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There was something wrong with Dylan.
And the fact that he was in her room right now instead of staying in his room which he got to share with Ryan was probably the wrongest thing that happened this entire day.
Kaitlyn stared at the young man who was now sitting cross-legged on the vacant bed next to hers.
"Why are you here again?"
"Uhh... I came to borrow your phone charger?"
"And didn't I already give it to you? Why are you still here?"
Dylan made a show of observing around the room. "This room looks really interesting. The pattern on the wallpaper here is so calming..."
"I'm pretty sure every room here looks exactly the same."
"Oh, really?"
"Seriously, Dylan, what are you doing here?"
"Can't I just hang out here with you a bit more? It's our last night together after all."
Another thing that seemed wrong was the way Dylan had barely left her side for the whole day today.
Ever since they had been sent to the police station after the real-life horror movie event, which was last night, Dylan had been so clingy to her. He had stuck by her side even after the interrogation and when they had been held in a waiting room, thankfully not a cell, for the solid six hours until they had eventually been acquitted.
Now even when they were offered to spend the night at the Harbinger Motel before they got to go separate ways tomorrow, Dylan still wanted her company for some reason.
Her first thought was because they had faced the terror of the night at the Hackett's Quarry together and the danger connected them the way war connected soldiers.
Maybe he wasn't feeling safe enough yet to be alone and felt more secure with her company which was a rather logical possibility.
But that seemed not to be the only case for him, Kaitlyn thought solemnly, considering another important fact she simply couldn't miss: Dylan had been avoiding Ryan all day long.
It couldn't be so obvious for Dylan to do so since they had been very busy with the police asking them so many questions and when they had been locked up together they all had mostly slept through it all, practically passing out on the couches in the way which Mr Hackett had described as: snuggled up together like a bunch of puppies.
The others might not even notice it but unlike them, Kaitlyn had eyes and she saw things. She had seen the way Dylan kept sneaking glances at Ryan or staring longingly at him, sometimes even with fear in his eye. She also hadn't missed when Dylan had almost run out the door when Ryan had tried to talk to him earlier.
Kaitlyn would be lying if she said she hadn't felt more connection with Dylan after what they had been through together last night. So now she kinda felt more protective over him. And seeing that there was something troubling him now was concerning.
The boy on the bed still hadn't said anything more. His eyes fixed on the wall in front of him, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
It was strange seeing Dylan being this quiet. She would have blamed it on the exhaustion if she didn't know better.
The way Dylan had been today was as if he didn't want to be left alone with Ryan, which was ridiculous considering how he had been all summer trying to get his attention.
Unless something had happened over the court of last night which altered Dylan's feelings. Or maybe he just got hit in the head and had a concussion right now or something.
"Okay, Dylan, out with it. Just say what you came here to say."
"Why would you think I came here to say something?"
"Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head last night?" she asked just to be sure.
"Oh, I wish."
Kaitlyn sighed.
"Did Ryan do something?"
Dylan's head whipped in her direction instantly, eyes wide. "What? No! He didn't do anything."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
"What do you mean? I'm being completely normal right now."
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "You have been acting totally weird all day long, dude."
Dylan shrieked. "What? No!" But when he saw that she didn't buy any of his bullshit he eventually let out a long sigh, "I don't know, Kaitlyn. I really don't know what to do about him."
"Well, for a start, stop avoiding him."
"I can't."
Kaitlyn just wouldn't want to believe this.
"You've been flirting with him all summer, or have I been imagining things there?" She threw her hands at him. "And last night you were clearly upset when you thought Ryan might like Laura. Now when it's clear that there's nothing going on between them, you're acting like this?"
Kaitlyn glared at him some more just to get the point across. Dylan only swallowed and said nothing.
"Seriously, why are you still here? Dylan is waiting for you. When you two were assigned a room together I half expected to never ever see you again till morning, you know what I mean?"
"Ugh, gross," was the first response from him since her rant, but his reddened face told her otherwise.
The room fell silent after that. Kaitlyn waited for him to say something more. He looked determined not to say anything but eventually relented.
Eyes casting back on the wall, he mumbled, "is he, though?"
