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By spring of their junior year, Brady and David had settled into a rhythm. Their love, once a fragile secret, had grown into something stronger, more resilient. At school, there were still whispers, sideways glances, and the occasional teasing, but David and Brady had learned to tune out the noise.
However, school wasn't the only place where their love drew attention.
One Sunday afternoon, Brady and David were sprawled on the Gallaghers' living room couch, a documentary playing on the TV. Brady's mom, Ellen, passed by on her way to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway.
Brady was leaning into David, his head resting on David's shoulder. It wasn't overtly romantic, but it was intimate--comfortable, natural. Ellen hesitated for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly, before she continued on her way.
Brady noticed her out of the corner of his eye and quickly sat up, his heart racing. David glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.
"She saw," Brady whispered.
David shrugged, his expression calm. "So? We weren't doing anything."
"I know, but--" Brady ran a hand through his hair, glancing toward the kitchen.
"It's okay," David said softly, reaching out to touch Brady's knee. "She loves you. She'll understand, when the time comes."
Brady nodded, but his stomach was still in knots.
By early summer, their junior year was winding down, and the pressure of the future loomed large. College brochures and applications were everywhere, and the SAT results had just been released.
Brady sat at his desk, staring at his score report. His hands trembled slightly as he read the numbers again: 1550. He'd done better than he'd dared to hope.
David, sitting cross-legged on Brady's bed, grinned as he looked at his own score. "1560," he announced, his voice tinged with pride.
Brady turned to him, his eyes wide. "You beat me!"
David laughed, tossing his score report onto the bed. "Barely. You still did amazing."
Brady leaned back in his chair, his heart pounding. "These scores... we could go anywhere..."
David nodded, his expression growing serious. "Yeah. It's exciting, but... kind of terrifying too."
Brady looked at him, his excitement tempered by a wave of uncertainty. "What if we don't end up in the same place?"
David's gaze softened. He got up from the bed and crossed the room, sitting on the edge of Brady's desk. "No matter what happens Brady, I'm not losing you."
Brady smiled weakly, but the knot in his stomach didn't loosen. He looked down at his hands, twisting them together nervously.
"What if... what if we can't figure it out?" Brady whispered, his voice barely audible.
David frowned, leaning closer. "Brady, we will. I promise."
Brady nodded, but the fear in his chest refused to budge. The idea of David leaving--of their lives pulling them in opposite directions--was unbearable. He wanted to believe David's words, but the future felt so vast, so unpredictable.
Later, after David left for the night, Brady lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. David's reassuring words repeated in his mind. But no matter how much he tried to cling to them, the fear lingered.
The world outside their bubble was huge, and the choices ahead felt impossibly heavy. For the first time in months, Brady felt small and unsure. He loved David more than anything, but the future was coming, and he didn't know how to stop it.