Page 197 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

Mano stayed silent.

“Whyyy? Are you too?” Ody teased, poking his back.

“Shut up.”

“Am I your first thought when you wake up?”

“I said shut up.”

“And when you’re in my arms, you forget everything?” Ody went on, grinning.

Mano hesitated this time. “That one’s… a bit hard,” he admitted. “My head’s full of things that don’t go away, no matter how much I want them to.”

Ody’s smile faded.

“But what you said would make really nice song lyrics,” Mano added, shifting against him.

Ody laughed. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, not at all. If I ever write a heartbreak song, I’ll come to you for advice.” He lifted his head to look at him. “Actually… say it again. I need to take notes.”

Ody flicked his forehead. Mano smiled and dropped his head back onto his chest.

“You’re always teasing me. I’m not telling you anything again. I tell you how I really feel and you…” Ody trailed off, looking away.

Mano lifted his head, smiling at him. He leaned in to kiss him, but Ody turned his head. “Don’t turn away from me,” he said, catching his jaw and guiding it back. He leaned in again, but Ody dodged the other way. “Hey—” He pulled him back.

“I don’t want to!”

“You don’t want to?” Mano grabbed his cheeks, squishing them. He shifted over him and kissed him hard, playful enough to make Ody groan.

They both laughed into the kiss, their smiles brushing before they pulled back, still close.

A notification went off. Mano reached for his phone, glancing at the screen while Ody watched him, tension creeping back in.

“Ranya again?”

“No, someone’s going live,” Mano said. “Oh shit. I forgot to reply to her.”

“Well… okay. Don’t.”

“That wouldn’t be right,” Mano said, holding his gaze. “She was there for me when I was going through a really hard time. She didn’t expect anything in return.”

Ody closed his eyes, exhaling. “You know I get jealous.”

“There’s nothing romantic between me and Ranya.”

“Are you serious right now?” Ody shot back. “Not long ago, you were bragging about ripping her underwear. I caught you two making out by the pool.”

“That’s in the past, Ody.”

“Maybe for you. Clearly not for her, since she’s texting you again.”

“She just wants to check if I’m okay.”

Ody let out a frustrated breath, looking away. “Wow. You’re so naive.”

“What, you suddenly an expert on women now?” Mano fired back.