"What?"
"You said he was waiting for me. Is he really?"
Dylan rubbed his eyes tiredly before he continued, "flirting with him has been fun until it isn't anymore. Don't get me wrong, I do like him... But I think I like him more than I can take now."
Kaitlyn frowned. "What do you mean?"
"It was supposed to be blase Dylan having a crush on a mysterious hot summer camp guy, not Dylan-Dylan actually falling in too deep."
Last night wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to kiss me at that stupid firepit and I wasn't supposed to feel things from a kiss out of the goddamn dare."
We weren't supposed to bond over life or death situations. That shit was supposed to be reserved only for horror movies, not summer camp work. Stupid bears! -"
"Werewolves," Kaitlyn corrected but it was lost on his rant.
"- and we've just passed the most terrifying night ever but all I can think now is whether I will get to see him again or will he like me back, ughh."
"Sorry but I didn't see the problem here," said Kaitlyn. "Why don't you just go ahead and ask him all those? Just tell him how you feel."
Dylan looked at her in disbelief.
"Because what is the point in doing that? We are leaving tomorrow. He will be back to wherever he lives and I mine and we will never see each other again. So tell me why would I do that?"
"Because you clearly needed this!" Kaitlyn felt like yelling but she knew the wall was thin so she tried not to raise her voice too much. "Dylan, please, do yourself a favor and talk to him, before you regret it."
The eyes that met with hers were now filled with desperation and fear.
"What if I say something stupid and scare him off."
"Did he ever get scared off by any of your stupid flirts before? What could even possibly be worse than that?"
Dylan's voice was so small when he said, "the L-word?"
"Again, I don't see why that would be a problem."
He gasped. "I didn't know you were such a reckless romantic."
Kaitlyn frowned. "I didn't think I'd heard that term before."
"Anyway, he wouldn't like me back. Look at me, Kaitlyn. I'm a mess!"
"You wouldn't know that unless you ask him out."
Dylan flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling defeatedly. "I don't think I can take it if he refuses me. I'd rather choose to dream than face reality. I'm a coward, that's who I am."
When he turned his gaze back to her, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Sorry, Kait. I'll get back to my room in a few minutes. Just....let me take shelter here for a little while, please."
Kaitlyn's heart sank. She knew that she had to do something now before it was too late.
"I'll get some air. You can stay here until I get back."
Then she left him alone in her room.
*
Harbinger Motel was old and worn out but overall clean and had running hot water. It felt like living heaven standing under the stream of a hot shower, the pressure high enough to help ease his sore muscles from which he had over-exerting himself last night
Speaking of last night, everything felt surreal. The werewolves, the Hag of Hackett's Quarry, the magical healing ability. It would have been easier for him to think of what had happened as only a vivid dream if there wasn't anything left to remind him.
Ryan touched the scar on his skin which had been from a knife plucking deep in his chest. He had been certain he was dying but now what was left was only a scab and the memories. The proof that what had happened was real.
The remaining scar came with another fact that he'd killed Chris Hackett. It was haunting him still, ever since he had left the lodge. He wouldn't think that his last time working there would end like this.
But what choice did he have when Chris had been the one hiding the truth? It wouldn't have ended like this if they had just stayed inside as Chris had told them to. But also, it wouldn't have ended like this if Chris had told them the truth in the first place.
Thinking about Chris now only depressed him, so Ryan thought about someone else instead. A particular someone popped up on his mind instantly.
It was something that he noticed was the change in himself. Dylan circled in and out of his mind all day today, actually had been for the past month. His eyes tended to be pulled towards him more, secretly following his moves, and his ears seemed to be better at distinguishing his voice, hearing all the silly little jokes he made.
That was why he could feel that something was wrong with Dylan today. He had been uncharacteristically quiet. The lack of his voice shouldn't make him feel this lonely.
Maybe he had done something terrible to make Dylan feel bad. Maybe Dylan just simply didn't like him anymore. Maybe his lack of communication skills, again, had driven people away from him.
Before, he would never care much about this. But things seemed to have changed after what they had been through and he got to know Dylan more. And he felt, for the first time, finally connected with someone.
