"Could you give us some time alone?" Silas asked, his gaze cold as he turned to Matthew.
"Hah, me?" Matthew stuttered for a moment, then laughed. "Haha, sure, no problem!"
With a light-hearted chuckle, Matthew took a few steps back, understanding Silas's request. He turned to leave, but just as he reached the door, a sudden seriousness washed over his face. As he opened the door to leave the room, his expression hardened.
The door clicked shut, and in that brief silence, Silas turned to Dylan, his gaze softening.
"Do you feel a little more relaxed now?" Silas asked gently.
Dylan, with an exaggerated grin, replied, "W-what? I was already relaxed, you know?" His words came out with an awkward laugh, clearly trying to play it off.
Silas couldn't help but notice Dilan's uneasy tone, his attempt to hide his discomfort. A small, subtle smile appeared on Silas's lips as he realized it was clear from Dilan's expression and voice that he was far from relaxed—he was just as anxious as before, especially around Matthew.
"Yesterday…"
Silas began, his smile slowly fading as he struggled to find the right words. His lips parted slightly, as though he was about to say something but hesitated, unsure of how to express it.
"Yesterday, I should've never left you alone there. I should've stayed with you. I... I'm sorry."
As the words left Silas's mouth, Dylan immediately began waving his hands, trying to dismiss the apology.
"No, no! W Why are you apologizing? That… that was my personal issue,"
Dylan said quickly, trying to reassure Silas, but there was a hint of discomfort in his voice, as if he didn't fully believe it himself.
"But still, I shouldn't have left you behind like that." Silas's tone softened with guilt.
The events from yesterday had left a mark on Silas. He had learned that sometimes, no matter how much you try to escape trouble or avoid it, it finds its way to you. Fate, it seemed, had its own plan, and no matter how hard you tried to hide from it, it would unfold in ways you couldn't control.
"I I told you, it wasn't your fault," Dylan repeated, his voice soft but insistent.
Silas opened his mouth to say something, to ask about what had happened the previous day, about who Dylan had met, and who this "Aiden" was. But suddenly, his lips pressed together, and the words didn't come out. It wasn't his place to ask. This wasn't his issue—it was Dylan's. Whatever had happened with those men, whatever trouble Dylan had been in, it was his business, not Silas's.
"So, is he your friend?" Silas asked instead, focusing on something he felt was safer to inquire about.
"Who?" Dylan looked at him, clearly confused at first, but when his gaze followed Silas's eyes to the door, he understood.
"Oh, Matthew! Yeah, he's my friend. H He told you, didn't he? we live in the s same neighborhood," Dylan replied, almost nonchalantly.
"Matthew you can come" Silas called.
As soon as the words left his lips, the door opened, and Matthew walked in, looking as if he had been waiting for his cue to enter. There was a certain ease to his steps, as if he was familiar with the room and the people in it.
Matthew came closer, handing Silas the shopping bag he had been holding.
"I washed your uniform for you. I thought you'd want to go to school, right?" he said, with a smile that was warm and genuine.
Silas looked down at the uniform, and his eyes softened as he glanced up at Matthew. Who would do all this for a stranger? Silas thought, surprised by Matthew's thoughtfulness.
"Thank you," Silas said, his voice a little quieter than usual, a sense of gratitude settling over him.
"And hey," Matthew continued, grinning,
"don't worry about anything. I've taken care of it all." As he turned to leave, his playful tone was still evident.
"What do you mean?" Silas asked, his voice filled with confusion, still not fully understanding what Matthew was referring to.
Matthew, without missing a beat, paused at the door and turned back to answer.
"Nothing. Just... You're going to feed me an awesome meal for all this, right?" Matthew said with a mischievous smile, clearly enjoying the moment.
With a wink, Matthew stepped out of the room, leaving Silas alone to process what had just happened.
"Taken care of everything?" Silas repeated softly to himself, his mind racing. He looked at the uniform in his hands, a sense of puzzlement and curiosity growing within him.
What exactly had Matthew done for him? Silas wondered.
To Be Continued....