He broke down

Did Alaric see him as pathetic?

When Gavin closed his eyes each night, Alaric's image would blur in his mind, intensifying the anxiety that gnawed at him from within. He constantly questioned whether he would ever be good enough or interesting enough for someone like Alaric.

For a lonely nerd, it was all too easy to fall in love with the only person who paid attention to him, even if that attention might have stemmed from pity. In a cruel world filled with bullying, a small act of kindness could mean the difference between despair and hope.

Gavin actually felt fortunate to have someone like Alaric notice him—someone who made him feel special. Even if his first step into the world of love was born out of pity, Gavin couldn't deny that he had fallen for Alaric's kindness. That one small gesture from Alaric had helped Gavin endure the loneliness and sense of unworthiness that had plagued him in the past.

Alaric made him hold on.