Shattered Bonds

EPISODE 11

Two months had passed since Nathan’s cold, distant behavior had pushed Tristan to the brink. Tristan had stopped chasing after him, stopped begging for forgiveness. His attempts to fix their broken friendship had faded away. He had swallowed the pain, tucked it away deep inside, and focused entirely on his studies, his future, and his personal growth. The ache of rejection remained, but Tristan refused to let it dictate his life anymore.

He threw himself into his studies, using the pain as motivation to get better, to succeed. His grades improved, and his determination to get into the university of his choice became his singular focus. But it wasn’t just his academic life that needed attention—his passion for basketball was still alive and burning within him.

After his coach had kicked him off the team for his lack of focus in the last season, Tristan had been determined to prove himself again. He found his center, focusing his energy back into the sport he loved. He approached his coach, swallowing his pride, and begged for another chance.

"I know I let you and the team down. I wasn’t focused, and it cost us. But I’ve changed. I’m ready to give everything for this team, for the game. Please, let me back in,” Tristan said, his voice filled with sincerity and a new-found resolve.

The coach, initially reluctant, studied Tristan for a moment, reading the honesty in his eyes. After a pause that felt like a lifetime, he finally spoke.

“I’ll give you one more chance, but you better prove that you’re serious this time. Focus is everything, Tristan. If you lose it again, you’re out for good.”

“I understand, Coach. I won’t let you down again,” Tristan promised, his voice unwavering.

And just like that, he was back on the team.

His teammates were supportive, glad to have him back. But it was Drake who seemed the most thrilled. He had always admired Tristan, not just for his skills but for the person he was. And now, seeing Tristan return to the team, his heart swelled with hope.

For the first time in a while, Tristan felt like he was starting to rebuild himself. He kept his head down, focused on the game, and spent most of his time with Drake and Dylan. With Dylan no longer in the same class as him, Tristan found himself gravitating toward Drake more than ever. They started sitting together during breaks, working together after practices. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and Tristan found comfort in Drake’s presence.

---

Meanwhile, Nathan, back in his own world, couldn’t ignore the emptiness that had settled in his chest. For two months, he had been angry. He had held onto his bitterness, thinking that cutting Tristan out of his life would somehow make everything better. But deep down, he knew he was wrong. The longer he stayed away from Tristan, the more he realized how much he missed him.

Nathan had tried to move on—hanging out with Carl, keeping a distance from Tristan—but it all felt hollow. Even when he was close to Carl, there was always a gnawing emptiness, as though he was pretending to be something he wasn’t. He had hoped that pushing Tristan away would help him forget, but it only made the ache in his heart grow stronger.

And so, after one particularly painful heart-to-heart with his parents, Nathan finally had the clarity he had been seeking.

Flashback:

His mother’s words had stung, but they had opened his eyes in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

“I don’t understand, Nathan,” his mother had said, frustration lacing her voice. “Why are you doing this to Tristan? The boy who has always been there for you—who has loved you like no one else. He’s the best thing you’ve got in this world, and you’re just throwing him away over something so insignificant. Something he wasn’t even at fault for.”

Her voice trembled with emotion, but it was the truth. Nathan could see it in her eyes, the disappointment, the concern.

“You’ve hurt him in ways I can’t even begin to explain. He didn’t betray you. He didn’t do anything wrong. And yet, you’ve pushed him away over a boy—Ethan, was it? Is that really worth destroying a friendship of decades? Is Ethan really worth all of this?” she continued, her voice softening as she reached out for Nathan’s hand. “Nathan, you’ve made a mistake, and as a mother, I can’t stand to see you suffer like this. You’ll regret it, I promise you.”

Nathan’s father, normally a man of few words, chimed in with his usual blunt honesty.

“Your mother’s right. As much as it pains me to say this, you’ve messed up, son. You’re pushing away someone who has been nothing but loyal to you. Someone who has had your back through everything. You think Tristan is going to keep chasing after you when you’ve treated him like this? You keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll lose him for good.”

Nathan clenched his fists, the weight of his father’s words settling heavily on his shoulders. He had been so blinded by his pride, by his jealousy over Ethan, that he had failed to see the bigger picture.

“You’re going to regret this, Nathan. If you don’t make it right, you’ll lose Tristan forever. And when he’s gone, you won’t be able to fix it.” His father’s voice was firm, unwavering.

The words haunted Nathan in the days that followed. He lay awake at night, replaying the moments with Tristan, their laughter, their easy companionship, and the way things had slowly started to break apart because of his own stubbornness. He had been stupid, foolish, and now it was too late.

The reality hit him like a ton of bricks. Tristan had stopped trying to get back into his life. He had stopped approaching him, stopped looking for signs that Nathan might forgive him. Tristan had given up.

Nathan had pushed too far, and now, Tristan had drifted away. Nathan realized, with painful clarity, that the ball was no longer in his court. He was the one who had pushed Tristan out, and now he had no idea how to bring him back.

He had tried to make it right by being close to Carl, by acting as if it didn’t hurt, but the truth was clear—he missed Tristan more than he had ever missed anyone in his life. And now, it was like trying to find a way back to a place he had long since destroyed.

He walked around the school halls, the absence of Tristan beside him more palpable than ever. He had thought that the distance would heal him, but it only made the void wider. He had underestimated how much Tristan meant to him. How much he had come to rely on him.

But now... how was he supposed to fix this? How could he bridge the gap that he had created? How could he get Tristan to come back when it felt like he had already slipped away beyond reach?

Nathan couldn’t stop thinking about Tristan. How every day felt more empty without him. He had to fix this, but the question was, could it even be fixed at all?