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“Because whatever happened was fucking bollocks,” Percy spat, and Ravi blinked, then laughed.
“Yeah, it was. That fucker came out of nowhere. I was leaving the bookstore, and I saw him running at me. I panicked. I didn’t even realize he was a cop right away.” He wrapped his arms tight around his body and held on. “He broke my fucking phone.”
Percy swallowed heavily. “Do you want me to message Wren so he can come get you?”
Ravi’s eyes went a little watery, and he nodded. “You don’t mind?”
“No. I mean, there’s a bloody good chance he won’t answer—not that he’ll tell me why.”
For the first time that night, Ravi looked at him with some disdain. True biz? he signed with extreme sarcasm on his face. “You don’t know why? Come on, man. Like, I kind of get it, but you don’t need to play dumb.”
Percy’s brow furrowed. “What are you on about?”
“He told us everything. And I get why you’re feeling weird about him, but making out with some guy in a restaurant is just?—”
“Hang on,” Percy said, his arm freezing as he was drawing his phone out of his pocket. “He told you I did what?”
“He saw you,” Ravi said. “Through the window with your hot dentist friend.”
Percy felt an odd sensation—like outrage and confusion and maybe even a little humiliation all wrapped up together. “I wasn’t snogging Derek. Fuck’s sake, I’m not attracted to him at all. I—” Percy blinked out of his shock. “Is that really what you want to talk about after what just happened?”
‘Yes,’ Ravi signed, his hands still shaking a little. He cleared his throat. “Yes. I don’t…I’m not ready to think about all that yet. Please.”
For the first time in his life, Percy’s pain might actually help someone else. He took in a fortifying breath. “So, is that what he thinks I did? Is that why he sent that text?” Percy knew the moment Ravi was referencing, but there had been no kissing. There had been Percy with his crisis of self-worth, and then there had been heartbreak.
And Derek had been kind. Nothing more, nothing less. Just kind.
A moment after Derek’s kindness, Wren had sent a text shattering Percy, and now he understood why.
Ravi shrugged. “He was being vulnerable, and he thought it was too much for you. Can you really blame him?”
Percy wasn’t sure how to answer that. “He didn’t come in. He didn’t come after me. He didn’t even ask why I was kissing someone else.” He dragged his hand through his hair and tugged as he gave Wren a wild look. “Not that I was, but…” He stopped and shook his head. “He just…ended it.” He liked to think that if he thought he’d seen Wren kissing someone else, he’d at least confront him. Except…fucking, shitting hell, he had thought the exact same thing about Wren and Ravi. And he hadn’t done anything reasonable. He just ran.
God, everything was such a mess. Maybe Wren was right. Maybe there were just too many loose threads to make anything of this work. His heart hurt worse now, if that was even possible.
Ravi was staring at him with a deep frown, and then his face softened. “Shit. You’re in love with him, aren’t you? Like, actually in love with him.”
Percy covered his face for a moment, then looked up. There was no point in denying it now. “If he doesn’t already know, please don’t tell him. I know I’m obvious, and it’s absurd. We’ve only just met. And he’s aromantic, so it’s not like there’s even hope for us. He warned me not to feel this way. Bloody hell, I warned myself.”
Ravi reached out and grabbed his wrist, gently pulling his hand out of his pocket. “You really weren’t kissing anyone else, were you?”
Percy laughed bitterly. “No. I swear. I was having big feelings, and Derek was comforting me. He was being kind because people haven’t been very kind lately.” His voice trembled. “I just needed a hug. Nothing more.”
“Text him,” Ravi said, his face shattered with pity, and Percy knew he deserved that. “Not about this. Uh…tell him what happened with the cop. Tell him to come get me. When he’s here, I’ll get him to listen, and you can explain it all in person.”
“It’s not necessary. Obviously, his feelings for me are only hurting him. He thinks he saw—well, that—because he was looking for an out. And I get it.” Percy grimaced. “Trust me.”
Ravi shook his head. “I think both of you need another sit-down and some genuine fucking honesty. But in his defense—and I don’t say this lightly—Wren’s really struggling with himself. He’s had a really hard time accepting who he is. More than just how he feels about you. And I’m not going to speak for him, but if he knew the truth, things might be different this time around. He’s a good guy, okay? He deserves more than one chance to fuck up.”
Percy had thought the same thing about himself not that long ago. He had fucked up more than once with Wren without realizing it. So maybe they both deserved to hear each other out.
He was almost afraid to hope that Wren would agree though, so instead, he pulled up Wren’s contact. It was hard to ignore the pain at seeing his last message, but he sent his SOS about Ravi and the cop. By the time the message showed it was received, Martinez was walking Lila back, and she ran into Percy’s arms.
“I should go,” Percy said, looking between Martinez and Ravi. “He’s probably not going to answer me, but he saw the message. I just…I don’t think I can see him right now.”
Ravi bowed his head, but he nodded. “Okay. Thanks, um…thanks for sticking around.”
Percy shook his head and waited for Ravi to look back up at him. “I wasn’t going to leave you. Not after that. And if you really want me to stay?—”
