Because I'm scared to say the truth - Landoscar

·Chapter 8·

Monday morning arrived all too quickly for Lando and Oscar. The golden light of dawn filtered through Oscar's bedroom window, stirring them both from their sleep. Lando shifted slightly, blinking himself awake, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. Then he felt Oscar's arm draped around his waist, the warmth of his body pressing against him, and everything from the weekend came rushing back.

Oscar stirred next to him, slowly blinking his eyes open. When their gazes met, a sleepy smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Morning," he mumbled, voice thick with drowsiness.

"Morning," Lando whispered back, unable to stop himself from brushing a soft kiss across Oscar's forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mhm," Oscar replied, nestling closer into Lando's embrace. For a brief, beautiful moment, it felt like nothing else mattered. It was just them, in their little bubble of happiness. But reality soon crept in, and Oscar's face fell slightly. "We have to go back to school today, don't we?"

Lando nodded, letting out a sigh. "Yeah. Back to normal. Well... sort of."

"Sort of?" Oscar raised an eyebrow, and Lando could tell he was trying to be brave about what awaited them.

"Well, it'll be normal for everyone else," Lando said carefully, "but for us... things have changed. We just have to remember that, even if we can't show it."

Oscar sat up, looking down at Lando with uncertainty. "Are you sure about keeping this a secret?" he asked softly, playing with the hem of his shirt. "I mean, your friends aren't exactly... the nicest."

"I know," Lando admitted, propping himself up on his elbows to meet Oscar's gaze. "But I don't want to lose them, and I know you're not ready to deal with all their reactions. Besides..." He paused, a teasing smirk pulling at his lips. "Sneaking around could be fun."

Oscar's lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"And you love it," Lando shot back, pulling him back down for a quick kiss before they reluctantly got out of bed.

As they got ready, Oscar felt the familiar knots of anxiety tightening in his stomach. The weekend had felt like a dream, but he knew that stepping back into the harsh reality of school was going to be different. Lando had explained why he'd been mean to him all those years - trying to fit in with his friends, to not be seen as different - and while Oscar understood, it didn't erase the hurt. But now, they were starting fresh, and that's what mattered.

After breakfast, Lando insisted on driving Oscar to school, despite Oscar's insistence that he could take the bus. "It's literally on the way," Lando argued, holding out his car keys. "And besides, it'll give us more time together."

"Fine," Oscar relented with a smile. "But only if you let me choose the music."

"Deal."

The drive was filled with laughter and bad singing as they made their way to school. For a while, it felt normal, like they were just two friends hanging out. But as they pulled into the school parking lot, reality hit them like a bucket of ice water. They could already see Lando's friends waiting by their usual spot, and Oscar's heart sank a little.

"Here we go," Lando muttered, parking the car. He turned to Oscar, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "Remember, whatever happens today, I'm still yours. Okay?"

Oscar nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay."

Oscar's walk to his usual spot was filled with uneasy thoughts. Although Lando had reassured him multiple times, he couldn't help but remember what had happened over the weekend with Carlos. The incident had left him shaken, and though he trusted Lando now, he knew that Carlos and Max still posed a threat. But there was a flicker of hope because, for the first time in years, Oscar felt like he wasn't alone.