Part 3: Twisted and Tangled
Syrus
Weeks passed, and silence became normal for us. It wasn't tense or uncomfortable—it just existed. Neither of us wanted to say too much, afraid that it might cause something to happen.
Every morning, I woke up to the smell of breakfast. Vale always cooked and set the table for both of us. At first, I ignored it, thinking he should just cook for himself while I made my own food. But after a few days, I gave up and started eating. There was no point in wasting it. One morning, as I sat down, Vale glanced at me. "You don't have to eat if you don't want to," he said with no emotion in his voice.
I picked up my fork and shrugged. "It'd be a waste if I didn't." That was how our conversations went—short, distant, nothing like before.
The days started blending together. Eating, sleeping, avoiding real conversations—it was like we were just existing in the same space. For a while, I almost forgot we had a bigger problem to solve. Almost.
But reality never let me forget for long. One evening, I threw the teddy bear into the dumpster outside. But the next morning, it was back on the table as if nothing had happened. Vale frowned, rubbing his forehead. "This is getting ridiculous."
"We could try burning it," I said, crossing my arms.
"And if that doesn't work?"
I sighed. "Then we're stuck at the beginning again."
No matter what we did, the bear always came back—like it was attached to this place. Or maybe... to us.
We were still trying to figure things out when my phone suddenly rang. The sound felt loud in the quiet room. I grabbed my phone and, without thinking much, stepped into my bedroom for some privacy before answering.
"Hello?"
"Syrus! Hey, are you free tomorrow night?" The familiar voice on the other end made me pause for a second before I recognized it. It was James. His voice was as cheerful as ever.
I blinked in surprise, then chuckled softly. He still remembered the promise he made last time. "Yeah, I'm free," I said, leaning against the door.
"Great! I'll pick you up around seven," he said. "Hope you're ready for a good meal."
I smiled a little. "I'll be ready."
"Alright, see you then!" he said before hanging up.
As soon as the call ended, silence filled the room again. I lowered my phone and glanced around. My eyes landed on a few things I hadn't thrown away yet—things that still reminded me of Vale.
I sighed, walking over to the shelf. There, covered in layers of dust, was an old photo book. I hesitated before picking it up. Flipping through the pages, I found myself staring at memories frozen in time—pictures of us from over the years. Smiling faces, small moments, times when everything felt so much easier. My chest tightened as I turned the pages, each photo stirring up emotions I had tried to bury. It hurt to look at them... but at the same time, I couldn't help but smile.
I couldn't stop myself from thinking about the past, remembering the very first time I met Vale.
It was summer, and a friend had invited me to a party. I wasn't used to going to events like that—I had never been to one before. The moment I stepped inside, I felt completely out of place.
The house was crowded with people, loud music filled the air, and everyone seemed to be having fun. I didn't know how to fit in, so I grabbed a bag of chips and a can of beer, then found a quiet corner to stay in, hoping no one would notice me.
But someone did. "Not really into parties, huh?" a voice spoke beside me.
I turned and saw a guy standing there. He had dark, slightly messy hair and was holding a red plastic cup. Even with all the noise around us, he looked relaxed. "Uh... yeah," I admitted, looking away. "Not really."
He chuckled. "Same. I don't even know most of the people here."
That surprised me. "Really?"
"Yeah," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "A friend dragged me here. I thought I'd try to enjoy it, but now I'm just walking around."
I laughed a little. "At least you're trying. I've just been standing here eating chips."
"That doesn't sound bad," he said with a smirk. "Mind if I join you?"
I blinked, surprised. "Uh... sure, I guess."
He leaned against the wall next to me, acting like we had known each other for a long time. "I'm Vale, by the way."
"Syrus," I said, still wondering why he was talking to me.
"Well, Syrus, since we're both just standing here, we might as well chat, right?"
I hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah... I guess so."
And just like that, we started talking. We joked about how neither of us really wanted to be at the party, and somehow, the conversation just kept going.
That was the first time I met Vale.
After that party, we exchanged phone numbers and started chatting more often. At first, it was just casual conversations, but over time, we started meeting up regularly. We went out for coffee, watched movies, and even explored random places in the city. Before I knew it, we had grown close, and being around him felt natural.
A few months later, something completely unexpected happened. We decided to take a short trip together, just the two of us. It wasn't anything fancy—just a simple getaway to relax and enjoy the fresh air. The weather was perfect that day. The sun was warm, but the cool ocean breeze made it comfortable. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was calming, and for a while, we just walked side by side, taking it all in.
I wasn't expecting anything unusual, but then, out of nowhere, Vale reached for my hand. I blinked in surprise, looking at him. His grip was warm and steady, but before I could say anything, he slid something onto my finger. A ring.
My heart started beating faster. I looked down at the ring, then back at him, completely confused. "Vale...?" I started, unsure of what was happening.
