Once Upon A Moonlight✅ {BOYXBOY}

Chapter 30: Confrontation

[IMAGE: MIKE]

Emily stopped mid-sentence as Fred's face turned to a fearsome glare and followed his gaze, only to find it lingering on somebody she wished she hadn't seen.

Mike.

---

SAM'S POV:

It all happened so suddenly.

Fred threw himself from his seat and ran towards Mike. He tackled him, causing them both to collide with a waitress, her tray of spaghetti flying through the air and landing on the floor. The two fought for the upper hand, grunts and swear words filling the air. The only other customer currently in the diner sat and stared in shock as the events unfolded. Meanwhile, Fred had pinned Mike onto a table and was glaring intensely at him.

Emily and I quickly got to our feet. I looked at my calmer friend and she nodded, heading over to the winded waitress. I was frozen as my eyes focused on the scene before me.

I hated Mike. 

Wait, did I hate him? 

Well, I wanted him to feel the pain I felt. But at the same time, Fred was going to get himself in trouble. Unsure of what to do, I grabbed my hair in stress before yelling in frustration and pulling Fred off his prey. I recklessly blocked him from Mike by standing in front of him and putting my hands on his chest. I locked eyes with the rage driven football captain and narrowed my eyes in warning, telling him without words that he needed to calm down and I wasn't going to move.

I heard gasping and muttering behind me but ignored it. Fred stopped pushing and stood towering over me.

"Move, Sam. I'm getting payback for what he did to you." He told me but his eyes had moved to Mike.

"No." I stood my ground and attempted to keep eye contact. 

I was scared of the two of them in their current angry states but the adrenaline was giving me the confidence I needed to stop it.

"Wha- What do you mean 'no?" Fred gritted and I just stood there.

"Fred calm down-" Emily tried but Fred spun on his heels and started on her.

"You! Stay out of this! Had you not been blinded by this idiot's false charm-"

"Like how you were blinded by your reputation?" Mike spat, causing Fred to return to his original target.

For what felt like an hour nobody said anything. The two boys just stared in hatred. Fred's mouth opened and closed slightly but he seemed not to have a response. Without warning, Fred grabbed me and growled.

"Move now or I'll move you!" He warned slowly but before anything else could happen Mike got to his feet.

"Lay your hands off him, you'll hurt him!" Mike bellowed but Fred just let out a laugh unlike any I've ever heard, one of disbelief.

"Who are you to talk about hurting him? You nearly killed him!" Fred roared and seemingly forgot his hold on me as he charged, causing me to get sent tumbling. 

I attempted to grab onto something to steady myself but my hand landed on the coat stand, causing me to fall along with it and hit my head on the wooden floor.

"Shit!" Fred yelled.

"SAM!" Various voices shouted in concern but I couldn't tell who had said what. 

My vision was blurry and all the shouting was merging into one horrendous sound.

When my vision cleared at last I was surrounded by everyone. As I tried to get up both Mike and Fred extended a hand but immediately began hitting each other's. Ignoring the pair of them I steadied myself and finally stood on my two feet again.

"Both of you! Cut. It. Out." I seethed and in an instant they both paused.

"Are you-"

"Sit. Down." I said sternly, "Both of you."

They hesitated before doing so, sitting opposite each other. I clutched my head as I leant on the table with one hand. I looked at Mike.

"Mike. I want to know why." I said with an emotionless tone I didn't recognise.

Mike looked at me in surprise but when I didn't talk again a solemn look took over him.

"I... Because..."

He fiddled with his red jacket and looked at the cluttered table.

"Argh! 'Cause I loved you dammit! I hated how I felt about you, it was all wrong! I felt so fucking jealous when you were with him!" Mike responded and pointed at Fred, "I knew you two liked each other and I loathed him for having your heart. I wanted to drive you two apart but no matter what you still went back to him."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to think. Mike had just confessed that he loved me.

ME.

"You knew the whole time that I was close to Sam?! You tricked me! Then what, if you couldn't have him nobody could?" Fred fired his questions and Mike clenched his fists.

"I didn't mean to hurt him so bad! Fuck!" Mike roared and put his head in his hands.

It was Emily's turn to talk as she stepped forward a few inches.

"So. You and me. It was all a lie, a part of your plan to get Sam alone so he'd be stuck with you?" Emily was in tears.

"I liked you too but not as much as Sam. At first, I thought I was using you to get to Sam but then I started really liking you and-"

"Make up your mind!" Fred shouted and banged his hand on the table, "You thought you could just play with them both?"

"What right do you have to question me? You ditched somebody who cared about you so much that even after everything you've done to him he still is by your side!" Mike hissed and Fred went pale.

"Shut it-"

"We both fucked up but you are keeping Sam stuck in it all! I feel bloody guilty about what I did and came here to apologise but you're still holding a grudge. How can Sam move on if the one he likes can't?" Mike finished with sadness written in his facial features.

With that, Mike got his feet and stopped in front of me.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I have done terrible things to you. I fell for you years ago but you never saw me the same way...."

"Why did you never tell me?" I asked still unsure of the truth.

"Because being gay would've made me a "fag" to my father. I let him stop me and now I've hurt the only person I ever cared about. I'm sorry Sam, I'll leave. I know I'm asking a lot but please forgive me, don't let what I did destroy your life. I won't bother you again."

For the first time, I felt my heart shudder. I knew Mike was telling the truth. I could feel it. I could even hear it in his voice. I began to understand why he had acted the way he did and I saw that we were more alike than I ever thought, only he didn't have friends and family to save him from a dark path.

Could I forgive him? Not yet... it was too soon.

"And Emily, I really did love you, too. I fell for you that night at the party. You are fierce and powerful," Mike told her honestly, "You're going to find someone more deserving of me or eggnog guy." 

I barely noticed Mike walk over to the counter and hand over $200 for the mess he'd caused and begin to walk towards the door.

He stopped momentarily.

"Don't screw it up, Fred. He deserves the world."

And with that, he got onto his black motorbike and drove away.

Never to be seen again.

//

REVISITED: 02/07/2021