Love Her, Not Me

Chapter 19: "A Fragile Truce"

Note:
"This took longer than I expected it to be when I'm in a rush... DAMN-"

Warning:
Beautiful (non-gay) Drama, Bravo
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Chapter 19: "A Fragile Truce"

The days following their conversation in the music room felt... different. The unspoken tension between Matthew and Ray hadn’t completely vanished, but there was a tentative truce, a fragile bridge over the chasm that had threatened to pull them apart.

Matthew made a conscious effort to stay close to Ray, even when Ray’s responses were curt or distant. It was hard—harder than he expected—but he wasn’t going to give up this time. He owed Ray that much.

Meanwhile, Ray found himself caught between wanting to trust Matthew again and the fear of being hurt once more. He didn’t push Matthew away, but he didn’t make it easy for him either.

---

A week later, after school.

Ray was seated at the edge of the school’s football field, his bag resting against his knees as he scribbled something in a notebook. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the field, and a soft breeze rustled the pages of his notebook.

Matthew spotted him from a distance, hesitating for a moment before walking over.

“Hey,” Matthew said, standing awkwardly a few feet away.

Ray glanced up, then back down at his notebook. “Hey.”

Matthew shifted on his feet. “Can I sit?”

Ray hesitated, then shrugged. “Sure.”

Matthew dropped down onto the grass beside him, the silence stretching between them. For a while, neither of them spoke, the only sound the distant cheers of a practice game on the other side of the field.

“What are you writing?” Matthew asked eventually, nodding toward the notebook.

“Nothing important,” Ray said, closing it and tucking it into his bag.

Matthew frowned but didn’t push. He knew better than to pry when Ray didn’t want to talk. Instead, he leaned back on his hands, staring out at the field.

“I’ve been thinking,” Matthew said after a while.

Ray raised an eyebrow. “That’s dangerous.”

Matthew chuckled, though it lacked his usual playfulness. “No, seriously. I’ve been thinking about us. About everything.”

Ray stiffened but didn’t interrupt.

“I’ve realized how much I took you for granted,” Matthew continued, his voice quieter now. “You’ve always been there for me, no matter what, and I… I didn’t appreciate it the way I should’ve.”

Ray stared at him, his expression unreadable.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’m sorry,” Matthew said, meeting Ray’s gaze. “For all the times I let you down. For not seeing how much I was hurting you. And for being such an idiot about... everything.”

Ray’s grip on his bag tightened. “You think saying sorry fixes everything?”

“No,” Matthew admitted. “But it’s a start.”

Ray looked away, his jaw clenching. “It’s not that simple, Matt. You can’t just say you’re sorry and expect me to forget how much it hurt. How much you hurt me.”

“I know,” Matthew said softly. “And I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. I just… I just want you to know that I’m trying. That I care.”

Ray’s shoulders slumped, the anger draining out of him. He hated how sincere Matthew sounded, how much he wanted to believe him.

“You’re exhausting, you know that?” Ray muttered, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Matthew grinned. “You love it.”

Ray rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it.

---

Later that evening.

Matthew and Ray walked home together, the tension between them easing into something more comfortable. As they reached Ray’s house, Matthew hesitated on the porch, glancing at Ray.

“Hey, Ray,” Matthew said, scratching the back of his neck.

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something?”

Ray narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Depends.”

Matthew smiled nervously. “Why do you go to that old music room all the time? You could’ve joined the school band or something, but you never did. Why?”

Ray hesitated, his hand hovering over the doorknob. “Because it’s the only place where I can be myself. Where I don’t have to pretend everything’s fine.”

Matthew’s smile faded, replaced by something softer. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Ray. You know that, right?”

Ray looked at him, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “Goodnight, Matt,” he said, opening the door and stepping inside.

“Goodnight, Ray,” Matthew replied, watching the door close behind him.

---

The next day at school.

Claire intercepted Matthew in the hallway, her smile as bright and fake as ever.

“Matthew! There you are!” she said, grabbing his arm.

Matthew frowned, pulling away. “What do you want, Claire?”

Claire pouted, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Why so cold? I just wanted to check on you. You’ve been spending so much time with Ray lately. People are starting to talk.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. “Let them talk. It’s none of their business.”

Claire’s smile faltered, a flicker of irritation flashing in her eyes. “I’m just saying, maybe you should think about how it looks. People might get the wrong idea.”

“Wrong idea about what?” Matthew asked, his tone sharp.

Claire hesitated, then forced another smile. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

Matthew watched her walk away, his chest tightening with frustration. He hated how people like Claire always tried to stir up trouble. But no matter what, he wasn’t going to let anyone come between him and Ray again.

---

That afternoon, Matthew waited by the music room, leaning against the wall as he listened to the faint sound of piano music. When Ray finally emerged, he looked surprised to see Matthew there.

“What are you doing here?” Ray asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“Waiting for you,” Matthew said with a grin.

Ray sighed. “Why?”

“Because I’m taking you to get ice cream,” Matthew said matter-of-factly.

Ray raised an eyebrow. “Ice cream?”

“Yep. My treat,” Matthew said, already starting to walk down the hall. “Come on.”

Despite himself, Ray smiled. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love it,” Matthew called over his shoulder.

Ray shook his head but followed him anyway.

---

As they walked to the ice cream shop, the sun dipping low in the sky, Ray couldn’t help but feel a small spark of hope. Things weren’t perfect between them, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like they might be okay.

To be continued...