Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 161: Midnight talks

Chapter 161: Midnight talks

Chris swallowed hard as he listened to Sky talk about his anti-rich people nature. He knew he had to tell Sky about his family one day and had thought about different ways Sky might react to it. But hearing this now, he wasn’t sure what to do.

This was bad. How would Sky ever react if he found out the truth?

Sky’s gaze flicked to Chris, noticing his tense expression. He misread it entirely. "Hey... I wasn’t judging your friends." He said quickly. "Rachel and Wilson seem like nice people and I’m glad you have them."

Chris still didn’t know what to say. His voice caught in his throat, tangled up in secrets he wasn’t ready to share. Instead, he flopped back on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling once again.

"But..." Chris started. "As you mentioned, there are rich people who are different."

Sky nodded. "Of course. I’m not saying all rich people are bad."

However, Sky looked like he was thinking about something he didn’t want to share. And whatever it was, it seemed like it was painful.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Chris whispered, hoping to lighten the mood despite the weight hanging between them.

Sky glanced at him. "Look, Chris... I don’t want to sound like an asshole who just lumps people into categories and judges them. But you should understand after I’ve had different kinds of experiences which were very... not nice."

Chris nodded, understanding but wanting to know more. He wanted to ask but feared pushing too hard would make Sky retreat. Instead, he chose a lighter approach.

"Okay, so how much money is rich enough but not filthy rich to be indecent?" Chris asked, trying to sound thoughtful, and hoping his family didn’t fall into that category. But who was he kidding? He knew his family would always be IN the category.

Sky chuckled softly. "Maybe just enough to be comfortable—take care of yourself, your loved ones, and maybe even help those around you. But not the kind that makes you selfish, look down on people, or mock them by competing aggressively for something you can easily get."

Chris’s stomach churned. He didn’t like where this was going.

"What does that imply?" He asked quietly.

"Most people with privilege don’t always realize how unfair life already is," Sky continued. "They have the chance to be supportive, to step aside when it makes sense, but instead, they compete aggressively for things they don’t even need—just to prove something. Take Ash, for example. His family’s loaded, but he still joins the bike races and hogs the prize money. He’s ruthless about it, like it actually matters to him. Meanwhile, some of those guys risk their lives just to be in that race. For them, it’s rent money or food for their siblings. If you had won the race, imagine how much it would have helped you when compared to Ash."

Whenever Sky said Ash’s name, his frown deepened even more.

Chris swallowed, the weight of Sky’s words pressing heavily on his chest. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the sting of self-awareness creeping in. "But... isn’t competition supposed to be fair? I mean, at least Ash is actually in the race, right? Fighting alongside them? We can’t blame him for winning"

"Your logic isn’t wrong, but you’re missing the bigger picture. Life isn’t fair. And when privileged people don’t recognize that and bulldoze their way through everything, it screws over the people who are barely holding on."

Chris shifted uncomfortably as Sky continued. "Imagine if someone super rich and insanely smart had competed with you for your scholarship and got it—where would that have left you if you had no other options?"

Oh God, no.

Not that example.

Chris bit his lip, the words hitting too close to home.

That was exactly what he had done. The scholarship. The bike race. Everything else. Everything Sky seemed to not like.

His parents hadn’t even supported his decision to apply for the scholarship. They’d seen it as unnecessary and, frankly, embarrassing. But Chris had wanted to prove himself, to break free from their control and see what he could achieve on his own. He hadn’t thought about anyone else—only his desperate need for independence.

And yet, wasn’t that exactly what Sky was talking about? A privileged kid muscling into a space that could’ve gone to someone who truly needed it.

Chris clenched his fists, hating the unease gnawing at him. His throat felt tight, the weight of unspoken truth pressing against his chest. He wanted to tell Sky everything—to confess his real identity and explain that this was never about arrogance or selfishness.

But the words got stuck, tangled in fear and uncertainty. What if Sky looked at him differently? What if he saw Chris as just another entitled rich kid?

Chris forced a small smile. "You’re annoyingly wise sometimes, you know that?"

