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“And fucking Chance alot us kicked out”

He’d been typical Chance—loud and boisterous but evenOliver had nearly lost hisChance went too far but also chuckling at Oliver’s reaction They were polar opposites in some ways, those two Oliver serious and Chance carefree “I thought your head was going to explode You nearly lost your fucking mind”

“He pretended to hump a sculpture, Matty”

Matt could see it clear as day now—Chancethe statue froh burst out of his mouth at the memory God, they were fun Despite the aardness that was sometimes there, he had a lot of fun with Chance and Miles too “He was so fucking crazy Is he still that crazy?”

Oliver glanced his way again “Is that really a question? He’s Chance Yes, he is I haven’t been back here with him since and likely never will”

Matt laughed again, not surprised Oliver had held a grudge about it Oliver took that shit seriously “I’ether in so long I’ll make it up to you I’ll be sure to try and come out at least once a year and when I do, we’ll hit The Getty together”

Oliver turned into the parking lot Matt could see his forehead crease even froo with ether, and I’lanced at Matt and winked, but Matt felt a strange twist in his gut What did he expect? Oliver would never go to The Getty with another person because he left? It was unfair for hiht of hied to Matt and Oliver But he’d left, hadn’t he? And he didn’t visit for years

“You’re frowning,” Oliver said

“No, I’?” But he was and he knew it He was being a selfish bastard, expecting Oliver to hold onto soed to theether anymore was on Matt

“Miles doesn’t have a problem with you He never has I know he comes off as a dick, but he’s the same ith you as he is with everyone else”

And that was part of it, wasn’t it? He likely wouldn’t have been as hurt if Oliver ith Chance Matt never believed Miles thought he was good enough to be friends with Oliver

“Fuck” Matt ran a hand over his face He was too old to have this conversation any of his life on his own He’d grown up, changed Miles could like him or not like him and Matt would be just fine

Oliver pulled into a parking spot before Matt continued, “I’m not the same kid I was I don’t need Miles’s approval I don’t need anyone’s approval I knoho I am noays I didn’t back then” He was Matt Daniels He lived in New York City He was a ht his way to where he was, and he wasn’t going to let it slip away, no ht now No matter how much of it felt like a lie It couldn’t be If it ho the fuck was he?

He saw the questions in Oliver’s big, round eyes He was doe-eyed, always had been, questioning and searching everything

“You didn’t need anyone’s approval, even back then Maybe that’s not the way you see it Maybe you thought you did, but you didn’t You’ve always been strong enough to do your own thing; sometimes it just takes you a while to realize it”

Oliver’s words slaht against it He knew they were talking aboutIt was easy to do when you’d always had what you wanted He didn’t mean that as an insult to Oliver because he’d never acted the least bit spoiled It wasn’t who he was, but there had also never been anything Oliver couldn’t have He saw the world through the rose-colored lenses because that had always been his life

But that wasn’t Matt’s universe Yeah, he was fucking lucky to have what he did and to be where he was but he knew there weren’t a hundred other options waiting for hiet his fucking head back in the gaet a hair up his ass, feel sorry for hi it “And so isn’tis, Ollie”