HIS CONFESSION HURTS LIKE HELL

Tim's house was already a madhouse when we got there. Music blasted from the speakers so loud the walls vibrated, and the backyard looked like a scene from one of those wild teen movies — people jumping into the pool fully clothed, others dancing like their lives depended on it. I spotted at least three empty pizza boxes and what looked suspiciously like someone's shoe floating in the hot tub. Classic Tim's party.

Bill and I stepped inside, and I was immediately hit with the smell of beer and too much cologne. Bill grinned, eyes scanning the room like he was home. "This is gonna be a mess," he said, and there was actual excitement in his voice.

"Let's try not to end up in the ER this time," I teased.

"No promises," he shot back, already making a beeline for the beer pong table. He was the life of the party, as usual — and people noticed. They always did. Cheers went up when they saw him, and I watched my brother slip into the crowd like he belonged there.

Me? I wasn't here for the party. I had a mission.

I needed to talk to Nate.

But first, I needed a drink. I grabbed a soda from the kitchen, letting the cool fizz settle my nerves as I scanned the room. It wasn't long before I spotted him. Nate was in the game room, laughing too loud with a red Solo cup in his hand. He looked relaxed, but there was a tightness in his shoulders I recognized.

He was trying too hard to look okay.

I waited for the right moment — when the crowd around him thinned, and he wasn't drowning in attention — and then I made my move.

"Hey, Nate." I kept my voice casual, but my heart was pounding. "Come help me find snacks?"

He blinked, looking surprised. "Uh, sure?" He followed me into the kitchen, his steps a little unsteady. "You're way too serious right now," he teased, bumping my shoulder. "You okay, Billie?"

"I should be asking you that," I said, crossing my arms. "The other day — what were you going to tell me?"

The teasing slipped from his face like water down a drain. For a second, I thought he'd brush it off again. But then his eyes softened, and his fingers drummed against the counter like he was trying to work up the nerve.

"You really wanna know?" he asked, his voice lower now.

"Yeah," I whispered. "I do."

He looked around, checking if anyone was listening. Then he leaned in — so close I could smell the faint scent of his cologne mixed with whatever he'd been drinking.

"I'm gay," he said.

The words hit me like a physical blow. My mind went completely blank.

But before I could say anything, he kept going — the words tumbling out like he couldn't stop them.

"And… I think I'm in love with Bill."

My stomach bottomed out.

Bill. My twin brother.

The guy I'd been in love with since I was fifteen… was in love with my brother.

For a second, I couldn't breathe. The room tilted, and I had to grip the edge of the counter just to stay steady. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and none of them made sense.

I wanted to say something. I wanted to ask him if he was serious, if this was some kind of joke — but I couldn't get the words out. And the worst part? Nate didn't even notice my silence. He just kept talking.

"Do you think he'd ever—" He cut himself off, shaking his head like he was too scared to finish the sentence. "Forget it. It's stupid. I shouldn't have said anything."

Before I could answer, Tim's voice crashed through the quiet.

"Nate! Dude, we're starving! Stop flirting and bring the snacks!"

Nate flinched, like the words physically hit him. And just like that, whatever vulnerability he'd shown snapped shut. He grabbed a bag of chips like it was a lifeline and forced a laugh that didn't reach his eyes.

"Coming!" he called back, already heading for the door.

"Nate—" I tried, my voice barely above a whisper.

"It's nothing," he cut in quickly. Too quickly. "Forget it."

But I couldn't.

Because the weight of his words was crushing me.

I didn't even remember how I left the house. One minute, I was standing in that too-bright kitchen, my heart breaking into pieces — and the next, I was out on the street, walking home in a daze. I didn't text Bill. I didn't say goodbye to anyone. I just… left.

The silence in my room felt deafening. I stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what had just happened. But the more I thought about it, the more my chest ached.

Because it wasn't just the shock of Nate's confession. It was the realization that the one person I'd wanted for so long — the one person I'd never admitted my feelings for — had been looking at my brother the whole time.

That's what broke me.

And the only way I knew how to let it out was through Pink Savage.

[Pink Savage Exclusive]

> They say secrets set you free. But what if the truth feels more like a prison?

Sometimes, the people you trust the most hold knives you never see coming. And when they finally slip between your ribs, the worst part isn't the pain.

It's knowing you never saw it coming.

#BetrayalHurts #ConfessionsAreOverrated