Chapter 105: Indirect Question

Theo's POV

The seven-minute timer on Milo’s phone buzzed loudly in the hallway, saving Asher from having to answer me. I reached over, clicked the lock, and threw the door open. The bright lights and the blasting music of the party hit us like a physical wall.

We stepped out of the dark closet and back into the crowded living room. The heavy, awkward tension between us was completely obvious to anyone looking. Asher kept his eyes glued to the floor, his face completely pale, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. I walked right beside him, keeping my expression perfectly calm, but inside, my mind was racing. I was hunting for a reaction. I needed to confirm my suspicion.

Landon and Milo were standing near the kitchen counter, laughing and holding fresh drinks. The second they saw us, Milo raised his cup. "Look who survived! Did you guys finally patch things up, or do we need to throw you back in there?"

Asher forced a tiny, fake smile, but he didn't say a word. He looked completely rattled by what I had told him in the dark.

I leaned against the counter next to Landon, looking directly at Asher. I kept my voice casual, like I was making stupid locker room small talk. "The locker rooms get pretty quiet after hours, don't they?"

I watched Asher’s face like a hawk. The second the words left my mouth, he flinched. His shoulders went completely stiff, and his eyes darted to mine for a split second before he looked away. It was a tiny movement, but it was exactly what I was looking for. He knew something. The panic in his eyes confirmed it.

"What are you talking about, Theo?" Landon laughed, taking a sip of his drink. "Everywhere gets quiet after hours."

"Just saying," I replied, never taking my eyes off Asher.

"Sometimes people stay behind when they think nobody is watching."

Asher cleared his throat, his voice sounding tight. "I’m going to go get a drink."

He tried to walk away, but I wasn't done with him yet. I set my cup down on the counter and followed him through the sea of drunk students. Before he could reach the crowded kitchen table, I grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him into a quiet corner.

"Theo, stop," Asher whispered, his eyes scanning the room to see if anyone was watching us. "I told you I don't want to talk about this."

I ignored his protest. I leaned in close, cutting straight to the point. I bluntly asked him the question that had been burning a hole in my brain since I left that dark tunnel. "Do you think Kieran is secretly gay, Asher? Or into guys?"

Asher stared at me, his mouth opening slightly in pure shock. He looked like he had just been hit by a truck. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. "What the fuck kind of question is that? Everyone knows Kieran is straight. Why are you asking me this?"

"Because you’ve been sticking around him a lot lately," I said, my voice dropping into a low, manipulative whisper. I needed to twist this to make it look like I was looking out for the rest of the guys. "You two are always huddled up, sharing secrets. The team is starting to notice. It would make all of us comfortable to know if the captain is dating one of us. We have a right to know who we are sharing a locker room with."

"He isn't dating anyone on the team, Theo," Asher said, his voice shaking with anger. "You're completely losing your mind. Stop spreading weird rumours about Kieran."

"I'm not spreading anything, Asher. I'm telling you what I saw". I hissed back, using his fear to drive the wedge deeper. I needed him to feel completely isolated from the captain.

I stepped closer, blocking his view of the party, using this conversation to firmly lay down the law. "He is using you to hide whatever disgusting games he is playing. For the sake of the team, and for your own good, you need to stay far away from Kieran Hampton.

If you don't distance yourself from him right now, the fallout is going to destroy this entire team And I won't let you drag the rest of us down with him."

I let go of his arm, leaving him standing alone in the shadows of the hallway. Asher looked completely terrified, his chest heaving as he tried to process how much I actually knew.

But I was not done making trouble. The liquor inside me made me feel brave, and the power of having that video on my phone made me feel completely untouchable.

I walked right back into the centre of the living room, heading straight for the kitchen counter where the bigger crowd had gathered.

Just then, Kieran walked into the kitchen. He looked calm, but his eyes instantly searched the room until they landed on Asher standing frozen in the hallway.

I decided to pull some absolute bullshit right in front of everyone. Iaughing loudly, clinking my red plastic cup against the counter to get the whole room's attention. "Hey everyone! Let's raise a toast to our perfect captain, Kieran Hampton. He's really good at guiding the team, especially when he's giving private lessons ."

The music was still playing, but the conversation around the kitchen table died instantly. Landon stopped laughing. Milo froze with his drink halfway to his mouth.

Kieran's entire posture changed in a split second. His jaw went dead stiff, his fists clenching at his sides. The look in his eyes was pure, murderous rage. He took three massive steps forward, corners of his mouth twitching, completely losing his usual cool captain persona. He grabbed the front of my shirt, slamming my back hard against the kitchen cabinets.

"What the fuck did you just say, Theo?" Kieran growled, his voice deep and shaking with anger. He looked ready to take my head off right there.

"You heard me, captain," I taunted, staring right back into his eyes. I smirked, enjoying the fact that I had cracked his perfect armour. "Just wondering who you are going to share your special team spirit with in the dark tonight. Care to tell the room?"

Kieran pulled his fist back, completely ready to fight. He was going to throw a punch that would have broken my jaw.

"Whoa, whoa! Stop! Break it up!" Landon yelled, throwing his arms around Kieran's chest from behind and pulling him back.

Milo jumped in between us, shoving his hands against my chest to keep us apart. "Are you fucking crazy, Theo? Pull yourself together! It's a celebration!"

"Get off me!" Kieran roared, trying to shake Landon off his back. He was struggling hard, his eyes locked onto mine like a predator. The whole room was in chaos now, people shouting and pulling Kieran away toward the living room to stop a massive brawl from ruining the house.

I laughed out loud, fixing my shirt collar as they dragged him back. But before I could even take a breath, a massive hand grabbed my shoulder from behind.

It was Barrett.

He had been standing by the stairs, watching my bullshit layout the entire time, and he looked completely happy with me. He didn't say a single word. He just used his massive strength to violently shove me backwards.

I lost my balance completely, stumbling across the floorboards. I crashed straight toward the stairs leading to the basement, my back hitting the railing hard as I tried to keep myself from falling all the way down.

"Keep your mouth shut, Theo, or next time nobody separates you," Barrett warned, giving me a freezing cold look. I leaned against the stairs, my heart pounding fast from the adrenaline, but the smile never left my face. I had kieran exactly where I wanted him.