Stutter

Chapter Two

Bad Habits,Bring Bad Days.

As the first strands of sunlight crept into the apartment, Amir blinked himself awake. The ceiling above him came into focus, familiar yet disconcertingly foreign in the morning light. His mind, still clouded with the softness of sleep, took a moment to piece together reality from the fragments of dreams.

He turned his head slightly and caught sight of Giselle, her curls spilling over the pillow beside him, her face relaxed in slumber. The sight was serene, yet his heart leapt with a mixture of joy and unease.

This isn't right. The thought whispered through his mind, unbidden and unwelcome. Amir swallowed hard, trying to shake the feeling. His chest tightened with the weight of a secret he had been carrying for far too long.

Giselle. His heart ached at the simple beauty of her name, a hesitant smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched her breathe peacefully. She looked so different like this, devoid of the usual guarded sass she wore like armor around others, especially Chris.

Chris. The realization hit him like a splash of cold water, banishing the remnants of sleep. His brother, his confidant, his best friend. Chris, who had unknowingly facilitated their first meeting when he'd convinced Amir to crash at his apartment one weekend.

Chris, who trusted Amir implicitly. Chris, who had no idea that his roommate, the girl he teased and bickered with daily, was now entwined with his brother's life in ways he couldn't begin to imagine.

Amir's stomach knotted with guilt. This wasn't just a simple secret; it was a complicated web woven with strands of deceit and hidden desires. Every shared glance, every stolen moment with Giselle was another thread tightening around his conscience.

He had never intended to betray Chris's trust, yet every morning like this one seemed a step further down that path.

He shifted slightly, careful not to wake Giselle. He needed to think, to understand how he had arrived at this juncture. It had started so innocently—late-night talks about nothing and everything, shared meals when Chris was stuck late at school, the silent companionship that grew amid laughter and shared silences. Somewhere along the way, those moments had shifted, deepening into something neither of them had anticipated but both of them had felt powerless to resist.

Amir closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Was honesty truly the best policy in this situation? To unveil this clandestine chapter to Chris, risking not only their bond but also the burgeoning relationship with Giselle? The thought of hurting his brother twisted like a knife in his chest, and yet the idea of continuing this charade felt equally unbearable.

He turned slightly, reaching for Giselle's hand resting softly on her side of the bed. Her fingers moved instinctively, threading through his as if acknowledging his presence even in sleep.

This simple touch grounded him in the moment, a reminder of the warmth and connection they had found together. But it also underscored the divide he felt with Chris—the unspoken truth that stood like an invisible wall between them.

Amir sighed softly, directing his gaze back to the ceiling as he pondered the way forward. The morning seemed unusually silent, enveloping him in its quietude as if urging him to find clarity.

He needed to talk to Giselle, to finally have the conversation they'd both been avoiding. And then, somehow, he needed to face Chris with honesty, laying bare the truth of his heart and hoping, somehow, that their bond could weather this storm.

He sensed Giselle stirring beside him, her lashes fluttering as she awoke. Despite the turmoil within him, Amir couldn't help but smile as her eyes flickered open, offering him a sleepy, tender look.