By Monday morning, the whispers weren't whispers anymore.
Ezra heard it before he even reached the gates — voices that didn't bother to lower themselves, laughter that wasn't friendly, fragments of sentences sharp enough to cut.
"…saw them together…"
"…not just friends…"
"…both pairs, can you believe it?…"
He kept walking, eyes fixed on the ground, but the words followed like shadows.
When he stepped into the classroom, the noise stopped just long enough to feel unnatural. Then it started again — this time behind cupped hands.
Noah was already there, sitting rigid in his seat. His jaw was set, but Ezra could see the storm in his eyes. Across the room, Adrian looked pale, avoiding everyone's gaze, while Lucien wore the kind of expression that said let them talk, even though Ezra could tell his knuckles were clenched white beneath the desk.
---
It all came to a head at lunch.
They had barely sat down when a voice from the next table called out, loud enough for the entire cafeteria to hear.
"So, Ezra… Noah… which one of you confessed first?"
A ripple of laughter spread. Lucien's eyes snapped to the speaker, his usual lazy smirk replaced with something darker.
Noah stood so fast his chair scraped the floor. "Say that again."
The boy grinned. "What? Just curious if you two are—"
He didn't finish, because Lucien was already on his feet too, stepping between them. "You've got a lot of nerve for someone who couldn't even dribble a basketball straight last season."
"Lucien," Adrian warned under his breath, tugging at his sleeve. "Not here."
But it was too late — everyone was watching now. The cafeteria wasn't just a room anymore; it was an arena.
Ezra's heart pounded. He looked at Noah, who was breathing hard, fists trembling. He looked at Lucien, who was ready to turn words into a fight. And then he looked at Adrian, who met his eyes and gave a small, almost imperceptible shake of his head.
Ezra stood, his voice cutting through the tension. "Believe whatever you want. But if you think humiliating people makes you bigger, you're wrong."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then someone muttered, "Guess that's a yes."
The laughter started again, softer this time, but it still stung.
Noah grabbed his bag. "I'm done," he said, and walked out.
Lucien followed without a word. Adrian lingered for a moment, then gave Ezra a look — one that said this is only the beginning — before leaving too.
Ezra sat back down, the noise of the cafeteria swallowing him whole.
And for the first time, he wondered if keeping the secret had ever been an option at all.
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