strings attached ; firstprince

chapter seven

"Right. Of course." Henry forces a laugh which hangs awkwardly in the air and then clears his throat. "Well, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm just going to nip to the loo."

All eyes turn to Alex, who feels like the floor has dropped out from under him. He can see all their expressions, a painful mix of hurt and confusion. He can especially feel June's eyes burning into him, but all he can see is Henry's retreating figure.

"Henry, wait!" Alex's voice cracks as he runs after him, but Henry's long strides carries him quickly towards the door.

"Let me explain," Alex pleads desperately, instinctively reaching for Henry's arm.

Henry rips his arm away, his eyes cold as ice and his expression solemn. "I don't think you have anything to explain. I heard it loud and clear."

"But that's not true. It's never been like that, maybe at first, but—"

"But you needed incentive to be with me," Henry interrupts, a pained laugh escaping him. He speaks only loud enough for Alex to hear.

"No, Henry, no," Alex protests, his eyes welling up and his chest tightening painfully. "Pez wanted to help you get over Connor. He was willing to do anything, and I was there—"

"I don't give a fuck about Pez," Henry spits out, his voice laced with hurt and anger. "I care that you let me fall for you. You let me tell you about my father, my dark moods, Alex, I let you into my life for—for what? A college tuition?"

"Henry—" Alex begins, his voice desperate, but Henry interrupts him, his next words cutting through him like a blade.

"Alex, if you even have a shred of compassion for me, you will let me leave with the infinitesimal amount of dignity I have left."

With that, Henry turns and walks away, the door slamming shut behind him, leaving Alex standing there, shattered and heartbroken, the weight of his actions settling heavily on his shoulders.

The echo of the slamming door lingers in his ears, a painful reminder of the rift that has just torn through Alex's world. His chest feels constricted, his heart heavy with sorrow and regret. He stands there, lost in a sea of emotions, as a silence envelopes him despite the loud music.

"Alex," June's voice breaks through the stillness, her tone somber and filled with concern. He turns to see her face, and her expression mirrors the gravity of the situation. The weight of her words lands like a heavy anchor in his gut.

June sighs sadly. "Why didn't you tell him?"

Tears glisten in Alex's eyes as he tries to find the right words to explain himself, to justify his actions, but he knows there are no excuses. He put this off for way too long and now it's come back to bite him. He let down the one person who has come to mean everything to him, the one person who he never wanted to hurt.

"I was scared," Alex finally admits, his voice quivering with raw honesty. "I was scared that if Henry knew the truth, he would think... he would think that everything we had was just because of Pez's money. I didn't want him to doubt my feelings for him. And now I've fucked it up. I've fucked it up so bad, June."

June's gaze softens, understanding dawning in her eyes. She reaches out and gently touches his arm, offering a comforting squeeze. "Alex, I get it. But you have to understand that relationships are built on trust and honesty. Keeping this from him, even with good intentions, only made things worse. Especially with how his last relationship went."

Alex nods, his throat tight with emotion. He knows June is right. He allowed his fear to cloud his judgment, and now he's paying the price for it. The consequences of his actions weigh heavily on him, and he can't bear the thought of losing Henry.