Veronstone Senior Society Stories

New York

New York

"Can...we talk?"

"Sure, Ivan."

Sitting beside the redhead on a stone bench atop the outdoor balcony of their hotel suite, Ivan let out a deep sigh. Both were still well dressed after the dinner party they'd attended with the others earlier in the evening. With tensions running high between their circle during their senior year, Sigmund organized a trip over winter break without any of the men being aware of who was invited. His goal was to get everyone in good spirits again, this was their final winter holiday together as Milkweed students. By far, the majority of the bitterness had come from the on and off love triangle between Ivan, Kyle and his American love interest back in Galaxy Hills.

"I don't wanna go back to Veronstone this way." Ivan spoke, his eyes glued to the city skyline in front of them.

The tall buildings were lit up and sparkling through the late-night sky and it kept the eyes of the men occupied through their heavy conversation. Ivan wasn't sure what more to say in the moment, and he was thankful when Kyle spoke up.

"Neither do I."

"I don't hate you, Kyle."

"I don't hate you either, Ivan."

"I...I don't know anymore."

Peeling his eyes away from the skyline, Kyle watched as Ivan's fingers anxiously pushed back strands of his shoulder length, black hair. He pushed the hair behind his pointed ear and returned the glance after an audible sigh.

"Just tell me the truth." Ivan spoke. "Me or him?"

"It's not that simple."

"But it is. We can just finish this and move on with our lives. I think that's the best choice right now."

"Move on with our lives? I thought you didn't want to do that."

"What choice do I have, Kyle?" Ivan stressed. "You and I both know how this is gonna turn out. It's the reason why you refuse to answer my question. You're making this harder than it needs to be, and you've been dragging this out all of senior term. Me or him?"

"Ivan—."

"Just say it!"

"Please..."

Leaning against the wall behind them, Ivan let his head fall back. He closed his eyes, pushing his hands into the pockets of his dress pants, and steadied his breathing. He was already finding himself getting worked up and the last thing he wanted to do was shout.

"Sorry..."

"Ivan, I like you."

"So you say."

"I do."

"No, you don't. You don't like me, Kyle. You never liked me. You used me to figure yourself out and when you did, you tossed me like a piece of fucking garbage."

"That's not true!"

"It is! It's true and if it wasn't, we'd be together! We wouldn't be fighting like this right now, we'd be in a relationship! We wouldn't have to go to someone else's engagement party! We'd—ugh!"

Kyle's eyes went wide towards Ivan's words, but the warlock shook them off soon after he'd said them.

"You never liked me, Kyle."

"If I never liked you, I wouldn't have kissed you."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Sure, because it's so in character for me to go around kissing any man I please?"