Running Parallel

*Work in progress, 2025*

It was dark. He was drunk. It never should have happened

Nineteen-year-old Luke may have pined over his best friend, Caleb, for the last few years, but he always thought Caleb wasn't interested. Until the night of the party, when he drank himself stupid to ignore his breaking heart, and he woke up in bed, alone, with the memory of what they'd done.

In the days that follow, Luke grows more and more frustrated. Caleb only ever alludes to that night in indirect ways, and Luke can't understand why. He wants to talk to Caleb about it, but it's nearly impossible, especially when Caleb's busy smiling down at his phone. When tension between them finally hits its breaking point, Luke learns a devastating secret, one that Caleb hadn't even known he'd been keeping.

Because the boy Luke slept with at the party? It wasn't Caleb.

Twenty-one years old, still living at home and working nights as a shelf stocker at the local grocery store, Connor is Caleb's older brother. Quiet and watchful, he studies people and tries to act like them, but something is always missing. Like being the last to hear the punchline. He goes through his days by following a routine and avoiding other people. It's not always easy with a social butterfly for a brother.

He hadn't meant to lie. Hadn't even known he was lying until after. But by then, it was too late. He knew he couldn't tell the truth or he'd risk hurting those around him.

Two versions of that night happened, but only one can be true.