It was the next day.
Ray and Anna had sat down on the couch to eat and watch a show together that they were following. They practically had the house to themselves, as usual, with almost everyone out doing something. Nat and a couple of the other boys were upstairs in one of the bedrooms, likely listening to music or playing some video game, as they always did.
"You look a little rough today. Didn't sleep well?"
"I don't really know how I could."
Anna glanced at her phone to check the time.
"Well, you shouldn't have to wait much longer. He'll be home any minute, you know."
"Yeah, that's actually what I'm worried about. I'd honestly just rather not see him today."
Anna now looked over at him, questioningly.
"Ray, you never shut up about him! What do you mean you don't want to see him?"
"Just scared of what he's going to say, I guess."
She chuckled.
"Ray. Sweetheart. No boy calls their other boy friends 'cute'. Especially not 'adorable'. I think you can relax a little bit. The Ray I know wasn't this shy about anything."
"This is different, Anna, you know that. Of course I'm shy. I've never done anything like that before. But… You really think he feels that way too?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?"
At that moment, the front door opened, startling Ray, and in walked Norman, his backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Hey, you two."
"Hey!" Anna said "How was work?"
"Actually not too bad." Norman hung his keys and backpack up on the designated hooks. They were absolutely necessary to stay organized when so many people were coming and going each day, and there was a whole bank of them on the wall next to the door. "Mike didn't have a ton of paperwork for me today."
"... Well hi to you too, Ray. You awake there?" Norman leaned his head down and smiled at him.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. Hey."
"You guys want something to drink?" Norman asked as he walked over to the kitchen.
"I've got one, thanks." Ray said.
The ending credits began to play on their show.
"I'll take a soda please!" Anna said as she got up from the couch. "Thanks… That's probably a good place to stop, right Ray? We can pick it up tomorrow."
"Where are you going?!"
"Oh, I have some homework I need to get done before tomorrow."
She winked at him with her back to Norman so he couldn't see.
Oh, you fucking liar! You literally told me earlier that you didn't have any!
The look on his face said exactly that, but she just flashed him a devilish smile and walked upstairs.
"If I don't see you, good night guys. See you later."
"Night!" Norman waved and took her spot on the couch next to Ray. Opening his drink and picking up the remote.
The two were silent for several seconds. Norman waited until he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore before he spoke again.
"She knows, doesn't she?"
"... How do you know that?"
Norman laughed.
"It's obvious she's just trying to be a good… Is 'wingwoman' a word? Whatever you would call it. But she's not exactly subtle."
"Yeah…"
"It's a good thing. I was going to ask you if we could talk anyway."
Ray's heart fluttered.
Here we go.
Please be good.
"I couldn't sleep a wink last night. You?" Norman looked over at him.
"... No, me neither. Maybe an hour or two."
"While I laid awake, I thought long and hard about what you said. And even longer about how I felt about it. And longer yet about what I would say when I saw you again."
Whoa.
He really took it seriously.
…
Honestly, that in itself makes me really happy.
"Then I got here… And honestly I got really nervous, and kind of forgot… So I'm just going to wing it, I guess. Sorry."
Norman was bright red.
… So cute.
Adorable, actually.
"O-okay…"
"The only person I have ever had feelings for is Emma… I'm a little like you are with me I guess…"
Ray felt his heart drop.
But only for a moment.
"But." Norman continued, but had to look away from Ray. "I've honestly never even considered that I could have feelings for anyone else. Especially not another boy… So I didn't really know for sure. Not that I think it's weird, or anything!… It just never crossed my mind. When I first thought about it last night, I was fully prepared to break your heart when I saw you next. Which broke mine, too, by the way.
"But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't shake the thought that I felt something last night, when you told me that. I meant what I said. It was cute. But more than that, I've never had my heart race like that. I didn't really know what to do or say, which is probably why I was silent for so long, and asked a bunch of questions. Sorry. I should have at least said 'I need some time to think', instead of leaving you with questions."
Ray had finally begun to relax a bit because Norman was so calm about everything, but he was still on edge in general.
He hung on his every word.
"Don't sweat it, it's okay."
"... Thanks... Anyway, I'm rambling again… I'll try to get more to the point:
"I don't really know how I feel about you, Ray… That's not true actually. I do know. I love you. I guess I just don't really know how I love you. Part of me feels like there is something there… And part of me thinks that I just care for you like a good friend, and that we have such a strong bond that way. But that doesn't feel right to leave you waiting for me to figure things ou-"
Ray threw his arms around him, burying his head in his shoulder, interrupting him.
"W-whoa, uh… Ray?"
"... Thank you."
He smells so good.
And he's so warm.
"... For?"
"You have no idea how much it makes me happy that you even considered it like this. It makes me so happy, Norman. Thank you." His voice shook as he spoke. "It's okay if you're not sure."
Norman returned his embrace.
