Disarmed (Fence #2)

by Sarah Rees Brennan

This was the person he loved best in the world, the person Harvard would have sworn he’d never hurt. But he had hurt him. He had, and until he told the truth, he would still be hurting Aiden. Harvard gathered all his courage, and confessed, “I lied to you.” Amusement died in Aiden’s voice. “What?” “I’m so sorry, Aiden,” said Harvard. “I know you rely on me to tell you the truth, to always be there for you. I always intended to be that, to be a safe place for you, but I didn’t manage it. I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want to get hurt. Do you remember when I told you that I only wanted to be friends because I didn’t want to fall in love with you?” His voice distant now, Aiden answered, “Of course I remember.” Of course he did. Aiden had trusted him, and Harvard had lied, but it was time to tell the truth now. He was so scared of what would happen when he said it, scared of what might change, scared he was too late. But he had to face the truth. He couldn’t watch Aiden’s face when he told him. So he fixed his eyes on the ballroom floor instead, and began to speak. “That was the lie I told you. I’d only realized what I wanted the night before. I was terrified of losing you. I should have realized how I felt about you before, but how do you see the planet you live on? The air you breathe? It was always there. It was too big for me to see. You were always just there. I could look at you every day, the same way I can look at the stars every day. I never had to think about h...