My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 172: Who Even Falls For Their Bully?! (BC)

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘⭒❊✿❊⭒∘∙⊱⋅• 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

That evening, the dining room was softly lit by the chandelier, its crystals casting a warm glow over the long mahogany table filled with roasted lamb, fluffy garlic mashed potatoes, and a vibrant mix of winter vegetables steaming in their dishes.

Adrien and I found ourselves sitting next to each other, whether by chance or some odd twist of fate, I couldn’t quite tell—but that little space between us felt both cramped and strangely expansive. Each time his sleeve brushed against mine as he reached for the water pitcher, it sent a jolt through me, and I focused intently on my plate, hoping no one caught me hovering my fork over the food without actually eating it.

Across from us, Mom and Keith were wrapped up in their own little bubble, just like they always were after their romantic getaways. Keith had his arm draped over the back of Mom’s chair, his fingers tracing lazy circles on her shoulder while she leaned into him, giggling softly at something he murmured.

Ew, please teach me how to evaporate or something.

They shared stories of their anniversary trips, their eyes sparkling with joy, which made me feel both happy for them and a bit embarrassed, tales of stolen kisses in snowy vineyards, intimate dinners under twinkling lights, dancing to old songs on terraces overlooking the hills.

Occasionally, Keith would punctuate a memory with a kiss on Mom’s temple or a squeeze of her hand, making her blush like a schoolgirl. Adrien and I exchanged quick glances each time, a shared cringe we’d honed over the weeks, though tonight, his eyes diverted from mine almost instantly.

I couldn’t help it, my gaze kept drifting to him. The soft glow highlighted the sharp angle of his jaw, the dark fringe of his lashes when he looked at his plate, and the subtle movement of his throat as he swallowed.

He was too handsome in that effortless way that had always made my stomach twist, even during the times I couldn’t stand him. And now... my mind kept replaying that moment in the hallway in vivid detail. The heat of his body pressing against mine, the urgent slide of his mouth, the low sound he made when I kissed him back.

Who would have thought the guy who along with his friends, made fun of me for being gay...was not so straight himself?

My cheeks flushed like the millionth time at the memory, a warmth I hoped the candlelight could disguise. I had liked it. God, I had liked it more than I wanted to admit, with my lips still tingling hours later whenever I thought about it.

Did that mean I had feelings for him? Not just the distant admiration I’d tried to bury, but something deeper and more dangerous? And if he tried to kiss me again—if he reached for my hand under the table or cornered me in some quiet part of the house...would I push him away, or would I lean in like every part of me seemed to scream for?

My thoughts spun faster, intertwining with fresh guilt. Ethan’s soft goodbye kiss lingered too, sweet and safe. If I liked Adrien’s kiss the way I did... didn’t that make me a cheater? Didn’t it make everything I’d built with Ethan feel suddenly fragile and dishonest?

"Noah, sweetie?" Mom’s voice broke through my thoughts, soft but laced with concern. "You’ve hardly touched your dinner. Everything okay?"

I blinked, realizing that this must have been the fifth or sixth time she’d tried to bring me into the conversation. My fork was frozen mid-air, a piece of asparagus dangling from it like proof of my distraction.

Heat flooded my face as I quickly put it down. "Sorry," I murmured, forcing a weak smile. "Just... zoned out a bit."

Mom tilted her head, her maternal instincts clearly kicking in. "Well, we’ve been dying to hear about the party last night," she said brightly, leaning in with real excitement. "Did you have fun? Meet anyone new? Did you dance?"

My spine stiffened, the warmth of the room suddenly feeling suffocating. Across the table, Keith froze with his wine glass halfway to his lips, and next to me, Adrien became very still—I could sense the shift in his energy without even looking.

When I dared to glance at him, his green eyes were locked on mine, intense and unreadable, as if he were bracing himself for whatever I’d say next, scrutinizing every flicker of emotion on my face.

"It was fine," I replied, my words coming out flatter than I meant. I reached for my water glass, taking a slow sip to buy myself some time.

Mom’s brow furrowed, undeterred. "Just fine? Come on, sweetheart, give us something. No one pushed you into the pool again, did they?" She tried to keep it light, teasing, but the memories of past humiliations lingered...the laughter, the splash, the cold shirt clinging to my skin.

I shook my head quickly, maybe too quickly. "No, nothing like that. It was really... fine."

The table fell silent for a moment, the clinking of silverware suddenly louder. Mom’s enthusiasm visibly deflated; her shoulders slumped as she exchanged a glance with Keith. He reached out to cover her hand with his, giving it a reassuring squeeze before leaning in to murmur something soft in her ear.

"Remember, love," he said gently, though loud enough for me to catch, "Noah doesn’t always like to talk about things right away. He’ll tell us when he’s ready."

Mom nodded, forcing a gentle smile my way, although I could see the worry still lingering in her eyes. "Of course. Whenever you’re ready, honey."

Guilt twisted sharply in my chest, heavy and familiar. I hated lying to her, hated how her excitement faded because of me, but the truth felt too overwhelming, too dark to share right now, especially under the warm lights with everyone watching.

Last night’s terror, Adrien’s rescue, the kiss that changed everything, I wanted it all buried, forgotten, at least for now. At least until I figured out what any of it meant.

I offered a quiet "Thanks" and redirected my focus to my plate, cutting into the lamb with more precision than necessary. Next to me, Adrien resumed eating too, his movements careful and deliberate, the silence between us thicker than ever.

Every so often, I felt his gaze brush against me like a whisper, but when I looked up, he was staring straight ahead, jaw tight, as if he was also carrying the weight of the unspoken.

The rest of dinner faded into a blur of Mom and Keith’s soft conversation and occasional polite replies and grumpy grunts from Adrien, while I drifted through my own spiraling thoughts, wondering how long we could keep pretending that everything between us hadn’t changed forever.