𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚡𝙱)

Track 37 | 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 (𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆)

➤ ➤ ➤

Thursday had come sooner than expected. 

"I swear to God, Eden was side-eyeing us the entire time," I whispered nervously into Ari's ear as the two of us walked out of Rian's apartment complex and onto the sidewalk. "Are you sure you didn't tell her anything?"

"No, I swear," Ari shook his head. It was now five o'clock; the sun hadn't set yet, but it was almost at that point, the sky was somewhat cloudy, the air smelled like rain, as it usually did in April, and Ari and I were, at long last, alone again. Naturally.

We had just finished up another rehearsal with the band for our set at the DIY show next Friday, and don't get me wrong, we sounded great and all, but every time Ari and I were together, it felt like all the eyes in the room were on us. Either, it's first-time-relationship paranoia, or I'm right in guessing the others are onto us, but I really couldn't be sure. 

"But, has she said anything? Like, you guys are best friends, right? If she was suspicious, she'd ask, wouldn't she?" My panic-stricken rant raged on as Ari and I obtained our bikes from the fence surrounding the apartment building. 

"Well... she did ask why me and her haven't been hanging out as much as we used to," he responded after a few seconds of careful contemplation. "I told her it was because I was spending more time with you."

I gulped, fearing the worst. "Shit. She knows."

The two of us began to walk our bikes down the sidewalk, gaining distance from the apartment to ensure that no one was listening. The further we got, the more acquainted we were with keeping our voices at a normal, everyday volume. 

"Hey, why do you even care if she knows?" Ari asked, looking up at me as we advanced towards the end of the block. "Wasn't she the one who told you to ask me out? Isn't she your best friend, too?"

"Well... it was more like she dropped hints—but she's also best friends with Rian, who's best friends with Harley and Torrence, who everyone in the school is best friends with... for the most part... I just don't want it spreading—"

"—Hey, you're being paranoid. Eden wouldn't tell, I know her." Ari gently touched my shoulder, single-handedly soothing my entire nervous system. 

I did promise that I wouldn't tell her secret. And I haven't. So, I think it's safe to say that she'll hold up her end of the bargain. 

Ari continued regardless: "And besides, why would the school care?"

That assumption could not have been further from the truth. "...Well, first of all, didn't you say that everyone was talking about you before you even came to the high school?"

"Well... true—"

"—And secondly, if Eden was right in calling me the 'high school heartthrob', then I'd probably break some people's hearts."

"...But, I mean—"

"—And thirdly, is that even a question? I know you've been, like, homeschooled all your life or whatever, but seriously, high school students do care. Even if they barely know who you are. And word goes around quick. I would've thought you'd figure that out by now."

Ari tilted his head and faced forward. 

"...Yeah, you're right." We waited for the cars on the road to pass before crossing the street. "I guess I'm not fully assimilated just yet."