael interrupted, stopping him in his tracks. "I can’t be friends with you anymore. I’m sorry."

Nick froze. "What? Why? I just said I was sorry. I regret it. I’m trying to fix it!"

"No," Nael said, taking a small step back. "I realized something when I was with you guys. I spent so much time trying to make sure you and Jonas were okay that I didn’t notice I wasn’t okay. I don’t want to be part of it anymore. I can’t trust you to be my friend." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Nick opened his mouth to argue, but the look in Nael’s eyes stopped him. It wasn’t anger, it was a finality that Nick didn’t know how to fight.

"Bye, Nick," Nael said quietly. He gave up on putting his panda in the locker and walked out.

In front of the lockers, Hale stood with a stiff expression. He had just arrived and saw Nick. He was ready to pounce if the boy dared to hurt Nael, but luckily, Nick didn’t seem that crazy.

"Hale?" Nael looked at him, who was still staring intently at Nick.

Hale finally looked at Nael and sighed in relief. He handed him a can of drink. "Are you okay?"

Nael nodded, accepting it. "Thanks."

"Let’s go."

They walked down the corridor, each lost in their own thoughts. Hale glanced at Nael several times to make sure the boy was okay. But Nael didn’t seem as sad as Hale had expected, considering how sensitive he was.

"I never expected you to be able to cut them off so bravely, Nael. You’re different now."

Nael frowned. "Is that bad?"

"Nope. It’s relieving. That you can stand your ground and have boundaries. I just feel proud of you."

Nael walked on in silence. He never expected everything to change like this. So quickly. If Nathan hadn’t told him about the two of them, maybe he would still be playing with Nick and Jonas like a donkey.

"You should tell me if there’s something wrong. Letting the wrong thing happen when you know about it, is worse," Nael said.

Hale was silent. He was too afraid of losing that boy. Afraid Nael would distance himself. But he knew he had been wrong too.

"I’m sorry."

Nael clicked his tongue. "How many people are going to say sorry to me today? Let’s go to the arcade this week. I want to play there."

Hale smiled. "Well, okay. Can I pick you up?"

Nael nodded. "Yes, but you have to accept it if your car stops in the middle of the road and crazy men come for us."

He was sure that’s what would happen if Hale picked him up at the mansion. Alexander would make sure his bodyguards ruined the day.

Hale chuckled. "Well, I’ll take the risk if it makes you happy."

"Nope. We’ll meet there. I don’t want the stress."

***

Zane’s House

"Go up first," Zane said, tossing his keys onto the console table. "I’ll go find Ben and have him get some snacks and drinks ready for us."

Nathan nodded, his backpack slung over one shoulder. "Cool. But don’t get too much, or we’ll end up sleepy."

"Predictable," Zane shot back with a small, rare smirk before disappearing into the kitchen.

Nathan climbed the stairs. Over the last few days, this house had started to feel like his own. He knew where each room and bathroom was, where Zane kept his spare pens, and where his mini car collection sat.

Entering Zane’s room, Nathan intended to drop his bag and flop onto the sofa, but something caught his eye.

The room was bathed in golden late-afternoon winter light spilling through the large window. Directly in its path stood an easel.

A half-finished canvas was perched on it, positioned right in front of the glass.

Nathan froze. He wasn’t supposed to look, Zane was private about his things, but he couldn’t help it. His eyes widened as he moved closer. Taped to the corner of the wooden frame was a photograph.

It was him.

A candid shot of him sitting on a porch at Gabriel’s house, head thrown back mid-laugh. He looked... happy.

He hadn’t even known Zane had taken it.

His gaze shifted to the canvas. It was a mess of charcoal lines and a few washes of base color, but the skeletal structure of the painting was clear. It was a recreation of that photo. Zane was capturing the exact shape from it.

A sudden warmth flooded Nathan’s chest, followed by a strange, fluttering heat rising to his cheeks.

"Shit!" The exclamation came from the doorway.

Nathan spun around to see Zane standing there, his face pale and eyes wide with panic. Before Nathan could say a word, Zane lunged forward, grabbing a white cloth from a nearby chair and throwing it over the easel in a frantic, clumsy motion. He stood in front of it like a shield, breathing hard.

"Sorry," Zane blurted out, his voice cracking slightly. "I... I forgot to keep it inside. I didn’t want you to see that... yet."