You know that feeling when the silence is literally decapitating you? Yep, Pete's totally feeling it right now. The silence was not only deafening, it was suffocating. To be honest, Pete wasn't really ready for a rejection as much as he would like to convince himself he was. Having shunned away from the spotlight for so long, is it wrong to crave the attention from just that one person who might actually, actually like him back?

Vegas didn't say anything in response to Pete's confession. But his once cheerful face was now reduced to his blank eyes and stoic gaze. It was hard for Pete to decipher anything from his poker-look. Was he embarrassed? Lost for words? Maybe. But these speculations still weren't enough to comfort Pete's worries, after all, he just confessed to the Vegas - the heartthrob of every boy and girl, the man in everyone's dreams.

But hey, he's got a chance right? Both Arm and Pol agreed Vegas liked him too so it can't be all that bad-

"I'm sorry."

Pete didn't know these two words could cut so deep. As soon as the words left Vegas' lips, it felt like a million knives just pierced through his heart mercilessly and he swore he could heart shatter into a million pieces with every passing second.

"I-I thought you might have liked him." Pete admitted softly, as his eyes started to water and his vision blurry.

A loud sigh then Vegas rebutted coldly. "You thought wrong."

Pete's heart wrenched in agony and tears started to roll down his cheeks uncontrollably at the latter's brutal honesty. If it wasn't bad enough, Vegas didn't feel an ounce of guilt, no. Even as he stood to leave, his back turned to Pete, he had to point out the cruel reality Pete wishes he had realized earlier. Then perhaps, he wouldn't have hurt so bad.

"You know me, I'm a playboy." Vegas stated as a matter of fact. "Toying with hearts is what I do best."

Then, as quickly as he came, Pete watched Vegas leave with so much resolve he was certain the latter wasn't going to come back. Pete was expecting Vegas to turn around at least once, even if it was out of sympathy, but he never did.

Pete scoffed bitterly at himself as Vegas faded out of sight. Pete was such a fool thinking Vegas had a bit of humanity beneath that playboy facade he had put up. He was stupid to believe that the boy would ever change and for allowing himself to fall in love with a boy he never should have. This was a big mistake, and Pete was just delusional all this while.

As tears continue to pour down his cheeks, the harsh reality hits him harder and Pete wonders just how wonderful his birthday can ever get.

━━━━━━━━━━

When Vegas walked away he knew that there was no return. He watched how he broke the boy piece by piece, gave him hope then robbed him of it the next. He did this all the time anyway, so he was numb to it really. But with Pete, things were different. When the boy cried, his heart hurt too - probably more so. In fact, it was so excruciating Vegas was going to cry any moment if not for the fact he had his back turned so the latter won't see.

Vegas loved him so much, with all his being, but it's also precisely because he loves him that he needs to keep his distance. He is destructive, insecure, and Pete, he deserves better. It's for the best, Vegas tells himself as he left, but that doesn't make leaving any easier because he would always love Pete, but the latter must never know.

━━━━━━━━━━

"Hey Pete. You haven't been answering our calls or texts." Arm said worriedly as he knocked on Pete's room door, hoping to get a response from his best friend who has been avoiding their attempts to contact him for a week now.

Pol and Arm knew that it must have been something to do with Vegas because their best friend had stopped tutoring Vegas a few days ago. "He quit." the principal, Mr Jo said when they went to his office to ask if he had seen Pete. From what they know, Pete has been missing classes too - called in sick.

The school's forum too sensed that something was definitely wrong between their favorite ship. Vegas used to be around Pete all the time but ever since the camp, they were never seen around each other. Vegas also appeared to be looking gloomy and depressed all the time, like something was seriously bothering him and Arm and Pol were quite sure they knew what or rather who, it was.

So they talked to Ken too, Vegas' only best friend and even he was at a loss. Vegas didn't feel like himself, Ken said. He was rejecting every invitation, isolating himself if he could, and even Vegas' father had called him earlier to ask if everything was okay with his son because he had been refusing to eat and hang out with anyone.

"It's probably got something to do with Pete." Ken said. "I've never seen him so affected by anyone before until Pete came along and it's like something in him changed."

"I thought so." Pol sighed, as he looked to Arm and Ken. "I think Pete's confession failed."

"No way." Ken said in disbelief.

"Why not? Vegas is a playboy." Pol responded annoyed at Ken's ignorance.

"I don't deny." Ken replied, "But with Pete, he's different."

"No he isn't." Pol refuted, as he glared at Ken. "If he didn't like Pete, he should not have misled him into thinking he did!"

"Pol." Arm tried to calm his best friend down by giving him a comforting squeeze on the shoulder and only then did Pol's anger subside. It isn't Ken's fault after Arm reasoned.

"But he does." Ken said. "He's so in love with Pete, and that's why even I am confused as to why Pete's confession didn't work out."

"You're saying Vegas actually liked Pete?" Arm asked, seemingly not convinced.

Ken nodded his head firmly. "He told me."

"When?"

"During the camp - before Pete confessed."

Ken added. "He told me that Pete made him feel at home and with him, he could be himself."

"Then why would he reject Pete's confession?" Pol asked, bewildered.

"I'm guessing he just feels insecure - like he isn't good enough for Pete."

"The Vegas feeling insecure?" Pol almost laughed. He has nothing to be insecure about - good looks, rich, what more can he ask for?

"Believe it or not, he is. He's always doubting himself especially after his father's divorce. He's hurting, but tries to cover up with his flings and one night stands."

"So he's afraid of hurting Pete?" Arm asked, feeling a tinge of sympathy for Vegas now that he realizes Vegas was in pain too and perhaps, both him and Pol were too quick to judge.

Ken nodded. "I think so."

"So what now?" Pol chimed in as he looked to Arm then to Ken for a solution of sorts. Sob story aside, if Vegas really loves Pete and Pete too loves Vegas, then something must be done.

Ken shook his head as he sighed with exasperation. He truly didn't know what else to do when Vegas was avoiding him too.

But Arm on the other hand, seemed to have something in mind for he turned his gaze to the two with a knowing smile, his index finger pointing up as epiphany hit just in time. 

"I have a plan."