He wanted to talk things out with Dylan. If there was still any chance for him he would like to try and find out. But there had been no chance for them to actually talk. Today had been busy trying to clear all the charges, and they were so exhausted that they barely had any energy to do anything else.
But right now was a perfect time. After already getting some sleep at the police station and taking a shower here, he thought they were ready for that talk. If not now there would never be any chance left. It was their last night together after all.
With that thought in mind, he quickly finished the shower. Dylan had asked to take a shower first so right now Ryan could only hope that he wasn't already asleep.
But when he stepped out of the bathroom he found only the empty room.
Dylan was gone.
Ryan tried not to let the disappointment wash over him. He tried to think; Dylan's bag was still here so he wasn't going anywhere, as if he could go anywhere in the middle of the night; and he wouldn't change his room without telling him first. Maybe he just went to talk to someone, Kaitlyn perhaps, the two of them seemed to be quite inseparable today.
Dylan would be back eventually, Ryan concluded. So he waited and waited and waited.
But as more time passed and still no sign of Dylan, he started to worry.
What if something happened to him and he was sent to the hospital? What if there was still a werewolf left and he was attacked? But it wasn't a full moon anymore so that was unlikely. What if something else happened? Should he go and look for him?
His thoughts were interrupted by the knocking on the door.
He quickly went to answer that, expecting to see Dylan, but met with Kaitlyn looking unimpressed instead. Ryan's worry intensified.
"Oh god, is he okay?"
Kaitlyn's gaze on him was calculating. She looked at him as if she was reading something. Eventually, she gave her answer. "He will be."
"Where is he?"
"I need to ask you something first."
Ryan stepped away from the doorway and let her in. Once he closed the door, he spun around to face her, wanting to get it over with quickly so he could go find Dylan.
"Okay, shoot."
"What do you think of Dylan?"
Ryan blinked. Whatever this was about, he didn't expect this question.
"He is....interesting."
Kaitlyn folded her arms across her chest. "Just being interesting isn't enough, y'know."
"Okay." he was a bit confused and didn't know why he had to talk about this with her, but he complied. "I think I like him."
"You think?"
"I'm sorry but why are we talking about this? Where is Dylan?"
"Just answer the damn question, Ryan. And be honest with me, will you?"
Kaitlyn looked so serious, so he assumed this was somehow relevant to the situation.
"I do like him...a lot, actually. I'm planning to talk to him tonight, but it turns out, he is missing..." And suddenly Ryan understood. "Ah, so he doesn't want to talk about this. Now I get it."
Ryan felt a pang of disappointment rising in the deep of his chest. He looked down to the floor, didn't want her to see how much this affected him.
"What will you do about it then?" Kaitlyn asked, making Ryan's eyes trail back to hers. "Will you just let him go like this?"
He felt himself breaking down inside a little when he said what he was afraid of out loud. "What if he doesn't want this anymore?"
"Ugh." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes at him and somehow that made him feel a bit better. "Do you really believe that?"
Ryan's confidence was back from the reassuring look she was giving him right now. The look that said: don't be stupid.
"Where is he?"
"My room. 304. The door isn't locked. And Ryan," she called when he was about to leave, making him spin around to face her again, "please be honest with him how you feel. That dumb bitch needs every validation he can get."
Ryan gave her a small smile. "I'll tell him you said that."
She pushed him playfully away. "Just go get your boy now. I want my room back asap."
"Thanks," he said before he opened the door and went to get his boy.
*
Kaitlyn's room was just down the corridor. It took him only seconds before he reached the room with the number 304.
He paused just in front of the door, breathing in and out, trying to form his speech. What was he gonna say to him?
Kaitlyn's last words echoed in his mind. Be honest with how he felt. That was easier said than done.
He took in one last deep breath before quietly opening the door. The first thing he saw was a figure of someone sitting on the bed covering all of himself in a big blanket.
Dylan's voice came out from under the blanket, frantically speaking to himself.
"Arghh. Why the hell do you have to be like this? Just go ask him out, for fuck sake! What if he denies you? You can't take it now, can you? Now that you love him. Shit. Why do I have to love him?"