He just looked at me, his expression calm and unreadable. And then, in the same steady voice he always used, he said, "I love you, Syrus."
For a moment, I couldn't move. I just stood there, staring at him, my mind racing to catch up. My chest felt tight, like I had forgotten how to breathe. Did he really just say that? Was this really happening?
I stared at him, completely taken aback. His face was bright red, like a tomato, his usual calm expression nowhere to be found.
Then, in the softest, most tender voice, he spoke.
"I want to be with you... if that's alright with you," he said, his grip on my hand tightening slightly. "Can you be my boyfriend?"
Silence fell between us. I could see the nervousness in his eyes, the way he held his breath as he waited for my response. My heart was racing, my mind spinning, but before I could even gather my thoughts, he spoke again.
"I don't need an answer right now," he added quickly. "Just... please think about it. I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes."
Something inside me snapped. Why would I need to think about it? Everything I felt, everything I wanted—it was already clear. It had always been clear.
Without another thought, I reached up, cupping his face gently in my hands. His skin was warm beneath my fingertips, his lips slightly parted in surprise. And then, before he could say anything else, I closed the distance between us and kissed him. It was soft, slow, filled with every unspoken feeling I had kept buried for so long.
When I finally pulled away, I rested my forehead against his, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be your boyfriend, Vale," I said, my lips brushing against his as I spoke. "I love you, too."
That day, we shared so much more than just words. We shared something deeper—something that changed everything between us.
Thinking about those moments only made my chest ache. Those days—our days—were nothing more than memories now. A past that had already slipped away, never to return.
I let out a heavy sigh, pushing the photo book aside. There was no point in lingering on something I could never have back. Deciding I needed some air, I got up and headed for the door. But just as I was about to step out, I stopped. Vale was standing right in front of me.
His gaze was sharp, almost accusing, as if I had done something wrong. I frowned. "Is there a problem?"
He didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed locked on mine, unreadable and intense. Then, without a word, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and he walked past me, heading straight for the door. I watched him leave, confused but unwilling to question it. There were things I had no right to pry into anymore. After all, we were nothing more than strangers now.
That night, Vale came back late, and the strong smell of alcohol hit me the moment he stepped inside. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as he stumbled toward the couch, barely able to keep himself upright.
With a sigh, I walked over and helped him lie down. "How does a guy his size even get this drunk?" I muttered in my head. He was a mess. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair disheveled, and his face flushed from drinking too much. Even though I wanted to just leave him there, I couldn't ignore the state he was in. Grabbing a wet towel, I crouched beside him and started wiping his face. Just as I was about to move to his arms, his hand suddenly shot up and grabbed my wrist. I froze.
"Vale, let go," I said, trying to pull away, but his grip tightened. Before I could react, he yanked me down, making me fall right on top of him. My face burned as I realized how close we were, his warmth pressing against me.
I struggled to push myself up, but then his arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly in place. "Stay," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please stay, Syrus." I stiffened.
Even in his drunken state, his words were clear, and they hit me harder than I expected. My heart pounded against my chest, my mind racing. Why now? Why was he doing this to me now?
That night, I couldn't sleep properly.
How could I, when I was practically trapped against his chest? His warmth surrounded me, his steady heartbeat the only sound in the quiet room. I tried to move a few times, but every time I did, his grip tightened, as if he was afraid, I would disappear.
In the end, exhaustion won over, and I drifted off into a light sleep—restless, but somehow comforting at the same time. Maybe it was because I was tired.
Or maybe... being like this with him made me feel safe.
I didn't know anymore.
**********
The next morning, I woke up still lying on top of Vale. His warmth surrounded me, and for a moment, I almost forgot everything that had happened between us. Almost.
I blinked a few times, my mind still hazy from sleep. Slowly, I tried to move, carefully shifting my weight so I wouldn't wake him up. But even with my slow movements, he stirred.
"Syrus..." Vale mumbled, his voice low and drowsy.
I froze. The way he said my name—it was soft, almost like a plea. Like he was afraid I would disappear if he let go. It reminded me too much of how things used to be between us. For a split second, my heart wavered.
But I couldn't let myself fall for that. Not again. Ignoring him, I quickly slipped away and got up from the couch. I didn't even look back as I walked straight to my room.
The moment I shut the door behind me, all the emotions I had been holding in crashed down on me. My legs felt weak, and I slid down to the floor, resting my back against the door. I let out a deep breath, my hands gripping my knees. What was Vale thinking? Why was he acting like this all of a sudden?
It felt like he had changed back into the person I used to know—the Vale I had once loved, the one I had longed for even after we broke up.
But I knew better. I couldn't just forget everything that had happened. I couldn't ignore the pain in my heart. Even if he was acting like his old self again, I was still hurting. And I didn't know if that pain would ever go away.