Flynn was busy wiping the damp spot on his shirt with a tissue when he accidentally bumped into a girl heading toward the women's restroom. His trophy slipped from his hands, clattering onto the floor.
The girl crouched to help him pick it up. Flynn straightened, ready to apologise, then froze.
It was Anna.
"Flynn! My nephew! Oh my god, I didn't know you study here too!" Anna exclaimed, gripping his arms with delighted excitement.
"What are you doing here?" Flynn asked sharply, trying to pull himself free from her grasp.
"My fiancé's son goes here as well. You two are almost the same age," she said proudly, completely unaware of his discomfort.
Before Flynn could respond, Dylan appeared. His expression darkened instantly when he saw Anna holidng Flynn.
He stormed toward them. "Let go of him!" Dylan snapped, knocking Anna's hands away as he pulled Flynn protectively toward himself.
"Flynn, is she bothering you?" His voice was low, tense and barely restrained.
"Dylan? Flynn? You two know each other?" Anna gasped, her eyes wide with shock at the connection between her stepson and her nephew.
Flynn stiffened. Why does she know Dylan?
Then he turned to Dylan. "You... know her?"
"She's the woman my dad is marrying. The one I told you about," Dylan said, his tone flat and grim.
Flynn's eyes widened, the world tilting for a moment as his grip tightened around the trophy. What was once a night of triumph suddenly turned into one of disappointment and anger. He never expected Dylan to be connected to the person he hated most.
Anna clapped her hands together, still oblivious to the tension. "So you two already know each other! Great! I won't even need to introduce you. Flynn is my nephew."
Dylan slowly looked at Flynn, confusion turning into fear. "Flynn... what is she talking about?"
Flynn didn't answer. His throat felt tight. He pulled his arm free from Dylan.
"Dylan... from now on, I don't want to see you," Flynn said quietly, his voice trembling but firm.
Without another word, he turned around and walked away.
"Flynn... wait! Where are you going?" Dylan called out, but Flynn was already gone, swallowed by the shadows of the campus.
Anger flared through Dylan's chest, and he whirled toward Anna, eyes burning.
"First, you ruined my family," he hissed. "And now you're ruining the only good thing I have left? If I lose Flynn because of you... I will never forgive you."
He didn't wait for her reply. He ran, desperate to catch Flynn.
Anna was left standing alone, tears streaming down her face, completely stunned. She hadn't expected the night to unravel like this—not in her wildest imagination.
Flynn returned to the hall to retrieve the belongings he'd left backstage.
"Where are you going?" Nathan asked when he saw him.
"I'm heading home," Flynn replied flatly, not even looking at them.
Both Nathan and Jacob noticed the sudden shift in his mood, but neither of them dared to ask. Flynn looked like one wrong word would shatter him.
Moments after Flynn left, Dylan burst into the backstage area and found the two boys.
"Where's Flynn?" he demanded.
"He just left—" Jacob began, but Dylan didn't even let him finish. He sprinted away like his life depended on catching him.
"What are those two fighting about now?" Nathan muttered. Jacob stayed quiet, equally clueless.
Dylan caught up to Flynn just outside the campus gates. He grabbed Flynn's wrist, forcing him to turn toward him.
"Flynn, wait—just give me a second," Dylan pleaded.
Flynn faced him with visible anger. "Why? So you can play with me again?" Flynn snapped.
"What are you talking about? Why would I ever play with you?" Dylan shot back, completely confused.
Flynn's voice trembled with emotion. "Are you enjoying this? Messing with my family too? Are you happy now? Are you satisfied fooling us with your lies?"
"Flynn, what are you saying? I don't know anything about that! I only found out today, same as you!" Dylan insisted, stress written across his face.
But Flynn wasn't listening. Not really. His anger was rooted in fear... and betrayal.
"Dylan..." he exhaled shakily. "Let's just end this. Whatever we have, forget it. And don't come back to the house anymore."
He turned and walked away.
Dylan stood frozen for half a second before frustration exploded inside him. He dragged a hand down his face, overwhelmed, eyes burning. Then he kicked a stone with so much force it shot across the pavement.
But even then, he didn't stop. He chased after Flynn again.
Flynn had just reached outside their house when Dylan stopped him a second time.
