Shattered Bonds

EPISODE 24

Arriving at His Grandparents’ Home

The car rolled to a stop in front of a cozy countryside house surrounded by lush greenery. The familiar scent of fresh flowers and the faint aroma of homemade cooking filled the air as Tristan and Nathan stepped out. Before they could even reach the door, it swung open, revealing an elderly couple with warm, excited smiles.

"Tristan! Nathan!" Tristan’s grandmother, Eleanor, beamed, pulling both boys into a tight embrace. "Oh, it's been far too long since you last visited. Look at you two—so grown up!"

His grandfather, Harold, chuckled from behind her. "Julie told us you were coming, so we made sure to prepare all your favorites. Come in, come in. You boys must be starving after that long drive."

Nathan grinned, rubbing his stomach dramatically. "Mrs. Harding, you have no idea how much I’ve been craving your cooking."

Eleanor swatted his arm playfully. "Still as dramatic as ever, I see. Now, get inside before the food gets cold."

They stepped into the familiar warmth of the house, the nostalgic scent of roasted chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, and fresh-baked bread filling the air. The table was already set, and Tristan felt a lump form in his throat—this place, these people, they were home.

Throughout dinner, the conversation flowed easily. Harold asked them about school, while Eleanor fussed over whether they were eating enough. Nathan, ever the charmer, kept them entertained with exaggerated stories, making the old couple laugh heartily.

After eating their fill, the boys finally retreated to Tristan's childhood bedroom. It hadn’t changed much—posters of old rock bands, books stacked on the shelves, and a window that overlooked the sprawling fields.

Nathan flopped onto the bed with a satisfied sigh. "Man, I forgot how peaceful it is here. No stress, no drama, just good food and good company."

Tristan sat at his desk, flipping through an old notebook. His fingers traced over the pages, and suddenly, he let out a small chuckle.

"What’s funny?" Nathan propped himself up on one elbow.

Tristan turned the notebook towards him. "Do you remember this?"

Nathan squinted, then his eyes widened. "No way! The to-do list!"

It was a list they had made a year ago—things they had planned to do together if they ever visited again. Simple things, like hiking to the waterfall, building a bonfire, watching the stars from the rooftop, and even silly dares they had written down in excitement.

Tristan smirked. "Well, since we’re here, I think we should check off every single thing on this list."

Nathan grinned. "Hell yeah. Let’s make up for lost time."

And they did.

From that night onward, the days melted into weeks, and then into months. They hiked through the vast fields, swam in the river, stayed up late talking about everything and nothing. The more time they spent together, the closer they became—just like before.

For Nathan, it was a second chance. A chance to be with Tristan without the weight of his past mistakes looming over them.

For Tristan, it was a breath of fresh air. A moment of peace amidst the confusion that still lingered in his heart.

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Drake’s Internal Struggle & Departure to London

Meanwhile, back in the city, Drake found himself staring at his phone more often than he’d like to admit.

His fingers hovered over Tristan’s contact. He had been tempted—so many times—to reach out, to ask how he was, to say something, anything. But every time, he reminded himself of his promise.

"Tristan will reach out first when he's ready."

It had been weeks. And he hadn’t heard a single word.

Then, one evening, his mother walked into his room with a purposeful look on her face.

"Drake, I need to talk to you."

He looked up from his phone, brows furrowing. "What is it?"

She sat on the edge of his bed. "I have to travel to London for business. There’s a situation at our England branch that needs my attention. I was thinking… why don’t you come with me?"

Drake hesitated.

"You’ll get to see your sister," his mother continued. "Jane misses you. It’s been a year since you last saw her."

The thought of seeing Jane made his chest tighten. She was the one person who always made him feel at home, no matter where he was.

His mother studied his face. "I know you’ve been restless, Drake. Maybe a change of scenery will help."

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. He had no real reason to stay here for the summer. Tristan wasn’t around. His friends were busy. And if he stayed, he knew he’d keep driving himself crazy over the silence.

"...Alright," he finally said. "I’ll go."

Two days later, they boarded the first flight to London.

---

Reuniting with Jane in London

The moment they stepped into Heathrow Airport, a familiar voice called out.

"Drake!"

He barely had time to react before he was pulled into a tight embrace.

Jane grinned, holding him at arm’s length. "Look at you! My little brother is all grown up. When did you get so tall and handsome?"

Drake rolled his eyes but couldn’t help smiling. "Jane, I was already taller than you last year."

She scoffed. "Doesn’t matter. You’ll always be my baby brother." She pulled him into another hug. "I missed you."

Drake felt the warmth in her words, something he had needed more than he realized. "I missed you too."

Their mother chuckled. "Alright, let’s get home. You two can continue gushing over each other there."

As they drove through the familiar streets, Drake gazed out the window. It had been three years since he lived here, and yet, everything still felt so familiar.

When they arrived at their family’s London mansion, Drake took a deep breath, taking in the grand estate.

"Welcome home," Jane said softly.

He turned to her and smiled. "Yeah… it’s good to be back."

After settling into his room, unpacking only the essentials, he decided to take a walk through the estate’s vast gardens. The cool evening breeze carried the faint scent of jasmine, and he let himself relax for the first time in weeks.

He was sitting at their tea house, staring at the koi pond, when a maid approached.

"Sir, a friend of yours is here. He’s waiting in the visitor arena."

Drake’s brows furrowed. "A friend?"

He stood up and made his way inside. The moment he entered the room, a familiar voice called out.

"Drake!"

Drake’s face lit up. "Jersey!"

Jersey grinned and pulled him into a tight hug. "Damn, it’s been too long."

Drake chuckled. "I know, man. What are you doing here?"

Jersey smirked. "I was actually planning to surprise you in America next school year. I’ll be transferring there for my final year."

Drake’s eyes widened. "Wait, what? You’re moving to the U.S.?"

"Yeah, my dad figured it was time for a change. Thought it’d be a good experience for me before college."

Drake felt an unexpected relief wash over him. "That’s… actually great news. At least I won’t be completely alone next year."

Jersey gave him a knowing look. "Still worried about Tristan, huh?"

Drake hesitated before sighing. "Yeah… but I promised to let him reach out first."

Jersey patted his shoulder. "Then keep that promise. And in the meantime, let’s make the most of this summer."

Drake smiled, feeling, for the first time in a while, that things might just turn out okay.

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