Chapter 3
The next morning, Rian dressed in a simple shirt and pants, smoothing the wrinkles with distracted hands before stepping out of the bedroom.
The smell of eggs and toast drifted through the condo. In the kitchen, Adrian stood at the stove, spatula in hand, humming softly to himself. Rian lingered by the doorway, just watching him.
There was a time he couldn't believe his luck—Adrian had seemed like everything he'd ever wanted. Charming, confident, protective. But those qualities had slowly sharpened into something else.
It started small. Harmless, almost sweet. "Wear this, it looks better on you," Adrian would say. Rian thought it was cute, thought it meant Adrian cared. But the suggestions became demands. Then came the GPS app Adrian installed without telling him. Constant jealousy. And the night Rian finally tried to leave, after one of many fight… it had turned physical.
He still remembered the sting on his cheek, the shock in his chest, and Vanessa storming in hours later—spitting fire, threatening to burn the place down if Adrian came near him again.
But Adrian had begged. Promised to change. He'd gone to therapy, started medication. For months, things had been better. Calmer. Rian almost believed him.
Almost.
Now, standing there, he couldn't shake the sense that old patterns were creeping back.
Adrian finally noticed him and turned, breaking into a smile. "Good morning, babe."
Rian forced a small one in return. "Good morning."
"I made breakfast—and packed you some lunch too," Adrian said, setting a plate on the counter. "You have to eat healthy."
"Thanks," Rian murmured, sliding into a chair.
"You're welcome." Adrian leaned against the counter, watching him eat. "Aren't you going to work today?"
"Who. Me?"
"I'll go in late," Adrian shrugged, casual.
After finishing his food, Rian reached for his bag. Adrian handed him a lunchbox. "I'll drop you off."
Rian froze, then shook his head. "There's no need. I'll drive myself."
"I want to," Adrian insisted, stepping closer, lowering his head to nuzzle Rian's neck.
Rian gently pressed a hand to his chest. "You don't have to. I've got my car, and it's too far for you to go back and forth. Don't stress yourself."
Adrian studied him for a long moment, eyes unreadable, before finally nodding. "…Okay."
He leaned in and kissed him. Rian kissed back, though his lips felt heavy. "I've got to go," he said softly against Adrian's mouth.
But Adrian didn't let go of his waist.
"Adrian," Rian whispered.
At last, Adrian's grip loosened. He followed him to the door, trailing like a shadow, and waited until Rian slipped into his car.
"I love you," Adrian said.
"Love you too," Rian replied automatically before starting the engine.
Adrian stood in the driveway, watching until the car disappeared down the road. Only then did he turn back inside.
-----
The classroom buzzed with faint chatter before Rian stepped in. Chalk dust clung faintly to his sleeves, the kind of small detail that made his students whisper, "He's always working too hard."
Unlike most math teachers, he had a way of making numbers sound like stories.
"Alright," he said with his easy smile, writing 'Functions' on the board. "Let's make today less painful. I promise, no one will cry—unless it's from laughing at my terrible jokes."
The students chuckled, a sound that always eased him. Teaching wasn't just his job—it was his anchor, the one thing that kept him from being pulled into the past.
But sometimes, no matter how many equations filled the board, memories slipped through the cracks.
When the bell rang and the class emptied, Rian stayed behind. Alone, in the quiet hum of the fan above, he leaned against the desk. His hand brushed the corner where a student had carved initials. For some reason, it sparked something—like a stone dropped into still water.
And suddenly, he was back there.
---
Back then, Rian wasn't the" Rian" everyone knew him to be. He was just another boy trying to survive high school.
On paper, he was the kind of student teachers adored—straight A's, never late, neat handwriting, and polite manners. But to the other boys in class, he was nothing but an easy target.
They teased him relentlessly.
"Teacher's pet."
"Hey, pretty boy."
"Does your mommy braid your hair at night?"
Rian didn't look like the other boys his age. His features were soft, delicate almost, and his small frame made him seem younger than he was. That was enough for the cruel ones to corner him during lunch breaks, slap a wig on his head, and laugh as they called him a girl.
It only stopped the day Vanessa snapped.
Vanessa—his only friend, the one who'd grown up with him since kindergarten—had stepped in without hesitation. The bully hadn't seen it coming when her fist connected with his nose. Blood everywhere, chaos in the hallway, teachers screaming. She got suspended for a week, but when she came back, she grinned at Rian and shrugged.
