Page 229 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

Mano stared at the screen, his jaw tightening. Yeah, he replied.

The next day, Mano woke up to a message.

Odysseus: Can we talk? In person. Another one followed. I can come over

Mano stared at the screen before typing back. I’ll come to you

When Ody opened the door, neither of them moved. They just looked at each other. Then Mano stepped inside. They headed to the living room without a word.

Ody exhaled. “Our last conversation didn’t exactly end well.”

Mano didn’t speak.

“That’s on me,” Ody went on. “I said things that… weren’t exactly what I meant.”

Mano watched him, his face unreadable.

Ody rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze dropping. “I’ve been going back and forth ever since. One second I know what I’m supposed to say… the next, it’s something else.” He hesitated, then looked at him. “And the other night… I didn’t say what I felt.”

Mano’s brows pulled together. “You’re confusing me.”

“Yeah… okay…” Ody looked down, trying to organize his thoughts. “What I’m trying to say is… the other night, I told you what I thought was right. That you should leave. That you should follow your dream. But I didn’t think you’d take it like that… or that you’d be so against long-distance.”

“I can barely manage things up close, Ody.” His voice dropped. “How am I supposed to do long-distance?”

“So you’d rather lose me completely than have me from a distance?”

“For four years?” Mano asked, almost in disbelief. “As far as I know, people in long-distance relationships have a plan. Otherwise, it doesn’t work. I’d be gone for years, and if everything goes well… I might not come back. You’ve made it pretty clear you’re not leaving Greece, so…?” His eyes stayed on him, sharp, expectant.

Ody’s lashes lowered. “What I’m trying to say is…” He exhaled. “I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want you to leave.” His fingers curled at his sides. “But you have to.”

Mano’s expression faltered.

“And as your boyfriend, I’m supposed to want what’s best for you,” Ody went on, his words starting to trip over each other. “And right now that’s this job. That you go. I know that.” He shook his head. “But as me… not as your boyfriend…” His voice grew strained. “I don’t want that. I want you to stay.”

Mano frowned, more confused than before. “You’re messing with my head, Ody. Do you want me to stay or not?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. This is your future. Your career.”

“What you want matters to me.”

“So you’d decide based on me?”

“I told you, you affect my decisions. I can’t pretend you don’t.”

“So this is just about not upsetting me.”

“No, it’s because—” He cut himself off, exhaling. Because if I know you want me here, I won’t leave… His jaw tightened. “Because I need to know how you feel,” he said instead.

“How I feel?”

“Yes. You. Not what you should say. Not what’s right. What do you want?” His eyes stayed on him. “Do you want me to stay or go?”

Ody didn’t answer.

“Tell me,” Mano pressed. “Honestly.”

Ody exhaled, looking down. “Don’t do this to me.”