"Hmm..."
My head throbbed in excruciating pain, as though someone was pounding at my skull from the inside. I couldn't remember what had happened the night before. And more importantly—where was I?
Slowly, I forced my eyes open. The ceiling greeted me first, plain and unfamiliar. I glanced around, my senses slowly returning. I was inside a room.
A room?
What was I doing here? Who brought me here?
The last thing I remembered was AJ inviting me out. But no—Thaddeus had come. He pulled me away from AJ, saying he had ill intentions for me.
And then... nothing. My memory was blank.
"Hmm..."
A low voice.
I froze. Someone was here.
My eyes darted to the side. There—someone was lying next to me.
No... no, no, no!
There was someone else in this bed.
With trembling hands, I slowly lifted the blanket to see underneath.
And then—
Oh my God.
I wasn't wearing anything.
Cold panic washed over me. What happened? Who is this person?
In a frantic rush, I grabbed the clothes scattered on the floor and hurriedly put them on. My hands shook violently, my heart pounding so loud it drowned out my thoughts.
But before I could fully dress, he woke up. His eyes opened—confusion flaring into rage as they met mine.
"What the f*ck?! Who are you?!" he shouted.
Oh God. No.
Was he going to call the police on me?
"What are you doing here?!" His voice was sharp, cutting through me like a blade.
Then louder, angrier— "What did you do to me?!"
I froze, my breath caught in my throat. My whole body trembled with fear.
"I... I don't know... I was drunk," I stammered. I couldn't even convince myself. My mind was as blank as his.
But he didn't believe me.
"What the hell?! You took advantage of me because I was drunk?! Is that what you people do?!" His voice rose, filled with disgust. "You prey on someone who's unconscious?!"
He stepped closer—furious.
THUD!
I cried out as he shoved me hard. I hit the floor with a heavy thump. Pain shot through my back, but there was no time to feel it.
"You're disgusting! You're a freak!" he spat, and then—
A punch landed squarely in my stomach.
I gasped, my breath knocked out of me. Another blow followed.
"You ruined me! You... you violated me!"
I braced myself for another hit, but it didn't come. He stood over me, trembling with fury, his chest heaving.
Through the pain, I forced myself to speak. My voice shook, but I willed it out.
"I didn't hurt you! I didn't take advantage of you!" My voice cracked, desperate. "I don't remember anything! Don't put this on me! Yes, I'm gay—but that doesn't mean I had bad intentions! Where is the Thaddeus I knew? The one who didn't judge so easily? Why are you like this?"
But my words fell on deaf ears.
"Don't ever show your face to me again! I swear, if I see you, I might kill you!" he roared.
I felt something inside me break.
I pushed myself up, shaking. Blood trailed from the corner of my lip, but I wiped it away with trembling fingers. I faced him, forcing my tears back even as they blurred my vision.
"Fine. You'll never see me again." My voice cracked but turned cold, bitter. "You think you know everything? What a shame... I actually loved you. But now I'll tear that feeling out of my heart. I was wrong about you. I loved you—God, I loved you—but what did you do?"
He fell silent, but the anger in his eyes didn't fade.
"This is the last time you'll ever see me."
I stood straighter despite the pain. My voice hardened as I delivered the last words.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. BUT YOU JUDGED ME WITHOUT KNOWING THE TRUTH. REMEMBER THIS—IF WE EVER CROSS PATHS AGAIN, DON'T EXPECT ME TO KNOW YOU. FROM THIS MOMENT ON, I'M CUTTING EVERY TIE WE EVER HAD."
And with that, I turned my back on him.
I walked out of that room—out of that motel—carrying the weight of pain and heartbreak.
With every step I took away from him, I felt the pieces of a love I once cherished shattering completely, leaving only emptiness behind.