(Warning: Cringey Content)

[Previously: “It’s just you’re acting so weird today when you’re normally nice to me so, I was wondering if-” He steels himself and steps forward, eyes becoming harder. “You’d tell me the truth or lie to my face.”]

“I’m not following?” I say lightly turning to walk away, pretending like I was getting back to work and not running away from where this conversation was going.

He grabs my arm, “You’re not the only one who’s observant, I think I knew the second I saw you today. Or more specifically when you met my eyes.” I look at him concerned. I don't want to have to scare him off but if he’s this confident… I don’t think I have the stomach to do it though.’ “I mean,” he stutters, “I think you know.” I tug my arm away and hurry to get away from him.

“What are you saying? That I went through your things?” I say over my shoulder sadly like I’m being accused of stealing. I reach out a hand to lean against some rocks then turn to see Andreas just standing there, ‘He’s going to confess.’ I think and push some cruel thoughts away. At one point in my life I would have pretended to be homophobic and maybe even been a bit rough with him to scare him but I couldn’t now, the thought made me sick. He has ripples of sunlight illuminating his hair and the insecurity on his face as he starts, my heart starts pounding and all I can think of is stopping him.

“I’m pretty sure you saw my notebook so I’ll be honest,” He chuckles. 

‘If I don’t do something now it’ll be too late.’ I think urgently. “I’ve- I’ve always-” 

“You should go after someone your age.” I say firmly. 

He is startled initially at first but when I don’t say anything else he responds with, “I’ll go after someone I like, thank you very much,” He laughs a little. I move back a little, ‘the younger generation is something else.’ I hold out my hand to stop the situation. Sighing for a very long time I imagine the possible scenarios, ‘I doubt I’d be able to convince him that he didn’t want me, so arguing is out of the question as well as acting in a way that I’d regret to scare him off.’ I remember the fear in his eyes when I mentioned him talking about attractive men.

“Fine.” I say sitting down.

He blinks “What, what do you mean, fine, you like me back?” 

“No.” I say firmly. Hurt he shifts confused.

“What do you mean then?” 

“You can do whatever you want with me but it stays on this island, then it’s over, and you forget about me.” I say monotone. To my disgust he covers his mouth and tears up, he looks at me like I’m damaged.

Slowly he moves beside me and sits down, “It’s worse than I thought.” He whispers. “What happened to you? Who responds like that?! You don’t have to-if you don’t like me back then just say so.” I look at him thinking to myself, ‘Most people would have taken that deal, annoyingly I’m now convinced that he’s actually fallen for me, hard.’

“You can make your argument now.” I say. He looks confused and still sad for me so I clarify, making a start motion with my hand “Why do you like me?” 

“Oh that’s easy, at first I thought you were this unfeeling, emotionless, machine.” 

I snort, “Jee thanks.” 

“But you were actually sad, lonely, and regretting a lot of your life decisions. You needed a friend just as much as everyone else.” 

“I’m okay with just being friends.” I start, turning away, but he goes, 

“You think you don’t deserve to be loved, why?” 

“Young people and their over romanization of everything.” I sigh under my breath, then chastise, “You think I’m some mysterious older man but I’m boring and cruel.”

“See you’re still faking, you don’t talk or think, like that.” He points out energetically.

“Oh, you know me so well?” I say snarkily, giving him a smooth grin. 

“Yes,” He says, swallowing, “You wear every emotion on your sleeve and are really easy to talk to.” I blink, when I realize he’s being sarcastic, then burst out laughing. ‘At this point he wasn’t going to be dissuaded from liking me, if anything we were becoming closer.’ 

“I don’t understand,” I sigh, “I’m a washed up, old, drunkard of a man. I’m not a prodigy or rich anymore. Why would you bother?” 

“Because I’m attracted to you!” He exclaims, “There doesn’t have to be some profound reason!” 

After a long drawn out minute he continues, “Can I ask you something stupid?” He asks nervously. I tilt my head having no idea what he could mean. “Are you asexual? I didn’t even think to ask before confessing, now that I think about it, it makes total sense!” 

“Andreas.” I try to interrupt as he starts rambling about all the evidence behind it. 

“I would totally have a platonic relationship with you or-”

“Andreas.”  

“-or we can just be friends if you don’t like men, because you really need a friend.”

“Andreas!” I exclaim, finally getting his attention. “I like anyone, but I’ve never felt the need for a relationship. I’m not attracted to you specifically because you deserve somebody better and younger,” I press. 

“It’s not up to you to say who I deserve” He pouts looking up at me through lowered lashes. I let out a really, really long sigh. 

Then decide to do something nice for him, “I’m going to give you a gift, but I’ll never like you as anything more than a coworker, understand?”

