Page 234 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“When do I need to be there?”

“A week. I’ll handle everything. Just pack.”

A few days later, exams had started. Ody didn’t have any. He’d passed them all over the summer.

“Man, you’re really not helping,” Chris complained as they walked down the sidewalk.

“I passed with a six, what do you want from me?” Steve shot back. “You should’ve asked Ody. That nerd got a nine.”

“I didn’t want to bother him… with everything going on.”

Steve glanced at him. “How do you think he is?”

“Not great,” Chris said.

They reached Ody’s building and rang the intercom.

When he opened the door, Chris forced a smile. “We brought beers.”

Ody just turned and walked inside.

Steve followed, frowning. “What’s wrong with you?”

Ody dropped onto the couch, staring ahead. “We went out the other night.” He swallowed. “I told him to leave.”

Chris and Steve exchanged a look.

“What happened?” Chris asked.

Ody let out a quiet breath. “He said there’s no problem at all…” A small, bitter laugh slipped out. “I asked him if he loves me and he—” He stopped, his gaze drifting. “He doesn’t love me as much as I love him,” he said at last. “So I let him go.”

Chris frowned. “Did he say he wants to leave?”

“No. The opposite.” Ody shook his head. “But I know he’s doing it for me. I’m holding him back.”

Steve’s expression shifted. “Did he actually say that?”

Ody hesitated, then looked up. “I heard him talking to his brother. He said if it weren’t for me, he’d already be gone.”

Steve’s gaze dropped, his brows knitting.

Ody looked away. “I want him to stay because he loves me so much he can’t be away from me. I’ve told him a thousand times I can’t live without him.” His voice lowered. “And he can’t even say he loves me… So it’s pretty clear.”

Steve studied him for a moment. “Ody… are you sure you’re seeing this clearly?” He held his gaze. “Are you sure you love him more than he loves you?”

Ody ended up downing one beer after another, spilling everything to his closest friends. After too many confessions to count, they made him wash his face and lie down. They didn’t leave until they were sure he was asleep.

The next morning, he woke up with a brutal headache. He stood under the shower longer than usual, trying to pull himself together. All day, his thoughts circled back to Mano. Every word. Every look. When he noticed Mano’s toothbrush and a few clothes still hanging in his closet, it hit him. He’d have to come back for them.

The next afternoon, his phone lit up. His heart slammed against his ribs. A part of him still expected something else. Something softer. A message saying he loved him. That he couldn’t leave.

Mano: I’ll come for my things at 7. Make sure you’re not home

Something inside his chest caved in.

So that was it. No hesitation. No doubt.

Odysseus: And how will you get inside?