Chapter Text
The bus ride back to Hillerska was quiet, in stark contrast to the excitement and joy that had marked the beginning of the trip.
Simon sat in his seat, staring out the window, lost in thought.
He knew something was terribly wrong, but he wasn’t sure how to approach the situation with Wilhelm.
Next to him, Wilhelm was silent, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. He was trying to control the emotions boiling inside him.
He felt betrayed and hurt by Simon’s response to Adam’s dating proposal. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back.
The other students were just as quiet, sensing the tension in the air. However, no one dared to ask what was happening. It was as if a dark cloud hung over the bus.
Simon only knew that he had hurt Wilhelm deeply, and he wanted to fix things as soon as possible. He loved him so much. He was so sorry for accepting that damn dating proposal from Adam.
Simon hesitated several times to speak to Wilhelm. He knew they needed to talk, to understand what had happened, but the fear of making things worse kept him silent. He didn’t want to push Wilhelm further away.
As the bus continued on its route, Simon glanced furtively at Wilhelm. The blonde was staring out the window, his face pale and tense. Simon could see the tear stains on his face, even though Wilhelm tried to hide them.
When they finally arrived at the dorm, the atmosphere was even heavier.
Wilhelm turned to Simon before entering the dorm and said in a broken voice, "I think I need some time, Simon. I’ll stay in Felice’s dorm tonight."
Simon nodded, worried and sad about the distance that had grown between them. "Alright, Wille. If you need anything, I’ll be here."
Wilhelm gave a slight nod and entered Felice’s dorm, closing the door behind him. He felt confused, hurt, and needed time to process everything that had happened.
Simon was left alone in the hallway, staring at the closed door of Felice’s dorm. He knew he had hurt Wilhelm deeply, and the remorse consumed him. He didn’t know how to fix things, but he was determined to try.
---
Wilhelm entered Felice’s dorm, where the atmosphere was noticeably different from the tension he had left behind in the hallway. The room was cozy, and Felice was sitting on her bed, unpacking her bags. She looked up when he came in, her brown eyes immediately expressing understanding.
“Hey, Wille,” Felice said gently, closing the suitcase and setting it aside. “How are you?”
Wilhelm couldn’t hide the exhaustion in his voice. “I... I don’t know. I’m confused. Things got so complicated between Simon and me.”
Felice nodded, offering him a spot on her bed. “Sit here. You can vent.”
He thanked her with a weak smile and sat down next to her. “Simon... he accepted Adam’s dating proposal in front of everyone, and I just couldn’t handle it.”
Felice tilted her head, understanding the pain Wilhelm was feeling. “I can imagine how hard that must have been.”
Wilhelm sighed. “I didn’t know what to do, so I came here. I hope I’m not intruding.”
Felice shook her head with empathy. “No, of course not. You’re always welcome here, Wille.”
There was a brief silence before Wilhelm continued. “I just don’t understand, Felice. I thought what Simon and I had was more than friendship, but he doesn’t seem to care.”
Felice looked into Wilhelm’s eyes calmly. “Sometimes, people have a hard time understanding their own feelings, or they might be scared to face them.”
Wilhelm looked down at his hands, deep in thought. “I just want to understand what’s going on between us.”
Felice gave a supportive smile. “Sometimes, the best we can do is give things some space to calm down and then talk openly about how we feel. Communication is key, my friend.”
Wilhelm nodded, grateful to have someone to talk to. “You’re right. Maybe that’s what we need to do.”
Felice gently placed a hand on Wilhelm’s shoulder. “I’m here for you, Wilhelm. And I believe, in time, you two will figure this out.”
Wilhelm smiled, feeling lighter with Felice’s understanding and support. “Thank you, Felice. You’re a true friend.”
She smiled back. “I’ll always be here for you. And if you need someone else to talk to, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
As the night wore on, Wilhelm and Felice continued to talk, sharing their thoughts and feelings. Wilhelm finally began to find a little peace amid the confusion that his relationship with Simon had become.
---
Simon knew he had to face the situation. He had caused a mess on the trip that affected not only Wilhelm but everyone involved.
Adam, in particular, was eager to talk after the dating proposal. So, Simon decided to go to Adam’s dorm to clear things up.
When Simon arrived at Adam’s room, the boy was excited, talking to Simon about his plans for their future as a couple.
However, Simon couldn’t share the same excitement. He sat down on Adam’s bed and took a deep breath.
“Adam, we need to talk,” Simon began, his expression serious.
