Walter x Henry - a secret love story

Chapter 11 - All eyes on us

Walter's pov

The next few days were a blur of whispers and sideways glances. I thought maybe Karl wouldn't say anything, but I quickly learned I was wrong. It felt like the entire school knew about us by the end of the first day. I tried to keep my head down, to ignore the giggles and the comments, but it was impossible. It was everywhere, and I felt like I was drowning in it.

In class, the atmosphere was suffocating. I could feel the stares, the whispers that would start up as soon as I walked in. My heart would race every time I heard someone mention my name. The moment I'd sit down, I'd catch snippets of conversations that made my stomach twist.

"Did you hear about Walter and Henry?" one girl would say, and my stomach would drop.

"Yeah, I can't believe it. It's so weird!" another would chime in, laughter spilling from their lips.

But the worst was Vincent. He'd always been a jerk, and now he saw this as an opportunity. He'd walk around with this smug look on his face, making sure everyone heard him whenever I was near.

"Hey, Walter," he'd call out loudly, drawing attention to himself. "Did you and Henry have a nice little make-out session in the study room? I bet it was romantic." His tone dripped with sarcasm, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, my fists clenching at my sides.

Henry, who usually took things in stride, was visibly affected. I could see it in his eyes, how they darkened every time Vincent opened his mouth. He'd act tough, shrugging off the comments, but I knew it hurt him. I could see it in the way his jaw clenched or how he would avoid my gaze in the hallways.

One afternoon, we were in the cafeteria, and Vincent had taken it too far. He was sitting at a table surrounded by a few of our classmates, making jokes at our expense.

"Hey, did you guys hear? Walter and Henry are an item now! How cute!" he said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. "I didn't know they were auditioning for a rom-com. Should I start calling them 'Walty'?" Laughter erupted around him, and I could feel the heat flooding my face.

I glanced at Henry, who was sitting across from me, his expression a mix of anger and humiliation. I wanted to reach out and comfort him, to let him know it was okay, but I didn't want to draw any more attention to us. It felt impossible to navigate this situation.

As we finished our lunches, I could see Henry getting more tense, his hands balled into fists. I tried to lighten the mood, cracking a joke about the food, but it didn't land. Henry just looked down, avoiding eye contact, and I felt a familiar ache in my chest.

"Come on, let's get out of here," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. I didn't want to be there anymore, not with Vincent and his friends snickering at our expense.

We left the cafeteria in silence, walking down the long corridor toward the dorms. I could feel the stares of the other students, the judgment hanging in the air. It felt suffocating, like I was being crushed under the weight of it all.

When we reached our dorm room, I closed the door behind us, shutting out the world. I turned to Henry, who was leaning against the wall, his face pale.

"Henry," I said softly, stepping closer to him. "I'm sorry about what Vincent said. I know it's hard—"

"I can't believe this is happening," he interrupted, his voice tight. "I thought maybe it would blow over, but it's only getting worse."

I nodded, feeling helpless. "I thought so too. I just... I don't know how to make it stop."

Henry pushed himself off the wall, pacing the small room, his hands running through his hair in frustration. "I hate how they're making fun of us. I thought I could handle it, but it's different when it's about something that matters."

I stepped closer to him, feeling my heart race. "You don't have to pretend to be tough all the time. It's okay to feel hurt. I feel it too."

He stopped pacing and looked at me, his expression softening slightly. "I know. But I've always been the one who doesn't let anything get to me. Now... now I feel like everyone can see right through me. I can't stand it, Walter."

I reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder, trying to ground him. "We'll get through this together. I promise."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes like he was trying to push the exhaustion away. "I just wish we didn't have to hide. I hate it. I want to be proud of who we are, but I can't even walk down the hall without feeling like I'm going to throw up."

I wanted to reassure him, to tell him that everything would be okay, but I didn't know if I believed it myself. "Maybe we'll find a way to be proud together. Maybe we can face them and show them it doesn't matter what they think."

Henry looked at me, uncertainty flickering in his blue eyes. "But what if it makes it worse? What if they come after us even more?"

I couldn't deny that fear. "I don't know," I admitted. "But I can't keep hiding either. Not from you. Not from anyone."

He looked down, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of it all was too much. I stepped closer, pulling him into my arms, wanting to shield him from the world. He rested his head against my shoulder, and I could feel the tension slowly easing from his body.

"I just want us to be okay," he murmured, his voice muffled against my shirt.

"Me too," I whispered, holding him tightly. "No matter what happens out there, we have each other. And that's what matters."

For a moment, it felt like we were back to normal, like nothing else mattered but us. But as I held him close, I knew we had a tough road ahead. The whispers and laughter would continue, and Vincent would keep making his stupid jokes. But I also knew we could face it together, one step at a time.

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Author's note

I hope you liked this chapter, I promise to give you some happy chapters soon