Once in a Lifetime {BxB English}

🖤 Chapter 22

Mano stood outside the fitting room, his mind racing with countless scenarios about why Ody might have those stitches.

Deciding to wait for him at the beginning of the aisle, Mano soon saw Ody step out, shirts in hand.

"I like these. I'm getting them. Now, off to the shorts" Ody informed him, while Mano fixed his gaze on him.

"This one or that one?" Ody asked, seeking Mano's opinion.

"That one" Mano pointed to the right, his eyes locked onto Ody's. Ody nodded and headed back into the fitting room.

When he stepped out, Mano asked if he planned to buy it, and Ody confirmed before heading to the register. After paying, they exited the store together, Ody carrying the shopping bag in hand.

"Perfect. Now I'm ready for Serifos" Ody said with a grin. But Mano's thoughts kept circling back to the stitches, wondering if they had anything to do with how Ody acted on his bike.

"Want to stop anywhere else?" Mano asked.

"Nope, I'm good. Let's head to the car"

Once inside, Ody tossed the bag into the back seat and turned the key, releasing the handbrake to start driving.

"Seatbelt" he told Mano, noticing it wasn't fastened yet. Mano didn't move. "Put on your seatbelt" Ody repeated.

"How did it happen?" Mano asked, and Ody's expression instantly turned serious.

"What?" Ody asked softly, his eyes on the windshield.

"The stitches" Mano clarified, his honey eyes resting on Ody, whose gaze fell to his lap.

"It doesn't matter"

"You're not going to tell me?"

"Why should I? Do you tell me anything?" Ody turned to face him, their eyes locking. "When I asked about your tattoos, you didn't tell me. When I asked about your parents, nothing. What happened to you at the cinema? What they did to you in high school? You haven't told me a thing"

"Okay, no need to attack me. I just asked" Mano said calmly, looking straight ahead. Ody blinked, startled, as he'd expected Mano to yell.

Mano grabbed his seatbelt and clicked it into place, waiting for Ody to start driving. Ody turned the ignition, and they drove toward Mano's apartment in silence, the atmosphere thick with tension.

When they reached Mano's building, Ody turned to him. "Thanks for coming with me today"

"It's nothing" Mano unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to leave, but Ody's voice stopped him.

"I'll tell you"

Mano turned his head, his honey eyes meeting Ody's green ones.

"But you have to promise me something..."

"That I'll answer your questions in return? I can't-"

"No," Ody interrupted, and Mano frowned, puzzled about what he wanted. "Promise me you'll stop calling me a scaredy-cat"

That's it? That's all he wanted? Why was it that important to him?

"Okay"

"Promise" Ody insisted.

["And what did we say? When we make a promise, we keep it"]

"I promise" Mano said, looking straight into his eyes.

"It's... a long story"

"Come upstairs" Mano offered, stepping out of the car and heading to the apartment building's door. He noticed Ody was still sitting in the car.