The next day, when Flynn woke up, he was shocked to see Dylan's hand resting right on his crotch again. Still half-asleep, he froze for a moment before quickly pushing Dylan's hand away and sitting up in annoyance. The sudden movement jolted Dylan awake.
"What the f*ck are you doing in my bed again?!" Flynn snapped.
"Huh? What do you mean your bed? This is mine."
As soon as Dylan said that, Flynn finally realized, Dylan really was on his own bed. But what caught Flynn off guard was the fact that their beds were now connected, pushed so closely together it looked like one big bed.
"Why the hell are these pushed together? What did you do?" Flynn demanded, tugging hard to separate them—but they wouldn't budge.
"Don't bother, you won't be able to pull them apart." Dylan said smugly, leaning back with a grin, then his gaze dropped to Flynn's outfit. "Wait... are you seriously sleeping in just a tank top and boxers?"
Flynn shot him an unimpressed look. "That's how I always sleep."
"Then how come this is the first time I've seen you like that?"
"Because I wouldn't sleep dressed like this if I had a pervert sharing the bed with me," Flynn retorted sharply. "I finally thought I'd have my bed to myself again—guess I was wrong."
Dylan chuckled, leaning his head on his hand. "You should sleep like that more often. We're both guys anyway."
Flynn rolled his eyes. "If you're the one I have to share a bed with, then no thanks. Now get up before we're late."
Flynn grabbed his towel, and started getting ready for school, while Dylan just smirked from the bed, clearly enjoying every bit of Flynn's irritation.
---
Just a week left before the school's Foundation Week, and everyone was busy preparing for their respective events and activities.
After class, before Flynn and Dylan could head to basketball practice, they were stopped by Jacob, who was waiting outside their classroom.
"You again? Here to bother Flynn, huh?" Dylan said, raising a brow.
"Dylan, leave Jacob alone," Flynn sighed. "Go ahead to the gym first."
"Fine. Don't take too long," Dylan muttered, frowning before walking away.
Once it was just Flynn and Jacob left, Jacob didn't waste any time. "Flynn, I know you haven't decided yet about joining the Battle of the Bands, but please—say yes. We'll only have a week left to prepare if you agree."
Flynn tilted his head. "Why are you so set on joining? And why do you want me as your partner?"
Jacob took a deep breath before answering, "You remember those guys who used to bully me? They did that because they mocked my rapping. No one in my class ever wanted to do a duo with me. But when you and Dylan stood up for me, and I heard you sing... I realized you could help me make this work. Please, Flynn. I just want to prove to everyone that my songs are worth listening to
One of Flynn's biggest weaknesses was seeing someone plead with him—especially when they were asking for a favor. And this time, he could clearly see the sincerity in Jacob's eyes and how much he genuinely wanted to join the competition.
Flynn sighed, feeling cornered. "Alright, fine. I'll do it."
Jacob's face instantly lit up with excitement. "Thank you, Flynn! Perfect—here." He handed Flynn a flash drive.
"What's this for?" Flynn asked, taking it.
"It's the minus one for the song," Jacob explained. "Actually, I was hoping you could write your own verse first. I'll take care of the rap part after—I'll adjust it to match whatever you come up with."
Flynn nodded, now understanding Jacob's plan. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. I'll probably have something ready by tomorrow or the day after."
"Perfect! That'll give us time to practice. Thanks again, Flynn. I'll see you in a couple of days," Jacob said cheerfully before walking away.
Flynn immediately headed to the gym to catch up with Dylan. When he arrived, the basketball training had already started.
From a short distance away, Flynn spotted Stephanie sitting on one of the benches, watching Dylan with a gentle smile.
He wasn't sure why—but the moment he saw her looking at Dylan like that, his chest suddenly tightened, his heartbeat picking up its pace for reasons he couldn't quite explain.
After their basketball training, Dylan, Flynn, and Stephanie decided to have dinner together.
At first, everything seemed fine — Flynn looked tired but content, and Stephanie tried to join their light conversation. But as the night went on, she couldn't ignore what she was seeing.
Every time Flynn reached for something, Dylan was quick to hand it to him. When Flynn coughed lightly, Dylan poured water into his glass without hesitation. When Flynn joked about his sore arms, Dylan instantly offered a massage.
Stephanie sat there, watching quietly as Dylan fussed over Flynn like no one else was there.
"Wow," she muttered under her breath, finally breaking her silence. "You really take good care of him, huh? You've never been this attentive with me."
Dylan froze, fork halfway to his mouth. "Steph, come on, don't start. He's tired — we just came from training."
"I'm not blind, Dylan," she shot back, her voice tight with frustration. "You barely even looked at me since we sat down. You laugh more with him than you ever did with me lately."
Flynn immediately felt the tension rising and awkwardly put his utensils down. "Uh... I think I'll go first—"
"No, stay," Stephanie interrupted, her eyes sharp. "You're part of this, whether you like it or not."
"Steph," Dylan said firmly, "don't drag Flynn into this. You're overreacting."
Her face twisted, hurt. "Overreacting? You never used to talk to me like that. What happened to you, Dylan? You used to be gentle... now, one word from me and you snap."
"Steph, please—"
"Forget it," she cut him off, standing abruptly. "Enjoy dinner with him."
Before Dylan could stop her, she was already walking out of the restaurant.
Flynn glanced at Dylan, worry flickering in his eyes. "Go after her."
Dylan sighed, rubbing his temples. "She just doesn't understand—"
"Then make her understand," Flynn replied quietly. "You'll regret it if you don't."
Reluctantly, Dylan stood and followed her outside.
Dylan caught up with Stephanie near the parking lot. "Steph, wait!" he called, grabbing her wrist gently.
She turned, her eyes glistening. "What? You're done playing babysitter with him?"
"Stop it," he said, trying to steady his voice. "You're twisting things. Flynn's just—"
"Just what?" she interrupted bitterly. "Just someone you'd rather take care of than me?"
Dylan exhaled sharply. "He's my friend, Steph. He's been through a lot lately. You're reading too much into it."
"Yes, he's your friend or whatever. But I'm your girlfriend, Dylan! So why does it feel like I don't even exist when he's around?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "You don't even see me anymore."
Dylan had no answer.
Seeing the silence in his eyes, she softened. "Come on, I don't want to fight here. Let's just... talk somewhere else."
Dylan nodded quietly. "Alright. I'll take you home."
When they reached Stephanie's place, she invited him in. "Stay for a bit," she said softly. "We still need to talk."
Dylan hesitated but followed her inside.
As the silence grew heavy, Stephanie reached out and touched his arm. "Dylan..." Her voice trembled slightly. "Do you still even want this? Us?"
Dylan looked at her — really looked — and all he felt was confusion. Guilt. Conflict.
When she leaned closer, he froze. She kissed him, slow and searching, but he didn't respond the way she expected. His lips barely moved, his hands stayed at his sides.
She pulled away and stared at him, realization dawning in her eyes. "You're not here," she whispered. "Not really."
"Steph, it's not that I don't care," Dylan said, struggling to find the words. "It's just... everything's been a mess lately. I don't even know what I feel anymore."
Her voice cracked. "Then tell me. Is there someone else?"
"No," Dylan said quickly. But even to him, it didn't sound convincing.
Stephanie nodded slowly, tears forming. "Then maybe what we need is space. Because I can't keep chasing a version of you that's slipping away."
He swallowed hard, his chest heavy. "Yeah... maybe you're right."
Without another word, Dylan stood and walked toward the door. Stephanie didn't stop him this time.