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The worst part is that Finn can hear it, too. They’ve been friends too long for anything else.
“You’re trying to tell me…” Finn says, starting to laugh. It’s a caustic, humorless sound. “You’re telling me you’re not only screwing my sister but this guy, too.”
West steps forward, putting himself between my brother at the door and Raleigh and me in the apartment.
“We’re together,” repeats West.
“So what?” says Finn, practically spitting the words out. “You’re gay now, too?”
Raleigh makes a small, choked sound, squeezing my hand tightly.
“I’m bisexual,” says West. “If it matters.”
“If it… You know what, I can’t do this,” says Finn. He’s shaking so hard I can see it from here. “I can’t… Seriously, West. Fuck you. Are you kidding me? Fuck you twice.”
“Finn, wait,” I say, moving to stand next to West. Raleigh’s right beside me every step of the way. “I love him. I’m in love with both of them.”
Finn just looks at me with pity and disappointment. He shakes his head.
“I trusted you,” he says to West.
“I know,” says West, his voice betraying the tiniest crack. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah,” says Finn. “Yeah, I bet you are. You son of a bitch.” Finn takes two strides and hits West with a left hook to the jaw before I realize what’s happening. Then Finn is gone, slamming the door shut behind him.
The silence in the room is deafening.
Weston stands there, staring at the door, one hand holding his towel, the other rubbing his jaw.
“You okay?” Raleigh asks, stepping around me to cup West’s face in his hands, turning his chin up to inspect the damage.
“I’m fine,” says West.
“He didn’t pull that punch,” says Raleigh.
“No, he did not,” says West, wincing a little and pulling Raleigh’s hands down. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“For what?” asks Raleigh. “You didn’t punch him.”
“I brought him here.” I squeeze my eyes shut. I’d also said some things out loud that maybe would have been better left unsaid. At the time I thought it’d help, but if the last month has proven anything, it’s that my judgment isn’t always sound.
“I doubt you did that on purpose,” says Raleigh. “And anyway, he was bound to find out eventually. If we’re…” He falters, but Raleigh squares his shoulders and tries again. “If we’re serious.”
West finally turns to me, and I brace myself against the inevitable rejection. This is what he was worried about from day one. He was right about Finn, about how badly he’d take it, about how it would wreck their friendship.
“Do you want me to go?” I ask. I will not cry right now. I refuse.
The question shakes West out of his torpor.
“Do you want to go?” His voice is shakier than ever, and for the first time since I got here, I feel the faintest spark of hope.
“No.” I reach out and cup the uninjured side of his face. “Didn’t you hear me tell Finn I’m in love with you? I’m not going anywhere.”
West takes a deep, shuddering breath and closes his eyes, trapping my hand against his cheek.
“Oh, good,” says Raleigh heavily. “Because I was beginning to think I hallucinated that part.”
