Unconventional Lovers ☑️

Chapter 8 - Conflict Resolution

But that was just the surface, because Riley did still care for his once best friend - the same guy who was such a prominent figure in his younger life.

"We fight all the time, but this one feels different. He thinks this is all my fault, and I don't want him to constantly think that I hate him - because I don't."

Riley didn't wait for Luke to let him go, because he had left without saying anything else. He eventually went back to his room, and thought about what Luke said.

'I just want things to go back to how they were..."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessie was sitting at one of the many empty tables at the local coffee shop, waiting for his brother as he paid for their drinks.

"How much do I owe you?"

Cameron patted Jessie's hand that reached for his own wallet, "Don't be silly, it's on me."

"I guess I have to watch what I spend my money on now for a few weeks." Jessie weakly laughed as he looked at the ground solemnly.

"Hey," Cameron waited for Jessie to look back at him and smiled softly at him. "If you need anything, money wise or a pair of ears to listen to, then just let me know - okay?"

Jessie nodded his head as he was deeply thankful for his twin brother and everything he was doing. "I'm guess I'm the screw up in the family now."

"Are you saying that I was the screw up?" Cameron joked. He felt a little happy to hear Jessie laugh again, even if he was poking fun at him. "You were only arrested, and then you were immediately let go, baby brother. This is all going to blow over Jessie, don't worry too much."

Jessie listened to his brother's words, but they hadn't sunk in yet. Jessie thought that every action he did was scratching away the little relationship he had with his parents - a relationship he was so desperate to have with them.

A couple of students they both recognised looked at Jessie, and the brothers overheard the pair whispering about Riley snitching on Jessie being arrested.

Jessie wanted to sink into his seat and be buried inside it, while Cameron was ready to throw them out on the curb. Thankfully, the look in his eyes scared them away as they scurried away from them.

"You know, Riley seemed very hurt that you think he snitched on you." Cameron mentioned.

"Because he did." Jessie suggested as he continued with the narrative he had settled on.

Cameron was shaking his head as he tried to stop his brother from being so stubborn about something so wrong. "Riley's been our friends for so many years, Jessie. There's no way he would throw you under the bus like that, especially after you begged him not to."

"We were the only ones who knew about it. If  neither of us told anyone, then who did?" Jessie questioned.

Cameron shrugged his shoulders because he didn't have the answers. "I don't know. But Riley is a man of his word, you asked him to do something, and so he listened. You're meant to be the smarter twin Jessie, just think more rationally about this."

Jessie took a sip from his coffee, and his usual order was tasting too bitter all of the sudden.

Shortly afterwards, Olivia came into the coffee shop and saw the twins once she ordered her drink.

"Hey Jessie, just wanted to check on you." Olivia mentioned as she walked up to them.

Cameron gave them both a polite nod as he gave them some space alone, taking his drink to the other side of the shop with him. "I'll give you both some privacy."