The breaking point:
Summer came and with it, the oppressive heat of Halewood's expectations. Everyone wore masks of smiles at barbecues, graduation parties, and Sunday brunches. Daniel smiled too, but it never reached his eyes.
Noah had stopped waiting for him to change. Not entirely, but enough to protect himself.
He started seeing someone. A guy named Eli who he met through the youth art program downtown. Eli was soft-spoken, kind, and open in ways Daniel wasn't. With him, Noah felt safe - seen. But it was never the same. Every time he laughed with Eli, he remembered how Daniel used to smirk at his dumb jokes. Every time Eli held his hand, he wondered if Daniel still thought about their kiss.
Then one night, Daniel showed up again. This time drunk. Wet from the sprinklers he'd stumbled through on the walk over.
"I saw you with him," he said. "The guy with the sketchpad."
Noah didn't answer.
"I don't like it."
"You don't get to like or not like it," Noah said quietly. "You're the one who walked away."
Daniel's voice cracked. "I'm sorry. I just… I thought I could live the life they wanted. But I can't. I think about you every damn day."
Noah wanted to scream. Or cry. Or hold him. But he didn't do any of those things.
"You can't keep coming here like this," he said. "It's not fair."
"I know," Daniel whispered. "But I don't know how to stop loving you."
Noah's hands trembled. "Then love me out loud."
But Daniel just stood there.
So Noah shut the door.