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Chapter 8 – Breaking Point
The week had started like any other — quiet mornings, long lectures, and Jamie trying to act like he didn’t care about anything. But trouble always had a way of finding him.
That afternoon, Ellic visited the college to drop off a few documents Jamie had forgotten. As he walked through the campus, he saw a familiar scene — a small crowd behind the canteen, laughter echoing, the smell of smoke drifting in the air.
And in the middle of it — Jamie.
He wasn’t just joking around; he was showing off. Acting wild, loud, free.
Ellic froze. “Jamie!” he called sharply. The laughter stopped. Students turned.
Jamie looked at him — his eyes half-lidded, careless — and smirked.
“Oh look,” he said loudly, “my perfect brother is here. The saint himself!”
The group laughed. Ellic’s chest tightened.
“Jamie, not here,” Ellic said softly. “Let’s talk.”
But Jamie stepped closer, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Why? You gonna give me another life lesson? Everyone, meet Ellic, my elder brother — office man, rule-follower, and the most boring person on earth.”
The students laughed again. Ellic’s face stayed calm, but his heart cracked in silence.
Then, a boy standing beside Jamie placed an arm on Jamie’s shoulder — soft smile, shy eyes.
“This is my boyfriend,” Jamie said carelessly, looking at Ellic. “Cute, right?”
The words hit harder than Jamie expected. Not because of who he loved — but because of the way he said it — to hurt, not to feel.
Ellic didn’t react. He just looked at Jamie with quiet eyes, the kind that didn’t judge, only hurt.
After a long silence, he said softly, “You don’t need to insult yourself to hurt me.”
And he walked away.
That evening, Ellic’s phone rang again. His boss.
“Dinner meeting tonight. Don’t be late,” the voice ordered coldly.
Ellic closed his eyes, exhausted. Between Jamie’s rebellion and his own battles at work, his strength was thinning. Still, he ironed his shirt, buttoned it neatly, and left for the dinner — another long night of fake smiles and silent endurance.
Back in the apartment, Jamie sat alone on the couch, staring at his phone, his laughter gone.
He didn’t know why his chest hurt so much when he remembered Ellic’s eyes.
Maybe for the first time, he realized — Ellic wasn’t angry. He was disappointed.
And that felt far worse.
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Chapter 9 – The Dark Dinner
The night was heavy. The streets outside were quiet, with only the distant hum of cars breaking the silence. Inside the apartment, a small lamp glowed, casting long shadows across the walls.
Ellic had just returned from a long, exhausting dinner with his boss — a night full of cold smiles, uncomfortable small talk, and silent threats. Every word from the boss felt like a knife, every compliment a trap. His shoulders ached, his mind spun, but he had made it through. Barely.
He stepped into the apartment quietly, dropping his bag near the door. Jamie was already there, sprawled on the couch, scrolling on his phone. He looked up when Ellic entered.
“I brought something for you,” Ellic said softly, holding a small packet of chips. “Eat something… at least before bed.”
Jamie didn’t answer. He snatched the chips from Ellic’s hand, shook his head, then tossed them lightly on the floor. “I don’t need snacks,” he muttered.
Ellic said nothing. Instead, he walked past Jamie, setting his bag down, and headed to his room — the one space that felt like his own in this apartment filled with tension.
Inside, he leaned back against the wall and let out a long, silent sigh. The dinner replayed in his mind — the boss’s smirk, the way the colleagues stared, the subtle harassment in every question. The night had been exhausting, humiliating, and utterly dark.
From the living room, Jamie’s voice broke the silence:
“You always act so… perfect. Even after all this, you still care about me.”
Ellic didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The words hung in the air, heavier than the shadows in the room.
Jamie tossed himself back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. The darkness outside mirrored the one inside the apartment — uncomfortable, suffocating, full of things unsaid.
And yet, despite the tension, despite the anger and pride, both of them stayed under the same roof, two hearts bruised by life, each waiting for the other to make the first move toward understanding.
The night ended quietly, but the air between them was electric — unspoken words, quiet resentment, and something fragile, beginning to form in the shadows.
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