Break In My Heart

10. Witchcraft

Coldwater slid down my body as I stood under the tall shower head. Practice had been brutal, and my muscles ached. I'd wanted nothing more than to go home and collapse onto my bed and never get up.

But life, and more importantly Tyler, had other plans.

"Dude, come on. If we wait any longer we might as well take the L now." A chuckle tagged itself at the end of his sentence, though I could hear the underlying urgency. We'd finished filming everything for our collab project and Kyra sent a rough edit that was nearly done except for the color grading-- which I still didn't fully understand-- and graphics. And, she'd unknowingly signed my death certificate the moment she said that Tyler and I should work on the score together to make sure that the music fit what I wanted because "a film is only half as good as its score", as she said. I just wish that she and her mother hadn't decided to pack up and surprise her dad with a visit on his extended business trip so she could brave it out with me. Or distract me. Either would have sufficed.

"Addison!" He whined after I didn't respond. His voice, though goofy, sent chills down my spine and had an effect on my body I really wish it hadn't. Especially when I was 100% naked.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a second," I said as casually as I could as I tried to swallow the massive lump in my throat.

"Alright, but if your butt isn't out here in the next five minutes, I will come in there and drag you out, naked and all. Don't think I won't. I don't play when it comes to my grades."

I put my hands up in surrender though I knew he couldn't see me. "Okay, okay, I believe you. Just get out of here. I feel awkward showering when people can hear."

"Okay, I'm leaving. But you have four minutes now!" He called before his footsteps started fading away. Only when I heard the door open and close before the room filled with stillness yet again, did I let myself release the breath I was holding. My heart was pounding as if practice had ended thirty seconds ago rather than thirty minutes ago. He made me feel things that I didn't like. Well, I did kind of like it, but not when he was the one causing it instead of Kyra. I felt like I was emotionally cheating on her, but no matter how many times I tried to rewire my messy brain and screw my head on straight, every glance Tyler casually threw my way or my name would slide past his lips just right, I would be back to square one.

It was torture of the worst kind.

I hurriedly turned off the water, hating the part of me that wanted to stay in just to see if Tyler would make good on his obvious tongue-in-cheek threat, then peeked my head out to confirm that I was alone. Once I felt sure, I walked out bare, listening as my feet wetly slapped against the tiled floor. Goosebumps rose on my skin as a coldness far less forgiving than the water wrapped around me like a mummy's bandages, urging me to quickly dress. I'd barely finished sliding on my hoodie before Tyler burst in through the door. "Alright, dick out or not I'm about to drag your a-- oh never mind, you're already out," he said as our eyes locked.

I awkwardly chuckled. "Uh, yeah."

"Good. Common, I'm starving. I was thinking about stopping by Mikey's right quick, then after that do you wanna work at my place or yours? Or we could go somewhere else if you'd like."

"Mikey's is closer to my house, so we can do it at my place."

"Cool, cool," he said as he readjusted his bag over his shoulders. I slung my own backpack over my own shoulders before he slung his arm around my shoulders. I felt a static-like shock move through me like a current at the sudden action. "We're going to make some fire, my friend. Certified fire."

"I can believe it," I said, though all I could focus on was the weight of his arm around me.

"I need to grab the MIDI I checked out from my locker. Come on."