“What gift?” He asks innocently and I lean forward making his eyes widen then he closes his eyes hard and swoops out of the way burying his face into a hug instead. 

“No! You don’t have to do that. But you’re wrong.” He looks up cockily, “We’re already friends.”

'It feels nice, like a more intimate hug, it’s been a while.' I just breathe for a minute letting this happen, being torn between letting him have his way, see I was right, get sick of me, and leave or actually trusting him.

"You sure you don't want that kiss?" I say. He flushes and then gives in.

Eventually we break apart and get back to work. I don’t think it’s awkward, we've come to some silent agreement but he keeps throwing me these happy lovestruck glances. Getting in the boat about to head back I clear my throat, “Remember to leave everything that happened here on the island.” 

“Other than the fact that we're friends,” he says immediately. I just look at him annoyed with an almost smile. Then the siren emerges from behind the volunteer and reaches for him. 

“Stop!” I exclaim, lunging forward startling the boy.

Fear flashes in his eyes as he’s pulled backward into the water. I watch as he disappears below. I gasp a few times in shock and then knowing that this was the Siren’s revenge, smack the water in hopes he’d resurface to barter with me. Should I jump in? I would definitely get drowned but better both of us then just Andreas at my fault.

Bubbles.

I jump in like an idiot. I swim down into the depths, this island had a sheer drop. There must be caves in the cliff that the seals used, or the siren in this case. I can’t see in front of me at all but the occasional bubble brushes against my cheek letting me know that I’m right above them.

Suddenly a familiar shape takes form in front of me. Andreas is just floating there, the siren isn’t in sight. I grab his apparently unconscious body and start swimming upwards. At every heartbeat I look around me but see nothing in the dim water. 'Am I going to make it?' 

I surface with a gasp and lift Andreas into the boat with a scream of adrenaline, then climb in. Looking down at him I search for the cause of his unconsciousness. There’s claw marks on his arms and chest as well as a vicious-looking bite on his shoulder but nothing fatal. He’s not breathing though. I push on his chest not knowing how to perform CPR but almost immediately he coughs, gasping in.

Eyes wild he looks around and then hacking out the water in his lungs he screams, “There’s a monster in the water!” He touches his shoulder, “It, it bit me!” He cries overwhelmed and I pull him closer to me.

“It’s okay, you’re okay now, it was a shark.” I lie in hopes that he'll believe me. He tenses then relaxes into my arms again.

“Some…weird looking people saved me.” He mumbles.

“Must be dolphins?” I cringe at my own lies, “The panic must have been making you see things.”

He pulls away a little, still trembling from fear, “Yeah, yeah, I thought they were seals though, I’ve never seen seals attack a shark though.” He tried to laugh but started crying again. Turning on the boat I hurry him back to the land holding him close.

“I don’t want to go back to work.” He says once on dry land, he looks like he’s in shock. “I want to go home.”

I nod understanding and try to hide the seething rage I was feeling, ‘I’m gonna kill that siren.’

“You need to go to the hospital first.” I say and he looks up gawking,

“Am I hurt?”

I narrow my eyes, concerned, “N, not that badly you’ll be okay.” He nods.

“Can I call your parents?”

“What? No!”

“Don’t you want them with you?” I ask assuming he didn’t want them to freak out.

“No! He starts babbling, “I can’t go to the hospital, I can't involve my parents, I don't want them to know anything.” I start to argue and he screams at me, “They can’t know I’m gay!”

I blink knowing it's a shock and panic response, “They won’t know.” I promise.

“No, no, no, they know about you, I’m not supposed to be near you.”

“Aren’t you.” I stop before asking him 'supposed to be an adult' he's in shock this argument would go in circles. I look around, we’re starting to get attention. I drag him into the clinic.

Hurrying him into the surgery room, quickly followed by a confused boss I explain, “Shark attack, snatched him right off the boat.” She covers her mouth. Our boss grabs a towel pressing it to his wound.

“Where did these scratches come from?”

“The monster!” Andreas lifts his arms, eyes wild like he’s reliving it.

“The rocks of the cliff. It was a sheer drop and he must have been grabbing onto them.” I make up on the spot. 

She nods, “I’ll call the hospital!” 

“No!” The volunteer struggles and then gives a valid reason, “I don’t have insurance.” He starts sniffling, “Don’t tell my parents.” 

I look at the boss and have a terrible idea. “I’ll take him.” I say. She nods glad that I was so responsible.

“No!” Andreas exclaims struggling with me as I carry him out to my car.

“I’m not taking you to the hospital.” I soothe. Reaching for something in the backseat.

He calms down a little, “where are we going?” I stab the tranquilizer dart into his arm.

“My house.” I say realizing that I have officially become a mad scientist.