"... No, it isn't, Ray. You didn't let me finish…"
Huh? What more could there be?
"Like I said… I felt something last night… I feel it now, too. Here."
Norman pulled away from Ray, taking his hand and placing it on his chest.
… His heart feels like it's going to explode.
So does mine.
"If I just see you as a friend, then why do I feel like this?"
"Norman-"
"I…" He had to look away from Ray again, but still held onto his hand. "If you don't mind being really patient with me, and if you temper your expectations… I… Really want to follow this feeling, Ray. To see why it's there."
…
"I'll be right back guys, I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?"
"No, thank you." Chris said without looking up from his game.
"Me either." Dominic did the same.
Nat closed the door to his room and began to walk down the hall, to the stairs. His room was on the third floor, the top one, save for an attic that served as a second living room. The cabin was at least as big as the house they had all stayed in at Grace Field, and only a few of them had to bunk together.
It was more like a hotel than a house. They had all insisted on staying together.
There were also a couple other smaller cabins, one of which was a rec center with a game room, though it wasn't used nearly as much as in the past.
As Nat walked by one of the rooms, he thought he could hear something odd.
It kind of sounded like someone…
Crying?
He pressed his ear to the door, to make sure, before knocking gently.
Only one person stayed in this room.
"Anna?"
The noises stopped.
"Are you okay?"
"... Please go away." He heard her say from the other side of the door, but he wouldn't take that for an answer, and cracked it open.
"I'm coming in anyway. Are you decent?"
"... Yes."
She was curled up on the bed, with her knees up to her chest, holding a pillow.
Nat sat on the bed next to her.
"What's the matter?"
She didn't speak, but he pressed further.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me. I don't mind sitting here all night."
"I'm just tired Nat."
"You don't cry just because you're 'tired'."
"Not that kind of tired."
"Oh… Do you want to talk about it?"
"I can't really… It involves someone else's secret that I'm keeping for them. They'd hate me if I told someone."
"Leave that part out then."
"... I've just… Had a mask on for so long. I've acted for so long. I'm tired."
"I…" Anna continued. "Have this person I love. They have this person they love, who isn't me. I've been trying so hard to be supportive and push them to talk to this person they love, to try and be a good friend, but inside I've been dying. I hate it. I hate it."
Nat had never heard Anna say she hated anything.
"That sounds really hard. Why not give them a little bit of space? Or talk to them about it?"
"Because I-... Sorry. I've said too much already."
"I'm not going to tell a soul, Anna… Are you close with them?"
"Yeah."
"... It's Ray, right?"
Dammit.
I shouldn't have said anything.
She buried her face in the pillow.
"... Yeah."
"He's the person I'm closest to." She continued. "I love him so much. I don't know what I'd do without him. What if I say something to him and we aren't as close as before? Besides, he doesn't have anyone he's this close to. It's not fair to him. He needs someone to confide in."
"It's not fair for you to suffer either. Nothing is going to get any easier for you if you don't talk to him about it. If you two are so close, he'll understand. I'm sure there's a middle ground."
'Nothing is going to get any easier for you if you don't talk to him about it'
That's… Pretty much the same thing I said to Ray about Norman. She thought to herself.
It really is scary from this side.
Even just communicating.
I should probably stop teasing him about it, either way.
Nat put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know that's hard to do, so how about for now, we just go out for a bit? You won't feel better if you sit here and wallow."
She looked up at him hesitantly, her cheeks stained from the tears.
"Ice cream always makes me feel better! Let's go into town and get some." He smiled at her. "C'mon. My treat."
… That's so sweet…
"... Okay. If you insist." She finally forced herself to smile a little.
The two left her room, heading towards the stairs, when Anna stopped him.
Ray and Norman are still in the living room!
"Hey, actually, can we go out the back door?"
"... Why?"
"Uh… Be… cauuuuse… it's closer! Ice cream awaits!"
"Uh… Okay then, sure?"
Upset as she was, she still would try her best to help and protect him, just like she always had.
Close one.
…
"He's been gone for a while. What's taking him so long?" Dominic said to Chris.
"Hm? I don't know, but now I'm thirsty, so I guess I'll check downstairs. You want something?"
"Another soda, please."
Chris made his way down to the first floor, into the kitchen, passing the living room where Ray and Norman still were, both sitting on the couch watching a movie.
"Hey guys! Have you seen Nat?"
They seemed a little startled by his sudden appearance.
"Uh, no. I haven't seen him since I got home." Norman said.
"Oh, okay."
Chris got two sodas out of the refrigerator and began to walk back up the stairs. He figured Nat must be in the bathroom, or just got into something else.
He glanced over at Ray and Norman while walking up the stairs, and stopped.
"Uh… Why are you guys holding hands?"
"Don't worry about it." Ray didn't even look up from the television.
Chris shrugged and kept walking.
He just wanted to get back to his games, after all.