Ryan's heart raced against his chest when he heard that. This wasn't how he'd imagined it would be.
"Dylan-"
"Fuck!" Dylan's head poked out of the blanket and stared at him in horror. "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough," Ryan said and couldn't help a small smile forming on his lips.
"Shit… Give me a minute." Dylan got up and practically ran out the door. Ryan didn't even register what just happened when Dylan came back in again ten seconds later.
"Hey, 'sup man," Dylan said cheerfully but there was the nervousness in his smile that he couldn't hide. "I believe you've met my twin brother, Deacon. He's not okay in the head, y'know. Don't mind him too much, alright?"
Ah, Dylan was doing it like this? So was he then.
"Okay, so this Deacon guy... I think I want to know him more. I've heard that he loved me."
"Oh, no." Dylan groaned and went back to sitting on the bed, putting his head in his hands. "You weren't supposed to hear that!"
Ryan went to stand in front of him. "I'm glad I did."
"It's embarrassing. Let's just forget it."
"Why would I do that? Especially, when I, uhh... When I also feel the same." Ryan felt himself blushing saying this. But if this was what it took to get Dylan he would do it.
Dylan now looked at him in total shock and couldn't seem to process what he was hearing.
"Wh- what? Oh... But what?" He looked like a fish now, looking up at him as if Ryan had grown the second head. "Okay. What is happening?"
Ryan mustered up all his courage and said, "What is happening is... I want to take you out."
Dylan just blinked.
"Uh, you mean it as a date… or a punch in my face?"
Ryan crossed his arms over his chest, trying his best to look unimpressed. "Your choice."
Dylan fake gasped. "Are you really gonna punch me in the face if I choose the latter?"
"I'm considering punching you either way now." Ryan deadpanned but he couldn't hide his small smile when he saw how red Dylan's face was right now.
The room fell silent after that for a while, then Dylan quietly asked. "Are you serious about this?"
"I did mean it when I said I felt the same."
"But have you met me? Are you so sure?"
"Dylan," Ryan sighed. "I'm only asking you out. I'm not asking you for a hand in marriage."
Dylan laughed. "Can't blame me. It's my first time someone asking me out."
"This is my first time asking someone out, too. So I guess we're learning."
"But how is this working? We're leaving tomorrow."
"There are telephones and the internet for a reason. Now give me your phone."
Dylan gave him a sheepish look. "My phone's dead. Sorry."
Ryan took out his phone instead. "Tell me your number then."
When Dylan did, Ryan typed a text message and sent it to him. "There. Now you have my number."
"Smooth." Dylan teased and Ryan snorted a laugh.
"So I guess that's a yes?"
Dylan's eyes now gleamed with some mischief. "Umm, I don't know. I'm not sure. Maybe a kiss will help me decide."
Ryan rolled his eyes but he leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.
Dylan groaned and it made Ryan laugh. "What? You said you wanted a kiss."
"Can you kiss me one more time? I just really want to be sure."
This time Ryan kissed him on the lips instead, only a quick peck, but enough to make his heart flutter.
When he leaned back, Dylan was looking up at him adorably, which utterly melted Ryan's heart but he wouldn't let it show on his face.
"Yeah, I think I'm sure now," Dylan said with a pleased smile.
"I'm glad to hear that." Ryan smiled back at him. Then he stepped away, giving room for Dylan to stand. "I think it's time to go back to our room before Kaitlyn comes and kills us."
"Right." Dylan stood up. "So, she went to you?"
"I think she just wanted her room back. We owe her a big thanks, though."
They got out of Kaitlyn's room. But before he walked off, Dylan stopped him.
"Hey, Ryan," he called, holding something out for him. "Can you hold this for me?"
Ryan looked at Dylan's empty hand. "This is just your hand."
Dylan grinned. "Yeah."
Ryan chuckled, reaching out to grasp the offered hand firmly in his.
They walked back to their room hand in hand. When Kaitlyn looked up from her phone and saw them she practically jumped up. "Fucking finally!"
Dylan laughed. "He said yes!"
And Ryan snorted at that, shaking his head fondly.