"Flynn, please... at least listen to me," Dylan begged, stepping in front of him.
Flynn closed his eyes. He looked exhausted, tired of feeling everything at once.
"Why are you being like this? We're both clueless! I only found out today that your aunt is the woman my dad is marrying."
Flynn shook his head. "Dylan... maybe it's better if you just leave. We live different lives. We shouldn't have gotten this far in the first placer." His voice wobbled. "Go back home, Dylan. I can't face people who are connected to the ones I hate. I can't even look at you right now."
His voice was cold, but the tears falling down his face betrayed him.
Dylan stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't process why Flynn was so angry at him, of all people.
"If anyone should be angry between us, shouldn't it be me?" Dylan said, voice trembling. "Your aunt is the reason my family fell apart. But I never blamed you, I never even once thought of blaming you. Because you're not at fault."
He took another shaky breath.
"So why are you blaming me now, Flynn? Why? I've done nothing but take care of you. Doesn't that mean anything?"
Flynn wiped his eyes and stepped back. "Dylan, just... leave. Let's not make a scene. Don't come inside. I don't want my family asking questions. Let's not drag them into this."
And with that, Flynn went inside their fence leaving Dylan alone outside.
Dylan stood frozen outside, tears gathering and falling despite him trying to hold them back.
Before Flynn could reach their door, he ran into his father. Lucas was about to greet him, but he immediately noticed the expression on Flynn's face. Then he glanced outside and saw Dylan standing there.
"Flynn, son... did you two fight again?" he asked gently.
Flynn didn't meet his eyes. "Dad... starting today, Dylan won't be living here. He's going back to his house."
"What? That's so sudden—" Lucas didn't even finish before Flynn cut him off.
"Just let him be. And... don't let him inside the house."
With that, Flynn headed straight to his room, shutting himself away.
Lucas could do nothing but watch, confused and worried. He couldn't begin to guess what kind of fight had caused the two boys to fall apart so abruptly... And he didn't know how to fix it.
Nearly two hours had passed, yet Dylan was still standing outside Flynn's house. He hadn't moved an inch from where he stood, unfazed by the cold night breeze or the mosquito bites that peppered his skin.
Lucas, watching from inside, could no longer bear the sight. With a heavy sigh, he decided to check on Flynn in his room.
When he entered, he found his son quietly packing Dylan's things into a suitcase.
"Flynn, son... what really happened between you two?" Lucas asked, worry lacing his tone.
"And why are you packing Dylan's stuff? It's already past midnight. He's been standing out there for almost two hours now. Maybe you should let him in... talk it out."
Flynn didn't respond right away. He zipped the suitcase closed, his expression cold and unreadable.
"There's nothing left to talk about, Pa. He shouldn't be here anymore," Flynn said flatly, lifting the suitcase and heading for the door.
Outside, Dylan rubbed his arms for warmth, lost in thought, when the front door opened. His heart jumped... then sank as he saw Flynn step out, carrying his suitcase.
When Flynn reached him at the fence, he set the suitcase down in front of him.
"Here. Your stuff. I packed them for you," Flynn said quietly.
Dylan's brows furrowed, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"So this is it, Flynn? You're just going to throw me out, like I mean nothing to you?" His voice trembled, the tears welling up but still held back.
Flynn didn't answer. He just turned his gaze away.
"Do all the memories we shared mean nothing to you huh?" Dylan continued, his voice breaking. "Just because you found out I'm the son of the man your Auntie's marrying, you're going to hate me too?"
"Just go home, Dylan," Flynn muttered, still refusing to meet his eyes.
Dylan let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're cruel, Flynn. You can't even listen to me." He exhaled sharply, trying to steady his voice. "Fine. If that's what you want, then fine. You'll never have to see me again."
His eyes flicked down to the suitcase. "Keep it. Or throw it away. I don't need it anymore."
Then he turned around and walked off into the darkness.
Flynn stood frozen, watching Dylan's figure grow smaller with each step. A heaviness settled in his chest... part of him wanted to call out, to stop him, but the anger and hurt still clouded his heart.
When Dylan finally disappeared from view, Flynn's eyes dropped to the suitcase by his feet.
His grip trembled, and at last, his tears began to fall.