BETWEEN THE PANES

Chapter 23

As Dera walked away, leaving us standing there in shock, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. The weight of her threat hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over everything.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, frustration and fear bubbling up inside me.

Atlas placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the chaos. "We'll figure this out," he said, his voice filled with determination.

But despite his words, I couldn't shake the sense of dread that gnawed at me. The thought of Kelvin seeing that video filled me with a sickening mixture of guilt and anxiety. How could I explain what had happened? How could I justify betraying his trust?

"We need to do something," I said, my voice trembling with urgency.

Atlas nodded, his expression grim. "We'll talk to Kelvin, explain everything. Maybe he'll understand," he suggested, though the uncertainty in his tone mirrored my own.

" Tell him what? That his girlfriend is messing around with another guy, how thoughtful are you Atlas" I said.

Atlas sighed, his gaze heavy with guilt. "I know, Timi. I messed up," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a leaden burden. "We both messed up," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the din of the crowd.

But there was no time for self-pity or regret. We had to face the consequences of our actions, no matter how painful they might be. With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders, steeling myself for the difficult conversation that lay ahead.

"We have to tell him the truth," I said, my voice firmer now, though the words tasted bitter on my tongue.

Atlas nodded in reluctant agreement, his jaw set with determination. "You're right. We owe him that much," he conceded, though the weight of his words hung heavily between us.

Together, we made our way through the throngs of people, the noise of the party fading into the background as we sought out Kelvin. With each step, my heart pounded in my chest, the anticipation of what was to come nearly suffocating me.

And as we finally spotted Kelvin across the room, my stomach churned with nerves, knowing that there was no turning back now. With a silent exchange of glances, Atlas and I braced ourselves for the inevitable confrontation, knowing that the truth would shatter everything we thought we knew.

"No, we can't. I can't. Kelvin will hate me," I said, tugging at Atlas's hands.

"It's worse if Dera tells him," he reasoned.

"I know, but... it's so hard," I replied. Atlas fell silent.

"Let's go, please," I pleaded, and Atlas nodded. We walked out of the hall together, and I saw my driver already waiting for me.

The drive home was filled with silence; neither of us wanted to start a conversation. We arrived home, but I hesitated to go inside. Prom wasn't supposed to end this early—it was only 7 pm, and we were supposed to be done by 9 pm. I knew my parents would ask me a lot of questions, and I wasn't ready for that at all.

"Can I come to your house?" I asked Atlas, surprising him with my request.

"S-sure," he stammered.

I turned to my driver and told him to inform my parents that I was going with Atlas instead. He nodded, and I followed Atlas to his house.

His house was quiet, and he held my hand, leading me to his room. When we entered, he closed the door.

I walked over to his bed and sat down, feeling tired and frustrated. My mind was filled with thoughts of Kelvin, and I didn't know what to do. As I pressed beside me, I turned and saw that Atlas was already seated.