You

Chapter 2 : My Love Please...

The following weeks were a blur of stolen glances and awkward silences. They didn't speak of that night, the air between them charged with an electric current that neither of them knew how to navigate. But every time Luke's hand brushed against his, or their eyes met for a fraction of a second too long, Devin felt his heart pound in his chest like a drum.

It was during one of their typical weekend hangouts, as they played video games in George's room, that the tension reached a boiling point. The three of them sat close together on the floor, their laughter mingling with the sounds of the game. Devin couldn't shake the feeling that Luke was sitting just a little closer to him than usual, that his arm was touching his just a little more often.

When George got up to grab a snack, leaving them alone, Luke turned to him, his eyes searching. "You know what, Devin?" he said, his voice quiet. "I think I might like you."

Devin's heart stuttered. He hadn't been expecting this, not like this. "What?" he managed to choke out.

"I mean," Luke continued, a blush creeping up his neck, "not just as a friend. I think I might... I might be into you."

The confession hung in the air, as potent as the smell of popcorn from the kitchen. Devin felt his cheeks burn, his mind racing with thoughts and feelings he hadn't allowed himself to entertain. "But... but what about your girlfriend?" he stammered.

Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated," he said. "But I think I need to figure some things out."

The conversation was left unfinished as George returned, oblivious to the monumental shift that had just occurred between his brother and his best friend. But for Devin, everything had changed. He was no longer just the tagalong little brother; he was someone Luke saw differently. And as the night stretched on, he found himself questioning everything he thought he knew about himself and his feelings for George's best friend.

In the days that followed, Devin and Luke tiptoed around each other, the unspoken tension a palpable force in the air. They still hung out, still laughed and talked, but there was a new current running beneath the surface of their interactions. Devin caught himself studying Luke's features when he thought no one was looking, the curve of his smile, the way his eyes crinkled when he was truly happy. And every time he did, he felt a guilty thrill, a thrill that grew stronger with each passing day.

Finally, unable to bear the weight of his secret any longer, Devin decided to confront George. It was a risky move, but he couldn't stand the thought of living a lie, not when it came to someone as important to him as his brother. He found George in the garage, tinkering with an old car engine, his brow furrowed in concentration. Devin took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest.

"George," he began, his voice shaking slightly. "I need to tell you something."

George looked up, wiping his hands on a greasy rag. "What's up, Devin?"