"Totally worth it," she'd said.
And that was that. No one dared bother him again.
Life might have continued quietly if not for one afternoon that changed everything.
"Johnson, come to the staffroom," his homeroom teacher called.
He pushed open the door, only to freeze. Sitting across from the teacher was Alex. The golden boy, Alex. The way he sat, the way he glanced at the clock as though the world moved on his time alone.
"Oh, you're here, Johnson," the teacher said.
Alex stood up immediately, adjusting his bag strap.
"Can I go now?" he asked flatly.
The teacher sighed but nodded.
"Yes, you may."
Without another word, Alex walked out, his shoes clicking against the tiled floor. Rian took the empty seat, confused.
The teacher folded her hands on the desk and leaned forward.
"I need your help with something," she began. "That boy—Alex— in your class, I'm sure you know him, he's brilliant, but he's… difficult. He refuses to study properly, skips assignments, does things on his own terms. I think he needs a peer tutor, someone steady. And you're my best student."
Rian frowned. "With all due respect, ma'am, no. I don't have the time."
The teacher smiled knowingly, sliding a form across the desk.
"This isn't just tutoring, Johnson. If you do this, I'll recommend you for the National Academic Mentorship Program—it'll look excellent on your record, better than grades alone. It's the kind of achievement that makes college boards pay attention."
Rian stared at the paper. He had dreamed of something like this, a line on his future résumé that could tip the scales in his favor.
He clenched his jaw, torn. Then slowly, he nodded.
"…Fine. I'll do it."
And just like that, the reluctant partnership began.
---
Alex didn't show up for tutoring for a while, and Vanessa eventually told Rian to stop waiting around for him. "Boys like Alex are bad news," she warned.
Still, Rian felt guilty. He continued to linger after school, waiting a little while just in case Alex came. At first, he'd wait for almost an hour, but when Alex never appeared, he reduced it to just a few minutes—enough to ease his conscience before heading home.
Then, one day, Alex suddenly showed up. Rian was startled when he saw him at the door.
"You're the girl-boy," Alex said casually, tossing out the cruel nickname people often used for Rian.
Rian shifted uncomfortably. "My name is Rian," he corrected.
Alex only scoffed. "Let's get this over with. I've got things to do."
Rian didn't exactly like his attitude, but he remembered what he stood to gain from tutoring Alex. Swallowing his pride, he decided to come down to Alex's level. But almost immediately, he realized how hopeless it was—Alex didn't even know the basics.
Just a few minutes into the session, Alex stood up abruptly. "Time's up. I've got somewhere to be." Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the classroom, leaving Rian speechless.
---
Rian stared at the empty doorway long after Alex was gone, his notes still open on the desk.
Hopeless, he thought, pressing his lips together in frustration. But the memory of Vanessa's warning echoed in his mind—boys like Alex are bad news.
The next day, Alex didn't show up again. Nor the day after. Rian stopped waiting more than five minutes; it was easier to pretend he didn't care than sit there like a fool.
But a week later, just when Rian had convinced himself Alex would never come again, he appeared at the classroom door.
"You're still here," Alex said casually, like he hadn't skipped every lesson.
Rian gave him a hard look. "I'm your tutor, remember?"
Alex smirked, dropping his bag with a lazy thud. "Right. The girl boy."
Rian's jaw tightened at the nickname. He wanted to snap back, but he swallowed his pride. If he wanted anything out of this, he had to keep Alex there.
"Fine. Sit. Let's at least try fractions today."
Alex groaned dramatically but dropped into the chair, tilting it back on two legs. He didn't open his book, didn't even look at the page. Instead, his sharp blue eyes stayed fixed on Rian, like studying him was more entertaining than the numbers on the sheet.
"Why are you even helping me?" Alex asked suddenly. "You don't like me."
Rian froze, caught off guard. He hadn't expected Alex to notice.
"I don't have to like you," Rian said flatly, pushing the notebook toward him. "I just have to make sure you pass."
Alex leaned forward then, finally dropping his chair back on all fours. A slow grin spread across his face—one that made Rian uneasy.
"Guess that makes you stuck with me, girl boy."
Rian sighed. Maybe Vanessa was right. Maybe this was nothing but trouble. But something in Alex's eyes told him that trouble had only just begun.