The enemy of my heart [BL]

Hangover

I wouldn't label myself as a heavy drinker, but when the opportunity arises, I find it hard to resist. James surprised us with a bag full of drinks he found outside the hall pantry, and to my amazement, Elliot didn't object, perhaps love does change people. Our drinking session began right after dinner, with bottles being opened one after another. Even the usually composed Victor couldn't resist taking a sip. But the most unexpected change was in Ronin. He became incredibly talkative and energetic, showering me with kisses at one point, which, albeit overwhelming, was endearing. "I love you," he whispered into my ear between kisses.

"Ronin?" I groaned, the sound of waves crashing against the shore penetrating my senses.

"Why are you calling out Ronin's name, Liam?" a female voice murmured.

"This isn't Ronin," I realized, my eyes still shut tight, feeling dizzy and with a pounding headache. My nausea threatened to overwhelm me.

Finally, I forced my eyes open. "Why am I outside?" I questioned internally, but as I glanced around, I realized I was lying on someone's lap, though too thin to be Ronin's. Slowly, I lifted my head, noting the familiar brunette hair. It was Isabella.

There we were, on the beach, gazing at the waves as a gentle gust of wind swept by. Isabella looked down at me, her warm smile filling me with a sense of confusion and dread.

"I thought things would never work out between us again, thanks Liam," she said softly.

"What are you talking about?" I coughed, trying to make sense of her words.

"What do you mean, 'what are you talking about'?" Isabella chuckled, her fingers tracing gentle patterns on my hair. "You said you wanted to be in a relationship again."

My heart sank as I heard those words. How could I have possibly said that? Was I drunk?

"What do I do?" I thought aloud, panic rising within me.

"What's wrong? You're quiet," she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Uhh, it's nothing at all," I muttered, desperately trying to regain my composure. "But can you tell me what time it is?" My body ached all over , and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had done something regrettable last night.

"It's past 12," she replied, checking her phone. "The trip to the city begins in an hour; you should get ready." Just then, I heard footsteps approaching, and a crowd of my classmates passed by, their surprised whispers stabbing at me. "Wait, they're back together?" one voice exclaimed. "Since when did they start dating again?" another questioned. The weight of their words hung heavily in the air as I struggled to comprehend what had happened the night before.
"If they didn't think we were dating before, they definitely think so now," I muttered to myself, feeling the weight of the situation sinking in.

"Liam, where are you?" a deep voice called out, and I recognized it immediately as Ronin's, his footsteps dragging along the pavement.

"Shit, terrible timing," I thought aloud, sitting up abruptly. My heart sank as I saw Ronin walking down the sidewalk, his eyes widening in disbelief as soon as they met mine. Without a word, he quickly turned around and jogged away. I wanted to scream after him, to explain, to make him understand, but it felt like Isabella had cast a spell on me, rendering me speechless. All I could do was reach out my arm in a futile attempt to stop him, but it was too late. He was gone.

Finally mustering some strength, I got onto my feet, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders as I dragged myself back to my room, only to run into William during his usual morning jog.

"Thanks for last night, Liam," he chuckled, halting in front of me and crouching down to catch his breath.

"What exactly happened last night?" I asked, feeling a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach.

"Are you kidding? You were the life of the party. It was pretty much boring without the drinks you handed out," he snickered.

"I handed out drinks?" I echoed, incredulous at the idea of being so drunk that I couldn't remember my actions. Why hadn't Ronin or James intervened? And why would I give a drink to William of all people?

"William, do you know how I ended up on the beach?" I inquired, hoping he might have some answers.

"Beats me, chum, but I heard rumors about you and Isabella," he replied, wrapping his arm around me, his soggy armpit uncomfortably close to my face, and smirking. "You're really giving her a second chance, huh?"

The fact that he called me his "chum" overshadowed the mention of Isabella entirely.

"No, why does it matter if we're in a relationship or not?" I spat, pulling away from William and entering our bedroom. Someone had to know what happened.

Inside, I found Elliot and James perched up on one of the beds, their relaxed expressions turning to worry upon seeing me.

"Dude, are you alright?" James asked, flopping off the bed and hurrying over to me.

"Liam, we were so worried," Elliot added, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm alright," I huffed, still feeling the effects of the alcohol as I leaned against the wall. "What happened to me after we started drinking?"

"About that," James sighed. "It's stupid, really. We should've locked the door or something. I was barely awake when it happened." He couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"William came to investigate the commotion. You invited him and gave him some drinks. Drunk you really seems to like him," James continued. "But then you became insistent about leaving somewhere, and you kept mumbling about Isabella."

So I had actually admitted those feelings to her. What was I thinking? There's no way there's any love left for him after what happened.

"Thanks. Did Ronin say where he's going?" I asked, still panting.

"He left not so long ago, looking for you, man," Elliot murmured, his eyes fixed on James.

I quickly changed my outfit, opting for a white shirt and blue shorts. With fresh clothes on, I set out to look for Ronin. A pang of concern pierced me, adding to the discomfort of my hangover. As I searched, I noticed my classmates gathering near the bus for the trip to the city.

"Ronin, where are you?" I yelled out. Turning a corner, I spotted an outdoor gym with Ronin punching at a makeshift punching bag. It was already riddled with holes; it must've been old. Relief flooded me at the sight of him. I made my way towards him, feeling a tug on my shirt.

"Looking good, Liam," Isabella giggled, holding me from behind, which startled me. At that moment, Ronin looked up, seeing us together.