Dark Wolfe

30- I broke Rhys

(Song of the chapter: 'Gold Rush' - Taylor Swift)

"Are you okay?"

Glancing up, I saw Kit set down his guitar, watching me with concern. I'd been glumly plinking at the keys of my piano, not in any particular kind of melody. My heart was too heavy for a song.

I nodded at him, turning back to Sandy despondently.

He hesitated. "I heard about... what happened at the party. With Jacques."

My gaze darted up again.

"Not that anyone knows exactly what happened exactly, but I saw you... afterwards."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. I waited.

Kit scratched at his neck, the skin pinking. "I haven't told you this before, but I'm really sorry. About all those years. Even though I didn't do anything to you, I still did nothing, and that's just as bad. So I'm sorry."

I thoughtfully stroked the keys, considering him. I was quiet for a long moment.

Then I stilled my fingers. "Christopher," I said, tasting the word.

"Can I call you Christopher?"

He looked puzzled. "Uh, sure, but I prefer Kit."

"Christopher," I forge on. "Would you say you are in love?"

He blinked, clearly not expecting the question.

"With Bella?" I prompted.

A flush climbed up his cheeks. "Maybe," he replied truthfully, turning back to fiddling with his guitar.

"I think so."

"Why?" I was honestly curious.

Kit looked somewhere between affronted and amused by my bluntness. "Look, I know how she comes across, but she's just very passionate about her art. She's always on edge about improving and getting better at being an actress, and I get that."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I mean, I'm an artist too. So I just try and support her and give her the space she needs to grow."

Hmm. 'An artist', he said. I thought for a moment.

"Have you ever written any songs about her on your guitar?" I nodded at the instrument. "Or thought about it?"

"Yeah," he admitted, flushing again. He blushed so easily.

"Did it include a lot of shouting and swear words and basically like something by Metallica?"

Kit was aghast.

"What? No!"

I arched a brow. "Do you chase after her in the hallways every other day, serenading her with 'Friday' by Rebecca Black?"

If possible, he looked even more horrified.

"Of course not! Why would I do such terrible things?"

"I'm trying to put things in perspective," I replied measuredly. "You're an artist too, but you're not weaponizing your art against her. Whereas she is taking hers and is practically beating you over the head with it. She's created this grand play in her mind where she's, like, the evil queen, and you're the village idiot."

All I'd gathered from their interactions told me that Bella seemed to really get a kick out of embarrassing her boyfriend. Preferably where there was a really large audience.

I couldn't pretend I knew the dynamics of their relationship, what went on behind the scenes (get it, 'cuz she's an actress?), or what kept them together despite circumstances that should have rended them apart. But I did know bullying when I saw it.