Beyond Love // An Original Story. \\

Behind locked doors // Anthony's POV

I woke up the next morning to a knock on my door. Groaning, I get up to go check it. Outside, nobody is there. I look around, before looking down on the porch. There's a photograph of Darren and me in my backyard, and my heart immediately drops to my stomach.

I go back inside, closing the door as I inspect the photograph more. There was a sentence on the back which read; 'You don't want this getting out, do you?' I head back to my room, setting it on the desk.

I didn't know what to do, or what they wanted. Were they trying to blackmail me? I sigh, unsure of what to do. There's another knock on the door, and I begrudgingly go down there again to check it. This time, it was Darren, and he was also holding a photograph. Before he could get any words out, I spoke first. "You got one too?" He nodded.

"Can I come in?" I move out of his way, letting him inside. I close the door behind him. "Mine is upstairs on the desk."

"Okay." We go upstairs, and he immediately looks at the photograph on the desk. He looked confused, reading the back.

"Is yours the same?" He shook his head no, showing his to me. It was a photograph of us in my bedroom dancing together, and I looked at the back. 'You two are cute together. It'd be a shame if someone revealed this.'

"What do we do about this, Ant?" I smile at the nickname for a second before thinking.

"I don't know. I don't even know what they want. But if they could see us the other day, then we need to close my curtains." I get up, looking outside the window before I close them.

"....I don't feel comfortable being alone." I nod at that.

"Want to stay the night?" He nodded, but then shook his hand.

"Won't they notice?"

"You know I'd do anything to protect you. It's okay."

"...I guess I'll stay, then."

"Okay." I nodded, heading to the laundry room to get a spare blanket, and throwing it on my bed.

It's silent for a moment, neither of us saying anything, until I finally break the ice.

"You're gonna be okay, right?" He nodded.

"I think so. I just..don't want to be alone tonight."

"That makes sense. What are we gonna do about this?"

"I still don't know. They seem to be targeting us and our reputation specifically."

"I think they are."

He was silent for a moment, looking like he was considering something.

"You're not going to like what I'm about to say." I'm worried about what he's going to say but don't show it.

"What do you mean?"

"If they're going after us, then we need to stop hanging out after tonight." Immediately, I internally freak out.

"What?! No, I don't want to do that!"

"I don't want to do it either, but we may not have a choice. It's either our reputation or our friendship."

"We-..we could...I don't know..what if we keep a secret friendship at least..?"

He shook his head no. "They'd probably find out. Look, I'm sorry and I don't want to do this either, but it's for the best--"

I cut him off before he could continue. "I can't lose you, Darren."

"I know."

"Please. Don't. I can't lose you, ever."