May

The ride to the media department building was quiet, the silence between us heavy and suffocating, neither of us daring to break it. 

When we finally reached the building, I was grateful for the distraction of unloading the equipment. With Dylan's help, it went much faster than if I had been alone, but even that small relief didn't ease the tension that had settled in my chest.

As we finished, Dylan broke the silence, his voice cautious. "Were you able to call your mom?" he asked, glancing at me as we closed the trunk. "She tried calling you earlier today, but you weren't answering."

Shit. I'd blocked his number. My mind scrambled for an excuse, but all I could come up with was a lame, "Yeah, um... today was just so hectic that I didn't get a chance to check my phone." I barely convinced myself, and I could tell from the way he looked at me that he wasn't buying it.

"You blocked me." He stated, not surprised.  

"Kade, however, managed to get hold of my number to tell me," I added, my voice dripping with sarcasm. As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Mentioning Kade was like opening a Pandora's box of problems I wasn't ready to deal with.

"Kade called you?" Dylan asked with a slight chuckle of disbelief, "thought he made sure he everyone's else's number but yours."

"Apparently," I sighed, not joining him in finding any of it amusing. My mind was already racing, trying to figure out how Kade could possibly know. It couldn't have been Dylan—he was too careful, too paranoid about keeping everything under wraps. But then who? And why?

By the time we reached Dylan's apartment building, my thoughts were a tangled mess, each one more confusing than the last. I pulled up to the curb and put the car in park, my mind still spinning with unanswered questions.

Dylan let out a heavy sigh, his hand already on the door handle. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "Thanks for the ride."

Just as he was about to step out, something inside me snapped. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait."

He froze, his gaze flickering from my hand on his arm to my eyes, confusion written all over his face. I quickly let go, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to find the right words. "You haven't told anyone about us, have you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dylan's brow furrowed, his expression softening as he shook his head. "No," he said firmly, his eyes locking onto mine. "I wouldn't risk having Luke find out like that."

I nodded, feeling a small wave of relief wash over me, but it was quickly replaced by a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Goodnight, Dylan," I whispered, the words feeling like a goodbye in more ways than one.

For a moment, a look of hurt flashed in his eyes, but he nodded once before turning and heading toward the entrance of the building. I waited, watching him until he disappeared inside, my mind still reeling from everything that had happened tonight.

As soon as he was out of sight, I fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling as I typed in the address Rowan had sent me a few days ago. It was a backup plan, just in case we needed to move our tutoring session to his place, but now it felt like my only option, my only way to clear my head.

I hit 'start' on the GPS and practically floored it, speeding through the quiet streets, desperate to escape the weight of everything

***

The brick house was a block away from the rink and it looked quiet. I checked the dashboard clock and noted that it wasn't even 11 pm. I'm at the front door and knock thrice before it opens, revealing a shirtless Grant who looks like he's seen a unicorn.

"Female Wilson?"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes and force a tight smile, my anger and frustration shouldn't be taken out on the innocent, as well as innocent as Grant could get. "Hi, Grant." He blinked before opening the door further to invite me in. "Is Kade home?" I asked and my question made him look at me as if I spoke in a different language.

I'm surprised by how clean the inside looked and smelt especially when a group of college guys lived together. Maybe I'm being stereotypical until Grant chuckled, "Rowan's got house cleaners." He explained as he must have noticed my roaming eyes. "Kade should be upstairs, first door on the right." He points to the staircase with a smirk almost knowingly and I regret not thinking anything of it until I make it to the front of his bedroom door and open it.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Kade groans out in frustration and glares at the sight of my mortified face.

I let out a yelp at the sight of a naked girl on her knees in front of an equally naked Kade giving him head and quickly slamming the door shut.

My yelp must have been loud because it gets Rowan barging out of his room with a furry grey and white cat and gamer headset dangling from his neck he only relaxes when the sound of Grant's obnoxious chuckles can be heard from downstairs, "May?"

