EPISODE 20
1026 Words
Tristan had just finished washing his hands and was about to leave the restroom when the door swung open, revealing Nathan. Their eyes locked, an unspoken tension thickening the air between them. Neither of them said anything at first. It was as if the weight of everything that had transpired between them settled heavily in the space, demanding acknowledgment.
Seconds stretched into what felt like eternity before Nathan finally cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Uh... how was the exam?" he asked, his voice uncertain, hesitant, like he wasn't sure he had the right to speak first.
Tristan was caught off guard by the question but quickly recovered. "It went well, actually," he replied, offering a small nod. "And you?" he asked, more out of politeness than curiosity.
Nathan exhaled a short breath. "It was alright. Could’ve been better, but I managed."
Silence fell over them once again before Nathan took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Listen, Tristan... I know I don’t deserve this conversation, but I need to say it anyway." He looked down for a moment before meeting Tristan’s gaze head-on. "I was a complete asshole to you. I was blinded by my own jealousy, and instead of handling it like a rational person, I lashed out at you. And for that, I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me, and I sure as hell don’t expect things to go back to the way they were before, but I just needed you to know."
Tristan remained silent, processing his words. Nathan took it as an opportunity to continue. "I knew that you were just as much a victim in everything that happened. It wasn’t fair of me to blame you, and the truth is, I was just hurt because..." He paused, looking down at his hands before exhaling. "Because I liked him for so long, and knowing that you and him f****d —it messed me up. But that’s not an excuse for what I did. I was wrong, and I regret it. I thought I could push you away, make you feel the same pain I did. But all I did was lose someone important to me."
Tristan felt his throat tighten at Nathan's words. For so long, he had waited for an apology, and now that it was here, he realized he had never truly hated Nathan. He had been hurt, yes. He had been angry. But hearing Nathan admit his mistakes, seeing the regret in his eyes... it softened something in him.
"Nathan..." he started, then hesitated. He let out a small breath before speaking again. "I don’t hold any grudges against you. I get it. I really do. And if it helps, I never meant to hurt you either."
Nathan’s lips curled into a small, almost relieved smile. "So, does that mean we can at least be on talking terms again?"
Tristan chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Yeah, I think we can manage that."
A warm grin spread across Nathan’s face as he stepped forward, hesitating for a moment before pulling Tristan into a quick but firm hug. "Good to have you back, man."
Tristan patted his back, smiling. "Good to have you back too."
They spent a few more minutes talking in the corridor before deciding to rejoin the others. The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and casual banter, a reminder of how things used to be. As the night stretched on and it grew late, everyone began saying their goodbyes.
Nathan clapped Tristan on the back. "Guess I’ll see you at home? I’m riding with Carl."
Tristan nodded. "Yeah, see you later."
With that, he got into his car, with Drake sitting beside him.
---
The car ride was quiet but comfortable, the city lights casting a soft glow through the windows. As they pulled up in front of Drake’s home, Tristan turned to him with a smile. "Tonight was great. We should do this again sometime."
Drake nodded. "Yeah, it was nice to hang out with everyone without any tension."
A brief silence settled between them before Tristan spoke again. "By the way, I made up with Nathan. That’s why I took a while back there."
Drake’s expression faltered just slightly, his fingers fidgeting in his lap. "Oh," he murmured, trying to mask his disappointment. "That’s... good."
Tristan immediately picked up on it. He reached over, gently nudging Drake’s arm. "Hey, just because Nathan and I patched things up doesn’t mean things between us will change. You’re already a big part of my life, Drake. That’s not going to change."
Drake looked up, his eyes searching Tristan’s face for sincerity. "You mean that?"
Tristan nodded. "Absolutely. You’re not just some replacement for Nathan. You’re you. And I like having you in my life."
A small smile broke onto Drake’s lips, relief washing over him. "Thanks, Tristan. That means a lot."
"Anytime," Tristan said before unlocking the doors. "Now get inside before your mom freaks out that you’re out this late."
Drake chuckled, opening the car door. "See you tomorrow."
Tristan watched as Drake stood by the door, waiting until he drove off before disappearing into his house.
---
Meanwhile, Carl and Nathan were on their way home, the car ride mostly silent until Carl finally broke it. "So, you guys made up huh?"
Nathan glanced at him, nodding. "Yeah. We talked, and I apologized. He forgave me. So we’re good now."
Carl nodded slowly before hesitating. "So... what happens to me now?"
Nathan blinked at him before laughing. "What do you mean?"
Carl shrugged. "I mean, you got your best friend back. Are we still—? I don’t know, are things gonna change between us?"
Nathan smirked, shaking his head. "Carl, relax. You’re not getting rid of me that easily."
Carl let out a relieved sigh. "Good. Because I was starting to think I’d get ditched."
Nathan chuckled. "Nope. You’re stuck with me. We’ll all just hang out together. Simple as that."
Carl grinned. "Alright then. I can live with that."
The two shared a laugh as they continued down the road, both feeling lighter than they had in weeks.
- Writer
