"No, I wouldn't. You know what I did, when I liked someone? Told them." Slept with them, more like. There were quite a few girls that had been snuck up in the room. And Gabe would say so many things to them, snuggling under the covers, thinking Niles was asleep. Things about how he was jealous of his younger sister for being so good at everything. Things like how his dorm mate looked like a dweeb and Gabe knows he gives him a hard time, but that Niles is a good kid who's going places and Gabe doesn't have a future planned for himself at all.

He turns back. Looks, hard, at Niles. Tears threatening to spill, half in frustration and half in sadness.

"I don't want you to leave me," He confesses. "I don't want to lose what we have."