I can't help but let out a snort, "SpongeBob?" I point to his adorable pj's and smile. It was weird how hot something so dorky suits him. "And cat?" I raised a brow at the animal that began playing with the wire of his headset.

He opens his mouth to retort just as Kade's bedroom door flies open and a surprised, yet satisfied face greets us, "Hey May, Rowan." The barista from the coffee shop waves and smiles.

"Hi Marcy." Rowan and I say in unison and watch her go downstairs with a slight skip in her step. I turn to -thankfully clothed- Kade who casually leans against the door frame.

"What are you doing here, Wilson?" He asked dryly then looks over my shoulder at Rowan makes him smirk, "you trying to get with the whole team?"

"You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take a few minutes off?" I forced a bitterly sweet smile at him.

"And give you the pleasure of my precious time?" He prompts sarcastically.

"And that's my cue to leave then." Rowan glances at Kade in confusion before giving me a small smile and retreats back into his room.

"Why are you here Mayo?" He asked again as he makes his way downstairs.

"Don't call me that, it's gotten old."

He chuckled, "it's iconic."

Catching up with his wide steps I turn to block him from entering the kitchen, "How long?" I cut to the chase, because the faster I can get him to keep him from spilling the beans to Luke before I do, the faster I can go on with my life without having to deal with the likes of Kade Brown.

He glanced down at himself and hummed, "I've never measured it before, but I've heard girls say it's long." He winked before passing by me. It didn't take a genius to know what he was implying, and it made me pull my face in disgust.

Sighing, I tried again, "I meant how long have you known about..." I drawled out, looking left and right and seeing Grant sprawled on the couch scrolling on his phone. "Me and Dylan." I lowered my voice.

As he busied himself making a sandwich, he deadpanned sarcastically, "Oh, so this is why you've stopped by for a visit, and here I thought you missed me."

Trying to keep my composure, I inhaled deeply, trying to calm myself before I ended up punching him again. "Listen, we know how uncomfortable it'll be once word of this comes out. So, I would prefer it if you kept this information to yourself."

He took a huge bite of his sandwich and hummed as if he were thinking of an answer, only to say, "Nah."

My jaw goes slack in disbelief, "Nah? Seriously?"

"I don't see why I have to be the one lying to your twin brother and my friend," he said as he walked over to the fridge, grabbed two bottles of beer, and offered me one. "Want one?"

I swear this asshat was going to be the reason for a vessel to pop on in my head. "I don't want beer, I want you to promise me that you won't say anything to Luke," I said, following him as he walked out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.

"I still don't hear the magic word," he taunted in a singsong voice, sending my blood boiling to dangerous levels. "So, my answer remains the same." I felt a tug-of-war between logic and stubbornness in my mind, refusing to give in and plead with him to stop.

I pressed on, unable to shake off my curiosity. "How did you even find out about us?" Dylan and Kade were close, but I couldn't imagine Dylan as the type to kiss-and-tell, especially to Kade of all people.

He sighed and shot me a look that indicated he wasn't in the mood for me, which was mutual, to be honest. "The night after your visit to the ER for a broken thumb, I was in the bathroom when I overheard the two of you 'confessing' to each other right outside in the hall."

That was the night everything started between me and Dylan.

"Oh," I frowned, hating the feeling of embarrassment knowing that Kade must have heard my awkward attempt at expressing my feelings for the guy I've liked since I was 10.

His smirk was bitter. "Yeah, 'Oh'," he said before opening the door to the bathroom, and again, I followed behind, growing more curious as to how much he knew exactly. Maybe he just thinks that I'm being paranoid that he'll tell Luke about my crush on Dylan.

"How much exactly do you know?" I narrowed my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

His answer was enough to make me know that the confession wasn't the only thing he knew. "You forgot your hideous purple bra after a session with Dylan. In. My. Car." Oh, dear fuck. "Now unless you wanna watch me take a piss I suggest you get the fuck out of my bathroom."

I flipped him off right before he could shut the door in my face.