Paths Strangely United [BxB]

CHAPTER 24

Chapter 24:  Encounter with themselves

If there was one thing that Reyan had to do today, it was to do two things. For today was not just any other day. Today was November the 10th and he wanted this day to be as perfect as possible. Not that he was expecting much from it.

On the night of Diwali, Reyan went home after midnight. The next day in school, he heard rumours that Manan had disappeared from his house. Reyan was worried sick. It was then that the lost boy himself appeared. Eventually, he told Reyan that he was living with Adit for a bit since Reyan had denied him a lodging place.

"That was not what I meant!" Reyan had said. Manan had sighed, muttered a whatever and dismissed it with a wave of his hand and the topic was closed.

And so today, Reyan had planned to make everything right with them. Since the late September, there had been a growing tension between the two. Both of them were ignoring it but now Reyan wanted that tension to end once and for all.

And nothing could prevent him from doing so. He was feeling confident, even overly-confident, one might say. He climbed up the steps of his school's staircase and walked upon the hallway when he saw a familiar face coming towards him.

William was moving nonchalantly but that was until he had seen Reyan. He walked past him when suddenly Reyan grabbed him by his arm.

"What the hell?" He said in shock. Reyan's expressions were the same. He didn't know why he had himself grabbed William's arm. But he knew that somehow today was different. He was bolder and happier than any other day.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Reyan asked calmly.

"What's it to you? I can avoid who the hell ever I want to!" William spoke. He looked angry and afraid at the same time. He brushed off Reyan's hand from his arm. "Don't touch me with your homo hands." He spat.

Reyan's eyes widened. He had never imagined William to become like this. Every word the boy uttered had a new feeling, an alienated feeling attached to it. Now-a-days, it always felt as if Reyan was speaking to a different boy.

"Listen to what I have to say." Reyan urged.

"Talk to the walls if you are so desperate. I can't waste my time on you anymore."

"When did we become like this?"

"Since the day you changed into a fucking faggot!" William rolled his eyes, turned and started to walk away.

Reyan was quite for a few seconds before he resumed with shivering hands, a hopeless turbulence raging through his blood.

"You are a coward."

William stopped dead on his tracks but Reyan continued speaking. "You don't even have the courage to listen to what I have to say. You made your own assumptions, didn't you? You didn't even dare talk to me lest your false world would shrivel up and die. You chickened out as soon as you felt that I have changed. How can you question me when it is you too who has changed?"

The shock on his countenance soon transformed into a heavy laugh that echoed through the empty hallway.

"Then you and I are the same, Reyan, aren't we?" He turned towards Reyan and chuckled.

"What do you mean?" William starting walking towards him with playful steps.

"You say too much but do so less, Reyan." William said contemptuously.
"You are sly and you never follow your own words."

"Speak directly, William." Reyan perplexedly.

"Sure." He said. "Do you love Manan?"

Reyan blinked his eyes several times to confirm if he heard William right.