denied.

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CHAPTER 1: Undeniable

Chapter 1: Undeniable

Ian was stepping up to senior high, a significant stride towards achieving his dreams. He was a TVL student who enjoyed cooking, music, reading, and writing. A standard student, very active in class, and an honor student. (an over thinker)

During the first week of class, someone immediately caught his attention from the corner of the room. Not very tall but handsome, what intrigued Ian the most was how similar they were. Both were active, creating an unspoken competition, though it didn't feel like one, as the other guy was active but not particularly smart; Ian suspected he was just showing off.

Ian liked this about the guy, and they quickly got along. He admired him for almost two months, during which the guy already knew Ian's feelings. However, the guy was in a relationship with one of Ian's elementary school friends.

Despite this, the guy flirted with Ian, and Ian didn't mind, considering them just friends. However, Ian grew unhappy when the guy became distant and stopped talking. Suddenly, the guy resumed his flirty behavior, leaving Ian feeling like a rebound. Ian knew he deserved better; he was smart and shouldn't be treated this way.

As the guy continued being flirty, Ian played along but didn't enjoy it. Unable to bear the pain, Ian confronted him one night.

"You knew about it, didn't you?" Ian said.

"Know what?" the guy replied.

"Don't be stupid. You know what I'm talking about!" Ian retorted.

"Of course, I do. I didn't tell you because I was afraid your feelings might fade. I want us to remain as we are, but you know I'm in a relationship, right?"

They fought that night and decided not to talk again. But Ian found himself too weak; one message from the guy, and he would reply.

The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead as Ian sat at his desk, the glow casting shadows across his face. He stared blankly at the textbook in front of him, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

It had been weeks since he and the guy had fought, agreeing not to speak again. Yet, despite his best efforts to move on, Ian found himself constantly drawn back to memories of their time together.

He remembered the laughter they shared, the inside jokes that only they understood. He remembered the flutter in his chest whenever their eyes met across the crowded classroom. And he remembered the pain of realizing that their connection was nothing more than a fleeting moment in time.

But now, as he sat alone in his room, his phone buzzed with a new message. His heart leaped in his chest as he read the familiar name flashing on the screen.

"Ian, can we talk?"

His fingers hesitated over the keyboard, torn between the desire to ignore the message and the longing to hear what the guy had to say. In the end, curiosity won out, and Ian found himself typing out a response.

"Sure, what's up?"

Seconds turned into minutes as he waited for a reply, the tension in the air thickening with each passing moment. And then, finally, the message came.

"I'm sorry for everything. I never meant to hurt you."

Ian's heart clenched at the words, a rush of emotions flooding through him. He wanted to be angry, to lash out and demand answers. But beneath the anger, there was a flicker of something else - a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to make things right.

"Apology accepted," Ian typed, his fingers trembling slightly as he hit send.

And with that simple message, a new problem began - one filled with uncertainty and second chances, but also with the possibility of something more. For Ian, it was a chance to finally confront the feelings he had been hiding for so long, and to discover what lay beyond the tangled mess of his conflicted heart.

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