Adam, still smiling, sat next to him. “Sure, love. About what?”
Simon hesitated for a moment before choosing his words carefully. “First, I want to say that I really like you, Adam. You’re an amazing person, and our friendship means a lot to me.”
Adam nodded with a warm smile. “I like you a lot too, Simon.”
The seriousness in Simon’s eyes contrasted with Adam’s excitement. “But… what happened on the trip, the dating proposal in front of everyone… it was a mistake. A really bad idea.”
Adam’s smile gradually faded. “What do you mean?”
Simon sighed. “Adam, I don’t feel the same way about you that you feel about me. I accepted the dating proposal in that moment because I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of everyone. I was trying to avoid hurting you.”
Adam’s expression turned to complete disappointment. “This is because of Wilhelm, isn’t it?”
Simon lowered his head, unable to meet Adam’s eyes. “Yes, Adam. To be honest, it’s because of him. I’m in love with him. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I can’t keep lying about my feelings.”
Anger began to rise in Adam. “So you were just using me? To hide what you feel for him?”
Simon quickly shook his head. “No, it’s not like that. I didn’t want to hurt you, really. I just didn’t know how to handle the situation.”
Adam abruptly stood up from the bed, his anger clearly visible. “Get out of my room, Simon.”
Simon was surprised by Adam’s tone. “Adam, but—”
“Get out!” Adam commanded, the anger evident in his voice.
Simon stood up, sadness weighing on his heart. He left Adam’s room, closing the door behind him.
He felt relieved to have finally told the truth, but also heartbroken by the impact it had on his friend.
---
Simon returned to his own dorm, a tumult of emotions swirling inside him. He felt relieved to have finally spoken with Adam, but their friendship was now in jeopardy. When he entered his room, an unexpected scene awaited him.
Wilhelm was busy gathering his pillows and belongings, clearly making plans to spend the night in Felice’s dorm. When he saw Simon enter, he didn’t seem surprised, just continued packing his things.
Simon swallowed hard and decided to face the situation. “Wilhelm, we need to talk.”
Wilhelm looked at him, his brown eyes meeting Simon’s. “About what?”
Simon sighed, feeling vulnerable. "I broke up with Adam."
Wilhelm let out a simple "cool" before continuing to pack his things.
Simon was taken aback by Wilhelm's cold response. "Wilhelm, please listen to me. I need you to understand."
Wilhelm looked at him but didn't respond.
"I didn't want to hurt anyone, especially you," Simon continued. "I accepted Adam's proposal in that moment because I didn't want to embarrass him in front of everyone. But that doesn't change how I feel, and I can't deny it anymore."
Wilhelm scoffed, clearly not wanting to talk about it. "Simon, I don't want to discuss this right now. I'm just trying to take a break."
Simon nodded, accepting that the conversation wouldn't happen at that moment. "Alright, Wille. I'll leave you alone."
Wilhelm finished gathering his things and left the room without another word.
Still carrying the weight of his conversation with Wilhelm, Simon stepped outside and decided to get some fresh air. He walked through the school's gardens, hoping to clear his mind.
That's when he spotted Maddi, her face marked with charcoal, performing a purification ritual. The scene intrigued Simon, and he slowly approached, observing curiously.
Maddi noticed Simon's presence and smiled warmly. "Hey, Simon. Want to join the ritual?"
Simon hesitated for a moment but decided it couldn't hurt. He nodded, and Maddi gently applied some charcoal to his forehead.
As he participated in the ritual, Simon began to feel calmer, as though the tensions consuming him were being washed away. When they finished, he sat beside Maddi, grateful for her friendship.
"Maddi," he began, "I need help. I hurt Wilhelm, and I don't know how to fix things."
Maddi looked at him seriously. "Yeah, I heard about what happened. Wilhelm was really upset."
Simon sighed, feeling guilty. "I know I messed up. I didn't want to, but I was trying to avoid embarrassing Adam in front of everyone."
Maddi nodded, understanding the situation. "I get it, Simon. But you need to understand that actions have consequences. And in the process, you hurt someone who cares about you deeply."
Simon lowered his head, feeling ashamed. "I know. I feel terrible about it."
Maddi placed a gentle hand on Simon's shoulder. "It's not the end of the world, Simon. Things can be fixed, especially if you're honest about your feelings."
Simon looked at her, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Do you think I can make things right with Wilhelm?"
Maddi smiled confidently. "Wilhelm is in love with you, Simon. That means he cares about you deeply. If you're sincere about your feelings and show him you've learned from your mistakes, I'm sure things will work out."
