Ocean. B.L.U.E (Book 2)

Arthur's P.O.V

The ice cream in front of me had turned into a melted, soupy mess, but I barely noticed. The spoon sat untouched on the table, my fingers drumming absently against my wrist, tracing the woven pattern of bracelets stacked up my forearm. I wasn't really here—not mentally, anyway. My parents sat across from me, present in body but nowhere else.

My mother tapped away on her tablet, flipping through a digital stack of contracts, occasionally muttering into her AirPods. My father scrolled through his phone, his eyes focused with whatever email was ruining his day this time.

Classic.

They called this family time, but it was just another box to check off their never-ending to-do list. Something to appease their guilt so they could go back to ignoring me tomorrow.

I swallowed the bitterness creeping up my throat and dropped my gaze to the table. Maybe if I stared hard enough at the puddle of ice cream in my cup, I could disappear into it.

The bell over the door chimed, followed by laughter—soft, familiar, theirs.

I didn't need to look up to know who it was.

But I did anyway.

Alexander and Elias walked in, arm in arm, moving together in that way people did when they weren't just with someone, but belonged to them. Elias had both arms curled around Alexander's, both of his hands latched on to one of Alexander's, his head resting against his shoulder as they made their way toward the register.

They were smiling—no, glowing. Elias tilted his head up slightly, murmuring something that made Alexander huff a laugh. Whatever it was, it was enough to make Alexander lean down and steal a quick kiss, right there, in front of everyone.

Then another.

And another.

My grip on my spoon tightened.

I couldn't hear what Elias said next, but I felt it—saw the way he pressed even closer, the way Alexander turned toward him like he was the only person in the room. The way they fit together so easily, so effortlessly, like something out of a goddamn movie.

I felt my heartbeat quicken at the sight.

I was supposed to be over this.

I was over this.

So why did it still feel like I was choking on something bitter, something I couldn't swallow down no matter how hard I tried?

I shifted my gaze toward my parents.

Still occupied. Still disconnected. Still completely unaware that their son was sitting right in front of them, unraveling.

Meanwhile, across the shop, Elias laughed, the sound infectious, so completely wrapped up in the person beside him that nothing else seemed to exist. He was happy—complete. With a boy who cared about him. Alexander was always like that. So carrying about the people in his life. I didn't know how to do that. I didn't know how to be there for him and now I was suffering because of that.

I dropped my spoon.

The clatter against the table barely registered.

Their conversation drifted toward me, their words weaving through the business of the shop like air blowing in my direction.

"Did you really have to take the biggest bite of my ice cream?" Elias was whining, nudging Alexander's side playfully. They were so close.

Alexander smirked, licking his lips like he was savoring the taste. "I paid for it. That makes it ours."