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Not saying anything at all makes me look like an asshole, so I decide to be vague but honest. “I like your art,” I say. “Granted, I only saw what’s in your gallery and what Cedric posted to your social media. I can’t tell why, but it strikes something in me.”

“What does it strike in you?” he asks.

Yeah, awesome, now that’s a question I didn’t expect at all. “Sometimes, you really come off like a math teacher, you know?”

He chuckles. “What makes you say that?”

“Because you ask questions I don’t expect.”

“Lynn keeps saying the same. She thinks my brain is wired differently.”

Just like Sterling, I think to myself.

“What you said piqued my interest,” he adds.

“I don’t know anything about art, but when I look at your drawings, it makes me feel warm and sad at the same time. It makes me linger and look at it, over and over again, because I am scared that I might miss something. I am not sure if I am supposed to smile or cry.” I pause. “It’s the faces,” I add. “The expressions. You have that one drawing of a man in the sun,and everything looks warm and joyful, but his expression isn’t.” I sigh. “Sorry, that’s all I can say. I know I suck at voicing what I feel or think.”

Aden is silent. “Is this truly what you feel when you see my paintings?”

“Yes. And it’s not just me. Sterling is obsessed with your work. He really looks up to you. And even Mateo, who isn’t too well-versed in this area either, is drawn to it.”

“Thank you,” Aden says, much to my surprise.

His words make me blink in confusion. “What are you thanking me for?”

“I think you reminded me of something important. I will need to think about this for a while.” He takes a deep breath. “Well, we are here.”

He halts the car in front of a beautiful, three-story house, and for a while just sits in the car, staring at the house without moving an inch. I gently touch his hand. “You know, we don’t have to do this. We don’t have to stay. We are free to come and go as we please. In fact, we could just turn around now and leave.”

Aden takes my hand, placing a kiss on it.

The tension in his whole body is so visible, it breaks my heart. I wonder how he felt growing up here, and occasionally returning for his mom’s sake. “Aden, I want you to know I will have your back. And I will be on my best behavior. I know that’s not my forte, but I will try to be.”

“Don’t,” he says with a smile. “Don’t be on your best behavior. Be like you always are.”

“Is that really okay?”

“I want you to be yourself,” he says, finally opening the car door. “Fuck my brothers!”

“That’s the right sentiment,” I exclaim. “I am ready.”

“Then let’s go.”

Either his mom or one of his brothers must have seen us arrive, because we don’t need to knock at the door as it is ripped open. “Aden!” A woman in her sixties opens the door, immediately wrapping her arms around Aden. “You really came!”

“Of course I did, Mom. I promised you after all.” He clears his throat before gesturing towards me. “Mom, meet—”

“Ah, you must be Noel!” she proclaims, before he can finish his sentence, and comes closer to hug me. “I am so happy to meet you. It’s the first time Aden has brought someone home! I can barely believe it.”

She ushers us inside, her face full of joy. I am starting to understand why Aden feels so torn. It must constantly weigh on his conscience not to visit his mom more often, but at the same time, dread coming home and being reminded of his toxic household.

Aden and I take off our shoes and put our jackets into the wardrobe before following his mom into the living room. There they are, his six brothers. I only recognize Oliver, and Kayden from the picture Aden showed me. Two of the brothers have dates with them, or at least that’s what I think the women next to them are, and one brother is wearing a wedding ring.

I let my eyes wander around. So, which one is the douchebag who outed him? Who’s the fucker? Why did Aden refuse to tell me the names, and what exactly they did? I only know Oliver is the oldest, and apparently, the least douchey one of them. Kayden wasn’t the one who outed him, but he must have been a major asshole, judging by the emotional way Aden reacted during their phone call.

Lynn mentioned Martin and believes he might be the culprit. So, who is the spineless douchebag named Martin?

Well, it doesn’t matter who it was outed him; they were all terrible to him!