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Matt sighed “Are we back here already? Soet that the fantasy worlds you create aren’t real life”
He wanted to knohat had happened to Matt to make him believe he couldn’t pursue his dream What had happened to the deterht and was Oliver living with his head in the clouds? Matt had accoo on to do the things he had Dreaed Maybe music really wasn’t Matt’s dream anymore
And Oliver needed to stop trying to help Matt when he didn’t need it Stop trying to give his that Oliver wanted him to want because then he still felt like the boy Oliver used to know “Jesus, I suck Maybe you’d like me to cut your sandwich into four squares at dinner too?”
Matt chuckled and then reached out and grabbed Oliver’s hand He let hiers and palm
“It’s just because you care I get that and…I missed you, Ollie You’ve always been the best friend I’ve ever had”
Matt was the best friend he’d ever had too
They finished the exhibit of conte their way to the next floor
Oliver spentin the pieces, all the art that he loved soOliver He wondered what kind of clarity Oliver received when he was here If he was getting the answers he sought as he sat on a bench or eyed a piece of artwork
They’d been here a few hours before Matt noticed the time Since it was Sunday, the museum closed at five thirty, which wasn’t too far away “You knoe have to ht?” Matt couldn’t coardens They’d never skipped the it now
“We do I aiting for you to an to head that way There were nuardens there, but it was the Central Garden that Matt and Oliver had always spent the most time at—with its tree-lined paths, ravine, and scents of nature
It was quiet once they i their way through the garden Oliver had his hands shoved into his pockets—Matt’s ar how stiffly he stood It was only a few short etting worse”
Oliver sighed, obviously knoho Matt was talking about “I know…but he’s okay He’s strong Maybe the surgery will help if he goes through with it”
Matt’s heart banged against his ribcage “What? Surgery?” He didn’t know anything about a surgery
He could see the regret in the wrinkles around Oliver’s eyes when he looked at him “Fuck I’m sorry I didn’t know they hadn’t told you I only heard it froh another surgery on his back, even though this one would be different”
But they hadn’t told him Why the fuck hadn’t they told Matt?
“It’s likely because they didn’t want you to worry until they decided if they were going to go through with it or not”
Logically, Matt knew that made sense…but they’d spoken to Oliver’s family about it But then…other than today, as the last tier than ten or fifteenthose conversations? When had he really asked how things were going with his dad?
No, he couldn’t only blae, but it wasn’t only their fault…I started trying to pretend my life here didn’t exist The truth knocked the air out of hi, dropped his head back and looked at the sky “Everything feels so fucked up, Ollie, and I can’t say why”
He sighed, walked over to the beige bridge which led over the ravine and leaned against it “I felt so aard at my own house today—with my own family” Yes, he always had in sorow “And the second Moot flustered and left the rooh I’m from another universe He doesn’t want to see me that way I know it, but somehow that oted prick or sos different, but the fact that his dad wanted to try and understand Matt but couldn’t, made him feel like an intruder in his own family