Option One: Yeah, you can stay with me.

"Okay." I sigh softly.

Alex raises an eyebrow at me. "Okay?" He asks. "What does that mean?"

"Okay, fine, you can stay with me." I say. "But Francis can't know."

He nods, smiling softly. "My lips are sealed, thank you so much, John."

"Yeah, yeah, what are friends for." I chuckle gently and he smiles wider. "I'd better get back to Francis before he comes over here."

His smile fades but he nods. "Alright, I'll start packing my stuff tonight. Can I move in by Friday do you think?"

I nod. "That should be fine, just start bringing your stuff over whenever Francis isn't there." I tell him before going back to my table.

I sit down across from Francis and he raises an eyebrow at me. "Well? What did he want?"

"Oh, he just wanted to ask if I could watch his kids next weekend." I lie, sipping the water that had been placed on the table while I was away.

"And he couldn't have asked that in front of me? Or over text?" He asks, sounding skeptical of it.

I put down the glass of water and look up at him. "He just remembered and he didn't want to forget when I was right here. And he's not exactly comfortable with you.." I mumble the last part.

"Yeah, that's because you've decided to keep us a secret. When are you going to actually introduce me to your friends?"

"Well, there was that one dinner I tried inviting you to-"

"You know we already had plans that night, you were just trying to get out of them." He sighs and shakes his head. "Nevermind, I don't even want to meet your friends."

I tilt my head at him. "You don't? But you-"

"I've met Alex and frankly your taste in friends is.. not the best. And if they're all going to treat me the way he did, I don't want to be around them."

I nod and quietly give an "okay" before sipping some more of my water. This was all going to be fine. What he doesn't know won't kill him, right?

Timeskip brought to you by the new In The Heights

"Alright, you're all moved in now." I say, clapping my hands together as I look around the new and improved guest bedroom.

Alex smiles over at me. "Yes, thank you again. I know it wasn't an easy decision for you, but I'm really gratefu-"

"Alex, we're best friends, that's what best friends do."

"Is that really all we are?" He asks, biting his lower lip gently. "I mean, I don't want to make things weird, it's just.. Friends don't sleep together."

I blush and look away from him, looking around the room. "That's in the past now." I say. "So yes, we are just friends. Isn't that what you wanted anyway?"

There's a moment of silence. He's hesitating. Why is he hesitating?

"I wanted you to be happy." He finally answers.

I raise an eyebrow and turn towards him. "Excuse me?" I ask.

He shifts awkwardly. "You.. You seem happy with Francis." He says.

I nod to myself and stand up a bit more. "Yeah.. I am..."

He nods. "I didn't want to ruin that. You're really important to me, and I don't want to stand in the way of anything."

"Then why would you bring that up? If you didn't want to stand in the way, you would drop it and leave it in the past." I say carefully.

"I said I don't want to stand in your way, that doesn't mean I don't still want to be with you." He says.

I shake my head. "Alex, you can't do this to me. You know I'm with Francis."

"Yeah, I'm fully aware. After that day you were with him before our date." He rolls his eyes.

I scoff. "Are you kidding? You drove away from me! You wouldn't even let me explain what was happening!"

"I didn't need an explanation, you were back with Francis, that was pretty clear." He says, crossing his arms.

I frown. "I was not with him at that time. We got back together the day after you just abandoned me."

"Abandoned you? I saw you kissing him when I came to pick you up." He argues back and I just shake my head.

"No, I wasn't-" I freeze. I couldn't tell him Francis forced the kiss, because I actually wanted it. At least that's what I found out the day afterwards. I was sure that I had to have wanted it, otherwise we wouldn't be where we are now.

Alex raises an eyebrow. "You weren't what?" He asks.

"Nevermind, Alex, this conversation is over." I say, starting to walk out of the room.

He grabs my arm and I turn towards him, frowning. "Let go of me."

"John, what aren't you telling me?" He asks. "Did something happen that day?"

I shake my head. "Don't be ridiculous, of course nothing happened. It's just as you said."

"So you were what, kissing Francis so you didn't have to go on a date with me?"

"What? No! I wanted to go on that date with you!"

"Then why were you kissing Francis?"

"I wasn't kissing him, dammit!"

His expression softens as he looks up at me, a bit shocked. "What?"

I shake my head and try to pull my arm away, but he doesn't budge. "Alex, just stop, please."

"Did he force you into kissing him?" He asks quietly. "Did he force you into this relationship?"

I don't answer him. How was I supposed to? Tell him my own boyfriend wasn't so great?

"John, I care about you, please talk to me." He pleads. "Is he really loving? Does he take care of you?"

I look to the right. "Of course he does, he's my boyfriend." I state.

"John." He says in a somewhat stern tone, moving my chin so I had to look at him. "Tell me the truth."

I pause. What was he getting at? Francis had to love me, otherwise he wouldn't have come up here all the way from South Carolina, right? Yeah, he had to love me. There was no doubting it.

"He loves me." I reply, nodding.

He raises an eyebrow. "As much as I love you?"

My eyes widen slightly. "I don't know, maybe? That's not really a fair question."

"Okay, fine. Do you love him?" He tilts his head.

"Yes, of course I do-"

"As much as you love me?" He interrupts and I freeze.

No. Of course not. I don't think I could love anyone the way I love- used to love- Alex. When I don't answer, he sighs and nods.

"I never should have left you alone with him.. I should have known something wasn't right." He says, slightly scolding himself.

"It wouldn't have changed anything anyway." I say.

"Yes, it would have. Because if I hadn't left, maybe I could've been in Francis's place. Maybe I could be the one you were with."

"You're with me right now, aren't you?"

He looks up at me, stopping for a moment. "Yes.. But not in the way that he is."

"Maybe, but he's not here right now." I say. Oh God, what was I doing? I was being unfaithful to Francis. I'm terrible for loving another man while I'm with him but.. I can't help it. Alex is.. Well, he's been in my life for so long now.

"John, what are you trying to say?"

"That night you drove away, I thought it meant you didn't want me. I thought maybe you regretted asking me out and took that as a way to get out of our date." I say. "I didn't know you actually thought I was back with him.."

"And I didn't know you weren't really kissing him back. I figured you guys reconnected after that dinner and you didn't know how to tell me you didn't want to go on the date with me." He mumbles, looking down.

"All of these misunderstandings... You've got to be kidding me." I let out a small chuckle in disbelief and shake my head.

"Yeah, seriously. Now look at where we are." Alex sighs softly and sits down on the bed.

I bite my lip and sit next to him. We sit in silence and I lean against him. My mind starts to wander.

"Is it bad that I want to kiss you right now?" I think to myself.

Alex clears his throat and I look over at him to see him blushing. Shoot, I didn't think that to myself.

"I didn't mean to say that out loud, I'm so sorry. Of course it's bad-"

"It's not that bad.." He mumbles, shrugging.

"But- Francis-"

"It's like you said. There were a lot of misunderstandings." He says softly. "Why can't there be one more?"

I raise my eyebrows. Francis didn't need to know. Hell, he doesn't know Alex is living with me now. How could he possibly find out if it's just a misunderstanding?

Option One: Nobody needs to know.
Option Two: It's wrong.

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