Simon nodded, grateful for her words of wisdom. "Thank you, Maddi. I'll try."
Maddi stood up, preparing to finish her ritual. "Good luck, Simon. And remember, we all make mistakes, but what we do next is what really matters."
Simon bid Maddi farewell, determined to make things right with Wilhelm, the person he now realized was the most important in his life.
---
(FELICE'S PHONE)
MADDI
feliceee
where are you?
FELICE
Heyyy I'm in my room
why?
MADDI
Is Wilhelm there?
FELICE
Yeah, we're watching a movie
MADDI
perfect!
FELICE
What's up, Maddi??
MADDI
I just talked to Simon
I have an idea
FELICE
what idea????
MADDI
Wilhelm likes Simon, right?
FELICE
Well... knowing Wilhelm like I do, yeah. He's just hurt, but he loves Simon
MADDI
What do you think about setting them up to make up??? 😝👨🏽❤️💋👨🏼
FELICE
Oooohhh exciting
Like what??
MADDI
you’ll see 😈😈
---
Felice and Maddi, excited about their plan, started preparing Wilhelm and Simon's dorm room while Simon was busy at choir practice.
They spread candles around the room, creating a romantic atmosphere. Fresh flowers were carefully arranged in vases throughout the space. It looked like a scene from a movie.
Maddi grabbed her phone and sent a message to Wilhelm:
(MADDI)
Felice and I are setting something up in your dorm room. Come here as soon as you can!
Wilhelm received the message from Maddi, confused but curious about what was happening. He put down the book he was reading and made his way to his dorm.
Meanwhile, the choir practice was wrapping up, and Simon was eager to meet with Wilhelm and try to fix things. He said goodbye to his choirmates and headed to the dorm, unaware that a surprise awaited him.
When Simon walked into the room, he was stunned. The candles and flowers created a magical atmosphere, and the romantic vibe was undeniable. He knew something was up but wasn’t sure what.
At that moment, Felice and Maddi entered the room, closing the door behind them.
"Simon," Felice started with a mischievous smile, "we have a plan."
Simon looked between the two of them, not entirely sure what was happening. "A plan? What’s going on here?"
Maddi quickly typed a message to Wilhelm:
(MADDI)
We’re locking you and Simon in the room until you two make up. Good luck!
Simon finally realized what was going on when Maddi and Felice locked the door.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Simon asked, starting to feel nervous.
Felice gave a conspiratorial smile. "We want you two to talk, Simon. You need to work things out and fix this."
Simon was starting to feel trapped, but then he realized that maybe this was an opportunity to finally talk to Wilhelm and make things right.
"You’re both hurt and confused. You need a little push to open up to each other." Maddi and Felice stepped away from the door, giving the two some privacy.
Wilhelm's eyes were wet, and he struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. All the confusion and hurt he had bottled up were about to overflow.
Simon saw Wilhelm’s fragility and moved closer, sitting beside him on the bed. Without saying a word, he hugged him gently, wrapping him in his arms. It was a hug of comfort, a silent gesture of understanding and apology.
"I’m sorry…" Simon whispered in the hug, his voice heavy with remorse. "I shouldn’t have accepted like that, in front of everyone."
Wilhelm, still in Simon's embrace, closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the comfort of the hug. He knew Simon’s words were sincere, but he still needed to express his own feelings.
"I need to apologize too," he admitted, his voice choked with emotion. "I should have talked to you about how I felt from the beginning. I was scared, Simon. Scared of ruining our friendship, scared of coming out..."
Simon tightened the hug, supporting Wilhelm. "I understand, Wille. And I’m so sorry I didn’t see it before. You mean everything to me, more than anything."
Wilhelm pulled away from the hug, looking into Simon's eyes with intensity. "I feel the same way about you, Simon. More than just as a friend. I think I’ve always liked you, but I was scared to admit it. I love you."
Simon felt a lump in his throat, moved by Wilhelm’s words. He gently placed his hand on Wilhelm’s face and kissed him tenderly, sealing the moment with a gesture full of meaning.
"I love you too, Wille," Simon confessed, looking into Wilhelm’s eyes. "And I want to be with you, for real."
The two kissed passionately, the flame of their love finally free to burn without fear. They could finally love each other openly, without worrying about anyone or anything.
"We’re going to make this work," Wilhelm said, determined. "We’ll face whatever comes together."
Simon nodded, smiling tenderly. "Nothing is going to come between us. We’re in this together."
---
THE END