Prologue
"Uhm… Nevan?"
Celix’s voice was barely a whisper, like the wind might carry it away before it reached the boy standing in front of him. Nevan turned, bored eyes landing on the nervous figure gripping his backpack straps like they were the only things holding him together.
"What?" Nevan asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I want to tell you something".*he barely whispered*
*Hesitate*
"I... I like you," Celix said, forcing the words out before his courage crumbled. "I’ve liked you for a while now. Will you… go out with me?"
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then Nevan smiled.
No—he smirked.
That trademark smirk he wore when he was about to win a game no one else knew they were playing.
"Sure. Why not?" he said coolly, slipping his hands into his pockets like this was just another Tuesday.
Celix blinked, surprised. "R-really?"
Nevan leaned in slightly, his smirk widening. "Yeah. Let’s date."
Celix’s heart raced. His cheeks turned pink, lips parting in awe. He didn’t notice the amusement in Nevan’s eyes. He didn’t catch the way the smirk never quite reached his heart.
He just thought—maybe, finally, something good was happening to him.
What he didn’t know was that this "yes" would change his entire life.
And that the boy he loved was only pretending to play along.
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