Sky huffed a laugh. "It’s a curse, I guess."

Chris nodded, though his mind was far from light-hearted. He knew he had to figure out how to tell Sky the truth before it became something irreparable between them.

Sky’s expression softened. "But, hey... I don’t just judge people by their wealth. Their character matters more. And like I said, you seem to have good friends. That’s lovely. And I think it’s okay to desire to be filthy rich. I think it would suit you."

Chris nodded, not sure what else to say.

Sky fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I haven’t talked this much in a long time. I feel exhausted," he chuckled softly, the sound rumbling in his chest.

Chris turned to him with a smile. That was true. They rarely delved into serious or personal stuff. Usually, they were either bickering, flirting, or simply doing whatever chaotic thing life threw their way.

But tonight felt different.

Chris hesitated, but he knew he needed to clear something up. He couldn’t let it fester.

"About Cl... Sinclair," fuck! He almost made the mistake again.

Sky was quiet.

"I had to meet him to ask him not to tell anyone about what happened last night," Chris explained. "He promised to keep it to himself."

"So you went to his house for that."

Chris wasn’t looking at Sky, so it was hard to tell what he was thinking when he asked that question. Since Sky’s tone was kept neutral.

"I had to be nice... so I helped him clean," Chris admitted sheepishly. "But you don’t need to worry about Sinclair or Rachel. They won’t tell. As for the others..."

Sky visibly stiffened.

Not because of Noel or Henry. But his fight with Rain.

Chris immediately noticed the shift. "Did... they say anything?" Chris asked him.

Sky exhaled heavily. "I had a fight with Rain."

Chris’s head snapped toward him, concern flashing in his eyes. But it was clear Sky didn’t want to delve into that conversation.

Instead, Sky’s expression turned serious as he shifted to face Chris.

"I need to tell you something."

Chris’s brows furrowed. Sky looked tense, like whatever he was about to say weighed heavily on him.

"Go on," Chris encouraged.

Sky’s voice dropped. "It’s about... the stalker from before."

Chris blinked, caught off guard. "The stalker?" He had practically forgotten about that.

Sky paused before revealing the name. "It’s Collins."

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. "What? For real?"

Although he was surprised, it probably wasn’t as very surprising as it would have been if the guy had not attacked him the other day.

Sky looked visibly stressed, his brows furrowed as if carrying the weight of too many thoughts. Chris couldn’t ignore it. "Is that why Collins looked beaten up when I saw him that day?"

Sky let out a tired sigh. "That was part of it... but the guy’s been doing a lot of creepy things. It’s been exhausting." He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly frustrated. "I’ve known Collins for years. He is one of my closest friends, so it’s hard to wrap my head around this. I never once suspected he’d feel that way about me."

Chris frowned, understanding the pain that came with a betrayal like that.

Sky’s voice softened, tinged with guilt. "I wanted to keep this from you... but that wouldn’t be fair. You deserve to know everything. Even though I hate Collins right now, I can’t forget that he was my friend for years. That’s why... I am skeptical to take any actions. But whatever you decide, I won’t blame you."

Chris’s heart clenched at how torn Sky was. He could see the conflict eating at him—Sky didn’t want Collins punished, but he was also struggling with everything the guy had done.

Chris sighed deeply. This was the second time he’d have to let something serious go because of Sky. First, when Sky had been drugged, and now this. Both times, Sky had chosen to avoid involving the authorities.

Chris leaned closer, tugging Sky’s arm to use as a pillow before draping a hand over him. Sky stiffened slightly but didn’t push him away. Chris nestled his head against Sky’s shoulder, speaking quietly but firmly.

"I’ll let it go legally—for you. But he needs to learn a lesson, Sky."

Sky glanced down at him, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"So don’t blame me if I find him and beat the hell out of him," Chris added, his tone lighter but resolute.

A reluctant chuckle escaped Sky. "Don’t just end up in the police station."

"I’ll think about it." Chris said, nestling closer. Meanwhile, Sky remained stiff there, his other hand gripping the sheets beside him tightly.